The best hunting neighbor

[Mnt monkey]

As I read online wether on Modern Muzzleloader or other websites related to hunting and muzzleloading I often note the comments and most of them with criticism or disdain of modern hunting techniques by that I mean trail cams ,drones ,feeders usually those who are critical of these techniques often comment about the superiority of just grabbing a rifle and hitting the woods and relying on instinct, almost in a sense walking a deer down or stalking a deer down or some other animal doesn't have to be a deer those who support this type of hunting always present it as being superior or a higher level at least most of the time how they express it in written form comes off as elitist. I can't help but ask to those who hunt this way and be little others where do you hunt that way? where is the location.?
Where I'm from in Southeast Texas most of the hunting is on larger tracks of pine Timberland that is for lease or smaller private tracks that are also for lease but of course there are private lands too there are some national forests tracks that are heavily hunted and most of Texas at least the southeast part there's no such thing as land that's not hunted unless it's got Prison Walls around it if you're not hunting it's somebody else is going to be slipping in and hunting it for you you have to be vigilant about watching your property or your lease
Modern hunting techniques have evolved because of modern hunting situations, specifically available land access ,if every Muzzleloader in America had open country to hunt in I think 99% of us would grab our rifle and just hit the woods and if our body physically allowed us we would go back to stalking and just relying on instinct,, I hunt this way if I happen to be in a situation that allows me to but I sure don't consider it necessarily to be superior it's just the natural method that a human being hunting in the right environment would gravitate to
Those of you who have a hunting property whether you own it or lease it or you have scouted out a corner of some National Forest it's opening morning well let's say it's opening week would you rather have some young neophyte new Hunters that were utilizing cameras drones and anything else in the modern domain besides you or surrounding you or would you rather have a group of hunters out walking the woods trying to hunt a deer down using only instinct?
One thing about successful hunting I learned years ago I'll just call it the human footprint the footprint you leave on your property whether it's four wheelers pickup trucks and even your own two feet makes a big difference on the hunting success of that property would you on opening morning getting in your deer stand rather see the flash from a game cam across the fence or right as it gets daylight would you rather see Daniel Boone sneaking down the fence line with his muzzleloader? I'm not asking these questions to aggravate the primitive traditional Hunters I hunt that way ,but I only hunt that way if it does not affect others ,if you are fortunate enough to have enough territory and property to hunt this way and not disturb and turn all the deer nocturnal and mess the hunting up of all the property around you I fully support that, I love to hunt a big open wild thick area that I can just grab my rifle and hit the woods again I will say this I think all of us would hunt that way if we had the property to do that but if I hunt that way on most of the hunting ground in America I have only made it worse for others and that's just the truth.
It's funny how it just seems like the same attitude with those discussing this topic is expressed as those who are so fixated on traditional guns versus modern.

 

[smokepolehall]

I have 5.7 acres i live on. So i don't ramble, i have 2 climbers on back side of place on the couple dz. trees i have. I sit n wait for a tasty deer to come close enough for a shot. I don't have a Drone n setting up trail cams is a waste of my funds. I see every tick toter/Turkey or Tree rat that comes over here. I sit in my Camper with Binocs n watch. I had my local 5 tick toters wearing my clover out 30 yards from me this morning earlier this morning. When i was younger & had plenty of land to wander on i did just that. Enjoyed it very much.

 

[Mnt monkey]

Smoke pole Hall you kind of make my point you're hunting I think with a traditional influence but your circumstances determine your Technique, isn't it possible in our hunting approach to combine the best of both worlds I really think it is, what I mean by that is if I'm walking back to the back of my hunting property and perhaps it's a half a mile or more and when I get to my stand I got to feed her and cameras Etc but when I leave and go back out to my pickup I slowly stalk and walk in zig zag a little bit no not walking the rest of the lease but hunting my way out. I'm glad there's a younger generation that's using all these electronic gadgets cuz the truth is most of that younger generation is never going to get the lifelong experience that those on this site in their 60s and 70s have had I'm just glad that younger generation is hunting what few that are.

 

[bronko220002]

I hunt exclusively on public land with zero agriculture. Going into the woods and plopping down against a tree in the hopes of having a legal deer walk by is the luck of the draw. Years ago, before trail cameras, you had to do a lot more leg work which meant a lot more trips to the woods. A fixed income and soaring gas prices have lessened that ability. However trail cameras have helped in that aspect but you still have to put in in legwork to consistently harvest deer. The trail cameras will let you know what deer are in the area (when properly placed) but you still have to do the leg work because feeding patterns and therefore travel patters vary from summer to fall and winter. It can sometimes be tough but knowing your area as well as the deer know it is a big plus.
I have no qualms about having hunters using trail cams or whatever as long as its legal. I also don't have a problem of guys hunting the way they desire, again, as long as its legal. I have a cabin 100 miles from home so going there to set up a trail cam and checking it occasionally is out of the question. But over the years (55+) I've learned where the game move. I rarely see other hunters. Now that I'm older and can't climb the mountains like I used to and really don't want to try, I've given my hot spots to a younger member of the camp and it has paid off for him. He was able to harvest his first PA bear in a spot I told him to go. The smile on his face was as much satisfaction I got as if I shot the bear myself. (even more so because I didn't have to have the expense of processing and taxidermy!)

 

[Mnt monkey]

I've retired and moved into the middle of the Ouachita mountains in Southwest Arkansas if I'm not mistaken it's 1.5 million Acres literally you can step across my fence and walk until your legs fall off what's crazy is no one hunts ,really most of the locals just drive the dirt roads in the National Forest in their pickup or run dogs about 10% of the hunters around where I'm at actually get out in the woods and hunt,, there are not a lot of deer but there are some really phenomenal bucks in these mountains. It is a primitive Hunters dream

 

[jd24.5.48]

I don't have any problems with how anyone else hunts, just as long as it's Legal! We have enough anti hunters out there and don't need to be squabbling amongst ourselves!

 

[retrieverman]

I hunt exclusively private land and use cameras and feeders at two of my places and no ”technology“ at one. I grew up in east Texas when deer populations were extremely low and feeders weren’t a thing, so I learned how to go in the woods and read signs. I firmly believe that if feeders and cameras were outlawed that at least 80% of so called hunters would be screwed.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I was blessed to always have other large properties all over Texas to hunt and in Mexico ,I really like to use a little bit of everything ,,, the deer will teach you how to hunt if you hunt them enough,, no matter where you're at and in what country or part of America I do believe that feeders and tools, cameras Etc are shortcut somewhat to actually spending time but practically speaking few of us ever have that time and we live in a modern era of busyness that very few of us are going to be able to study game the way some of us have and maybe our fathers or grandfathers did. This year here in Arkansas I have two bucks that I'm specifically targeting and focused on but I don't hunt those deer every time I step out my door to hunt maybe 20% of my hunting this fall will be on those two the rest of the time I will be in the woods and roaming the Hills I'm not going to shoot a buck under 150 bc I might shoot a dough later on to eat my immediate hunting area across my fence or fences around my house is around a thousand acres I have dog traffic on the edge of it but most of that thousand acres is so rough the only way to get in the middle of it is to walk I have had covid for the last week and a half the very bad version of it I have not been able to get in my bow stand because I'm hacking and spitting and coughing but I have each day been on a long scouting hikes into the hills and Creek bottoms around my house life is good even with covid

 

[smokepolehall]

Don't get me wrong, i have no trouble with people hunting by the method they like n tools available they want to use. I am not in even good shape, i am 100% Disabled. So i have learned to adapt n use my Bowhunting methods during all my seasons. I don't live close enough to drive to public hunting land. I really don't hunt antlers more into meat. I will certainly kill a good Buck if one comes by me. Right now i have 2 Bucks i see most every day. A 3 pt. & what turned out to be a 6 pt. I thought it was a 7 pt. but it has no eye tine, not broke off, just never grew it. I watch all of them with my binocs, really love it Been watching n learning from them since 1958.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I have a 400 ft room I'm building onto the back of my barn-dominium here in Arkansas I designed that room to be able to set in and look out into the place I live on and the windows I'm putting in it are specifically to be able to raise and Hunt Just the Way You Are if that time comes when I can't get around these Woods my hunting will evolve and change but as long as I can pull the trigger

 

[GUN NUT]

Let me say first I hunt with bait because it is legal and I am hunting to put meat in the freezer not hunting horns but if a big boy comes along I will take him. Now a few years ago I was in Colorado on a Elk and Deer hunt and was rambling around in the mountains and took a nice Mule Deer while just walking around .He never new I was their and That was one of the most remembered kills I have ever made .Just something satisfying about out witting your quarry .But I don't feel like I am some kind of superior hunter

 

[JIMYJAC]

When I was young deer drives with shotguns was the big thing. Then I was fortunate to hunt ag land still hunting and brush blinds both paid off well and enjoyable. The trail cam deal I never could take a shine to. I usually hunt alone or with one friend. I still hunt big woods but let someone know where I`m going in and what time I should be out. Missed my fall ADK bear hunt and I had a big boar scouted. Recovering from emergency gallbladder surgery. I wish and my fellow brothers and sister hunters a good safe season and God speed.

 

[smokepolehall]

I have a 400 ft room I'm building onto the back of my barn-dominium here in Arkansas I designed that room to be able to set in and look out into the place I live on and the windows I'm putting in it are specifically to be able to raise and Hunt Just the Way You Are if that time comes when I can't get around these Woods my hunting will evolve and change but as long as I can pull the trigger

ou have about 3 times the size of room n windows to view from. My camper is a 5 window Skoolie total length is 22' n its 7.6' wide inside. My Mrs. would have ahissy fit if i was to shoot from in here. I have my 8x21' cargo trailer running N&S has the ramp dropping down to the N. I can open the screen door n sit in it with comfort. Rain & snow can't bother me, can run heater n stay warm. I can sit there with table n sand bag. Best i can do n stay away from my Mrs.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I don't watch TV I'm putting the wood stove right beside one of those windows that I mentioned to you in that 400 ft room I figure on a cold day in the winter if I get where I can't walk I'll sit there by that wood heater keep an eye out of that window watch the mountain behind the house I remember as a kid when I stayed with my grandpa it would sometimes just spend hours sitting out in the yard even if it wasn't winter time or deer season just hanging out outside he had emphysema real bad and couldn't get around much the older I get the more I enjoy too just sitting out watching the trees and nature I understand my grandpa in a sense I am him now

 

[Hanshi]

Most of my hunting occurred during my 62 years in my native Georgia. I did a little hunting in WV and a good bit more in Virginia. I've never used a camera or binocular because I never needed them while hunting in Georgia. Deer seemed to be everywhere and the limit finally rose to 12 per season. I'm also 100% disabled and haven't been out in the woods in several years. I also no longer have the desire to shoot any critter. Yep, my spurs are permanently hanging in the shed.

 

[Mnt monkey]

Interesting to me how our hunting in a sense matures as we do, there have been many years in the last 10 or 15 that I did not shoot a deer, I just watched ,during those years when I did not shoot I still hunted for 3 months straight almost everyday just because I enjoy being out in the woods and I enjoy watching the deer and I enjoy focusing on one deer and trying to get in his head a little bit I've been able to do that many times there was one big old monster kull 7 point ,I shot the deer when he was 8 might have been 9 years old from Age 4 Forward I had all of his home area laid out knew where he would be and when he would be there there were many times bow hunting I had him within 10 and 15 yards and we just looked at each other in the eye, he got where he wouldn't even blow and run off he wasn't comfortable with me, but you never really got super spooked and left his territory.
I really enjoyed as I've gotten old helping other people and my sons and some younger friends that I mentor I have a young smokeless fanatic coming up from Texas to hunt the Muzzleloader season here in Arkansas 5 years ago he didn't know what a Muzzleloader was once I introduced him to smokeless muzzle loading I think he's close to owning nothing but muzzleloaders now, I hate that!!

 

[Muley Hunter]

I don't care how others hunt as long as it's legal. I'll admit to being a still hunter all my life. I was taught how to do it as a kid and enjoyed it so much I stayed with it. For those who aren't familiar with the method it's moving very slow through thick timber not knowing where the game is but have some idea through scouting. The goal is to see the game before it see's me. I find it rewarding when it all works as planned. No aids are used. Just me and my gun. Staying silent, playing the wind, and not being seen. I find it exciting at a very slow pace.

We're all free to do as we please. So, do what you enjoy and works for you.