BSmaster

Chas, The only expensive part of deer hunting for me is taking the meat to have hot dogs made. 1 deer 1 shell. I have a lifetime sportsman so I have my tags except for bow and muzzleloader. I grew up with a butcher and was pre-med so I process deer better than the fall only professionals. I say so because it is true. They go faster to make money. I go slower because it is mine. If I eat beef steaks twice a month - there goes my bow and muzzleloader fee. I am not trying to argue with you but I am a cheap sob and I know cheaper than me and old clothes, hand me down gun, plain shells, work just fine. Upgrading is an option - not a requirement. The flip side of this is when I contemplate buying under armour and etc - Wow! You are right on the money now. If you buy all the latest outfitter and gadgets like spotting scopes and binoculars etc. factor all that in & I could buy venison from the deer farm and be ahead.

I shoot a button buck and I feel embarrassed and ashamed. My next door neighbor shoots a button buck and I say congratulations because it is the first deer he has shot in 14 years. My point is be careful how you preach. I love the idea of quality deer management and have seen great success come from it, however, this is on large acres and/or a large neighborhood commitment. Guys hunting small plots and state land do not have the same odds of seeing positive feedback from letting smaller bucks go by as the larger areas. I get a deer - any deer and my kids are excited. they don't see me as anything other than the hotdog getter. What some see as a sport, I see as a harvest. My preference is a mature doe with the hope of a wall hanger. Meat first - trophy 2nd. The comment about hunting with family and friends hit me close to home. I think the reason I don't hunt as hard as I used to is because the family group is all but gone. It use to be a lot more fun during deer season. Hunting has become more solitaire in recent years. Statewide antler restriction will have a snap back effect. Hunting groups should enforce this (within their group) and not the DEC for the whole state. Joe

When I grew up in the 70's and 80s deer was necessary as was the garden. A good garden and good deer season meant Santa treated us boys good. At some point, my dad started buying more beef and venison was not being used and it started with my brother not shooting deer that everyone else would shoot including me. Eventually I realized that I needed to not shoot every deer I saw. I had my first o-fer and realized, hey, I still need to harvest a deer for the kids hotdogs, so I am in between brown it is down and quality deer management. I try to harvest mature does and hopefully a wall mounter some day. But if it is the last chance to shoot "a" deer and it is a six point. I still make that shot. Food first - trophy second. A lot of land has changed. Went from farm land to lease land and new generations with grudges etc. I have less land to hunt but we stopped doing a lot of drives anyways. More posted land and more land management and some people are just in it for a picture. Also more tree huggers with larger plots of land. There are some places I can hunt and don't because I do not have the stamina to drag it out. I am getting older and my 90% hunting and 10% fishing has flip flopped. I hope to tag a deer early so I can walleye fish more. I can not explain the current generation. Every time I see someone post a pic with a junior hunt I feel grateful that some of you are doing well by your kids. Makes me smile. Thank you, Joe

I know that spot!!!

Good tip Justin. I am having issues with fouling (10-25%). I am using a 7 ft medium 6-8lb. I don't use 18s but I thought I was alright using 11s and 13s. I always thought it was my poor casting that was the culprit. I use lighter line for the distance. I might have to start changing it up. I noticed you guys complaining about the weeds and I get that but in a few weeks it will be the leaves. haha, That's fishing... Joe

Justin, I always enjoy reading your reports. Keep them coming.

John, that is some pic. I didn't know they could do all of that in one night. I am impressed.

Any of the pro shops ask for a replica yet? That is a beautiful fish - definitely belongs on the wall. I would be proud of that one for sure. Joe

I am just going to throw this out there. Do you think an NSA computer has flagged this? Good luck man.

Bob, you look like the grim reaper. Nice going! Joe

I know the feeling of trying to determine when the hook set should come. I have waited over 5 minutes before while the eye just swam around in the hole with a minnow in its mouth. Set the hook and nobody is home. Bait comes back shreaded from just behind the head or just the head. You can put stingers on but they have draw backs too. Part of walleye fishing. Sad part is that if you are fishing an area with juveniles, they will fast bite and therefore you end up with late hook sets and injure the next generation. It can be frustrating for sure. They should p/u soon. Good luck. Joe

That's awesome! What no veggies?