HuntingBry

Dave, if in your situation I don't know that I would have handled it differently than you have. You certainly don't want to give up your land, but cattle ranches aren't the business they used to be, so you have to do something. In your case you have conducted the business in a respectable manner. You have set your standards (bowhunting only) and made a living with what you've got. The kill farms that you have mentioned are the problem. That fierce competition and the realization that pockets can get fat have fueled that industry and created gluttony for the hunters at the cost of the animals. You know that you could make more money, but you have stuck to your principles and I respect that.

If I were in your shoes I most likely would have done the same thing as you, but that doesn't excuse what the others you mentioned have turned their land into. From what you've said too, I think you would agree that saying that they've turned to "hunting" is using the term hunting fairly loosely. Buying a fresh new stock of deer for the next crew of hunters to come in andshoot updoesn't constitute what I know as hunting.

Things could be worse, here in PA when family land is passed down to generations that don't want to or can't farm and the IRS comes looking for their cut, they subdivide and the next expanse of homes for urban sprawl pop up. At least people get to hunt on your land.

Austin/WI

I watched that same showawhile back, and I agree that isn't hunting at all. I don't see how that can even be fun to do. There are very few hunting show i'll watch on TVV now because of all theplaces like this. I don't want to help pay for that guy's food plots and watering holes.But to each his own I guess.

BKE

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Ithinking that these are the people who (because of there chosen professions) are in a much better position than let's say myself ond others that I know of to actually take a week and enjoy a hunt of a lifetime at least once a year. Instead of the shooting that is being debated here they (IMO) can afford to hunt Alaska, Canada andother areas in the world that I only wish I could fork out the bucks for. And in most cases when they bring those trophies home I do respect the fact that they put in the time and worked for it.

Germ

And dave if you do not like it stop watching it I hate American Idol, so when wife turns it on I head to the gym I don't watch it; then complain on an American Idol fan forum on how the show sucks[8D]

Nor will I EVER tell a land ower what they can or can not do with their land. One thing I learned the last few months is what to focus my energy on. Worry about some guys in Texas trying to make a living is not one of them

Montana Dave

HuntingBry,

And another thing..... Just kidding! That was the classiest response I have ever seen posted. Thank you for being open minded.

As I'm sure you can imagine, I get beat up a lot on any post outside of Texas.This "horn farming" thread is absolutely correct. Ranchers try and grow big deer just like teenagers try and raise the biggest calves in 4-H Club.... for $$$. It is a business, and it is growing every year!

For me, at least its better then a j-j-j-job. Yuck!!

blackmax2

i would have to say i am still looking for that buck to shoot with my bow, but have taken a doe.. and its not easy hunting public land. but for a poor ole military boy its what i love to do so much... i would rather sit in a stand for weeks then walk out in a field for 20 minutes... i want to hunt not play iny miny miney moe!!!!

manuman

I'm glad for ya Dave! I actually had a job as manger of a 'trophy' plantation in SC for a short duration, and couldn't stomach the dishonesty shown by the owner. It wasn't related to being a 'kill farm', but just a lot of less than honest business practices and priorities. I think that you , obviously, aren't cut out of the same stock, and you have every right to run it as a business and to make money, and it sounds like you are doing it right at the same time. I wish more handled it this way.

livinfortherut

In my opinion what he did is not QDM. Has stated earlier QDM is harvesting for age and sex ratios. What he did is what I refer to as trophy managment. Not based on age but based on if it will score well. Blaming QDM for this is not the answer.

mobow

My arse....Oh man....here I go again........First, I don't fault ANYONE deciding they will or won't shoot a certain deer....If you have self imposed standards, hey....Best of luck....

But I see and hear this same statement quite frequently, and I'm sorry.....It's all about horns.....What happens when you let bucks get older? They grow bigger horns. On top of that, the older a buck gets the more difficult they are to kill, thus....more age and bigger horns. This QDM movement is ruining deer hunting if you ask me. It's no longer about hunting, it's about money. Big horns = big bucks, and that's all there is too it. Yes, I understand there needs to be a balance in the herd....Age and ratio are indeed important, but if it's all about a healthy deer herd......How come the deer population has exploded in the last 20 years? I can only speak for Missouri, but we haven't started "practicing" QDM except for the last 4 years, and they are ALREADY talking about raising the cost of both resident and non resident permits.......Hm, I wonder why that is??

Our antler restrictions are only in 19 counties in the state.....That's not even 1/4 of the state.....They say it's to shift the harvest to does, but out of those 19 counties there are several where you can only shoot 2 anyway.....BUT, those are counties that are already known for big bucks.....

It's total hog wash......But politics in general is.....Every decision made is sold on the premise that we are too stupid to make decisions ourselves, and rules need to be made for OUR best interests....But this isn't the forum to get into that, so I better not....

AR Bowhunter

I like to feel a sense of accomplishment when I harvest a deer, whether it is a doe or buck. I like scouting for the animal by doing my homework, being there when the animal is there.I don't think I would like that type of hunt.