ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

I hunt on public land so I have to expect the worst from stupid "hunters." For the past couple years, a group of 6-12 "hunters" show up sometime in October and begin doing drives each and every weekend. I absolutely hate drives because it makes the deer much more difficult to hunt since it makes them even more nocturnal. Yesterday, these so-called bowhunters did another one of their drives. Once the deer get pushed, they bed down for the rest of the day, and don’t move until after dark…I’ve seen it happen many times already.

Without going into much detail, I know most of you guys would be ashamed to call these people “bowhunters.” They are the people that ONLY hunt (bow and rifle) by doing drives. They don’t get to the woods until midday and are gone by about 3 pm. No sitting on stand for these people. They wonder why they don’t see any big deer. I want to so very badly ask these people why they think they must do a drive in order to kill a deer, and enlighten them on how they are making a difficult sport even more difficult.

It turns out that I know one of the individuals doing the drives. I know talking to this individual is my best opportunity (albeit not a very good one) to maybe change their methods. But I’m not sure it will be wise of me to say anything. It is public land and everyone is entitled to hunt how they want.

It is so frustrating, I spend a lot of time in the woods learning everything I can about the deer movement in these woods…but it all gets thrown out the window this time of year because the deer are constantly being chased and have no patterns. Rifle season hasn’t even opened yet and they are already very spooky.

I guess I’d like everyone’s opinion as to what you would do in this situation. Say something or keep quiet? Sorry for the long post, I just needed to vent a little.

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

I'd find another spot.


I doubt talking to them would do much good. After all they have the right to drive, but it is worth a shot. It can't get much worse.

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

Maybe request a phone number and try to keep in touch with them to find out the days they plan on doing their drives.

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

That's tough. If it's legal to drive with that many people (it's not in Maine) there is little you can do. Sure you can talk to them but if these guys don't want of haven't taken the time to learn about there quarry and think driving deer is the easiest or only way to shoot an animal you in for an uphill battle. I wish you were close to New Hampshire. I posted my 50 acres to keep the neighbors out this year. What you've describes is exactly their game plan. They'd push the animals all over the place and I found a couple of unrecovered animals which was the straw that broke my back. If you were close by I'd say come over and hunt.
Personally I'd look for some private property to hunt. With public land your hands are realy tied IMO.

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

Are they Amish or Menonites? I know they use driving as a hunting tactic very often. I have seen them have women driving areas, while the men post. I'm not dissing or agreeing with these actions. It's not how I hunt, but I don't live that lifestyle so who am I to judge as long as they are within the laws.

I would find another area once the "pushing" started.

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

Put out some bear traps!:D

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

If it is legal to do so,,, then you might want to try and get the laws changed. I know this is not much help ,,,

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

I like your thinking:D

It's funny you should mention that because the person I know in the group is a female, though not Amish.

adams, I wish I was in NH to hunt too, that would be great!

It really burns me that one of the guys wounded a deer yesterday. It was raining when he shot it, wasn't sure of the hit, and they "lost" it in the rain...after having looked for no more than 45 minutes. [:@] I gave up on my hunt as they were "tracking" and yelling back and forth at each other within sight of my stand.[:@]

I don't think I'm going to say anything. It is public land and drives are legal so it's not my place to suggest to someone how to hunt. I'm going to be hunting during the week more so I won't have to deal with this as much. I will only be hunting there for a couple more weeks also, then I should have permission to hunt some private land. Finding private land has been my goal, but getting permission (and where there aren't many other hunters) hasn't been as easy as I thought. Thanks for the replies!!

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

Well, like others have said... it's public land. I look at it in another light. Sounds like they're in there mid day and leave you with a quiet woods in the AM and the last couple hours of daylight. I look at it as they're moving deer that would be bedded anyway more than likely unless it's frigid weather. Deer still love to follow favorite escape routes and find hideouts. Position yourself correctly and these folks will help you....and then they're gone. Deer aren't as paniced over such stuff as most people think. Yes they move and get out of the way, but they don't leave for the next county. Hunt smarter and these yahoos can help you.

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

IT IS NOT L;EGAL TO DO DRIVES ON PUBLIC LAND HERE IN ILLINOIS

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

Use what they are doing to your advantage. They are seeing the does and small bucks, the big bucks are probaly giving them the slip, big bucks are smart like that. Find the escape route the big bucks are using and you may be thanking these drivers. One of the biggest bucks I have ever killed was by taking advantage of people driving and not covering the right areas. This buck held tight let the drivers walk right by him, once they passed he got up and left the way they came, unfortunatly for him I was there waiting. Turn your lemons into lemonade:D:D Just my .02, something to think about.

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

You guys make some interesting points. I used to think that the drivers were actually helping me out by pushing deer that would normally be bedded down. Last year and this year changed my view though. I don't know how many times I've seen the deer run past the drivers, then bed down immediately and not get up until a few minutes before dark. My own personal preference is to watch the deer move on their own in the evenings. Heck, this time of year they are moving all day, they don't need to be pushed. But people think all deer lay down during midday.

If I continue to hunt this area, I will definitely have to find some escape routes. The trouble is, this is a wooded area that is several miles by several miles. Therefore, there are lots and lots of escape routes. Definitely will need some luck on my side to pick the right one. I would like to think that the big bucks use the same escape routes every time since the drivers walk the woods the same way every time also. But the bucks don't get big by being dumb.

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

Like others have said, use this situation to your advantage. If the area is several miles by several miles, you should be able to capitalize on the sweet spots. Get a topo map or learn the area by foot and look for the buck hide outs - brushy nasty thick as oatmeal areas. The big boys will hang in these hiding spots to escape the hunters. Set up on the edge of one of these break lines downwind and you should have a very nice honey hole.

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

You're right, there won't be much activity after the drive is over but during the drive, you should definately find where the deer will be going to. Become an uninvited stander on their drive!

Several times a year, I'll join deer drives with a bow. Most often we stand until 9:30 or so, drive one or two pieces of property during the mid day and stand some place else from about 2:00 till dark. It is a way to make something happen. We silent drive, almost still hunt, and the deer do not run helter skelter through the woods. They start and stop and try to out manuver the drivers. Often, the standers are not in a line but strategically placed at the escape routes of the deer. It is fun and effective.

That is why I say you should put yourself in the right place and let them help you. We have actually done the same drive about an hour apart and more deer were "pushed" on the second drive.

As someone said, they don't freak out like you wold think. At least here in NJ where they see non-threatening tree-huggers all the time.

Greg

RE: ARGH!!!...What would you do?
 

I also have trouble with drives and or dogs for Deer hunting. The story I hear after each one is that it is tradition, so it should be continued.

JMO. . .but times have changed, folks used to need to hunt to ensure they had enough food and had alot less play time. So they hunted in groups to drive Deer or used dogs to help them. Well for most hunters today they don't hunt just to feed their families, they hunt as part of a social situation, need to be part of a group, accepted by there piers, etc.

The hunt to me is not a social thing, getting drunk the night before lining up 10 hung over friends and running game for a few folks to make poor shots on. Hunting is a year long passion that culminates with a few well placed shots at the end of the year that might put some meat in the freezer and perhaps mount a trophy to act as a reminder of that great season gone by.

Just another city boy who just is a bit slow to understand some of the old ways of the woods.