Respecting the Animal

Respect, it's a word we hear uttered in the schools to our kids, living rooms to our children and even in political campaigns. It's a word that usually no one can really have a justified arguement against. To not be respectful or respect others is and always should be deemed wrong. No you don't have to agree with someone to be respectful, but some just don't seem to grasp that concept...which is precisely how some hunters can't grasp the idea of having respect for the animal they're hunting.

Some would say I have too much respect for the whitetail deer. I refused to take a shot on a buck 15 minutes prior to legal light this season (would have been biggest to date for me), despite the ability to see him clearly, could have smoked him with my bow but I let him walk. I have refused to shoot bucks and does when the shot wasn't a good opportunity and chance of recovery was low (low light, pouring rain or quartering to...). I don't say these things to give myself an "atta boy" but to point out how I feel we all need to treat this gift of hunting. Others would have shot in any of those examples and not thought twice. My question to them is, "Do you respect the animal you're hunting?"

If you answer anything but yes, in my honest opinion I feel you are 100% wrong...and if you answer yes, does your hunting reflect that? A hunter whose goal is to end the life of a deer needs to respect the "game" they're choosing to play. By taking to the woods in pursuit of the great whitetail deer you cannot fall short in your preparation, for that will only result in dis-respect towards the animal you're chasing.

This whole post is brought about by the recent news that the massive 8-pointer I chased all bow season at a new property I picked up was wounded (on opening day of gun) from a mere 10 yards away...and from the sounds of it not even mortally wounded. Never recovered and blood trail stopped according to the landowner which helped the neighboring hunter track it. Now I probably will never know the specifics of the hunt, but no matter what they were the results don't change and I felt this post still needed.

Now I'm the first to admit buck fever happens, but at 10 yards it shouldn't matter what gun you're using...you should be able to make that shot. If you can't, you have no business being in the woods. I firmly believe that as a hunter your preparation for a hunt should always include: PRACTICE. Your weapon of choice has the ability to take a life when used properly and you have the responsibility to make 100% sure it is in full working order and accurate. Gun hunters especially have no excuse. Just one or two visits to the range and a dozen or so shots at various distances should at minimum show you if you have any business being in the woods. If you can't consistently hit a kill zone sized target from what range you plan on hunting YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS HUNTING. That includes guys hunting with crossbows, bows, pistols or long guns...if you can't consistently put it in the kill zone stay out of the woods.

Buck fever (happens), poor shot choice (disrespect)...never know could be either.

I know it may sound harsh, but I'm being bluntly honest. When you choose to hunt it is your responsibility to have your weapon in tip top working shape...a scope can get bumped just like a sight pin can...so even in season practice is something every hunter should do. I encourage any and all who want to hunt, please by all means add to our ranks! However, by choosing to hunt you have to take the responsibility to do so with respect to the deer in mind...failure to do so disrespects the deer, yourself and other hunters who are taking the proper steps.

Good luck to any and all hitting the woods still this 2012 season.

181 hours, issues boil and season is still not done!

So this post is more or less going to attempt at recapping my entire 2012 season. It may seem crazy but this is a season I believe I will forever remember, obviously though that is not due to, at least at this point, adding another trophy to my wall. No, this season in many eyes hasn't went according to plan...although does hunting ever truly go by plan? If I had my way every season would go like 2009....when I shot nearly a 140inch buck less than 2 hours into the season. Yeah that would be great but not how seasons typically speaking go.

No this year, I've officially recorded 181 hours on stand....yes you read that right. Think of it this way, the average hunter hunts roughly 3 or 4 hours a hunt (I know a  lot that do less)...but if all I did was a 3 hour hunt I could have hunted at this point 30+ straight days without stopping. Yeah, let's just say my butt is almost developing callouses from all the hours on stand (I've put in nearly 12 all-day sits). What do I have to show with it? Well, tangibly nothing.

While I may not have put a buck down yet, I have learned many a thing about our new properties or stand locations. The Swamp Property...man how this place is frustrating. We've learned that dogs have been running the property consistently almost every day...explaining why out of every single hunt there I have only seen does 1 time...and I've hunted there a ton! Does simply refuse to live where they have to worry about dogs all day long...hence why we never get day time photos of them either up in the woods. In order to find daytime photos you have to go to the sanctuary edge...a place we are going to strategically tackle better next season. We've learned with the dogs the woods are almost useless....save RD who according to cameras is the only deer still using the woods regularly.

Switching to the Homestead Property...my how the does are loving the place! I can remember a time when doe sightings while typical, still at times wouldn't occur. Now you basically can sit anywhere back in our property or around it and you will see does...and lots of them! My father in I both have had 20+ antlerless sighting hunts so far, something that is just amazing. Our food plots are getting hammered obviously and is due to the high doe population. We plan on taking out a bunch of does here late season, probably at minimum 4 but who knows if there's still 5+ doe families running around that number could go up higher.

We've learned the small property we picked up to the NE is money! I haven't sat there save on windy and warm day without seeing at least a dozen deer. The pinch created by the hill and the houses just makes for a deer highway...also we've learned the close bedding makes the base of the hill stand for only all-day sits as you will spook deer entering after light.

Now for the ugly we've learned, well experienced...the troubles we've had with our northern neighbors has finally boiled over. It's official now, we no longer have permission to hunt there...but we were going to back out anyways after this year just to be done with them. Needless to say I'll be showing some of the things we've done already and what we will be doing to discourage the deer even more to use that property (in the process I'm sure making them mad even more).

The good news is though despite everything that's occurred or not occurred the season is still not over. I'll admit I'm typing this on a Sunday afternoon when I could be hunting...but after last nights run in with the neighbor's I have a bad taste in my mouth and needed the day off. So I bid you all good luck as I had back to Sunday football and some cold beer.

Good luck out there!

The hunt which will haunt me forever...

Rather than post it all here just click HERE and read about the hunt I saw a buck possibly larger than anything I will for a long long time if not forever....and could have shot but didn't.

Been hunting hard...you?

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything. Been busy hunting, which you can read about here: Tyni's 2012 Hunting Log. While it hasn't been the best year for action up the tree for me, I know I'm closer to big bucks than ever before.

I'm hoping to do a video quick of some hunting updates and plans/tactics I'll be implementing as the rut hopefully speeds up here soon.

Again sorry for the quiet site lately, but it's not because I'm doing nothing :)!

God bless and good luck out there!