Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

I have had this debate with my boss a few times now and here it is. He says that deer hunting is not a challange anymore like it was 40 years ago. He tells me of how they had to go out and climb trees by hand and be in the field for days and days. He speaks of very hard physical work. He also critisizes the use of all the high tech equiptment now days (rangefinders, high powered scopes, most everything you can think of that they didn't have back then). My arguement to him is this. Back in those days, the land wasn't broken up near as much as it is now. he had thousands of acres to hunt where now it is hundreds of 100 acre plots. There are more hunters out there with high tech equiptment that we now have to compete with on top of trying to outsmart a big buck. With the equiptment currently on the market, I am willing to give him that it is easier to harvest a deer today comparted to back then (not saying it's easier to get a big one), but is it really easier? That does not even go into the amount of money involved compared to 40 years ago.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

All of the equipment in the world still isn't a substitute for actual hunting intelligence and ability.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

Depends on who you talk to and the areas. Take rural PA 40 years ago and you hear stories of 100's of deer seen per day. Not real hard to shoot one when you see that many. Now listen to those same guys and they may see 5 deer all season.

I would guess in most places/cases it is much easier now, but not all.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

Without a doubt it is easier today than it was 40 years ago. The fact is, it is easier today than it was 25 years ago when I started. The equipment is one huge factor, but also look at the advancements we have today with scent elimination. I understand your point about there being more land back then, but you also have to remember that there is more deer today. Just about all the States have done a great job about managing heards, not to mention what all the hunters are doing as well. With year around food plots, we have healthier deer today with less winter kill off. I look at people passing on 120-130 inch deer today and I am just amazed. Let's not forget that those are P&Y book deer and we let them walk. I hate to tell you this, but I think your boss is going to win this one.:D

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

much, much easier today

My grandfather told me a story once that I will share, it happened in S. Arkansas during the 1940's

My grandfather was still a young man. He, his brother, and his father were plowing the fields in preperation of the winter crops. Their closest neighbor came riding up in their horse drawn buggy and told them that they had spotted TWO (2) sets of deer tracks in their field. The neighbors, along with my grandfather, his brother, and his father packed their sacks full of food and sleeping gear and set out after the two deer.....based on two sets of tracks. They ended being gone for three days, sleeping under the stars and eating whatever they brought in their sacks and never saw a deer. I guess I had a puzzled look on my face because he said that back then, two deer would be like a free side of beef, split between two families and they determined it was worth the effort to go after them.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

Yep, and those were the "good ole days" if you ask most PA hunters;):eek:

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

Thats a no brainier ,it has to be easier today.

Forty years ago Bow tech wasn't even a pipe dream ,and a Rage was party.[:o]

And look what happened to the Indians,they never had a chance in hell of surviving with those wooden bows & old stone broad heads.;)

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

Wait...what about the butt-out?

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

I am still skeptical. I would much rather have full access to 2 or 3 thousand acres and head out hunting than sitting in a stand to hear deer feeders going off on all sides of my hunting property with 100 yards. I see the points ya'll are making, but also still think I have a pretty good arguement. And maybe I'm to young (30) and jelous of how it used to be when I wasn't around to enjoy it.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

The lack of a buffalo size Butt out toolcould have only hastened the demise of the first American hunters.[:o]

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

It's easy today because there are a lot more deer around. If I could of see them I could shoot as may deer as I do today. I like to say it was because of are equipment but, I can't, if I had the deer to shoot as I do todayI think I could get as many as I do today. Imay wound more because bowhunters did wound more deer game back then I can remember that. My dad always told to see a deer track was likefinding a bear track now days in IA. There just wasn't any back in the 30 sand 40 s. Education probably the big factor. bowhunter are more educated on bow hunting than back than and are equipment is more efficient and we are making cleaner kills and are not having to track them all night. We would take longer and harder shot atdeer just to get one because you didn't get the chance that often.Back in the early 50's theDNR had reported about 50 deer in IA and by1956 we had a deer season. In the 60 when I stated to bowhunt if I see 10 deer a season I done good. I took a lot of them back than but, than again I hunted all the time,shot heavy 65 lb recurves and shot my bow every day and I could shoot a rabbit in the head out to 25 yards bare bow are on the a full run.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

Definately easier today. 40 years ago I was only 1 year oldand couldn't pull back a bow for squat.:D

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

The deer herd in NC has grown over 450% since 1974.

Ifa man was inclined to see some female boobies.....would he have an easier time doing so in a strip club......or at the Citadel?

It's a numbers thing. It's WAYyyy easier, today.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

Two words today make it much easier. 4 wheeler

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

It's definitely much, much easier now with the equipment that they have out there today. In saying that though I would of rather hunted 20 to 25 years ago then now. The big bucks were allot more plentiful then they are now In Minnesota. We actually have less deer here In central Minnesota now then we did 15 years ago.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

40 years ago many places didn't even have deer.. sooooooo

Doesn't anyone lift a book anymore?

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

40 years ago many places didn't even have deer.. sooooooo

Doesn't anyone lift a book anymore?


Good answer dukemichaels

Equipment, education, the tree stand, more hunters and most of all more there are deer now. 40 years ago I could count all the bowhunter in town on my fingers and I knew them all,can't do that today.Big buck are harder to get now day because there are more hunters out there hunting for them and it harder for them to grow into big bucks because some one shoot them before can get big and there are to many does.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

I can't speak for 40 years ago hunting wise, but I know where I live the deer population is about half what it was 40 years ago.Actually I just read that they (the state wildlife people)hope but don't predict or expectthe deer population to return to its numbers 40 years ago.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

One of the few things that may have made hunting easier 40 years ago was land access. In my area, as recent as 10 years ago I could hunt nearly anywhere I wanted with a phone call. Those days, at least here, are pretty much gone. Too many hunters that are leasing ground. I'm not saying its a bad thing, just different then than now.

Like was said numerous times before, we have alot more deer now than back then. Longer range weapons, scent control products, better camo,etc. Much easier now.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

Seems about the same to me. I have been hunting deer for over 40 years and about the only thing that makes it easier for me is the experience I have gained.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

My insight is one sided because I choose to hunt traditionally. Hunting is general has become commercialized and all about trophies. 40 years ago putting good quality meat was most likely the main concern with most hunters. Yes education and mangament has made some deer herds massive and produced massive bucks. Look at all the non typical bucks you see now versus then. These land owners are breeding and selling deer like cattle. Hunting today for most hunters is all about the size of the antlers not the feeling of being one with nature. Sitting in a stand over a feeder isnt hunting it is target practice. Hunting is finding the prey and taking them on their terms by out smarting them. With all the scent masking today most hunters do not even care about wind direction. I have hunted all my life and most of it was in the piney woods and swamps. I have went season after season and never saw a deer. Anyway thats my 2 cents worth.

RE: Is it easier or harder to hunt now than 40 years ago?
 

I may be making sweeping generalizations here but it seems like deer hunting is easier now in the southern midwest (Illiois, Missouri, Kansas) and the southeast beacuse there are way more deer than their used to be.

Here in wisconsin and other northern states it seems like the goal of state agencies has been to reduce the herd, so there are less deer. My father-in-law has an absolute fit if he sees five or less deer on opening day of gun season, and goes on a rant about how he used to see over a hundred deer opening day. Land access isan issue to. I have heard that twenty years ago you could just go sit by anyone's field and they wouldnt care much. Nowthere is a lot more competition.

So overall easier in the south and harder in the north. Just MHO.