Old timer view
 

We were talking the other day about growing big bucks and all that.
An old timer we hunt with (75+ years old) said, "I'll tell ya. You should hunt deer just like you hunt squirrels. You go out with your gun or bow, see one, and ya pop it. You keep doing that until you have enough meat for the winter, then you quit. This big rack racket is just funny to me. You don't hear of any tree rat management do ya? You don't see $1,000.00 trophy tree rat hunts for sale do ya? How many of you youngens go out and pop girl squirrels only for meat? Grow all the big bucks you want, but I promise, it won't help the herd and they don't taste any better."

RE: Old timer view
 

If we all did that............the deer would be eating US in NC before long.;)

BUT.....He IS wise.

RE: Old timer view
 

Yes he is, look at the rats they shot in his generation:D

RE: Old timer view
 

Hey Germ, who is that guy posing with your buck?

RE: Old timer view
 

Germ's on the right.....and what you can't see can't hurt you.;)

RE: Old timer view
 

QSM .... now that's an intersting concept.

RE: Old timer view
 

Give it time. It'll happen.In10 years there will be squirrel hunting outfitters buying up the best squirrel properties and charging 4 or 5 grand to hunt the big ones.:D

RE: Old timer view
 

I'd be more for QRM. I love rabbit hunting.

RE: Old timer view
 

Times have changed and change is good. Somewhat.;)

RE: Old timer view
 

The deer center of that pic.(16+ pointer) is absolutely huge. Look at it compared to the guy behind and next to it, or the deer next to it. It almost looks fake. I cant stop looking at it.

RE: Old timer view
 

Guys in MI 60 years ago it was all about Pheastant hunting and small game, now if you see one your lucky.

RE: Old timer view
 

My great grandpa lived off the woods... Raised his whole family trapping and running coonhounds and picking ginseng, cohosh andgoldenseal...for pennies on the dollar. I loved talking to him - listening to his stories. I still marvel at that guy'sknowledgeand appreciation of nature. Weird how 60-70 years changes our outlook on things.

He died about 10 years ago at age 80, having killed more coons than most people will ever see, and picked more ginseng than I could ever imagine in my wildest dreams... All those years... All those worn out boots... and never once did helevel the sights ona whitetail.

I'd ask Pap about whitetail hunting, and he'd just crackthat wry smile and say "Boy, you go run your trapline and leave those deer alone. You'll get more meat off of those coons than a family will ever eat."

Pap ate coon... No indoor plumbing either. LOL Raised 5 kids like that and lost one topneumonia. Old School. Loved baseball and nature. Shooting an animal like a whitetail was a wanton waste of a beautifulliving thing, especially when there were plenty of edible roadkills laying around, if you're hungry.

To him, a fun time in the woods was a 4-day trip back across the Laurel Highlands with hiscoonhounds, wicker frame pack,2 dozen dyed Victors, a .22and a carbide light. Deer and bear weren'tthings thatyou hunted for sport.Whitetails were just mother nature's window dressing - you could always look, but younever, evertouched.

RE: Old timer view
 

Somewhat is correct.
We eat everything we take unless we know of a family that will take it. I wish that were true among all 'hunters.' Luckily it seems to be the norm here.

RE: Old timer view
 

I know of quite a few around my parts that still hunt like the "old timer" you talked about, they hunt just for food and would rather shoot two yearlings than a big buck. It's their primary source of meat throughout the year.