What's happened to deer hunting?

[Suzuki]

Similar to what's happening to American. More people and less land. The wealthy buy it then its off limits to everyone else. The old days are gone. If you want quality hunting land around here you have to save a lot of money. Its got no place to go but the European model. We'll still have public lands but many of those are/will be dead seas.

[QUOTE=Chad;2165041]The biggest trend I see is that you no longer see folks do a deer drive.
QUOTE]

I'll never do it agin. Two friends have been killed in the last 10 years on deer drives. All guys in the drive were seasoned hunters. Probably should be illegal.

[thump55]

Drives should be made illegal on public land for obvious reasons.

On private land they can be done safely.

[NathanH]

I agree its tough if you dont own land or know somone who will let you on theirs.

[Burr]

Originally Posted by Gary Korsgaden

I own 100 acres in which I deer hunt, some years it is good others not so good. What has changed here is Potlatch land was open to hunting it is now leased. Business have commented prior to leasing of Potlatch eating establishments and the town as a whole was bustling. Hunters came to the area because hunting was open on Potlatch lands and hunters could access. Now it is isn't a big deal anymore.

A friend of mine informed me recently that a major sporting goods store chain out of Fargo has over ten thousand acres of land leased west of Langdon ND for hunting. Hard to understand why but none the less takes land away from others. By the way the leased land area is loaded with waterfowl. Frankly hard to drop my hard earned money on these stores counters.

When I saw land being leased 10 years or so ago, decided to purchase enough land to preserve my privacy first and do a little hunting second. In the beginning had food plots, never shot deer over them but with food plots brought a lot of deer moved into my land.

Now this season I didn't maintain my plots, will be interesting to see what happens to my success. Gave it up as it was hard to keep up with a huge potato farmer from Moorhead Minnesota purchased up the land around me and put in irrigation spicots to keep his food plots alive and growing.

Regarding baiting, In Minnesota deer country ask any feed store owner, a lot of corn is sold days before deer season....

Hunting unfortunately has gotten to be one of those sports that one with deepest pockets gets the edge.

I remember talking with you about food plots years ago when our meetings were in Moorhead. It's hard to believe you completely gave up what you were really working hard on at that time. Big change!

[DTC]

Here in Nebraska, you either own land or you know someone who does who will let you hunt. Public land is scarce, over-pressured, or the deer have been shot-off or run-off of it.

Blue tongue smacked the herd big time a year ago, and it will take a couple of decent years to get it back up if it will come back up.

I gave up rifle hunting by and large due to difficulty getting on hunting land. Now I do muzzleloader as it is easier to get onto land and less competition. I don't worry about trying to shoot a good buck, mostly looking for meat anyway, so a decent doe is fine.

The Nebraska Game and Parks outfit seems to be 10 years behind the rest of thier counterparts nationally. Pretty sad state of affairs and not looking like it is going to get better any time soon.

[Wade B AKA: Ruger2506]

Originally Posted by Suzuki

I've always resisted hunting way back in because of the difficulty of getting an animal back out.

Not picking on you Suzuki. But I do love hearing this. I can't tell you how much access to unmolested land I have cause so many guys can't get a wheeler back in there to do all the heavy lifting. I have been known to pack deer out on a pack frame cause I shot them way back in some god-awful hole.

[Wade B AKA: Ruger2506]

Originally Posted by tomhowellsfishing

A lot of things have changed here in N. Minnesota. We are no longer allowed to erect permanent stands. Everything must be portable, and removed within 2 weeks of the season closing. Ya, I guess they ruin the trees, meanwhile, the taconite companies destroy mile after mile of the best deer habitat ever known, and no one says a word. Cut a christmas tree though and the local game warden will write you a big fine.

Baiting is illegal here in MN, but it's rampant. You walk into any sporting goods store and the first thing you see is all the baiting products. I couldn't figure out a few years ago why I wasn't seeing the number of deer I usually do. One look at a satellite view reveled a huge food plot across the road from me planted solely for attracting deer, and so goes modern whitetail hunting.

I'd love to see the great Stan Potts, or men like them who claim to be the best of the best deer hunters, come and hunt on public land here in N. Minnesota, and compete against everything we put up with, and show me how many trophy bucks you shoot.

Remember, no baiting allowed!

I thought I was the only anti-mining guy in Hibbing. It is sickening to see the blind support the good old boys (and girls) give the mines here.

[Rapscallion]

A lot of good private land here in Ohio is being bought up by hunting clubs. I'm lucky in that my two sons and I have sole hunting access to a friends 50 acres in prime deer country. We've gotten some nice, not monster, bucks and plenty of does off it without the use of food plots or bait. Neighboring farms have plots and feeders though and we are starting to see fewer deer and last year only saw one good buck. We hunt the travel routes between neighboring farms - we don't go hungry.
Oh yeah, I refuse to watch the "hunting" shows anymore. They are akin to shooting fish in a barrel.

[Gary Korsgaden]

Burr as I indicated my neighbor has irrigation on his food plots, with the dry summer and hot temps question whether or not a food plot would of made it unless it was planted late September with adequate rain. My native prairie grass acres are doing well though. The deer have to move through or on my property for water. Should be interesting season. We see a lot of deer in the yard feeding on the grass that is coming through on because of the rain.

My pond is full and tracks all over.

In a few weeks we will see. thanks for the thread.

Originally Posted by Burr

I remember talking with you about food plots years ago when our meetings were in Moorhead. It's hard to believe you completely gave up what you were really working hard on at that time. Big change!