Approximately what year did it all start?

[AntlerCollector]

Deer hunting has changed in a huge way from when I first started. Back then we didn’t have deer stands or feeders. We hunted with dogs and shotguns. If you were lucky enough to kill a deer EVERYONE was happy for you. Years later it changed to tree stands (lean to, or board between tree limbs) and 5 gallon bucket feeders with a stick in the bottom. The deer would bump the stick to let corn fall out. Once again, if you shot a deer EVERYONE was happy for you.

Now days we have $1,000 feeders, $3,000+ deer stands, game cameras, and all kinds of gadgets at our disposal. I’m not against any of that technology. What has changed is EVERYONE is no longer happy when you are successful shooting a deer. Lots of the deer are off limits to shoot. Everything is “age and score.”

All I use to care about was is the deer a buck or doe. Now days lots of us have to age it, and score it on the hoof. Some of us need photographic history with a deer and permission from a lease boss before we can kill a deer. Can someone tell me about when it all changed? When did we become amateur deer biologists?

I’m all for growing big deer. This isn’t a rant at all. I’m just wondering when as a hunting community we went from everyone celebrating our kills to “should have gave it another year.” The deer now have lots of parameters that just didn’t exist before. That has definitely changed how hunters react to other peoples kills. Heck I was in my mid 40’s before I learned how to score a deer. I only learned because I had to.

Sometimes I do wish my kids could have experienced deer hunting the way I did growing up.




Well except for the little buddy heater. It sure beats an old coffee can with toilet paper soaked in alcohol for a heater.

[Uncle Saggy]

Good post. I started deer hunting in the U.P., W Wisconsin and Northern Illinois and have thought about the same.
Different times back then


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[Tree Phantom]

Approximately what year did it all start?

Thanks, for bringing the memories [emoji106]

[miket]

I came in at the "5gal bucket with a stick" era, and it was the same for us. A deer was killed, everyone was happy. I dont remember anyone talking about age, just number of points

I have struggled with this myself, not that I want to shoot small or young deer, just the rules and pre-approval to shoot a buck. I assume its due to all the money involved now. Texas Trophy Hunters etc greatly accelerated the change IMO.

Kinda like mo money, mo problems


On edit, this is one reason why I want my own place. If I want to kill it, I can kill it. If it pleases me, I can take it.

[Fishndude]

1992

[Bucknaked]

We didn’t have ‘Deer Corn’ and we were happy just being on the hunt and camp life.

Thanks for reminding me about the My Buddy I’m heading to my blind in a few minutes and almost forgot it lol.


For me it was mid 80’s

[E.TX.BOWHUNTER]

I use to carry a rope. I threw it over a limb and pulled myself up into a tree. There was no such thing as antler restrictions either. Shotgun and buckshot were my go to. The east Texas lease fee was $250 - $300. I did not use a rifle until about 40 years ago when I got invited to hunt central and west Texas. I could not shoot buckshot at those distances. Public land was buck only period. Any buck was a good buck. We counted points not age and score. We did not de-scent. We hunted trails. What was a feeder?

I did not see as many deer then either. I would be lucky to see 1 on a sit. Now I expect to see several on a sit. The population is better now for east Texas.

[Duckologist]

Here in Louisiana baiting is not allowed on public land. So we still climb trees n just hunt and everyone IS happy when someone kills a deer, any deer. Many high 5s over this 1 last Saturday

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[Johnny Dangerr]

Yup in 1967 it was a lot different...

[tps7742]

Antler Collector you explained it well from my perspective on chain of events. When I had less, I hunted more, actually hunted and appreciated killing a deer period.

Probably around 1990 is for me it changed.
Very good thread topic and actually about hunting. Thanks

[cva34]

Great read...I done it all and still doin..

[Javelin]

I was 8 years old in 1991 when I killed my first deer. We had corn feeders with a Stick but mainly my dad planted oat patches. I can remember him, me, mom and other lease members all going out with his old john deer 820 and planting each fall. We got a couple cox feeders in the late 1990s. Probably around 1997. My first trail cams were 1999 or 2000 with 35mm film cameras. Dad leased land from temple back then in San Augustine county for a little over 5 bucks an acre. Seeing a deer with 8 points was rare. Heck seeing deer was not real common. Then by the late 90s we were hunting carmona in Polk county. We say more deer and shot 8 pts which i still have on my wall but looking at them the oldest one may have been 3 on a good day. Deer just didn’t have a chance to grow up. With help from tpw by 2005 deer finally got to become adults lol and now we are killing more and bigger older deer than ever little of which has to do to fancy technology.

[Strummer]

Started about 85/86 had the stick feeder and we also used wooden 12 pack bottle holders. Would rebar them in the ground to keep the cows from moving them . Heaters were a coffee can with toilet paper and alcohol.

[Aggiebush]

I can't believe no one has mentioned "Corn Bottles" as feeders yet. We would fill up a 2-liter bottle with corn and throw them out. The deer would kick them around and shake out a little corn. I made a hanger out of a piece or rope so I could carry 4 at a time. Times definitely have changed!

[Bayouboy]

I can't believe no one has mentioned "Corn Bottles" as feeders yet. We would fill up a 2-liter bottle with corn and throw them out. The deer would kick them around and shake out a little corn. I made a hanger out of a piece or rope so I could carry 4 at a time. Times definitely have changed!

Those worked great until the hogs showed up. They would flatten them. I remember using them in Moss Hill on Az Creek Hunting Club.