What happened to deer hunting?

[kmack]

Agree with OP. Some of my most memorable hunts were my first doe, and my daughter's first doe! And most any hunt together with my daughter. I can tell you more about those hunts and the deer that were taken than most of the bucks I've taken over the years. My most favorite hunting story to tell is of my FIL taking a buck one year that I was hunting. Funniest story ever in my book.

It should be about the memories made and the stories those memories make. Especially when those parties in the stories are no longer with us.

[JBJTX81]

I agree but you can't mount their memories!!! $$$$

#facts

Lol

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[JBJTX81]

I want it both ways. And it can be had both ways.

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[HogHunter34]

I agree as well. I have no issue with others chasing those big antlers
I just enjoy being outdoors & sharing it with my son
I haven’t found a recipe yet for those antlers

[texasdeerhunter]

As soon as we commercialized hunting and made a trophy buck a commodity, it changed the perception of “trophies” and hence changed the experience in shooting that trophy. I generally dislike deer breeders for this reason,

[Drycreek3189]

I think television happened to deer hunting.

[Anvilheadtexas]

This is what I’m talking about. Take time with your family and friends and enjoy the experience. When the trend switched to inches vs. experience, we lost something in my opinion.

Glad thst you get it. My brother and I are both in our mid 50s and we’ve realize that although we’re still climbing trees in Summit climbers, there’s not many years left to do that. That being said if somebody wants to sit out in the woods for 2 1/2 months waiting for some thing that they think is going to impress everyone then that’s their right. How ‘bout it!

[Smart]

I agree but you can't mount their memories!!! $$$$

True but when we die.....those mounts won't make a **** to anybody. Probably end up in a storage unit or dumpster somewhere. I struggle with that every time I send away $700-800 for some wall decoration. Kids and friends will remember us though for their lifetime for taking them hunting with them...

I like shooting for personal "deer goals" although my goals are much smaller and less important than some on here.....but the excitement of friends/kids killing their first deer and the campfires are where its at for me these days. I'll take experiences over inches all day long.

[freerhunter16]

I like both. I love every aspect of deer hunting. Growing big deer is my passion. Killing them is a bonus. I love the years I don’t kill a big deer just as much as the years I do.

That doesn’t mean I don’t want to continue growing bigger deer each year.

[Hills of Texas]

As soon as we commercialized hunting and made a trophy buck a commodity, it changed the perception of “trophies” and hence changed the experience in shooting that trophy. I generally dislike deer breeders for this reason,

This last year I had 4 of the top five texas trophies hunter deer for our region. Don’t get me wrong, big deer are big deer and that’s what some people are after. There’s nothing wrong with that I just feel like we are out of touch with things. There was a thread a couple weeks ago about MLD ruining deer season. It wasn’t MLD it was us losing focus on what’s important.

[rtp]

Don’t get lost in inches, get lost in the experience.

I used that line many times in my younger years.

[MBV77]

Seems like folks make hunting way too stressful by trying to figure out if a certain deer is big enough to take and how they’ll be judged by others if they do take it. People pay a fortune for some leases and I don’t think they really enjoy one minute of the season.


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[Hills of Texas]

True but when we die.....those mounts won't make a **** to anybody. Probably end up in a storage unit or dumpster somewhere. I struggle with that every time I send away $700-800 for some wall decoration. Kids and friends will remember us though for their lifetime for taking them hunting with them...

I like shooting for personal "deer goals" although my goals are much smaller and less important than some on here.....but the excitement of friends/kids killing their first deer and the campfires are where its at for me these days. I'll take experiences over inches all day long.

This

[cameron1507]

couldn't agree more

[bphillips]

I can have all that experience and memories without shooting. For the actual deer I’ll continue to have goals