[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

I agree with you. I respect any quarry it is that I take. Before harvesting and animal, I return upmost respect for them. Each and EVERY animal deserves our respect, as human nature.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

Not everyone feels the same way I do about deer. I have to respect their views, too.....as long as they're not breaking any game laws. I don't have to agree with them.....but I can't project MY ethics on someone else.

I just don't have to hunt with OR befriend them.

If you're expecting everyone to feel the same way you do about deer and deer hunting.....you're setting yourself up for a HUGE disappointment.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

There is a lot of aspects I love about whitetails, and there are even more that I respect. Especially an old buck that's managed to survive so many years with such a high price on his head.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

Yes, I find whitetails very exciting, no matter what the circumstances are. Being from a farm, I have seen them my whole life all most on a daily basis, but I never get tired of it, they are wonderful looking animals. Graceful, yet tough. I could watch them for hours.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

I once had a friend do that with the muzzleloader,,, he missed on the first day, a 140 class deer at 6 yds!!! He said before we went that he didn't need to set his scope in!!! I said you are nuts, I begged and pleaded, he did not listen. He payed the price, and I am no longer friends with him..

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

I couldnt have said it better myself. Thanks for sticking to that.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

Droptine...I don't disagree with the way you feel.....but it isn't about you and me (what others do). Hunting is very personal. I've always said that. We can't project our ethics on those that don't want to hear it. Those that are malleable are a different story.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

Kurt and I are pissed....Kurt hunted alone Friday night. He heard a guy calling above him on the next property. He heard deer come through, saw the arrow come through one of the doe, watched the doe run, heard the doe crash. The guy started calling again. The guy got down at dark, and left. We assumed he'd be back for the doe....well yesterday we found her eaten up by varmits......couldn't believe it. The doe layed not 125 yards from the guys treestand...I wanted to drag it up to the guys tree and leave him a note.....Kurt talked me out of it.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

Hey Droptine.... well,, are you hunting all week??? lucky dog.....

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

When you see deer, no matter where, does your heart rate increase ?
check

Do you find yourself just watching them, and smiling ?
check

Do you put food out for your neighborhood deer ?
check

Do you feel and hurt for ones that were taken by vehicles, before their time ?
check

When a new housing/commercial complex is built RIGHT in their backyard, or their home was cleared out to facilitate such a project, do you get a little angry ?
CHECK

Do you wait for that PERFECT shot and pratice the not so perfect ones, not because you want that trophy, but, because you feel that you owe it to your quarry ?check

Do you realize that nature HAS infact given us more than we can ever repay?
check

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

that is just showing the up most respect for a very special animal.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

I couldn't agree with you more. But unfortunately sometimes as ethical hunters we must learn to curb our tongue in public. If we go off on someone in public you never know who is listening in on the conversation. and they usually dont understand it and blow it out of proportion.
We will never be able to change all of "those" kinds of peoples mind. just like they will never be able to change ours.
I just consider my self lucky that we have a place like this to vent.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

I agree with GMMAT. I love the outdoors, born and raised in them. I love deer hunting, I don't get all misty when I see them hit by cars and what not. You have the right to feel what you want, but don't try and get all Mr. Miagi on a guy, he hunts his way.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

You are right, GMMAT, but ethics MUST be a part of hunting. Otherwise, we should let any poacher or beer-chugging rifleman have his way with the population. There is a difference between not "loving" these creatures and being cruel to them.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

wow....were you reading my diary again.:D

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

I hate to see it in a bowhunter. I see it in gun hunters often. However if I see it in anyone they are not a true hunter.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

You guys aren't reading what I'm saying. How "I" feel is irrelevant to how someone else (who doesn't give a rat's ASS how "I" feel) feels. HUNTING IS PERSONAL. When we start projecting our ethics and views where they're not wanted (read any good QDM threads, lately????)....is when we "divide".

Also.....is a "deer" worth really getting into a fight over? Is a "deer" worth risking not going home to your family? In this instance.....a deer STORY! We don't even know if it's true!

I say it sometimes....."It's JUST a deer". I love 'em.....and I respect them....but I won't comprimise my ethics for one. I won't break the law for one. I won't fight for one. What you do is your own business.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

I love them, and have the respect to place a good shot on the deer. What that guy did was dumb, and sadly alot more people do that than you would think. I just cant see shooting at an animal and not knowing where I hit it or even if I hit it at all.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

That scenario would have mad me angry, too, DropTine. But I more or less agree with what GMMAT said. If they don't break any laws, then I can't really do anything about it but tell them what I think and have no respect for them. That's one of the things about living in a free country. Not only does everyone have an opinion, but we can express it. In this case, he can express his idiocy and you can express your ethics. Hopefully, when he gets home, he'll think about it a bit more, but who knows. Just imagine if the PETA folks or the Animal Defense League could force their "ethics" on us? Yech! (NOT that I'm comparing you to them. I'm not. But you get the idea)

(someone should force their spellcheck on me!)

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

Put me in your column. Not caring at all, might as well use poison.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

To answer all of your questions in a word, yes. My wife gets annoyed that I pull over in traffic just to look at some deer.

I just love those animals and want to learn all I can about them.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

The facts are not everyone has been raised in a hunting family. Also lots of people inherit the ethics of the people who introduced them to hunting. But getting in a stare down with another man over something that didn't directly affect you is irresponsible.

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

When you think you have heard all the butt plug ideas on howto kill deer,I can top it .Last week my neighbor thought he saw a deer acting strange,so he walks over to his property line and can see a deer laying in his neighbors yard. he yells and the deer stands up but can't raise its head. He goes into his home ,gets his binoculars and goes back.
What he sees blows his mind. this assclown was snaring deer, I won't give the details because they are not important ,the local W.C.O. was called and he busted this guy.
Thats right snaring Deer I'm on the verge of ........................................

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

Okay, I want to add my opinion. I may catch some heat for this, but here goes. I think what we all sometimes don't realize is that these are just animals. The same as yotes, bobcats, ducks, pheasant, or anything else that we as hunters choose to hunt. However, it seems as though some people take these whitetail deer and put them up on a pedistal. I respect deer as much as anyone, but just because I do doesn't have to mean everyone does. I have heard stories of people shooting deer and looking for 30 mins. and not finding them.I have also heardof people shooting deer and checking them in only to take them and cut out the backstraps, then leave the deer in the woods so it would draw in the yotes and they could kill them. Do I agree with these people? NO! But it won't do me any good to confront them and act like they are less of a person than I am.

After reading this thread, a scenario came to mind. Let's say that someone, we'll call him John,had a son/daughter killed by someone who was speeding. Let's say you were at the bow shop and you arrived just before it closed. The owner says "Barely made it" You said "I know, I had to drive like 80 to get here" John confronts you for speeding and says that he should kick your a** for speeding.

I don't know if that makes sense. But what is really important to some people, just isn't as important to others. No matter how much you love deer, there will always be people who say "They are just animals"

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

I love whitetails yes. They have become the only thing I hunt now, exclusively. No desire to hunt anything else, except for bull Elk someday in my dreams maybe.
Ionce attempted to free a trophy 10 PT. WT from a fence, on the last day of archery season and with an unfilled tag.
Fair is fair. Any other way is never contemplated with me.

You did good, but you could have just shot him like you would an armed trespasser. :D

RE: Do you TREULY love them ? Almost fought
 

Droptine,

Now that I see the rest of the story, I think you did exactly the right thing. I'm like you in that I feel free to offer my opinion, but don't seek confrontation. If someone confronts me, I'll generally try to defuse the situation. But if someone's determined to take it to the physical level, I don't want togive them the satisfaction of having someone back down to their bullying. I'm not that big (5'9, 185 lbs), and most people would peg me at closer to 160 lbs (what can I say? I'm dense, as anyone who knows me will attest) but I can sure as he!! fight. Getting an a$$whooping from someone they thought was an easy target may make them think about picking a fight next time.

Sounds to me like you told him something he knew deep down and it hurt. Good for you! Maybe he'll think about it before he shoots next time.