JNTURK

First I am in Ca. I have never hunted a whitetail and never hunted out of Ca. I don't want this post to sound mean, but all these guys keep posting these monster deer, ones that I would love to see in the field and everyone gives them praise. Yes they did there homework and put in there time (maybe), but most were shot with little hunting pressure on private land or if public land there are no where near the amount of hunters in your state as in CA nor hunting public land. These monsters get their pictures taken with the man or woman responsible for taking them and there is a food plot or corn field in the background. Well DUH!!!of course a deer killed having a food source like that are going to look like monsters. I personally don't call that hunting at all. Not saying that if I had a chance to own property and make it into a deer paradise i wouldn't and only shoot the monsters that came to the property...but it is still not true hunting, in my opinion. Can't see giving anyone all that glory for killing something sitting over a major food source that you planted and put there for the deer to eat and get fat from..That would be like catching the new state record large mouth in your own stocked pond or shooting the worlds fattest man while he was sitting in the McDonalds drive through,,,,not hard at all...Just sometimes i think people forget about why it is we can hunt and what hunting is about...not some trophy on our wall but time spent with nature or with family and friends or even stocking your freezer with meat for your family for the winter...next time your in the woods listen to that blue jay or squirrel and thank the one who put it there (or if you don't have a religion thank the Lower Chordates)...Hope i didn't affend anyone but all these monster buck pictures getting posted were flaming me a little. Good luck to all for the rest of the season and have a great Gobble day...

zekeskar

I suppose it's a matter of degree. What do you think of farmer's fields? If I know that deer feed in a farmer's field, shouldn't I set up on that field and shoot a deer if I see it? Would you think it is wrong to shot the deer in that field? How about if I know about the field and some nearby thick swamp - and can identify a likely channel that the deer would walk between the two. Should I post that trail and shoot the deer? I'm still taking advantage of the obviousfood source.

I don't see very much (if any) difference between setting up your own legal food source vs. using some existing food source such as a farmer's field.

Every other hunting or fishing I do involves trying to figure out what the animal or fish eats or drinks, or when - and I use it to my advantage.I troll for salmon with herring. I use artificial food imitators to catch trout (spinners, spoons, flies). I use minnows to catch walleye. I walk corn fields for pheasants. etc. etc.

To me, the essence of hunting is not making it as difficult as possible for some "purity" reason. The essence is using my brains and skill to take the animal within the regulations.

How about this: lets say there are no obvious food sources likea corn field where you hunt. But water sources are pretty scarce and easy to identify. Would you post a water source? Would you post the trail leading from a shelter/bedding area to a water source? What's the difference between that and using a food source?

Isimply don't understandpeople who think that somehow we shouldn't take advantage of any factor out there, legally. That somehow our brains aren't to be used, or that somehow by not taking advantage of a certain factor, and making the hunt therefore more inefficient and difficult is somehow better.

Southern Buck

I agree 110% with you Zeke.

stubblejumper

That has to be the worst case of sour grapes that I have ever heard.Many of us live and hunt in farming communities where most of the terrain consists of crops.Where do you expect us to hunt if not along fields?Many of usdo not bait andmany do not even use treestands,we simply hunt the terrain that is present.You chose where you live just as we do so acceptthe fact that your hunting conditions are not the same as oursrather than trying to downgradeother hunters success.

Rebel Hog

DITTO!

xeniabuck

What if we didnt hunt fields? The damn deer would be taking over our houses. Not really, but they would be thicker.

A.D.D. BOY

You post any deer on here people are gona say good job to you, thats what us hunters do. Were just nice like that[:-]. I myself agree with you about hunting over food plots i hate it and dont consider it hunting but if they wana do it im fine with that now after i got it out of my system. I have never hunted over a food plot just on the side of a corn field i didnt know was there on my friends stand on his land. I have never used like deer attractants like tinks 69 or stuff but if you wana use it more power to you.

pjhunts

quit whining and try harder

JagMagMan

Would you like cheese with that wine?!
I would not begrudge anyone of taking trophy deer, from anywhere, as long as they were hunting legally!
If meat hunting is your thing, then thats a trophy too! We don't all have great deer in our areas, great numbers of deer,or we can't all afford more expensive places and/or travel!
Everyone likes to dream of great bucks, and again, I'll congratulate anyone here on ANY legal deer they post!
As far as bucks, and different regions go, I'd say look at it this way, a trophy IS what a trophy means to YOU! AndANY buck that is above average for the area, is a true trophy, and an acomplishment!

DoctorDeath

**** TROLL ALLERT****