Well, I do ALOT more hunting than I do killin' but I still enjoy the kill too. Heck, I even enjoy prepping the land getting ready to hunt.

 

I came to hunting as an adult. Learn as i went. Much better shot than a hunter. I kill what i shoot at but lost many opportunities due to mistakes.

 

YES!

 

I enjoy the hunt/chase and as i age, have often let many walk. The work begins after the kill

 

I hunt because I love to hunt. That is why ever since I retired in 2007 I hunted almost every day of bow and gun season but limited myself to 2 deer per season unless I was asked to kill one for a friend. I would go out day after day and sit on stand knowing I might see dozens of deer but probably would not even pick up my gun or bow and point it at one of them. Just being out in God's creation and watching the sun rise in the morning makes me a happy man. A kill is just the way I put food on the table unless it is a Coyote and I do love shooting them. So far this season I have only hunted 6 times and only have seen 2 does and no bucks, 1 coyote I did shoot and a Bobcat that walked on by me. I finally realized that I can no longer go it alone safely so I am cutting back to only hunting when someone is out with me. I am officially an old man now I guess. But I still love being out there as much as I ever have. I consider the hunt more enjoyable than the kill.

 

Totally agree Robert…when i was Young my buddies and I were Deer Slayers…if i didnt tag 6 or more deer a season it was a bad year. I have a couple wooden boxes full of Deer Horns and lots of Mounts. Now if im able to shoot a couple nice bucks a year hunting 3 or 4 States im more than happy. But yes enjoying the hunt itself actually made it way more fullfilling than filling the truck bed every weekend ever was 🤷‍♂️

 

It sure is neat hearing you guys talk about being able to kill multiple deer. I haven't been drawn for rifle deer in three years. And I am not putting in for a coveted area. I have never considered a guided hunt. But I start thinking I need to look into hunting in another state. I think Im in ok health but you never know. At 64 will I have many more opportunities. sure sounds fun

 

I live in GA and we are allowed 10 does and 2 bucks a year. I don't know many hunters that have shot a limit but I am sure some probably do.

 

I will pass up many potentials shots in any given season - in order to stretch that season out for as long as possible.
That said, if the right buck comes along, all of that flies out the window - there's always another tag.

In the 55 years I have been hunting, there has only been one I did not take critters home.
Hoping that trend stays that way for a long time to come!

Cheers & Congrats on your early harvest!

 

Totally agree Noggin after 50 Deer Seasons i only had 2 years without a Buck they were both Military Deployments for Desert Storm and after where i missed the season But as i get older i talk myself out of alot of shots. A couple deer a year is plenty

 

Definitely more about the hunt on my end. Very fussy about what I shoot in my old age, let the little ones grow, catch a lot of flack about bird watching, but then I catch a lot of flack about being a lucky SOB too, because I always shoot nicer bucks. HELLO... If you quit shooting the little ones, they all get nicer in time, be fussy and let the little guys walk.

I feed year round, put out mineral blocks to promote horn growth, live a mile off the Suwannee River in north Florida with lots of management land there. Yes, I have some bigger bucks available because of that, but I also have my stand in my backyard and spend a lot of time in it. Like days on end sitting out there staring at nothing.

Most fun I have in the stand however, is sitting out there on a full moon nights, just watching nature. Especially cool during the rut, when the bucks are butting heads. Watched a couple go at it week before last for over an hour, one pushed the other all over the feed plot, off into the woods, back out of the woods, and across the feedplot again. It's amazing at times.

 

Excellent season so far. I'm chomping at the bits for my deer season to start in October. Hybrid x is dialed in and ready.

2024 season was a disaster but I won't dwell on the past. Lol

 

With deer populations growing in some areas, the feelings between the "Hunt" vs "Kill" feeling becomes more distinct.
SW PA offers "Hunting" tags for 1 buck (3 tines up not counting the brow tine) and quite a few doe tags, depending on your application and drawing dates.
The "Kill" tags are agricultural tags. As far as the farmer's feeling who's loosing crops go, it's brown and down with "Kill" tags provided thru PGC. "Earning" the right to "Hunt" some areas comes with the obligation to "Kill" at other times times. "Killing" helps farmers and puts a lot of protein in food banks, but it definitely feels more like work. For me, there is very little "Hunting" enjoyment putting an antlerless deer down out to 200 yards with a 6.5 creedmoor other than the handshake from someone earning a living off the land.
As I type this I'm watching a nice doe walk between the neighbors 2 cars that are about 3 feel apart and only 15-20 feet from their house. I had to grin at my first thought, the 505 would put blood right thru his radiator or garage door lol
.

 

The HUNT!!!!!

 

THE HUNT!! Into my 3rd week out west. Patterning both Muley’s & Whitetail Buck’s now after hunting Pronghorn’s successfully with my son. For me on deer it’s about the time behind glass and the anticipation. I have deer near 2 blinds and those are primarily Muley’s passing through to feed. Putting my bale blind out tomorrow where I’ve been watching Whitetail’s feed. Since it’s western hunting & in or near fields their feeding in it can pretty much become a one & done unless you spend the night in your blind.

 

After a successful hunt I take a lot of satisfaction in knowing my reading of the hunt area sign was correct. Love it when a plan comes together.
Bill

 

I think setting up and then seeing deer is what I like most. There’s still venison in the freezer from last year. Just my wife and I now. Our sons’ wives don’t want venison, so I can’t give much away. If I am fortunate enough to take more than one deer this year, the second will be donated.

 

My wife started out refusing to eat deer meat. Now its all we use for chili,and stew. Mix it with burger and Italian sausage for spaghetti. Soak the loin and tenderloin in milk overnight for grilling. Summer sausage. I just kept cooking it...guess she got hungry.

 

That is a real nice buck!! What state? And a bear! In hot weather. Your good is what I'm thinking.

 

I live in the most northeast county in Arkansas. Actually I live on Crowley’s Ridge which is a 11-13 mile wide and 200 miles long (Helena AR to Cape Giradeau, MO) ridge of rolling, forested hills which is very deer rich. On each side of the ridge are flat , agricultural fields on which corn, rice, soybeans and cotton. The deer are well fed and large.
Arkansas has a spreading ‘Wasting disease’ problem so an early 8-10 Sept buck only season, and a Nov 9-day gun season, 3 day Christmas season, a Jan doe only season (gun) and 28 Sept- end of Feb archery season.

Bear season is in mid-Sept (usually in mid-90s). I hunt 9.5 mi S of Mt View, Arkansas (150 miles from my home). Bow season has a quota of 450 bear, alternative gun season is mid-Oct (no CF and quota of 50 bear). I bait each week for 4 weeks then the day before season , so 5 baitings. I hunt the entire day. Can’t handle a tree stand for 14 hrs a day in , often mid-90s temps (again, this year). Bear show up usually anytime thru out the day, but usually 15 minutes after last shooting light.

Bear movement can be somewhat predictable - I‘ve yet to have a bad hit in nearly 40 years of hunting (other than one when I’d picked a wrong place in my earlier years). Best time - when they stick their head in the barrel to get another frosted honeybun.

 

I live in the most northeast county in Arkansas. Actually I live on Crowley’s Ridge which is a 11-13 mile wide and 200 miles long (Helena AR to Cape Giradeau, MO) ridge of rolling, forested hills which is very deer rich. On each side of the ridge are flat , agricultural fields on which corn, rice, soybeans and cotton. The deer are well fed and large.
Arkansas has a spreading ‘Wasting disease’ problem so an early 8-10 Sept buck only season, and a Nov 9-day gun season, 3 day Christmas season, a Jan doe only season (gun) and 28 Sept- end of Feb archery season.

Bear season is in mid-Sept (usually in mid-90s). I hunt 9.5 mi S of Mt View, Arkansas (150 miles from my home). Bow season has a quota of 450 bear, alternative gun season is mid-Oct (no CF and quota of 50 bear). I bait each week for 4 weeks then the day before season , so 5 baitings. I hunt the entire day. Can’t handle a tree stand for 14 hrs a day in , often mid-90s temps (again, this year). Bear show up usually anytime thru out the day, but usually 15 minutes after last shooting light.

Bear movement can be somewhat predictable - I‘ve yet to have a bad hit in nearly 40 years of hunting (other than one when I’d picked a wrong place in my earlier years). Best time - when they stick their head in the barrel to get another frosted honeybun.

Some things never change. Like the bears showing up 15 minutes after shooting light. Haha. Boy you sure have a great place to roam and hunt. Im in the Detroit area and have to travel north or south a bit to hunt. Until the wife and I move up north. Soon! Im getting old myself. Luckily ive been hunting since a kid myself. Kinda have a clue. Haha. Gonna look for a turkey this next weekend. Then up north for a week. The freezer is bout empty. No bear hunt this year. I did take a point for a future license this year.

 

Trying to get a bear tag in Michigan is almost crazy anymore. 5-15 points is crazy. I live in the red oak bear zone 3 cell cams out spread out over 15 miles bear on camera every week.

 

Started Bear Hunting in Red Oak (Atlanta/Hillman area) in 1976 My Dad and I would get a tag every year.

 

I can answer this question easily. I do not enjoy the killing at all. In fact, it actually makes me feel bad. But I eat meat so I feel I should do some of the dirty work.

 

I respect your feelings: I partially share them - more and more each year. A point to consider is that deer/bear/turkeys have no retirement homes nor retirement plans. What does happen is virtually all wild animals die a violent, painful death. An arrow with a sharp BH and the animal being dead thru blood loss is far less traumatic than a ‘natural’ death.

 

For me, it's the whole package, the preparation, the time in the woods, the anticipation, actually experiencing your plan coming together (or maybe not in a way you expected) leading to an encounter, which may or may not lead to an opportunity, actually taking the shot, and yes accomplishing what you prepared to do and enjoying that moment, and of course cooking and eating what you've killed.

 

One without the other makes me crabby. I love the hunt, but I get to a point I need to kill something! I feed squirrels, and the deer and coons get their share. Had several litters of rabbits raised in my yard this year living under my building and deck, was quite enjoyable.