Who is the better hunter?
 

Got to thinking. I sometimes brag to friends who hunt WV mountain deer. I show them nice 8's I kill while I have been living in MD. In Md, just about anybody can kill bucks. But I remember those times I hunted GW national forest in WV over a decade agoand if you killed a snaggly 4pt or 6pt, you was lucky. And two bucks all you can kill. And you were proud of them.

I hunted harder then. I really worked at it. Now, I find a strip of hedgerow and sit on it, and you are going to see deer. And probably alot of bucks. Marylanders don't realize how good they got it. Very nice limits. I kill 5-6 deer a year. The kills do not seem as sweet now. Hunting is still my life.

I see some on here show some fine deer. I do see some try to insinuate they are much better hunters due to they have better habitat.

Who's the better hunter? I realize hunters are competitive, and its important to them. I realize its about the feeling. I want that feeling back, where your so happy, you about cry when you see that arrow stick right where it should.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

Must be getting sentimental over there or something.

Grab another tissue.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

Just can't wait until bow season, Sept. 15 seems so long away.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

Big I always judge how much of a trophy they are by where they came from. I killed a 130 inch 10 here with a bow in Wyoming County last year and I am more proud of a 100-110 inch 4.5 yr old 8 pointer I killed in 2004 on the last day of gun season. It will take a lot to ever top that deer..I hunted him the entire 2 weeks an got him the last evening. Killing a deer isnt so hard there but killing a nice buck is one helluva challenge.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

DO WHAT..... "Marylanders don't realize how good they got it" ...... where do u live in maryland... im bettin somewhere in region B .. where your allowed to kill 36 deer! ... come up to region A. DANS MOUNTAIN.. lets jus see how easy u find it to be!

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

LOL I was thinkin there was plenty of mountain hunting in MD as well...

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

after readin my post i see where i came off as kinda a smartass.. sorry... kinda ticked me off with the marylanders statement... you jus have a better deer population than we do up here... i have a few buddies that go to pg county everyyear... an kill DANDYS.. kinda deer u jus dont see up in the mtns... u wanna hunt harder there plenty of mtns up here that could occupy your time... i dont think it about who is the better hunter (blind squirel finds a hunt every once in a while) but more rewarding in the amount of work that goes into takin a deer

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

I moved to MD 7 years ago and love it. I came from FL. Lived there my whole life. Try hunting down there. I managed to fill the freezer every year but, it wasn't easy.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

There were 4053 deer killed in Alleghany county (Dan's Mountain), 2428 bucks and 1625 does. There were 2805 deer killed in PG county, 970 bucks and 1835 does.

Check some of the other numbers, you might be surprised.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/gpar/gpdeer_table1.asp

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

Sorry, the above is for 2005-2006. The following would be for last year:
There were4596 deer killed in Alleghany county (Dan's Mountain), 2648 bucks and1948 does. There were2533 deer killed in PG county,906 bucks and1627 does.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/pressrelease2007/030107a.html

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

Whos to say who the better hunter is ...is it based on numbers, rack size, or knowledge ? I think its all conjecture, some harvestthe numbers due to the bag limits in certian states like Alabama allows you to rack up numbers if you have the time to spend in the woods ...as some of you know I took 13 deer back in 05 and had some fun with it on here BUT I can ASSURE you that is no reflection on my hunting skills ...I am average at best ....and as for rack size that is mostly dictated by where you get to hunt ..I have taken a big 185 but it was in Alberta ..I hunted very hard but to be honest it does not reflect on my hunting skills either..you cant kill big deer where there are no big deer but does that make you less of a hunter .... I know Big Country enough from on here to say that I bet'cha hes as knowleable of a hunter as this forum has .... but like I said its all based on conjecture ..... The one whogrows old with the most fond memories in the woods is the winner ...JMHO


dd

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

The best way to see who the better hunter is is to go hunting with the person you are comparing to.

I know was you mean by being proud of a hard hunt that resulted in a lesser deer.

To me, my spot and stalk hunts mean a lot more and more rewarding than my sit and wait hunts. I rarely even talk about my hunts unless they are the spot and stalk hunts even though my best deer have been killed by waiting for them to come to me.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

And that's why its open to conjecture....You would have a hard time spotting and stalking deer on our farms in Eastern NC...Pretty hard to sneak up on a deer when the cutover is so thick that you are on your hands and knees, same with our thick cypress swamps, every step, your foot sinks a foot in the bog....This pretty much dictates that you sit and wait....

Frankly in NC its nothing to kill 5-6 deer a year, the season starts in mid-September with bow and down east the gun season comes in about October 10th and runs to the end of December...I'm more into the challenge of hunting with a bow or a flintlock, that's what keeps it fun....I don't worry about rack size, as the county that our farms are in have only produced one B&C buck that I know of (that's the down side to a large population)...I don't shoot small bucks anymore, but the local dog hunters sure do, so a 3.5-4.5 year old buck is pretty rare....

On the flip side, our turkey population isn't as good as other Southern states...My hat goes off to the hunter that can kill 2 good gobblers each year...In my opinion that's tougher (and more fun) than deer hunting...

Actually, I judge a "good" deer hunter by the hunter that kills a deer every time he pulls the trigger....I seem to have less patience as I grow older for the guys that won't (or don't) take the time to learn how to hit what they aim at and learn where to aim to have a clean kill....

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

In the grand scheme of things does it really matter who the better hunter is.I believe the better hunter is the person that can figure out what the deer are doing year in and year out.Thats usually due to hard work like scouting finding the right stand locations and outsmarting other hunters who might not have put the time and effert into hunting as they should have.I believe the person that needs to be known as the best hunter is really the person that needs there EGO stroked.Any deer hunted legally regardless of rack size or even a lack of a rack is a TROPHY and no one is owed a buck every year like some people seem to believe.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

[quote]ORIGINAL: brucelanthier

Sorry, the above is for 2005-2006. The following would be for last year:
There were4596 deer killed in Alleghany county (Dan's Mountain), 2648 bucks and1948 does. There were2533 deer killed in PG county,906 bucks and1627 does.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/pressrelease2007/030107a.html


Ok but heres the thing thereARE FEWER HUNTERSin PG county region..!!

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

I don't know who's better but if you enjoy and look forward to your hunting then you are the winner. What else matters.?The world is competitive my hunting is one place that it isn't an issue.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

What James B said.I am not looking to compete with anyone other than myself.Was I satisfied with the effort I made given the time I was able to devote to it.That's all that matters to me.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

Who can kill the most deer or the most bucks is certainly no sign as to who the better huter is. In this day and age, who the heck couldn't kill a bunch of deer with modern equipment.

You want the best hunter then show me the men who can consistently tag MATURE animals from their area and I'll show you THE best hunter in your region.

Numbers are for rookies and kids, consistent quality comesfrom a level of dedication and knowledge gained through experience.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

My thoughts exactly.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

I personally do not see why hunting has to be a contest of sorts! Who gets the most deer, the biggest buck, who cares??? If this is all I got out of hunting I probably wouldn't hunt anymore!

Hunting is what you get out of it! I hunt for the joy I get out of it! JMO!!!!

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

Who is the better hunter, who knows... Some states are harder than others. Here in Indiana we have the one buck rule. If your lookin for meat then have at it, you can kill a buck and a bunch of does. But if your trophy hunting good luck cause we have way to many hunters. Lets just say here in a hundred acre square you could have up to 10 hunters. Really its very sad. I can hunt opening morning of gun season and hear over 100 shots. I myself love to bow hunt and gun hunt (muzzleloader). Our season here in Indiana begins OCT 1st (bow). But there are a lot of hunters (gun) who thinks the first day is in the middle of NOV. Far from the truth. I have to say the gun hunters here in Indiana (my area) shoot up the woods and fields. I could ramble about Pumpkin head season here in Indiana. Just my opinion...

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

not much harder hunt'n than here in Florida. not uncommon to lose 2 or more quarts of blood to skeeters while in the tree. heck i've even huntedone spot where i had to scare off a 10 foot gator before sun up so i could get to my treestand

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

Who's the better hunter? I realize hunters are competitive, and its important to them.

How do rate what is and what is not? If you go out and shoot a deer, isn't that what it's all about? I realize some area you can shoot multiple deer and others not. I also realize from some of the post that I have read that some areas are easy to find deer in. Here if you see a couple of deer in the season you have done something. As another fellow said earlier I would love to Jackie Bushman and the other TV hunters try it up here. So, does it make any other hunter better than the next guy? We hunt our own turf so we can study how and where to hunt. What makes success is how well you know the area you are hunting in. So the question goes on who is the better hunter? The one where the deer have been hanging around the feeder or the one that works hard to find one? I will let you decide.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

Tracking and still hunting offers me the most challenge for rifle hunting. To be successful you need lots of space and few other hunters to mess you up. I particularly like Northern Maine, Northern New Hampshire and Northern Vermont to hunt in this way. I may try the Adirondacs in New York this year. Sitting in a blind or stand overlooking a food plot iscertainly more productive and rewarding for those who like to hunt that way but it isn't for me. I really enjoy moving while hunting and will often cover several miles in a day. And like someone else said I would like to see Jackie Bushman try to score consistently that way.:D

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

I'm not gonna guess as to who the better hunter is, but if you know a guy who scores on nice bucks in a big woods setting every year than you know a very good(smart) hunter.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

If that the case put me in that category...:D
How ever I think theres alot more to it than that.
Now I'm a rifle hunter and I take pride in my marksmanship,however one thing I do lack is any desire to try Bowhunting ..
Especially hunting the open west for mule deer and elk sheep and goat...
I think what makes a great hunter is being able to take these big matureanimals consistantly using this technique...
But reguardless bowhunting is a challenge no matter what animal one is hunting and the odds are in favor of the animal in just about every case.....
I can appreciate a hunter who can do this and to me it make them a better hunter..

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

Being the best you can be at your chosen method is good enough for me. Taking anything at 500 yads is an art in itself.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

bigcountry,

Are you hunting private land? Are you leasing? And if not it raises a question I've had since I moved here. Can you hunt any public land you see that is not state park?

If you go to the Eastern shore everything is private property or the public land is hunted hard. Sure, there are a ton of big bucks but you have to pay to hunt the property or it's already leased.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

Good habitat doesn't make you a better hunter, it just gives you more opportunities. I think that a big buck is not a statement of how good a hunter you are. Different places offer differentopportunities and not all places hold trophies.

Bottom line...it doesn't matter how good a hunter others think you are, you only need to impress yourself.

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

You honestly think that a 3 1/2 year old buck is smarter than a doe the same age????!!!!! That is the biggest bunch of horsecrap I've ever heard.

Those who shoot the biggest deer in the area almost ALWAYS have the best hunting land. If you gave me a hundred thousand dollars, I could buy up some of the best hunting land, post it, scout it, put up all the fancy stands and all that other stuff required. I guarantee you I could shoot some of the biggest bucks in our area. The woods I hunt holdlots ofdeer but not many big bucks. There is, however, a strip of woods behind us loaded with huge bucks and if Icould huntthat land I know I would be the "best" hunter out there. My hunting area is loaded with hunters and is a disaster during gun season.

Most people consider you a good hunter if you can shoot big bucks but that's not what makes you a great hunter. Most anyone nowadays can go to some game ranch and blast away some managed trophy. Once again, it's land that helped in the kill.

Bottom line, if you don't have good hunting land, then trophy deer are out of the question. You are no less of a hunter and I'm sick of you trophy hunters who put us down for it. Anyone with money can go to a game ranch nowdays and shoot the big one. Maybe I'll just save my money, go there, and shoot a 180 class deer just to shut you up. Would that impress you???

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

HAHAHAHA thats funny.u still wont impress me:Dhaha j/k..i completely agree with its all about the land you hunt.. sure i guess there are "mature" animals everywhere ..jus more of them in some places than others

RE: Who is the better hunter?
 

Now,now, don't give me that stuff, give me some good stuff, some.........R county, oh yeah!:D