Times are Changing
I have been a really busy the last couple of weeks with finishing up some Christmas activity and getting in some deer hunting. As a result of all the fun, when I returned from deer hunting I was basically done. I had a cold and was pretty much worn out . Four days later, I feel a lot better, and hopefully it is all good from here.
I hunted deer in Ohio this year during the 4 day muzzle loader season. I like this season because it is short and typically it is colder with snow a definite possibility. This year was true to form, but the 'cold' was kinda out of hand. We hunted with no problems the first two days and on the third day it was really cold and we did hunt most of the day and killed 4 deer that day. The group had about 10 people with guns that day. The fourth day was too cold and we did not hunt. The air temperature was near zero with wind chills in the - 30 or 40's. No way we could safely hunt. For example, on the third day I was fully dressed sitting in a pick up truck waiting for deer to come into a corn field where I could possibly get a shot. I would occasionally get out of the truck to listen for shots and be ready if a deer would squirt out. I had no cover from the wind and would start shivering within a couple of minutes. I was shivering so bad I would not be able to shoot!!! That is cold. Since I was not walking and making any heat, I had to stay in truck so I would not shiver. I did see three deer in two groups, but no shots were taken. Too far away and moving too fast.
It was a successful hunt and I enjoyed the days in the field. Good exercise climbing up and down the hills of Coshocton county.
I stay in Ohio with some good friends--Jeff and Kat. Kat was having a blast working for a restaurant that was catering food to hunters that were hunting leased deer hunting property. She was getting some great stories from the various groups that came through. Deer hunting has been in a transition the last decade and Jeff made some very astute observations about how hunting has changed. In the past, deer hunting was basically an occasion to harvest the meat and this has evolved into trophy antler hunting, from a team sport to an individual sport. Several years back, there would be several large groups of organized drives that would get the deer moving during the gun weeks so all the deer were in play, everyone had a shot, so to speak. The groups have dwindled significantly, and our group is one of the few left. The down side of a large group is you need a lot of property to hunt. We have several properties adjacent to our hunting territory that is leased and off limits. These properties are now hunted by stand hunters, and the deer do little moving. They just hide on the other side of the hill during the non rut season. The deer no longer are on the move during the gun weeks.
Jeff who has only hunted the gun season, stated he is probably going to get a bow so he can get some meat for the freezer during the pre gun week season. The success of the region to produce big trophy deer has doomed the area to be parcelled out into leased properties that are hunted by trophy hunters with no connection to the region--cash for antlers.
How long can the large group survive?? Who knows. But the way we have traditonally hunting is under pressure and hopefully it will find some way to survive. Times are changing and we will adapt, some way some how.
I hunted deer in Ohio this year during the 4 day muzzle loader season. I like this season because it is short and typically it is colder with snow a definite possibility. This year was true to form, but the 'cold' was kinda out of hand. We hunted with no problems the first two days and on the third day it was really cold and we did hunt most of the day and killed 4 deer that day. The group had about 10 people with guns that day. The fourth day was too cold and we did not hunt. The air temperature was near zero with wind chills in the - 30 or 40's. No way we could safely hunt. For example, on the third day I was fully dressed sitting in a pick up truck waiting for deer to come into a corn field where I could possibly get a shot. I would occasionally get out of the truck to listen for shots and be ready if a deer would squirt out. I had no cover from the wind and would start shivering within a couple of minutes. I was shivering so bad I would not be able to shoot!!! That is cold. Since I was not walking and making any heat, I had to stay in truck so I would not shiver. I did see three deer in two groups, but no shots were taken. Too far away and moving too fast.
It was a successful hunt and I enjoyed the days in the field. Good exercise climbing up and down the hills of Coshocton county.
I stay in Ohio with some good friends--Jeff and Kat. Kat was having a blast working for a restaurant that was catering food to hunters that were hunting leased deer hunting property. She was getting some great stories from the various groups that came through. Deer hunting has been in a transition the last decade and Jeff made some very astute observations about how hunting has changed. In the past, deer hunting was basically an occasion to harvest the meat and this has evolved into trophy antler hunting, from a team sport to an individual sport. Several years back, there would be several large groups of organized drives that would get the deer moving during the gun weeks so all the deer were in play, everyone had a shot, so to speak. The groups have dwindled significantly, and our group is one of the few left. The down side of a large group is you need a lot of property to hunt. We have several properties adjacent to our hunting territory that is leased and off limits. These properties are now hunted by stand hunters, and the deer do little moving. They just hide on the other side of the hill during the non rut season. The deer no longer are on the move during the gun weeks.
Jeff who has only hunted the gun season, stated he is probably going to get a bow so he can get some meat for the freezer during the pre gun week season. The success of the region to produce big trophy deer has doomed the area to be parcelled out into leased properties that are hunted by trophy hunters with no connection to the region--cash for antlers.
How long can the large group survive?? Who knows. But the way we have traditonally hunting is under pressure and hopefully it will find some way to survive. Times are changing and we will adapt, some way some how.
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