Deer hunting better or worse.....

[bullmoose38]

then from 10 years ago? I think where I live in PA. It got alot better even though people are complaining in my area. I see alot more deer and nicer ones.

[woody]

same gos here!!seen some nice bucks in the past 2 years!

[pbg40g]

It's better for me now, because I can actually GO hunting!

[ACPOSSETIM]

I think it's gone downhill around here, more hunting pressure and CWD has taken it's toll. The DNR has been sharpshooting and with all the hunters in the woods it's tough to get good spots anymore. I'm glad the #'s of hunters are up but some of the guys that hunt out here don't have any respect for other hunters or fencelines!

[firediver]

Originally Posted by ACPOSSETIM

I'm glad the #'s of hunters are up but some of the guys that hunt out here don't have any respect for other hunters or fencelines!

Ain't that the truth!!!!!

[musky_xl]

i agree the deer and game in general are getting better and more abundant.

but i think hunting has changed over the last 10 - 20 years.

more and more land is being snapped up for leasing (not too bad in canada, yet)...the quest for the biggest buck is bringing the worst out in some (look at the JImmy Huston/Russ Bellar crap)...the 'antis' are getting stronger (look at the loss of spring bear hunt in Ontario)...it sure aint getting cheaper.

[nhbowhunter21]

I've seen more deer in the past five years than I ever have. This year however, I did not see much of anything, but the harvest was the best yet. I guess that I just did not have the best of luck.

[indiana boy]

Way better. More hunters around our properties are passing on 1 1/2 olds and with the one buck rule the last 6 yrs its making those that like shooting warm up archery bucks and hope to shoot a big one during gun season pickier. Usually nothing comes off of our property that isnt at least 3 1/2.

[nhbowhunter21]

Originally Posted by ACPOSSETIM

I think it's gone downhill around here, more hunting pressure and CWD has taken it's toll. The DNR has been sharpshooting and with all the hunters in the woods it's tough to get good spots anymore. I'm glad the #'s of hunters are up but some of the guys that hunt out here don't have any respect for other hunters or fencelines!

It seems that many of the people who are new to hunting have not been brought up in hunting families but are picking it up as just another sport and seem to be defining their own ethics. I am glad that at least R&V and their TV series are available to assist these new hunters.

[HurricaneCreek]

The hunting itself is probably better in terms of numbers and harvest, but the quality of deer are nowhere near what they were ten or fifteen years ago, although this year I did see more decent ones than I have been seeing.

Back when the bucks seemed to be truly huge, the deer population was much smaller but there were also small family farms with livestock everywhere. In most cases you can equate livestock to free fed salt and minerals. I know the deer took advantage of that, heck, we even had them inside our barn going after the minerals !! Today you would be hard pressed to find a family farm with livestock, they just aren't around anymore. I wonder how much affect that has truly had on the quality of the deer??