It’s just a deer.

[sotx]

For the past few years I have sat back and read thread after thread that really disturbed me. I have managed to not respond to most of these but one I read tonight finally put me over the edge. I have read time and time again how friends have been lost, and families broken up, and thousand of dollars spent over a deer. This is just my opinion so if you don’t think You want to hear it then skip and move on.



Folks.......it’s just a deer.



I too can be mesmerized by a big rack. I too have dreams of killing a big old Texas 160” monster. But, at what expense. Would I be jealous if my lease mate shot “my deer”.





It’s just a deer.



Does it really matter if your neighbor shot the deer at four years old scoring 130” or waiting two years and shooting him at six years old and he scores 150. If he got enjoyment at shooting a 130 then what difference does it make. I’ve seen people call other people idiots for shooting a “young deer”. What difference does it make?



It’s just a deer.



When the good Lord put the animals here for us he said to have dominion over all the animals. Not just the trophies.



I have no problems with trophy hunting. In fact I like to shoot old deer. But I’m not in the business of putting my opinions on ther people. That is all. So my advice is simple whether you heed it or not. Remember, it’s just a deer.

Word



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[BrandonA]

I agree 100%. Its gotten to the point that I really don't care to go sit in a stand anymore. Just not fun to me right now.

[huntmaster]

back in the old days here on TBH we would have had dozens of pictures of BIG racks of both varieties.
how do y'all feel about yoga pants?

[Wits_End]

Hey wits end, you are showing off your ignorance on this subject.
If it wasn't for the lease boss there would be no lease.
If you think collecting money from 6 or 7 grown men a couple times a year is an easy task you are dead wrong. You pay the same amount as everyone else but get to be a part of every grievance and gripe from the top or the bottom.
They are just deer, that is right. But when your name is signed on the contract you have to be a ***** every once in a while. It has nothing to do with power trips or shortcomings in life. It is all about making decisions that benefit the group.

I am ignorant to your point of view, but learning more as this goes.

I took the point of the thread as to show that some have the viewpoint that "its just a deer". A thread trying to show that some desire friendship over deer, a perspective that I feel has been lost over time. Your post indicates grievances and gripes in your club which is proving that point, that maybe your members need to consider more often that "it's just a deer". I am not saying every lease is perfect and has zero issues, that would be idealistic thinking. Rather, if hunters would take more of that approach, maybe your club would be more enjoyable and there would be less tears.

My comment about lease bosses was a bit strong, I can see that. I have no doubt there are great clubs out there with strong leaders. But when you get an immediate response back like I did, the tone and words used shows the exact type I was talking about. Do you kick your friends off for making an honest mistake? Go look at the other thread, see who posted first saying that maybe the "lease boss" went overboard towards his friend and should take some time to think about it. When you take into consideration "its just a deer" the outcome may be better for all.

Collecting money from "grown men"... doesn't sound like the guys are very grown. I can honestly say over all the years of hunting I have never experienced someone not readily willing to pay for a lease they want to join.

[DRT]

Congratulations on the dumbest post of the year for 2018.. Way to take it down so close to the end and snipe it out from underneath the previous leader. Well done...

Thank you wits-end! I held this illustrious position for Smart until now and fortunately I won't have to stand on the podium in a few days to accept that award.[emoji1787]
I have to agree with him. Your point of view on this is so wrong.

Gary

[RiverRat1]

I'm at my "Wits End"
Some of y'all remind me of liberal democrats. You're making the rule breaker out to be the victim.

Yep.

1. Bottom line is that rules are in place because the majority are idiots.

2. And if you think all hunting leases would be the same without rules then refer to #1

[Cbb1722]

I let a beautiful 10 point walk opening morning of gun season. Because us and a neighbor agreed to let him walk another year if we see him. I had him at 70 yards broadside safety off accutrigger all the way back when I realized what deer he was when he looked at me. It was hard cause that woulda been my biggest deer to date. Deer jumps the fence into a different neighbors property and it wasn’t 20 seconds BOOM. I was sick cause I knew what just happened. It ended up being a kid that shot him so I was happy for him to kill him but was still kicking myself. Shot an 11 point that evening. Wasn’t near like the one I let walk that morning but you just can’t manage properly where I hunt. But as said it’s just a deer. I’m over it and I’m glad the kid got the bigger one. But I won’t let a deer walk like that anymore on our place lol

[glen]

Some deer do have better racks than others

[AntlerCollector]

You think a game warden looks at a 10 inch wide dead buck as just a deer? How about the back of a pickup full of does shot at night? They're just deer.... how about the poached drama buck? Heck it was just a deer ..

Nope!

I bet the GW never says, "it's just a deer."

[Traildust]

There are rules on most leases, just like in life. You agree to follow them when you set foot on the place. It's not that hard to follow them and cover your bases. It is not that hard to be rule abiding. We do it everyday of our lives in some sort of fashion. If you or your guest break them, yall are to blame....the enforcer of the rules is not to blame and didn't do anything wrong. He is there to help things run smoothly so that the group as a whole can enjoy the place. We allow a little leeway, but chronic issues get removed. If kicking said rule beaker off is in the best interest of the place to make the folks who follow the rules or the landowner happy, I have no problem with it. But being upset with the enforcer is like blaming a cop for you speeding or punching a guy in the face when you get arrested. We are not liberals here. The rule breaker is the problem....even if just a deer.

Umm....would not the deer hold some of that responsibility?

[Bud]

I left one more point out. To all of you making the point about the other lease members not respecting the rules I totally understand and agree. I'm not just saying it's not worth it to get upset with others over a deer I am totally saying it is not ruining you reputation as a friend, neighbor person over a deer. Somehow we think we are a great hunter if we shoot a big deer. Well, sometimes. Sometimes it's just the guy with the best opportunity, most time, biggest wallet (yes, I said it) or just dumb luck that gets the biggest deer. The point is just enjoy what we have been given and count your blessings. I hope you all still get a big one this year, but if you do..........it's still just a deer.

Bud

[bakin7005]

Some deer do have better racks than others

...and I was told to tap the brakes for just talking about racks....this is probably a rack we all could never pass on no matter the rules.

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[AntlerCollector]

I am ignorant to your point of view, but learning more as this goes.

I took the point of the thread as to show that some have the viewpoint that "its just a deer". A thread trying to show that some desire friendship over deer, a perspective that I feel has been lost over time. Your post indicates grievances and gripes in your club which is proving that point, that maybe your members need to consider more often that "it's just a deer". I am not saying every lease is perfect and has zero issues, that would be idealistic thinking. Rather, if hunters would take more of that approach, maybe your club would be more enjoyable and there would be less tears.

My comment about lease bosses was a bit strong, I can see that. I have no doubt there are great clubs out there with strong leaders. But when you get an immediate response back like I did, the tone and words used shows the exact type I was talking about. Do you kick your friends off for making an honest mistake? Go look at the other thread, see who posted first saying that maybe the "lease boss" went overboard towards his friend and should take some time to think about it. When you take into consideration "its just a deer" the outcome may be better for all.

Collecting money from "grown men"... doesn't sound like the guys are very grown. I can honestly say over all the years of hunting I have never experienced someone not readily willing to pay for a lease they want to join.

You referred to the other thread and you also mentioned honest mistake. There was no honest mistake in the other thread.

[glen]

And with all the rules you can’t just look at the rack anymore and decide if it makes you happy. Sometimes you gotta make a management decision without knowing what he rack looks like

[TxDispatcher]

It’s not about the deer, it’s about respect, honesty and competence, all of which “just a deer” tests the limits of.

Follow laws, rules, have ethics, respect the land, and fellow hunters and most of these problems would go away! It's not about the deer as much as it is about the person hunting.

Good reminder and I agree...

However, do not join a lease with a group of people that put trophy hunting above all else if you do not plan to follow the rules set in place.

It has less to do with the deer and more to do with betrayal. All the pursuit of a big deer does is to expose who that person you thought was a friend really is. Whats that old saying? Integrity is what you have when no one is looking.

-john

This is very true, at the end of the day yes it’s just a deer, but as a member of a lease your expected to follow whatever rules are in place just like all the other members. IMO if you break the rules then consequences are to follow, it shouldn’t matter if your friends family or just a lease member.

There are rules on most leases, just like in life. You agree to follow them when you set foot on the place. It's not that hard to follow them and cover your bases. It is not that hard to be rule abiding. We do it everyday of our lives in some sort of fashion. If you or your guest break them, yall are to blame....the enforcer of the rules is not to blame and didn't do anything wrong.

We are not liberals here. The rule breaker is the problem....even if just a deer.

On the surface, yes, it's just a deer. But that's a very shallow view of it.

What goes on leading up to the harvesting of a deer is what does the damage. You can have people you trust lie to you, trespass, etc. to get a chance at "just a deer".


It's usually the acts leading to the kill that are the rub, not the harvest itself.

A common theme in all of these ^ posts....the deer aren't the problem

I guided for a few years and would sit in the stand on Sunday evenings and watch to see what was visiting feeders for the following week. I've had the green light to shoot "culls" before that would be better than anything I've ever killed. I could have been a jerk and shot any deer and acted like some folks on the threads that are at the root of this thread. I have more respect for my friend than to do that, ever...if you get invited to shoot a hog, doe, or cull, then be a man and do what you were invited to do. Don't be a jackwagon and shoot a trophy buck and then play the part of a victim when you have to pay the consequences. It's just a deer...but the deer didn't pull the trigger. A sorry "friend" chose that deer over your friendship and trust pulled the trigger. Don't bring the deer into it as a way to make an excuse for humanities fault