Those were the days.....

I am from Southern Illinois. And yes, you used to kill a doe, it was rare. Deer were scarce around here, you couldn't believe it now though.If you saw a deer around here, it was something to talk about.

As I am sure it is with many other hunters I always dream of shooting a "monster buck" though I do also shoot doe regularly each season. I realize that the two "concepts" aren't mutually exclusive. You need balance in a herd and in order to obtain it then does must be shot as well as bucks.

They still get a kick out of what ever I drag in around here.
Although the 12 year old daughter asked for a treat the other day, beef steak. And now a days a package of steaks is more than I pay for a deer tag.
The rest of the clan set her straight though.

they were the days Im 64 and often think of days gone by.huting with my Dad uncles .they didnt like taking a doe .they could stalk a deer .no fancy clothes or cover scents ..30 30 carbine was the gun to own

What I do believe to be true, is the hunters of yesteryear had to do it the hard way. They were in fact, hunters with a capital "H". I know those folks would have no problem hunting deer today but I cannot say the same of today's hunter.

With all the new fangle, hi-tech stuff on the market some of the so-called hunters of today never had to developed the woodsmanship needed to be successful.Considering the hi deer numbers today, you don't have to be a good hunter to shoot a deer today. Back then, if you weren't good, you went hungry.

Lets face it, very few of us have to hunt to eat. We do it because we like it, not because we need to. That being the case, I say to each his own. If it makes hunting more enjoyable for you to have a lot of technology to help, then more power to you. Plus, to be honest about it, most of us use more technology than we might want to admit (ie. scent control, high power guns and ammo, optics, compound bows, GPS, ATV's, scientifically crafted food plots, etc.).

I personally almost exclusively bowhunt (with a modern "high tech" compound bow), and amost exclusively on public land. I enjoy the challenge, some don't.I don't critcize other hunters or look down on them because they choose a different way to pursue their pastime. I do not consider myself to be a trophy hunter or a meat hunter, but a deer hunter. I think we all should. We are a dwindling breed. We should support all ethical forms of hunting.

We have a small deer population and are not allowed to shoot does in South Florida as a rule, but if we were I would shoot does. We have an annual limit of 2 deer. The first one is for the freezer, the second one, if I get a second one (and some years I don't even get a shot at two deer), I can be more picky on. When I do get a deer, I feel like I have worked for it. I am proud of the accomplishment regardless of what somebody else thinks. Just my opinion whether you like it or not.