Modern Hunter Depression
08-11-2010, 03:46 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,926
Modern Hunter Depression
Are we actually going to see a see an increase in hunter depression due to the modern use of trail cams.
How can a hunter spend hours hunting after not seeing a good buck on the trail cam and family owned property, for the last four months?
How can a hunter spend hours on the stand, waiting, waiting, and no buck shows up? And he's got hours of computer pictures showing the bucks were there all summer.
How does a hunter handle not seeing a good buck, or even a deer all day, when he remembers, suddenly, that all those magnificent pictures of deer were posed in the middle of the night?
How does a hunter handle the watching of a magnificent buck on the trail cam for months? Then how does he handle that the buck got arrowed by a sixteen year old archer on the next property? And to make matters worse, the sixteen year old never knew the buck was in the area. The young archer never used a trail cam.
How does a hunter handle the fact that the greatest buck on the property will always remain a digital trophy on the trail cam?
Somehow there has to be a bad payoff, sometimes, to this revolting development, with all this time and money spent studying trail cam pictures.
How can a hunter spend hours hunting after not seeing a good buck on the trail cam and family owned property, for the last four months?
How can a hunter spend hours on the stand, waiting, waiting, and no buck shows up? And he's got hours of computer pictures showing the bucks were there all summer.
How does a hunter handle not seeing a good buck, or even a deer all day, when he remembers, suddenly, that all those magnificent pictures of deer were posed in the middle of the night?
How does a hunter handle the watching of a magnificent buck on the trail cam for months? Then how does he handle that the buck got arrowed by a sixteen year old archer on the next property? And to make matters worse, the sixteen year old never knew the buck was in the area. The young archer never used a trail cam.
How does a hunter handle the fact that the greatest buck on the property will always remain a digital trophy on the trail cam?
Somehow there has to be a bad payoff, sometimes, to this revolting development, with all this time and money spent studying trail cam pictures.
08-11-2010, 04:57 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Audubon & Red Rock, Penna.
Posts: 4,472
I use my trail cams mostly for fun. If I don't see any good bucks on them, then I know I've had the camera in the wrong place. I know where not to hunt. Come the rut, bucks will be in random places. They'll show up where they weren't before. Some will come from other properties.
If you see a lot of bucks on the cams, that just means you need to hunt harder. They're there. Whether you see them or not.
If you see a lot of bucks on the cams, that just means you need to hunt harder. They're there. Whether you see them or not.
08-11-2010, 05:11 PM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Almost Heaven, West Virginia
Posts: 119
I understand what you're saying, but in no way, shape, or form do my trail cameras dictate my love or time spent hunting or scouting.. I use them for fun in the off-season and it allows me to see what is in the area.. I don't believe that I get a picture of every deer on my property, so therefore if I don't see a monster, then that makes me just want to get out there so I'm there when he decides to show up.. And if I do, all the better.. I'd rather have a picture of him than nothing at all.. If someone on another property gets him, good for them.. They obviously did something better than I did or just got lucky.. I'd just be glad to see the fruits of our labors are finally paying off with our land/herd management.. This is not a disagreement with you, it is just how I am personally affected by them.. I'm sure that there are people out there that have the action and reactions that you spoke of, but really are those hunters, who truly love the outdoors and hunting, or are they killers just looking to walk in shoot something and be back out of the woods in five minutes?
08-11-2010, 06:52 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 3,406
Maybe it's time to put away those trail cameras and hunt the old fashion way. A big part of my hunting experience is the time spent scouting, both before and during the deer season.
So, some 16 yr old hunter arrowed that buck and he never knew that buck was there and never used a trail cam. That should tell you a lot!
My advice is to appreciate what deer hunting is all about and to us, scouting is paramount. Get out and find out as much as you can about the deer in your area. Try to determine their food source, where they bed during the day, what trail are being used by most deer. Understand that hunting a big old buck is hunting a different animal. Do your homework and stop relying on the deer you see when you're not there.
So, some 16 yr old hunter arrowed that buck and he never knew that buck was there and never used a trail cam. That should tell you a lot!
My advice is to appreciate what deer hunting is all about and to us, scouting is paramount. Get out and find out as much as you can about the deer in your area. Try to determine their food source, where they bed during the day, what trail are being used by most deer. Understand that hunting a big old buck is hunting a different animal. Do your homework and stop relying on the deer you see when you're not there.
08-12-2010, 03:48 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,445
I hunt for the HUNT, not for the deer. The deer are the icing on the cake. If you don't like to hunt, and are only interested in shooting a big deer, there are options out there for you. I laugh at those posts where guys complain about depression and burnout. If you're not having a good time, stay home!
08-12-2010, 04:27 AM
#8
Fork Horn
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Almost Heaven, West Virginia
Posts: 119
08-12-2010, 06:14 AM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 158
First off, who doesn't like getting pictures of big deer on their trail camera??? Like everyone else has said, its no guarantee you will ever see any of the deer that you photograph, but it sure helps to keep getting me out to my stand everyday when I know their is a big buck in the area. Hunting is more than just the kill, in fact, that is a very small portion of the experience.
08-12-2010, 08:26 AM
#10
Site Buck Guru
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Racine, Wisconsin
Posts: 5,922
You've got to be kidding........ right?
From the cams you know there are nice bucks around. You make your own luck from scouting hard and applying it to your hunting. Do not worry about how or what other hunters are doing. Applaud them for their success. I also advise not blaming technology (trail cams, etc) for one's inadequecies when it comes to hunting.
From the cams you know there are nice bucks around. You make your own luck from scouting hard and applying it to your hunting. Do not worry about how or what other hunters are doing. Applaud them for their success. I also advise not blaming technology (trail cams, etc) for one's inadequecies when it comes to hunting.