Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

Alright this has probably been done before but here we go, If you could change one thing about the hunting industry, or regulations what would it be?

Mine would be that i would standardize the age limits for hunting of all kinds to 12 years old no matter what the gear whether it be small, or large game and with any type of weapon, bow or rifle.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

I repectfully disagree. I am thankful that my dad started my hunting experience at the tender age of 8. I was not pulling the trigger or hunting alone but I was part of the hunting experience. Learning about the land, the game, the weather conditions, proper technique for carrying a gun. All of these things set the stage for a lifetime of enjoyment.

By 12 most kids are veggies glued to a tv or ps3 or wii game and lose any interest in the outdoors. Other bad influences can take a strong hold by this time as well, drinking, drugs, sex and hunting and outdoor pursuits can be a tool to help fight the influence of such things. I am not naive enough to think that hunting is the silver bullet to combat the bad things in life, but if my children are in a stand, blind or stomping briars with me they are away from the bad things in life. We need to expose the next generation to the beauty of our hunting heritage or we risk losing it when they become the leaders and voters.

I will readily agree to strict supervision of young hunters under the age of sixteen and a more relaxed supervision of those 16 to 18. Lets not be afraid to pass the torch.

I sometimes get ticked at some of the special seasons designated just for youth but I realize that we must get the kids hooked on our past time. It is just sad that some adults use youth as a front to hunt a season that they otherwise could not.

Just my opinion.

Tom

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

Greenboy, why??

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

The fact that I have to lease land just to hunt a deer. That's a wrong in hunting.[:@]

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

i was plenty ready when i was 9 to gun hunt.....12 yrs old????? I guess some boys dont mature nearly as quick as others. It should be up to the parents to start kids hunting when they feel they are old enough.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

I guess before I started my above sermon I should have followed Vabowman's lead and asked why you feel this way greenboy?

On a different note:
One thing I would change in Ohio is have the gun season start the Saturday after Thanksgiving instead of the Monday after Thanksgiving. Alot of people like me cannot take the day off before or after a holiday. If Ohio has to add an extra weekend to the gun season do it at the beginning not the end. I know I know this is a bowhunting forum but all states squeeze a gun season into the bow season so I might as well wish for a way to take part in the first day of it.

Tom

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

I've gotta respectfully disagree as well... while I didn't start hunting (real hunting not field plinking with a 22) til i was about 18-19yrs old, my 6.5yr old has already been to the stand with me and is going to be taking a stab at firing a .243 rifle this summer... if he does as well with it as he does with a .22LR he's taking the hunter safety class this year and going out with me for his first rifle buck... in the state of AL where we do most of our hunting only a minimum of 35lbs draw weight is required, he turns 7 in a couple weeks and he's already pulling back 35lbs, I fully expect him to be pulling back 40lbs by the time the season coems around... if he passes the hunter safety course I see absolutely ZERO reason to keep him outta the field... why should someone be limited to 12yr old when they are perfectly capable of taking a deer cleanly when 7-8yr old (under the direct supervision of a parent of course)??? will he bow hunt this year? not likely, but MAYBE... we'll see how he does... at the rate he's going right now, he very well could be in the stand...

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

I have four kids. My youngest son is two. He went deer hunting as well as duck and goose hunting this year. Other kids; boy 11, girl 8 and girl 6. The two oldest hunt with guns. My oldest got his first little 870 20ga. pump when he was nine. Up to that point he had to shoot my sks...

If I had to change one thing... hmmm...

I'd be able to hunt on Sundays. Day light hours the way they are now, I can only hunt weekends, and that leaves one day a week to divide up between four little ones. Not good...

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

I was running some traps and killing small game with my bow when I was 10 years old. No parent needed.

:eek:

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

The reason i said 12 was because where i live you cannot bowhunt till your 14 and you cannot gunhunt till your 16 and that is with adult supervision. At the age of 12 in New york you can only go small game hunting with an adult. I said 12 because i know theyll never go lower than that in New York and some other states so it seemed like a good idea:eek:

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

Ah, gotcha. ;)

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

In answer to your title in general: "Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?"

I wish every buck grew a 150" rack at 1.5 years old and 150" was the maximum that antlers could grow. Maybe we as deer hunters would not be so competitive with one another over land, meaning easier access for everyone.

Yeah, I just woke up after working all night[8D].

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

If I had one thing to change? Id put alimit on animals that can be taken on a stretch of land. Im so sick of seeing the outfitters around here
w h o r e out the land at top dollar. Ive seen land around me descimated by outfitters. They bring someone new with a full set of tags every other day. There was a small stretch of land next to my property that was leased up by and outfitter. They just about killed off every thing that moved. When the animals were all gone, they moved on. It took about 8 years to get my property back to where you saw animals.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

Interesting. But we'd (us hunters) still find a way (age.....pounds....SOMETHING) to see who's pissin furthest up the wall.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

That is what is wrong with hunting. Money! If you can't afford to lease, pay hunt, or buy your deer, your days are numbered.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

YUP, I grew up in NY. It just killed me when my older brothers headed off to deer hunt. I was like Christine, ran a trap line for years while in school. BUT... I did grow up in the sticks so I was into shooting and killing critters at an early age. I was hunting alone with the 22 when I was 8. Got my own shotgun at 12 with trapping money. Before I got it I had to take turns with my next older brother. Was it legal for us to be out there. Not according to NY law, but that was the life style at that time.. 55 or so years ago. We just did it with the graces of mom and dad who appreciated the extra meat we brought home. Partridge, rabbits and an occasional pheasant were welcome additions to the larder. We hunted every day that the seasons were open. Deer season was different. It wasn't like shootinga bunny. In my family you couldn't go until you got the legal license for that. We did abide by seasons and all that. Just weren't old enough to legally hunt. I got caught once when I was 12 out shooting woodchucks. He drove me home and said to my folks, you know he isn't suppose to be doing this. Keep him out of the fields by the roads. LOL

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

I gotcha Greenboy, you want it lowered in NY. See where everyone went with it without an explanation???!!!

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

Id like to see it lowered everywhere as low as it can go its just that they wont do it in new york

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

If i could change one thing it would be during firearm season in INDIANA . That you could only hunt with a muzzleloader, that way the dumb === in the woods next to me would relize you don't have to unload your gun on ever deer you shoot at .I know theirs alot of hunter that don't do that but for the ones that do we need it for the safty of other hunter in the woods and the hunters in the woods next to them .

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

Greed in so many ways.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

And that is EXACTLY what is wrong with hunting today... were all tryin to "Piss further up the wall."

Human nature i guess, and as long as im having fun i dont care who's pissin further.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

I agree with greenboy. New York is way screwed up. They keep saying that they are going to lower it but I know it will never happen. That is just the way are state it is. I wish they would lower so more kids would get involved.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

If I could change one thing in Pa,I would allow SUNDAY hunting!!!!;)

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

MANDATORY that your job HAS to give ALL BOWHUNTERS off WORK the whole month of NOVEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

Every kid is diffferent but I believe most if given a chance and taught correctly would develop confidence, problem solving skills, love of the outdoors, spending time with there parents with no TV or games. I know my daughter does she is 8 and took her first deer this year. We shot all summer seeing her grow and achieve little milestone had me sticking out the ole chest a little. Its amazing what they can do with guidance and confidence.

Something i like to see change get ridof all thehigh gadgets that we all love and get back to hunting.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

Great Post!!! I think it's just a completely different world now.

Now as to what is wrong with hunting, I agree, it's the $$$$$$. I lost my first property that I'd hunted for YEARS to a lease this year. I understand the old farmer is in need of money, fixed income and all, and has an opportunity to make a few $$$, leasing out his land, but I just hate that it happens. I think Texas is probably the WORST state for all of the damned leases, and guys don't have much public land to hunt on down there. I've heard many guys talking of paying well over $1000 just to have a place to hunt!!! That's SAD!!!! If I was in such a position, I'd MOVE to another state that offered plenty of public hunting and very few leases. When a guy can BUY his big B&C buck, while the rest of us have to HUNT for them, there is a problem in hunting. I don't like FEEDERS, I don't like the HIGH-FENCE RANCHES, and I really don't particularly care for LEASES either, though I know they are often times good for landowners needing to make ends meet.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

Some kids are ready to hunt at age 8, and others aren't at age 16. It should be upto the parent/guardian and not the state.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

I was the same way growing up hunting. Once I was trusted I was turned loose to hunt all of the surrounding farm land, but in this day and age I couldn't bring myself to give my children that freedom. Our wonderful hunting world has been invaded by meth labs and dope patches. I would hate to let a child of mine beplaced in that situation without me there. It is sad but true state. I quit hunting southern Ohio (Meigs county) until after the first heavy frost. I was 16 hunting paper company land and walked into a "weed" patch complete with camo netting. It scared me out of those woods.

Back to the original question, I hate the role money has taken in hunting. The outfitters have invaded Ohio and I have lost some wonderful hunting spots in Licking county.

I'll also throw in jealous so called hunting buddies. You know the guys who say you killed my deer, get ticked when anybody else kills a deer, or constantly say it would have been a great deer next season.

My rant is over.

Tom

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

1000 bucks in Texas, It must be a parking lot.:D All the land around me is going for a minimum of 2000 for 100 achrs a year. My uncle pays 1500 a year for 200 achers and feels he is getting a heck of a deal. I have had people offer me up to 5000 to hunt my land. I aint going to do it.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

You know how the age thing got socrazy. No parents. I know kids in my area that shouldnt be let out the door, much less have a fire arm, yet the parents let them run all over town, at all hours and dont care if they have a gun or not. We have to face it, bad parents ruin it for the rest of us. So the state has to come in and set these crazy rules to protect us from the idiot parents that do nothing with their kids and teach them nothing about hunting.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

Not all of us.

Whats Wrong With Hunting Today? People don't hunt like I do that's what's wrong.;)

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

The other thing I think is wrong with hunting today, hunters. The vast majority of us talk the talk but don't walk the walk.

We talk about getting youth involved, but don't. Other the our owns kids that is.

We talk about the bad things in hunting but leave it at that.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

People don't just hunt anymore. I mean go out and just hunt! To much competition. I kinda miss the old days when the only time when you would see a big buck was when you were actually in the woods and how special that was!

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

1-To much competition between bowhunters to get a big buck ( I'm guilty of this )

2- Leasing hunting land

3- To many other seasons hunters (black powder, youth, and so on) hunting at the same time as the archery season

4- To many bowhunters out there who tell other how to hunt are what to hunt with and are saying your not a bowhunter if you don't use some thing that there using.

On the good side

!- More bowhunters. In numbers we will stand stronger

2- Better equipment. not as many deer are lost as when I started in 1965

3- Bowhunters are better educated about are sport

If I set and think about it more I could think of other things. I have been bowhunting since 1965 and this some of the things I have seen change over the years.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

I don't know about a minimum age, but I think all hunters should have to attend a hunter safety course before being able to hunt. If you are 9 years old and take the course and pass then with your parents permission you should be able to hunt.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

Over the years I have seen 9 year old take deer with a bow even back when we all used recurves. age is not a factor, It's how educated they are about there equipment, hunting and if they can hit what there aiming at and theirs a responsive adult that can tell them when there ready to hunt. A bow now day are a lot more effective and a 25 lb compound put out more energy than a 30 to 40 lb recurves and there has been lot's of deer taken with light weight recurves. Tuco Here we go again some one telling us whats right and wrong and trying to eliminate hunters who can't live up to there standards. I have seen 9 year old bowhunters that are better hunters than some adults and yes even shoot better.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

I'm not sure I get this. I hunt for big bucks and the only person I compete with is myself (except for Rob/PA/Bowyer ;)).


If you mean that peoples desire to shoot big bucks leads to competition for land, location and such, well I agree. But that's never going to change. Any time there is something that people desire, you'll have competition to achieve acquiring that which is desirable. It's been that way since Adam & Eve. My father told me over 30 years ago that hunting would someday be just a rich mans sport. Sadly, I believe he may be right.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

Yeah maybe your right they should not be required to take a safety course but it would be a good idea. The more I thought about it, it should ultimatly be up to the parent. I was hunting alone when I was in the 6th grade, but I had been in the field with my dad and grandpa a lot before that.

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

to the power of 10

RE: Whats Wrong With Hunting Today?
 

I see some bowhunters poach, lie, and cheat just to kill a big buck. I seen bowhunters that shot a buck and will find out if big enough to win a contest with it. If not go out a shoot another one even if they don't have a license to shoot another one and keep shooting them till they get the big one. I seen one entered in a contest that was snared are they have try to pass a gun shot buck as a bow kill. Some bowhunters think to be some buddy they need to get the biggest buck and will do any thing to get one. Your right about becoming a rich man sport, but to give $70.00 to a $100.00 for a bow in the 60's was like giving $500 today. I remember buying aluminum arrow for $11.00, X7s where only around $20.00 and $10.00 for a gross of woods. I thought that was a lot of money.