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What do you OLD TIMERS think?
I was talking to my dad the other day out at our farm and he started talking about what it was like hunting 20-30 years ago.
He started deer hunting sometime after he got back from Vietnam, and was on the same family farm that we still hunt (it was a few hundred acres bigger though). He was a recurve man, and later on finally picked up a 12 gauge. In those some 40ish years of deer hunting he has killed more deer than I can dream about, and put down some pretty darn impressive bucks. His knowledge far outweighs any that I have ran across inmy area. All the way up until about the early 80's he was the only one hunting the farm seriously. And by serious I mean that he would bowhunt about a week in November, then hit the woods with his shotgun. While he says that he did not see near as many deer and would hunt long and hard to SEE a buck, butthe bucks he did see were usually OLD and BIG. Some of the deer he talked about were nearly all good ones, and the history on our farm proves it. It used to be AT LEAST a 140+ inch deer a year for one of the hunters, but over the last 12 years or so I can only think of about 7 bucks that would go over 135, but 2 of these were the only B&C's ever taken off the land. So what do some of the older veterans think? 15-20 years ago did you see bigger bucks? Didyou even see bucks? I found it interesting with all the modern ideas of food plots, passing smaller deer, and all other QDM ideas. This was a period where "brown and down" was accepted. |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
I think that over-population, lack of hunting pressure and milder winters leads to this.
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
Let me also note, that we hunt in West Central Illinois, so a "shooter" buck for us may be the buck of a lifetime elsewhere. I have seen up to 20 deer in one sitting before, but have also be skunked plenty of times. Overall it is a great farm and I am blessed that my family owns it, but I know that my location will not read the same types of numbers as say a guy in West Virginia.
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
Hang on a second, Where's my teeth? hand me my eye glasses! hey do we have a replacement battery for this damn hearing aid? who leaned my cane against the keyboard? OK, I'm back. So who are you calling an old timer you wet behind the ears, snot nosed punk?[8D]
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
Im no old timer, I began deer hunting in 1988, and we have always had big bucks where I live, now we have more deer as well.
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
ORIGINAL: GregH I think that over-population, lack of hunting pressure and milder winters leads to this. |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
Going by the 15-20 year ago range I am an old timer at 22 years hunting :(
There are more deer and bigger bucks now than back then. But there was also much more accessable land back then. |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
15-20 years ago, that was yesterday...
In the late 60s and early 70s, we had less deer, but I could ride down the road and watch bucks feeding in soybeans during the summer...I wouldask my dad who owned the land and easily get permission to bowhunt that area...I could walk out my back door (or front door) and hunt for 6-8 miles in either direction, never see another hunter and not get run off someone's land...If I did see a farmer, we'd stop and chat and he'd ask about what I had seen and actually tell me of deer he had seen... We all know it's not that way anymore...Heck, my brother had a poacher try to run him off one of our farms last year... But...No, the bucks weren't bigger back then, I've got several on the wall from then and frankly, we are killing bigger bucks now...Because I'm now an old fart andactually talk myself out of killing bucks...I'll kill one everyonce in a while, but I'd rather let them breed or let one of the younger hunters kill them...I kill the does...That's what helps you have bigger bucks, passing on them and frankly, back in the 70s and 80s...I don't recall any deer hunters in NC passing on any size bucks... |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
ORIGINAL: magicman54494 Hang on a second, Where's my teeth? hand me my eye glasses! hey do we have a replacement battery for this damn hearing aid? who leaned my cane against the keyboard? OK, I'm back. So who are you calling an old timer you wet behind the ears, snot nosed punk?[8D] |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
I know that around here 20-30 years ago. There were not that many deer in this area. At least compared to what it is now.
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
40 years ago, almost everyone had a LOT less deer. When I started bowhunting it was the rare guy that got his buck every year with the bow. And the bow was the only way you shot a doe in those days. Deer herds today in most places are way larger. Size wise, not a lot of difference I'd say. In the wild you'd occasionally hear of someone getting "The Big One" It's still that way. I'm talking wild deer not farmed deer.
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
well... im far from old but doesn't everything seem worst the more years that pass?
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
You're not listening. When I was a kid there were large areas and STATES where there was no deer season. They didn't have the deer. Prime example, large areas of Georgia had been closed to deer hunting since the 30s or 40s.
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
I'm no OLD TIMER, but I have been romping around the woods for about 25 years.:) No big difference in the size of the deer.Butin my immediat area the deer numbers have went way down. In themid 80s wehad45+ deerpersquare mile, now we 10 to 15 deer per square mile.
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
I hear that, gri22. Man, we used to see "bucks" any night of the week riding the roads. Now, you would be lucky to see a buck once or twice a year in the same general areas. Bad.
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
What's an old timer? I've spent the last 24 years strictly bow hunting along side with my dad. Back In the early years when I started at age 12 It was pretty damn Impressive In my area. Big bucks were not uncommon. The northern part of Mn was tough hunting because of the nasty winters but every where else was good. I know In my area It wasn't very uncommon at all to see a good handful of B&C bucks shot In the gun season's. That don't happen near as much now. The numbers are down to from what they use to be as a whole In Mn.
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
ORIGINAL: Schultzy What's an old timer? I've spent the last 24 years |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
ORIGINAL: MN/Kyle ORIGINAL: Schultzy What's an old timer? I've spent the last 24 years |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
ORIGINAL: Schultzy ORIGINAL: MN/Kyle ORIGINAL: Schultzy What's an old timer? I've spent the last 24 years |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
ORIGINAL: magicman54494 ORIGINAL: Schultzy ORIGINAL: MN/Kyle ORIGINAL: Schultzy What's an old timer? I've spent the last 24 years |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
remeber when it wasn't a "DEER LICENCE" or Bear licence.....it was for "Big Game" and that ment one of either Deer, Bear or Wolf in wisconsin??...
...yup...gettin old....[&o][X(] |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
ORIGINAL: Illinois Buck Hunter ORIGINAL: GregH I think that over-population, lack of hunting pressure and milder winters leads to this. I believe that with over population, caused by lack of hunting (no one would give permission, country turned suburban) and milder winters, leads to more competition for food sources and too many does. Pretty soon almost all of the fawns were breeding, including late born. It gets to the point where almost all the bucks get to breed which can all have an effect on antler quality. While looking for a friend of mine's deer he shot in 1998, I found a fawn that couldn't have been more than 2-3 weeks old. This was the 3rd weekend of September!! This means that the doe was bred in Feb., possibly March! Most mature breeding bucks have shed by that time and are no longer breeding. Something younger and less dominant had to have bred that doe. This is my opinion on why this happens. I see this in some of the areas I hunt now. There are big bucks around, but there are tons of small scrubby bucks too. If the total population was cut down and the buck/doe ratio was brought back in order, you'd see more, larger bucks. |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
So what do some of the older veterans think? 15-20 years ago did you see bigger bucks? Didyou even see bucks? |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
ORIGINAL: Schultzy What's an old timer? I've spent the last 24 years strictly bow hunting along side with my dad. |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
I remember way back when you were only allowed to kill ONE DEER per year in Pa. Anyone else remember those days?;)
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
ORIGINAL: GregH ORIGINAL: Illinois Buck Hunter ORIGINAL: GregH I think that over-population, lack of hunting pressure and milder winters leads to this. I believe that with over population, caused by lack of hunting (no one would give permission, country turned suburban) and milder winters, leads to more competition for food sources and too many does. Pretty soon almost all of the fawns were breeding, including late born. It gets to the point where almost all the bucks get to breed which can all have an effect on antler quality. While looking for a friend of mine's deer he shot in 1998, I found a fawn that couldn't have been more than 2-3 weeks old. This was the 3rd weekend of September!! This means that the doe was bred in Feb., possibly March! Most mature breeding bucks have shed by that time and are no longer breeding. Something younger and less dominant had to have bred that doe. This is my opinion on why this happens. I see this in some of the areas I hunt now. There are big bucks around, but there are tons of small scrubby bucks too. If the total population was cut down and the buck/doe ratio was brought back in order, you'd see more, larger bucks. Take a look at Canada..... From what I have heard anyways(never been there), the deer numbers overall are low, but with millions of timbered acres, and with large bucksthat cango years without even seeinga human they get old and big. The harsh winters help keep the numbers in check too. |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
Really, we Old timers don't think. Many think we know nothing and can't think in complete... what were we talkin' bout?
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
Back when I started in 1965 there wasn't as many deer in Iowa. I could count all the bowhunters on my fingers that bowhunted it my town. I could even start to do that now. Yes bigger bucks running around but, if I seen 10 are 15 deer aseason I had a good year. I did huntthree state all the time and would take a lot of deer a year betweenIowa, Missouri and Nebraska.Some years Idid get to hunt out west when a elktag cost $50. A Iowa tag was $10 and I could hunt out state in Missouri for $20. Aluminums arrow cost $10 a doz.and a gross of woods was $10. A top of the line recurve bowswere around 70 to 140 bucks. Bowhunters lost more deer back than. It was aweekly thingto go out to help buddies go out tofind there deer. We was a closergroup back then every one knowed every one who bowhunted and were all friends.
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
More deer and bigger bucks than ever. My Grandpa is 86 and out hunting today with IA's opener gun season and he says that when he was a young man that you called your neighbors up if you saw a deer and it was big news....I can remember not too long ago when if a guy in a hunting party had an any sex tag it was a big deal...now they had them out by the handful..shoot em up. Deer are so thick that every vehicle my parents own, but one..have hit deer...and they have 5 vehicles.
Edit..Current world record nontypical killed within 30 miles of my parents' home just a few years ago. Yep..deer are bigger and more than ever here. Pheasant pop sux though..has for years. It is much easier to go out with a gun and shoot 3 deer in a day than 3 pheasants...used to be theopposite. |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
I'm 44....and I've been in the woods hunting "something" since I was 9. I grew up on a farm in very rural NC.....and I remember the day I saw the one and ONLY wild deer I ever laid eyes on there. I must have been 12-13yrs old. I went away to college having seen that one.......and two more deer we spotted in a field when we were on our way to the beach, once.
Our deer population in NC has grown over 450% since 1977. THESE are the "good old days" of deer hunging in our state. I also never saw a wild turkey until I was over 22yrs old.......and that was seen on the Blue Ridge PArkway in 1987. I was born in 1964. I sight hundreds per year, now. |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
ORIGINAL: GMMAT I'm 44....and I've been in the woods hunting "something" since I was 9. I grew up on a farm in very rural NC.....and I remember the day I saw the one and ONLY wild deer I ever laid eyes on there. I must have been 12-13yrs old. I went away to college having seen that one. |
RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
Many, many more deer and much bigger bucks in southeastern Illinois. I remember in the mid-70s riding with my dad out in the country to see the rare "huge"10 pointbuck that someone had killed.Nowdays, there are probably a dozen much bigger bucks taken in that same general areaduring just one of the gun season, or by bow hunters during the first week of the rut. There was somewhat of a "if its brown its down" mentality 30 years ago because deer were rare enough that if you passed on one that came in range you might end the season empty handed. But then again back then, lots of folks just wanted to have some fun in the woods and bring back some meat, so not as much value was placed on big racks.
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
The elusive 10 pt. "ghost" that everyone dreamed about years ago are virtually everywhere nowdays. These are definately the "good old days" of deer hunting. We as a fraternity of hunters ought to pat ourselves on the back! If it weren't for our fathers, grandfathers and ourselves, perpetuating the love of this sport,deer huntingas we know it would be non-existent. Hunters put their money where their hearts are! It's too bad theanti-hunting crowd just doesn'tget it!
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
Some the old guy I knew said in the 50's They would go to Michigan are Wisconsin to bowhunt because it was the closet place to Iowa they could hunt with a bow & arrow. When Iowa started a deer season they were not going to have a bow season. Some them I knew said they had to go to theDNR as the Iowa State Archery ASS.Witch was formed in the the 40'S . Went to them with old Fred Bear and Howard Hill movie to show the theDNR to prove that a bow would kill a deer and also shot there bows to show them the bow & arrow was a tool for hunting deerThats way we have a bow season because of the work of these guys and because the DNR had no ideal archery was a organized group in our state.
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RE: What do you OLD TIMERS think?
That last sentence is unbelievable, its hard to imagine only seeing one deer in your first 18 years or so. I noticed you said that you didn't originally deer hunt, when did you pick it up? I had no idea of what it was, then. That's the truth. |
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