Average hunter?

11 March 2002, 06:12

<OTTO>

Average hunter?

I am speaking of the people I hunt with and myself. We hunt deer in the woods and have few opportunities to shoot past 200 yards. We like to hunt with mid range calibers (25-to-30) that have range potential well beyond our sight limitations. We generally don't go much farther than a mile from the road. We like to use atv's for pulling our deer out of the woods. Hot breakfast, cold lunch and hot diner in camp and many times over an open fire. We don't worry about our beef being a little rare in camp. We don't put up with whinning or expect to get away with it. We treat the game we hunt with resect if not awe. We follow the game laws and don't put up with those who don't.

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From my cold, dead hands!
Thanks Chuck!

11 March 2002, 06:21

<500 AHR>

Unfortunately, probably not.

I for one; however, am in your camp. That is how I like to hunt also.

Todd E

11 March 2002, 07:42

rockhead

Right On Otto

Don't forget our responsibility to pass on that respect to our children.

11 March 2002, 08:17

<hornblower>

quote:
Originally posted by OTTO:
I am speaking of the people I hunt with and myself. We hunt deer in the woods and have few opportunities to shoot past 200 yards. We like to hunt with mid range calibers (25-to-30) that have range potential well beyond our sight limitations. We generally don't go much farther than a mile from the road. We like to use atv's for pulling our deer out of the woods. Hot breakfast, cold lunch and hot diner in camp and many times over an open fire. We don't worry about our beef being a little rare in camp. We don't put up with whinning or expect to get away with it. We treat the game we hunt with resect if not awe. We follow the game laws and don't put up with those who don't.

Go on like that , itï¿½s the absolutely right thing to do !
Hornblower

11 March 2002, 09:08

<ovis>

Otto,

Good post, sound like a good group to be part of. You guys are setting a great example.

11 March 2002, 12:44

<Don Martin29>

What a pleasant topic. I am a member with the ATV exception.

12 March 2002, 04:02

Dutch

I'm not average, I suppose. I roll out of camp at first light, with a couple of breakfast bars in my hands. If I'm not five miles in by noon, it's an easy day. I roll into camp after dark, dry out what clothes need drying, heat up a can of soup, and go to sleep. Game is boned in the field and carried out. No trails, no roads.

My business is dealing with people all day. When hunting, I deal with everything BUT people. If I see an ATV where I hunt, it's because it rolled down the hill and can't get out....... LOL! Dutch.

12 March 2002, 05:26

<shall>

My past 15 years+ going to GA (from CA) to hunt sounds about the same. A nice hunting cabin with good bunks and great food makes for a nice hunt. Nothing like coming in, in the evening with or without a deer and telling a few tails of the days adventure with your pals over a good whisky.

12 March 2002, 08:01

C.S. Justice

OTTO,
Hats off to you, the woods would be a much better place if everyone had your Code of Ethics......but it just ain't so.

12 March 2002, 08:33

<BusPilot>

OTTO: I don't know your history of hunting, but when I started several decades ago there were no ATV's. AFter a 15 year hiatus, I'm getting back into hunting with a vengence. The ONE thing that greatly disappointed me was the usage of ATV's in the woods. To one who knew the before and now hear's the obnoxious noise of an ATV in the otherwise quiet, peaceful setting of the woods, well...it is unnerving. I am sorry for my bluntness, but I feel strongly about it, unless it is on private property. Think how good that hot campfire and beverage and the stories will be with sore muscles and a few more calories burned without that ATV!

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God, Guns and Gibsons...doesn't get much better than that!

12 March 2002, 12:43

<Eric Leonard>

all that except i like a motel room where i can get a bath.and food is optional while i am in the woods.

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SPEED KILLS

12 March 2002, 13:59

stubblejumper

I hunt in open farmland and in the mountains and my shots average 200 yards or so.I do not use atv's but do use tractors to recover game in farmland and horses in the mountains.I stay in a friends house or motel except in the mountains where wall tents are used.

14 March 2002, 06:20

<Mudruck>

Except for the ATVs I would be in the same camp. Even though I would have to admit falling into the borderline anti-ATV crowd. I would have a hard time counting how many times Ive carefully spent a couple hours slowly, silently and carefully working my way into a great draw or valley and setup in what I think is a perfect spot, only to have a group of ATV'ers come Waaaa-waaaa-waaaaaaaaaaing through. The best ones to get the blood near boiling are the ones that do spot you, not very hard wearing all that blaze orange, and barrel across the field you are watching to ask 'ya seen anything yet?'

I really have nothing against ATVs, they are great tools if used right, just some of the people that ride them need to get schooled in proper etiquette in using them.

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"Our Country won't go on forever, if we stay soft as we are now. There won't be any America - because some foreign soldiery will invade us and take our women and breed a hardier race!" - CHESTY PULLER, USMC
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Utah Varminters Association http://www.armscenter.com/uva

14 March 2002, 06:48

375hnh

I am with Dutch, I tend to hunt alone because most of my friends think I am a bit to "involved" with it. But I like to be in the woods alone, gives me time to recharge a bit. I also like the feeling of being some where that few people have been. That said, Otto is lucky to have a group that are like-minded. I am not an ATV fan either, but I suppose they're handy for rettrieving game. Most of the places I hunt, you couldn't get an ATV into.

14 March 2002, 07:18

Fritz Kraut

Gentlemen,

interesting to read about your hunting habits in America. So much alike our hunting here in Scandinavia and yet different.

Here we own or hire a hunting ground - hunting is bound to ownership of ground. I and my friends hire about 900 acres, mostly forest, some 200 miles east of Stockholm, and we have built a little cabin in the forest. Most of us live in the nearest town and drive there in the morning of the hunting day, but as I have some fifteen miles to go, usually go there the day before and stay in the cabin. We meet at sunrise, plan the dayï¿½s hunt and get the dog loose in some part of the ground. Weapons used are mostly shotguns or combination guns for small game and roe. Dogs are german dachshounds or "drever", short-leg hounds (dachsbracken). When the part has been hunted we meet for some coffee, perhaps at a camp-fire, and continue in another part. When stalking, we mostly do that alone, and sometimes stay for some days in the cabin. For that purpose we use rifles from .22 hornet to .30-06 or 8mm Mauser - of course is the 6.5 swede a common choice.

Some of the advantages with having a ground of oneï¿½s own, is that you never get disturbed by strange hunters or ATV:s. The years passing you also really get to learn good places for posting, the paths and habits of the game.

But I also sometimes envy you american hunters, who are not bound by boundaries of ownership but able to go freely in the terrain.

Best regards,

Fritz

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...the mark of the hunter is the ability to get close.

14 March 2002, 11:31

beemanbeme

Don't kid yourself,Fritz. Each year sees more and more "posted" signs going up on private property. And, I must admit, the hunters usually do it to themselves with their trash, disregard for fences and gates and lacking even the basic courtsey to ask before trespassing. Most, if not all, states have laws on the books to the effect that you must have permission to hunt on private land even if it is not posted; however, too many have the "in your face" mentality of "if they don't want me on here, let them come tell me". They know country folks are very slow to call the law in and, who knows, maybe the owners have gone to town and so you have a free ride for the day.
ATV's may be part of it too but these folks that want to hunt on public land and act like they are the only ones allowed there and everyone should hunt like they do, need to make a major attitude adjustment or take up golf. Either that or buy a few thousand acres.

15 March 2002, 03:29

<OTTO>

When my brother I started hunting deer and small game in the early 70's we didn't have ATV's. They were probably available then, but we couldn't afford one anyway. We enjoyed the walk and stalking of game and mostly each others company. We hunted public land that was sometimes crouded. Now that we are both older and have our own private land to hunt along with more income to divert to hunting, we see the atv as a luxery. We don't ride them to our stands. We don't drive deer with them. As a matter of fact, in MN it is illegal to ride one during deer season except between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm and then of course after dark. And then we are too busy sleeping then to drive one. During the deer season we use them stricktly for dragging deer to the road. Deer camp is a time for us get away from the everyday rush and to have time to reflect on life in general. The last thing I want to hear at 0700 is an atv plowing through the woods. Almost everything I do during the year is surrounded by the preperation for the yearly hunt in one way or another. I soak up the silence of the before dawn woods. Waiting and watching the woods come to life. Not knowing if the rustle of leaves is a deer or what. For me it is the best time of year and I want to keep it that way. I don't ask much. Just a chance to go to the woods. Seeing deer is a bonus. Getting a shot to fill the freezer is the jackpot. Harvesting a nice animal is like hitting the lottery! It just doesn't get any better than that for me.

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From my cold, dead hands!
Thanks Chuck!

16 March 2002, 05:44

<T/Jazz>

I personally like the walk into the woods myself and don't wish to hear the roaring sounds of somebody's ATV across a ridge from me while traveling to my spot or area.

I know they are used a lot in Canada these days for black bear hunting. One day after driving out to a new area and camp with cabin on it, I was curious why the ATV's in the back of the trucks. Late that afternoon I was told we are going to the stand, hop on back lets go. Well I said why don't we walk on to the stand. I got a grim look from the guide, who just responded, that there is not enough time.

Next day I grabed my gun and walked to the bear stand by myself. It was a much better time for me I will tell you that much. I just don't care to ride on the back of a vehicle that is made for one person to start with, and it sure doesn't do a damn thing for my state of mind while in the woods.

16 March 2002, 14:24

rockhead

I have no problem with an ATV. I moose hunt with my father who will be 70 this year. His knees are getting old and it is getting harder for him to get around. We use it to access the area and finish with a stalk to the blind.

We also use it to haul out the moose. I don't think that there is a need to look down on people that use the ATV as as the work horse they are. If I have to use an ATV to Hunt with my father, I intend to do so!

It IS a personal choice to use one. If you don't like the ATVs, then walk and hunt far enough off the trail/road so that they won't bother you (which is what I do during the deer season). Most ATV's generally stick to the trails, if you are on foot you don't have to stay on the trail, unless your woodcraft is so bad that you are afraid of getting lost.

rockhead

[This message has been edited by rockhead (edited 03-16-2002).]

16 March 2002, 17:19

<JHook>

Ditto on all of the above but If I wilderness hunt anymore I have to have "real" quarters to live in. Im tired of wipeing my butt with corn cobs, wet leaves, and left hands.

I like hot food, a hot bath at night, clean clothes, and a good fire. As well as a real bed, or cot, to sleep in. Ive "been there,done that" with the roughing it scene. Its just a precious feeling to poke your head out of a tent at 0-dark-30 haveing to take a dump, and seeing 4 fresh inches of snow on the ground to go with the 15% weather and 25mph hawk.

Other then that Otto is right on. Nobody is keeping score on how many animals you can make bleed so why take irresponsable shots ? In the end what does it matter ? What does matter is how we protect this sport/tradition and pass it on to our kids.................JH

18 March 2002, 08:38

dan belisle

There are also people (some of my family members actually) who because of health problems now require the use of an ATV to get where they want to hunt and to remove the game. Should they be penalized from a sport they love because some people abuse machines? If so, that's a slippery slope. Start banning machines YOU don't like and soon someone else is banning machines you do like (like guns) FWIW - Dan

18 March 2002, 14:27

Ray, Alaska

Since Alaska is so big, without an ATV, a boat, airplane, or trucks it is extremely difficult to reach the hunting grounds.

I park my truck by the road, then I ride my ATV approximately eight miles on a muddy trail. I tow a very small trailer, an transport enough camping gear, food, water, and supplies to last two weeks. My campsite consists of my hunting partner's canvas tent, my tent (40 feet away from theirs), and between the tents, a BBQ grill made from a clothes-washer's drum. Each evening we have a steak and potato dinner, with lots of onions fried in olive oil, and a few pieces of french bread. Breakfast consists of hot oatmeal and bread, and sometimes pancakes with bacon and eggs, and syrup. We pick blueberries from the grounds around our campsite and add it to pancakes. We use propane lanterns and heaters, but this year I will also have a small AC power generator and some electric lights. We also take chain saws to cut firewood, and to remove the antlers form moose at the end of the hunt.

After breakfast I ride my ATV to my hunting spot, and on the racks I carry a couple of dry bags that contain extra clothing and rain gear, survival gear, matches, a propane bottle, propane stove, some utensils, water, cocoa powder, tea, sugar, flashlights, extra ammo, bug spray and face net, a couple of knives, and some hand tools. I also carry a small chair, a camouflaged army poncho, a few candy bars, one or two dehydrated meal packages, and binoculars.

I stretch the poncho over my head and secure it to the trees with elastic (bungy) cords to form a small shelter, and sit under it all day watching a large open field where moose socialize. The ATV is parked 20 yards away. When hungry I boil water and add it to the dehydrated lunch, and drink tea, water, or hot cocoa off and on during the day. When it gets too dark to see (between 8:00 and 10:00 PM) I return to our campsite and have a big dinner, and watch the Northern Lights until midnight.

When I kill a moose, we use the ATV's to roll the moose to aid with skinning, then transport the meat to the trucks and to my home. Once the meat is in the freezer, I return to the hunting grounds to help my hunting partners, and to enjoy the outdoors. We usually spend two weeks of vacation out there, and only ride the ATV's on the trail. With three ATV's we can easily reach the moose off the trail and pack it out in one trip. Any trash we bring in we take out, and leave behind a very clean campsite.

At some hunting areas only non-motorized modes of transportation are authorized (for those who don't like ATV's), while at other areas ATV's can only be used on designated trails. However, in most State lands ATV's are allowed. I can haul a moose in one trip to the truck with the ATV and trailer, but without these it would take approximately twelve 8-mile trips to the truck and back. A large moose leg may weight over 150 pounds, and it takes 45 minutes (one way) of riding to get to the truck. Walking (one way) would take a couple of hours or longer if packing a 150-pound moose leg, and if I do I would probably be dead of a heart attack and I would not be able to tell you this story.

So we have areas where canoes and other non-motorized modes of transportation can be used, and where "hiking hunters" can enjoy the quietness of the forest, and the relaxing noises made by birds and chipmunks, and other critters.

[This message has been edited by Ray, Alaska (edited 03-18-2002).]