Very Frustrated....Need Opinions Please
 

OK, here's my problem. I have been hunting with my father since I was 10 (I'm now 23). He taught me amazingly how to hunt, and I have turned into a pretty good hunter. My younger brother by 2 years was never as into it as me, which is fine, but if he had to hunt, he would still know what he was doing because of my pop. Anyway, my stepbrother, 16 years old, went up hunting with us this year, in addition to a couple of my friends who were also hunting for the first time. Well one of my friends shot a beautiful 7 pointer, and the other friend got nothing, but both guys hunted hard, which was great to see. My brother "hunts from the window" because he has never liked going out and our cabin in secluded on a mountain, so he can just go outside and shoot if he wants. My stepbrother goes out usually for about an hour and is usually back at the cabin right after the sun comes up. Well on the last day of our opeing week in NY, my step-bro shots a nice 8 pointer from the porch!!! I was furious. I don't see this as hunting at all. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that my father has planted a food plot and put out tons of apples and corn in the clearing near my cabin. Anyway, my pop makes my step-bro out to be the great white hunter. I think this is ridiculous. I feel like my pop has completely lost touch of what hunting is all about. He still goes out hunting, but he says that if the other two guys aren't gonna go out, then at least they can get a deer this way. I don't think they deserve to shoot a deer, and I let my dad and everyone in camp know this. They think I am being ridiculous and then accused me of being jealous of him. I explained that in the past I have turned down the oppurtunity to even shoot a doe from the cabin and that jealousy had nothing to do with it. They just think that I'm being bitter. What do you guys think?? This is really causing a rift between my pop and I, and I really feel like I don't want to hunt with them next year because it annoys me everyday to see everybody fighting over who gets to hunt from the window that morning. Please help.

RE: Very Frustrated....Need Opinions Please
 

I think if I had the chance to get an 8 pointer from my porch I would definitely take it. I had an 8 point come off the mountain behind my house this year but it was 2 days before season, thats the only reason I didn't take it. Think of your cabin as a blind, a big blind. If the deer got that close to a hunting cabin, he deserved to be shot. It's not really worth losing the relationship you have with your pop, its only a deer. Go get a 10 point and show them all up.
Good Luck

Steve

RE: Very Frustrated....Need Opinions Please
 

Apples and corn are a no no in NY you know. The bating is worse than the window! You stop the bating you stop the window. Go take a dump out there, right in the middle of the feed. You won't see any more 8 pointers out there. lol

RE: Very Frustrated....Need Opinions Please
 

So you want your dad to scold your brother and stepbrother for not hunting like you do? I'm pretty sure that everybody you hunt with, on the inside, knows how much time and effort those two guys put into their hunting, and the camaraderie they have with you is much greater. They're just trying to let the two guys fit into the group. Relax, and enjoy hunting with the real hunters. You're spending too much time worrying about the way other people do it.

That said, if baiting is illegal where you're hunting..... well, then, that's a completely different story.

RE: Very Frustrated....Need Opinions Please
 

If they are hunting illegal you would be best to get far away from them. That solves the problem.If they get caught baiting you just being there with a gun could be a accessory

RE: Very Frustrated....Need Opinions Please
 

Speeking from experiance as a stepdad and father, it can be hard to always teach the same values the same way to different kids. Don't be to hard on dad for treating him like he is the "Great White Hunter", anything to keep his interest up so he wants to go again, and hopefully in the years to come he will figure out how much more fun and challenging it can be when he gets off the porch.
It does sound like your a little jealous of your Dad talking him up, but that's understantable. Keep in mind that your Dad is probably struggling with this issue as well. Things aren't always as black and white as they seem.

RE: Very Frustrated....Need Opinions Please
 

Just imagine if you were your stepbrother and you had just looked out the window, saw a nice 8 point, shot him, and your stepdad and the rest of the guys in camp came back and started ragging on you: 'well, it's a nice deer, too bad you didn't go out in the woods and earn him like your stepbrother did last year! Now that's a guy who knows how to hunt, not like your wimp ass sitting inside all day. Why can't you be more like your stepbrother?'

Sometimes you've gotta be the bigger man. In fact, MOST times you need to be the bigger man. Do what you do for your own satisfaction, not as part of a game to get your dad's approval. Keep hunting hard, and you'll kill one that will dwarf any deer your stepbrother will ever see.

RE: Very Frustrated....Need Opinions Please
 

We had this debate last week about shooting out the window and from the porch. I don't see anything wrong with it if the deer is coming up to the house, now baiting the deer so it DOES come up to the house to accomodate those guys is a little off whack, especially if it's illegal.

I think it does sound like a little bit of jealousy... I struggle with this from my dad and my younger (AND older) stepbro's. He gives them things I NEVER got, including cars, money, ellaborate gifts, etc... it frustrates me to high heaven's but what can I do? I just keep my mouth shut knowing it isn't going to make a difference anyway. It is probably just your dad's way of keeping their interest in the sport... at least they have SOME sort of an interest. I'm sorry to hear you are struggling with this and I hope it changes for you, or you learn to just let it slide, sometimes you have to. I can hardly imagine it's worth screwing up your relationship with your father. I would have to think that the glory and encouragement he is giving to the other boys is likely his way of encouraging them to continue hunting and keeping their interest. If I shot a nice deer and someone told me I "did it wrong" I'd say to hell with it and find a different hobby. JMO

RE: Very Frustrated....Need Opinions Please
 

Legal issues a side I agree your dad is probably more interested in developing a time to hang with the boys, it would be safe to assume the others may not share your passion or fuel for the hunt. As such Dad is using the best of his abilities to ensure all say "Yes" and enjoy this short time. The fact he build him up is nothing other than postive reinforcement, if he were to belittle how long do you think he would continue to partake in the family hunt? Also you should consider yourself extremely lucky that Dad took you and instilled the values of the hunt you have today, being your older you should cherish those times and all times you both spend together in your pursuit! It is a bond that should last a lifetime, my Dad use to say a family who plays together stays together!!!! Please don't take this post as rag on you but rather maybe you need to step back and re-evaluate what happened and why? Don't make a rash decision and tell Dad to take hike, if you feel you would be better on your own do so in a mature manner but do not tarnish a good relationship b/c dad was just trying to be DAD to all!

What we sometimes forget hunting is an individual sport filled with individualized goals, experiences, feelings and outcomes. Basically you make it what you want it to be and should be focusing more on what you do or did vs someone else. To me the competition lye within, I don't try to better or hold any ill feelings for another hunter choosing his method as long as it is within the legal limits of the area. While I may not share or voice opinion on the techniques used to hunt, it is their choice. As far as I am concerned if they aren't effecting my hunting than why should I say anything to desuade them from their style...each their own.

RE: Very Frustrated....Need Opinions Please
 

Well if you were going to your stand in the afternoon and came across a nice buck would you shoot it? If yes how far would you have to go before you would shoot it to make it hunting?