Hunting has changed!

[lilshootergirl]

Growing up my parents took us 4 kids out every year to go hunting, oh those were the days, plentiful of animals, respectful hunters! With a sadden heart I quit for 20 years, now hunting isn't like it used to be! I'd be awake before anyone else, even thou I didn't have a gun, but was part of a heritage that's been passed down by both sides of my family, around the fire my father would tell us of his hunts with his grandfather and his father! Hunting isn't the same! Woods are crowded with people not many animals to be hunted, people trashing the ground with litter, groups of hunters have made it into a drunk feast!  I hope more men & women take your kids or grandkids or even a kid that's always dreamed of hunting out with them so these dreams and adventures be passed down to the next generations, and teach them what hunting is about, show how to love and respect of our forest and the living things that live there!  Please tech these values and make examples not just for our kids but for others, so we will have the privilege years to come ! That's being a American hunting

[GreggHunts2hard4u]

Amen to that

[biggfish]

Yeah, I grew up with the to many hunters in the field problem. So we drove around looking to jump shoot deer in fields of the road. If there was a spot to walk in there was already av hundred guys there. We filled tags and it was fine. Lots of idiots out there drunken camps, to each there own. Growing up there wasn't near as much trash dumped in the woods like today. I still hold on to the pack it in pack it out motto, when I was a boy scout we were required to leave the woods better than we found it. I wish more people would get in board with that.

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[Stein]

Lots of things have changed in the last 20 years, hunting is just one of them.

[slowhand]

When I first started to bring My oldest boy hunting He had a heck of a time keeping quite and focusing on looking for Deer. I knew I needed to come up with some sort of plan to help with the long periods of no action. After all I had three boys and this was just the first one to teach all there is to know about hunting. After a few attempts at keeping him interested I figured out a game that did just what I needed.
I asked him to look for Deer and aluminum cans. Deer was the main goal but if you find a can We will quietly pick it up and take it with us. Who ever finds the most cans on our hike wins. Well let’s just say I created quite the monster. Also let’s just say that people must think that cans are biodegradable. (People are stupid, no question about that) On our first hunting trail Together we collected 52 cans! 52!!!!
Now take a guess how many of those cans were beer cans?
49!!! What the hell!!! FYI in case the alcoholic hunter that dropped all those beer cans is on here. Shame on you Sir!!
This was in Gmu 352 (Nile) during Elk bow hunting season.
So over the 5 days of Elk hunting you can not imagine how many cans We collected.
A truly ridiculous amount to say the least.
These are the people that caused all the gates to be locked.
I have three boys and no matter if We are fishing, hiking, or hunting we each have a plastic bag to pick up trash left behind by the same people that dropped all the beer cans. All my boys even my oldest still understands that We are picking up after the guys that got all the gates locked. Let’s just say they don’t like those guys one bit.
When We climb Deer burger Hill and they are on Mile number 6 I remind them that I used to drive up here and camp right there. The good old days. They really were good.

[Stein]

It's pretty crazy, I picked up quite a few this year.  On the other hand, I kind of admire the dedication to carry in a six pack to some of the nasty steep spots I found them - 2 miles from the road and a big elevation gain, much through not so pleasant territory.

[tgomez]

I have truly enjoyed hunting for my own animals the last 23 years for myself and have been tagging along for 31 years now. I am grateful to have a father who took the time to show me many great locations to hunt and how to respect the animal's and forrest that I hunt in. I feel closer to the good lord when I am hunting and truly free. I share the passion for hunting that my father shared and instilled in me years ago the same as when I was a young boy. I love to spend time with family and friends while hunting because it is about the memories you have to look back upon and experiences you can share with and teach others. At the end of the day you can't control what others do or how they choose to hunt. Just pick the one's you enjoy spending your time with and cherish those moments because you never know when you won't have the opportunity to do so. Realize what is important to you and your values,  respect the values of the ones who were gracious enough to pass it down to you and pass those same values to the ones you love and respect.  Have fun,  life is short,  God bless and good hunting.

[runamuk]

Just an fyi, many woods get trashed by more than hunters.  I actually saw more people in the woods leaving trashed campsites from March fish opener to labor day than I saw during the entire deer, elk etc season.

Those beer cans are not just hunters in fact I would guess that hunters are only a minor contributor.  Seriously you have not lived until you have seen a weekend in the valley I work in.

I only started hunting in 2009 but have been playing in the woods since the early 1970's what's changed is more people and lots more people doing sketchy stuff.

[Rob Allen]

I am 47 and am only on my 3rd year of hunting. I have however been a steelhead fisherman since i was young.
How you guys feel about  hunting is how i feel about steelheading.  That said i hunted all season  in what i thought was supposed  to be a popular unit and though i saw people driving around i only saw one othrr person  actually hunting the same place as me

I came across one camp in the private timberlands of 388 where some drinking opening weekend slobs left a pile of empty beer  bottles and shot up propane  cylinders in their fire pit.  THAT WAS STILL HOT AND SMOKING!!!
Bad apples seem commonplace  anymore teach people in your sphere of influence not to be that way.

[hunterofelk]

When I began hunting in Montana in the early ‘70’s, the old timers were lamenting the same views. When I was a kid I thought hunting the ultimate adventure.  Adulthood is a buzz kill. Staying young at heart is a great way to be.

[pianoman9701]

I agree with some of your points, especially about trashing the woods. But a quality hunting experience with campfire stories and companionship is still available. You make your own experience. If you don't like all of the hunters, consider a bow or ML for the future hunts.

[Bullkllr]

When I began hunting in Montana in the early ‘70’s, the old timers were lamenting the same views. When I was a kid I thought hunting the ultimate adventure.  Adulthood is a buzz kill. Staying young at heart is a great way to be.

This is really true. It seems to cycle through with every generation.

And the trash can be bad, but honestly- it's far from a new thing. I've got over 40 seasons under my belt at this point. Back in the 70s I remember junked cars, appliances, etc. in WW timberlands. Gravel pits filled with garbage were fairly common.
Junk left at camps was too. Down in the Toutle on Weyco  land I remember what amounted to a "shanty town" with decrepit trailers and plywood/metal shacks all just left there. There was a thead recently about how cool it is to find old camp leavings- and others about how horrible it is to find newer camp trash.

Changes, for sure. Like most things in life- it is what we make it.

I have however been a steelhead fisherman since i was young.
How you guys feel about  hunting is how i feel about steelheading.



Now the steelhead thing- that's a whole 'nuther level of screwed up

[Curly]

I agree.  I see less drunks and less trash these days than I did in the '70's and '80s. 

Less beer cans now days in all the ditches.  I think less hunters out there now compared to before helps with the amount of trash.

[C-Money]

I saw trucks with non GOV plates in deep behind "authorized vehicle only" signs on public ground. Saw a guy shoot repeatedly at a sage brush, glassing with binos at times, turn and walk away without even going over and putting his tag on said sage brush. Hunting public ground is tough, and there are a ton of crazy people out there.

[ghosthunter]

I am mixed.

I know all those hunters are out there. But In the over two weeks out hunting muzzy elk and modern deer in some very popular units, I just did not see them in the woods. Oh there were camps and rigs on the road. And people at camp fires. But not in the woods.
In the whole muzzy season I bumped into one guy hunting up a ridge I was on and a couple days later the same guy miles away on another ridge.

I have my grandson hunting with me now when he can. At 15 he has not got first blood yet except on ducks. Keeping him engaged is a top priority of mine. This year I stuffed a Wrist Rocket deep in his pack. When we were sitting down seeing nothing about mid day I could see him start to fidget a little. I suggested he dig down in his pack lower than the snack bag.

His face lit up when he pulled out that sling shot. It wasn't long before he was picking targets. Keeping kids engaged is mission one.

Back at our deer camp before I arrived this year my buddies had a group camp about 100 yards above us in the same opening. The guy had two kids with him. All of a sudden bang ,bang,Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb. They were plinking right in the camp. After a while when the boys wandered off my buddy went over and talked to the adult. They were shooting in the direction of a vacated road many used to access the area. They were polite and no more shooting.

Now waterfowl, I feel the pressure there

[yakimanoob]

I hope I'm one of many millennials re-discovering hunting.  I have wonderful parents, and a dad who taught me woodsmanship, but they happened not to be hunters so I'm learning the craft in my early 30s. 

The tides change slowly, but I do think hunting will come back into fashion.  We just need to keep reminding the public that 1) it's they OWN this land, and 2) hunting is by far the most humane and "natural" or "organic" source of protein.

And we need people like you folks helping out the noobs like me.  I've met a lot of awesome people already who have helped me tremendously.  Keep it up!

[Skyvalhunter]

Yes times and hunting has changed. You have people dumping trash in the woods weather they be hunters or not. I blame some of it on the influx of people from out of state namely CA. There is no respect for the environment. A lot of spray painting or tagging going on also. Who cares to see that kind of krap. Many of the target shooters leave their garbage in the woods weather it be targets, propane bottles, tv, that they shoot up. Definitely not going in a positive direction I believe.

[jennabug]

And we need people like you folks helping out the noobs like me.  I've met a lot of awesome people already who have helped me tremendously.  Keep it up!

  not everyone has good mentors. Someone I know only had an uncle to teach them who had sketchy ethics. Some are starting from scratch. There's lots if new hunters waiting/asking to be guided. I know I've made some dumb mistakes before I knew better, and I'm sure I'll make more as I continue.

[MAVsled]

a big change:

like getting low holed in fishing, now I'm observing shortstanding.
I'm on stand watching a 150 yard meadow. Another hunter comes in, sees me and sits on opposite end.
WTF
good thing a spike bull didn't walk out. Sure he would have shot in my direction...from 100 yards away.
I outstanded him though, he moved on after 2 hours.
many other non ethical observances this season too.

[Fish4Fun]

a big change:

like getting low holed in fishing, now I'm observing shortstanding.
I'm on stand watching a 150 yard meadow. Another hunter comes in, sees me and sits on opposite end.
WTF
good thing a spike bull didn't walk out. Sure he would have shot in my direction...from 100 yards away.
I outstanded him though, he moved on after 2 hours.
many other non ethical observances this season too.

Pretty sure either that guy or his 2 buddies got us on the bench above you on opening morning. Again, if it is who I think it is he did a short-stand on us last year and shot his 5 point bull. Gone are the days of seeing a guy and quietly moving on. You are right too with being down range, I shoot a .300 Weatherby and have never recovered a bullet, always have complete pass hrough   

[Humptulips]

So maybe a different part of the State but a different experience here. I started hunting in the sixties. It seemed like deer hunting was a zoo at the time. I remember sneaking out a landing at first light and seeing a hunter or hunters on every landing. The roads seemed like a freeway.
Elk season there were camps everywhere and it really was a race to see who was first in line. We would park where we intended to go three hours before light so someone wasn't ahead of us and even then sometimes there were times when someone beat us to it and we had to go elsewhere..
Fast forward 50 years and I seldom see another hunter except maybe passing them on the road to and from. I saw one hunter in deer season and we stopped and had a friendly visit before going our separate ways.
The booze and trash is no worse now IMO. There will always be those types. I see way more trash associated with brush pickers then hunters. IMO the locked gates have nothing to do with poor behavior by hunters. It is poor behavior by the public in general and a change in attitude by landowners.
One thing I will agree with, the hunting gets worse every year. Game populations are at the lowest I have ever seen them except cougars. Wonder if there is a correlation there.

[JimmyHoffa]

Seems like the only thing that really changed was like mentioned above, less animals and fish.  Times may have actually been crazier before, but with most camps getting an elk or seeing a dozen deer in a day or leaving the river with a few fish, just not that big of a deal to see silly human antics.     I'm seeing more people on the roads this year for mod elk than in years past, but didn't see anyone down in the holes (only fresh critter signs have been cougar).  The camps I do see around the woods are more and more camping and having big dinners.  In the past seemed like guys jogging down clear cuts in the rain.  Although when cuts were burned it wasn't bad at all to move through them.

[csaaphill]

  I see less people now than we did in the 70's. Then it was tent and RV city every corner it seemed. Not to mention all the cabins were full. Most those old cabins I used to see are empty and fallen down now, and if not they have people in them almost year around and most don't hunt. You had large campfires and people coming over to share their whisky with you. and you them. To be honest and that's what I agree on is the good old days but not in how it was. But those days I think were the best even with the booze people were friendly, and people weren't sticklers for all the rules we have now.
As for the garbage it's been that way forever. Again kind of mess even that because back in the day we'd clean up in beer bottles and cans, take them back and ca$h in! On weekends for something to do me dad and mom used to go beer bottling really can't do that now.
People now days look at you funny for even driving by or stopping to talk to them, and feel put off that you asked about their deer or elk they may have hanging. Closest thing to old times I came across a few years ago, was these guy camped across the road asked me to join them for a few beers and some whisky.
All this elite attitude wasn't part of the equation then either which is what I attribute to the bad attitudes I see now.

[BA Mongor]

I was checking cams yesterday, and ran across a father and son walking. The boy was 12, and I got to hear his story about a big 5-point he almost got. His eyes got big and the smile was even bigger when he was talking about it.

It was great to see. I think the dad was just as proud, and he should be !