Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help Dead Deer

OH GREAT!!!

Are you telling me that the next time I get stuck in the snow I need to worry about wounded elephants?

Jeez, all this county boy stuff is difficult to learn.

Nope, you don't have to worry about wounded elephants. Just Mt. Lions.

Don't forget the chupacabras too...

No bow hunting allowed on our family ranch as well.
Sons and nephews getting deer camp ready this weekend. So many second and third generation hunters we have out grown the camphouse and tent city is growing.
I can't stand that many snoring bodies in the camphouse that I sleep on air matress in my SUV .... but they spoil me and bring coffee to me in the morning.
I am still the Camp Boss and have a posted map where all hunters are located.
Lookin' forward to Deer Camp and all the food and fellowship!!!
That's what it's all about!

Bow season is my serious hunting... When firearms season comes, that is time to spend with family and friends. I still try to kill deer, but I just enjoy the friendships and family. I still bow hunt with friends and family, but I also do a lot of hunting alone in bow season.

It is a shame so many people have bad opinions/experiences with bow hunters. There is no doubt a much higher skill level needed to be a bow hunter and you can't just shoot your gun twice and go out. Near daily practice for months leading up to the season is really required. Like Dave, I agree. One really needs to be proficient at tracking deer to use a bow. A big thing is to know where you hit a deer and know how long to wait to start tracking...

My cousin is a bow hunting fanatic, he'll sit in a tree stand all day in a Hurricane and won't come in till dark. He's very skilled and has taken more deer than I can count, I also agree to be a good bow hunter takes lot's of practice to reduce wounding a deer and not finding it.

I only rifle hunt, even though I have a bow I don't feel that I have the skill to do it correctly.

While I go out in the early bow season, I don't practice enough to be confident enough past 20 Yds. So, I usually end up with nothing. Late season is different, horizontal bows are legal and while they are not any more effecient than a vertical bow with training wheels (compound, which I shoot ) I don't need to practice near as much.

I still haven't shot one past 30 Yds and the ones that I have shot go down pretty quick. About 100 feet is the furthest that I've had to track one. The one last year only went about 30 feet. The arrow slipped thru both lungs missing bone on both sides. She jumped at the noise the bow made, but stopped after a few steps, then just fell right over. I'm using Hypershock broadheads which cut a 2" wide path.

I have nothing against bow hunting but find that most people don't/can't take the time to be a really proficient predator.

I sometimes find a solo fresh deer track and try to track or back track it. I try to figure where the deer is coming from, where it is going and why. I am rarely, really rarely, successful.

That is what it's all about George!

BTW how do you know you don't snore too?

There is more than one way to bag a deer. My old bow and I did not get along. However, I took my largest deer yet with it at 15 feet (yes 5 yards). If you can't shoot accuratley at a distance, you avoid the shot, whether it is a gun or a bow. But as I said earlier, if you hunt for any length of time, you will eventually make a bad shot. Once I hit a missed with a slug at 25 yards. I could not understand it until I found a lone twig (1/2") cleanly nipped off. I did not even see it prior to the shot. The deer was not even hit.

So that's why they kicked me out of the camphouse and made me sleep in my truck?
I offered them earplugss ...

So now the truth comes out.

You should hear my wife! I have to be dead tired before I get in bed or I'll never fall asleep due to the noise!

I guess I'm not as concerned with whatever is used to take a deer, as I am with the folks who are doing the taking. It seems there are a lot of people who never pick up a firearm or bow any other time of the year, then decide they want to go deer hunting. Although I have been a squirrel hunter most of my 44 years, I've never had the desire to kill a deer. I bear no malice toward those who do, it's just not my thing. But every fall it's the same old story. Drive down any country road around here during deer season and scope out the license plates, out of county, and out of their element. The woods are filled with blaze orange poser wannabees, brand spankin' new tree stands, the latest realtree camo, and enough ammunition to fight another world war. Even though my property is posted no hunting, deer season forces me to become a virtual prisoner, afraid to venture into my own woods for whatever reason. To me, any type of hunting is a continuation of my outdoor lifestyle, that includes fishing, mushroom hunting, trapping, ginseng hunting, timber stand improvement, camping, firewood cutting, etc. I don't want to be anywhere near someone who picks up a weapon once a year, just so he or she can kill something. And yes, proper deer harvest is essential to maintain a healthy population, I just don't think buying a license should be the only qualification. My one sentence sum up of deer season? "Please God, just let it be over quickly"

sprkplug,

I actually gave up deer hunting for the same reasons. Got tired of competing with poachers and idiots. Calling in violations was a joke as it would take at least 3 days for someone to get back to me. Didn't matter if you had exclusive permission as there would be always be someone trying to trespass. I once had a guy standing below my tree stand at first light!

Same goes for the large local lakes which IMHO aren't even safe for the average angler in a small boat anymore on weekends. I was told to fish on the weekdays. Why should I?

I was almost hit head on once at night by a speed boat with no lights. The intoxicated passengers laughed about it when I illuminated them with my light.

Sure glad I have my own slice of heaven on the property and don't have to deal with them anymore. I feel sorry for those who don't have that option.

Private land and waters are very nice for that reason... There are definitely some very unsporting, lazy, rude, inconsiderate people out there. I have met many of them over the years. I have also met some very nice, considerate, knowledgeable and sporting hunters and fisherman hunting and fishing public lands and water. States do require hunter safety courses, sure seems like perhaps they should at least require a refresher course from time to time...

Speaking of poachers for deer, do you guys ever
have to deal with people sneeking on to your land
to fish?

Thats one of my worries being since I won't be living
on site full-time. After spending the time and money
to make a body of water pretty special I suspect somebody
is going to not care about NO TRESPASSING and try
and get 'em some fish.

Besides protecting your water and fish, a co-worker told me
that some states make you liable for any injuries that someone
incurs on your land regardless if they were invited, unless you
post NO TRESPASSING signs.

I quess you could call this poaching.

I'm sitting on my porch Sunday enjoying a cold beverage when an old fella is driving by, mind you the road is about 1/4 mile from my house. I can hear this guy talking on his cell phone clear as day. When he slams the brakes on and says "holy shit mark you ain't gonna believe this" well that caught my attention. He proceeds to get out of his truck walk 100 yards on to my propert MY FRONT YARD, I'm like what the hell is going on. He walks up To a giant oak tree and rips off the biggest elephant ear mushroom I ever seen. So I yell hey as***le to which he replys oh sorry if you want it you can have it. Im like no sh*t its my property.i would have just gave it too him if he would of asked. So people are just idiots. Then he loads it in his truck and don't even say thanks.. This mushroom was almost the size of his truck window it was huge.. Sorry for the profanity but it really p***ed me off..

He will be back for something else so be ready.

12 ga is loaded

Every state is different.

Indiana does not hold the landowner liable unless they are recieving compensation from the person on the property (like a hunting lease). No signs necessary in Indiana. If you don't own the property, you must have written permission to be on it. Period.

At which point we will change your Delta Chi (aka "screen name") to Tresspasserkiller!

In WV, landowners can potentially be held liable for injuries to trespassers in the event the landowner fails to warn of non-obvious dangers. As an example, if you have a field of tall grass with a deep ravine in the middle that's not obvious and not somehow marked, that could form the basis of liability if even a trespasser got hurt falling down into the ravine. Kind of screwed up, frankly. Otherwise, if you trespass, you do so at your own peril. It's a bit different for invited guests.

After the next guy grabs a mushroom on my property lol

I have never figured out laws where people who are breaking the law are held with higher regard such as if a trespasser hurts themselves, they can sue, or if a burgler accidentally locks himself into the garage of the home, he can sue, or states that have you shall retreat statues where if someone breaks into your home, you have to try to retreat rather than confront before using deadly force. Incredible! Todd, it's all because of pesky lawyers too!

Originally Posted By: Dave Davidson1IMO, the average hunter couldn't track a wounded elephant through a fresh snowbank



DD1 what's up?? Man if a person can't track a deer in the snow you would be in big trouble down here in Arkansas where every fricken thing is brown on brown!!! I am from North Wisconsin and it took me a long time and a lot of practice to track deer down here! And even so sometimes you just can't find them even though they may be dead 80 yards away. It's a lot harder and you better have some patience and maybe even some friends to help!