Outlaw deer drives on public land!

[Big Dave2]

The more hunting threads I read on this site the more I'm convinced other hunters pose a much greater threat to hunting traditions and practices than we ever face from PETA and anti organizations.

The calls for state-wide APRs, bans on party hunting, bans gifting a tag, and now apparently those that want to ban deer drives are getting a little ridiculous.

Face it guys, there's more than one way to skin a cat and just because others use a practice that you don't personally enjoy doesn't mean it should be outlawed or is in someway less ethical than how you chose to hunt.

This may be the best post I have ever read on this site, and I have read a lot of posts!

[Musky Buck]

Deer drives there must be many thousand of them each year and how many injuries because of them and it's often to someone in the drive I would guess when an injury occurs so it's there own group that needs to set the rules and get everyone on the same page about who shoots and when and where etc. Without drives many would never see a deer walking on its own in shooting light, the farm I just hunted I saw 1 fawn the entire season, knowing the deer were there the last day I walked myself back to the truick through where I thought they were bedding all day, sure enough I saw at least 10 get up and heard a lot more, when they go nocturnal which is sooner than it used to be your options are limited and banning drives is impossible in a way, my dad sits his stand and I walk the willows toward him is a drive technically and I'd just say I'm walking to the truck so that's how people would get around it if banned, I admit though I don't take part in drives, just would rather hope that big one comes out of the willows one day rather than push and scent up the bedding cover, always hoping for a hpot doe that never happens.

[picksbigwagon]

The more hunting threads I read on this site the more I'm convinced other hunters pose a much greater threat to hunting traditions and practices than we ever face from PETA and anti organizations.

The calls for state-wide APRs, bans on party hunting, bans gifting a tag, and now apparently those that want to ban deer drives are getting a little ridiculous.

Face it guys, there's more than one way to skin a cat and just because others use a practice that you don't personally enjoy doesn't mean it should be outlawed or is in someway less ethical than how you chose to hunt.

+1, great post!!!!!!

[laker1]

There is deer drives and there is deer drives. When a group of sometimes a dozen or more people make a drive thru public woods knowing well that they will be disrupting the hunt of others who are stand sitting or stalking I think you have a hunter ethic issue and saftey issue. You see this done by certain groups to take over public areas. The answer is well you tell me,because I don't know. Small group drives,I don't mine. Really large group drives don't belong on public land and really are not what I call hunting in the first place. It is harvesting or killing, you can use your own definition.

[Farley]

It's public land. If the local boys want to drive it they have every right. If you are on private land next to a public parcel, then I would say you have a pretty good spot to sit, the deer have to go somewhere once they get pushed off the public land.

As far as outlawing drives, on public land or not, I feel it's a bad idea and a step in the wrong direction. i'm not big on drives, but I've took part in them. If a group wants to push all the deer out of their woods, go ahead, like I said above, the deer have to go somewhere, hopefully it's closer to my stand. But to make them illegal is too much of government telling us how and where we can hunt, thats [PoorWordUsage].

[eyedawg]

There's a reason its public land and how people choose to hunt it is up to them. Calling for a ban on walking public ground is one of the dumbest things I've heard of. Some people are not as fortunate to have private ground and like others have said if they r to rely on just stand hunting public ground they probly won't have as much success. I personally like to do both stand hunt in the morning and walk during the day its kinda fun just seeing the deer and I think a lot of other people think the same way. Just because people walk private or public doesn't mean that they shoot at everything they see.

[harvey lee]

Real issue here is the few that hunt like a bunch of cowboys and are very unsafe.

It is a great way to move deer and if one is setting close to a public area that some are driving, it's a great way to shoot deer as many times they will chase them too you.

Our neighbors in North Dakota where we hunt also do deer drives and they use to come over and ask all the time if we should make a drive together with a large group.

I always say no thank you as my biggest fear is that if a big buck gets running, someone may forget where the others are and now we could have issues that I would rather not have.

I feel very safe sitting in my tree and waiting for some deer to move through. I also realize that I do not have to hunt public property so I have that luxury of always hunting posted private property.

No matter how we all choose to hunt, we do need to remember that there are others out in the woods trying to enjoy their hunt and they also want to harvest a deer.

Deer drives are a part of deer hunting and it will always be I believe.

So much like when I am on the lake trolling and someone will cut right in front of me or anchor in my trolling path when they know I am trollong that location. The lake is there for all and no, I do not like what others do but it happens. Never would I suggest outlawing trolling due to a few others.

I do feel for you when this happens but it is sadly part of the expierence when some others are in the woods who think only of themselves.

[lient]

About 5 years ago my dad and I were hunting some public land, it was late morning and I decided to get out of my stand and go and talk to my dad to see if he had seen andthing. When I got to him he said a group of hunters had started a drive about an hour ago. Well it so happened that the their drive ended where my dad was sitting and the pushid a deer out of the creek at the end of their drive and at ran right toward my dad and I . It was a small doe and we both passed on it and the group making the drive were unable to shoot because we were in line with the deer. The whole group got very angry with us and saidI they were going toto call the DNR because we were posting their drive. First off they saw our truck in the parking lot and knew we were there before they got there and my dad hadn't moved since they started and they decided to push the deer in a way that they would go toward him.

I guess it doesn't matter either way drives or no drives. I do believe it helps move the deer around when they are bedded. It is public land for anyone to use.

[butsy]

wow some things never change...we used to hunt that area not far from swatara and over in the Land of Lakes sf in the 70's and 80's and it was insane back then...lots and lots of deer, but more hunters, risky behavior, classless jerks..we had shot fired near us, truck windows shot, deer we shot claimed by other hunters, people attempting to kick us off public land...it was like the wild west out there.

we eventually decided the deer density wasn't worth getting shot, and moved back to hunting our own land, which was much fewer deer, but not near as dangerous or crazy.

as for outlawing drives...drives are not the problem...the people DOING the drives are the problem. and it's the CO's job to enforce the law, even when it's difficult, unpleasant, or dangerous.

[deerminator]

The more hunting threads I read on this site the more I'm convinced other hunters pose a much greater threat to hunting traditions and practices than we ever face from PETA and anti organizations.

The calls for state-wide APRs, bans on party hunting, bans gifting a tag, and now apparently those that want to ban deer drives are getting a little ridiculous.

Face it guys, there's more than one way to skin a cat and just because others use a practice that you don't personally enjoy doesn't mean it should be outlawed or is in someway less ethical than how you chose to hunt.

+1 I like to watch Uncle Ted for entertainment purposes, despite his high fence hunts, despite his use of bait, despite his shooting little bucks and fawns, and so on. He appears to be having a good, legal time hunting. And yes, I know about his C’Mere Deer/spike buck incident in California. Not knowing the regs is no excuse but it is better than blatantly violating them. And he willingly paid the price for his actions once he realized what he had done.

Back to my point, people imposing their own individual “ethics” on others is ruining hunting as in the case of APRs. No more laws than absolutely needed, please. Also, there should be no need to criticize others’ legally preferred hunting methods. For instance, it’s funny to see some guys jump all over those who bait in neighboring states where legal. Well, you’re doing the same thing baiting as you are driving in this instance, “unnaturally” moving the deer to you. And in both cases, it’s legal, so why get all worked up and call legal baiting or driving lazy or unethical?

[surewood]

I wouldn't try to ban drives. Although I'm not a fan and don't participate. To each their own. You'd have a hard time convincing me that a drive is as safe as stand hunting if the best safety precautions were taken sitting vs. driving. I think OP is more frustrated with how the drive is done. If I had to deal with the group I think he's talking about I might get carried away also. They do not do what most people see in their mind as a "deer drive".

[Musky Buck]

And another point is they want to make you uncomfortable so they can have the area even more to themselves, if they can ruin it for you it's a victory for them.

[ClownColor]

The more hunting threads I read on this site the more I'm convinced other hunters pose a much greater threat to hunting traditions and practices than we ever face from PETA and anti organizations.

The calls for state-wide APRs, bans on party hunting, bans gifting a tag, and now apparently those that want to ban deer drives are getting a little ridiculous.

Face it guys, there's more than one way to skin a cat and just because others use a practice that you don't personally enjoy doesn't mean it should be outlawed or is in someway less ethical than how you chose to hunt.

Perfectly said...I've never heard more people pizz and moan about hunting and fishing then those that do it. People complain that foreingers come to our country trying to change all of our laws cause it suits "them" better...hmmmm Like we always tell them...if you don't like it leave! I hear TX doesn't have any problems about deer hunting....oh-I also heard they don't have public land either!

[Musky Buck]

And remember public landers you don't get the additional 1st half/ 2nd half taxes to be paid each Aprilish. When you leave that land there isn't a bill coming not to mention the land payments many of us have been making for decades. Deer drives need to be a vehicle for the taking of deer for those that choose to do it, after day 1 why sit 8 straight deerless days. Think about the excitement the shooters/standers get to experience wondering if any will surface and for my aging uncles who sit post, on cold years then they don't have to be out for so long and they still can enjoy deer hunting and we still can raze them when they miss !

[laker1]

I think the whole point when this blog started was how some make deer drives knowing full well it is going to affect the quality of hunt for some people and some hunters really do not care about others in the field. Just like any hunt of any type it is how you do it and if no respect is given to other hunters, where do you draw the line,in the mud puddle where some peoples attitude is a I attitude only.

[Jarrid Houston]

I do both, but the guys I hunt with are super super cautious of safety. So I feel comfortable hunting with them. Its the others out in the field that worry me. When hunting public one needs to know what to expect, and respect. Stay safe...

[psepuncher]

if you don't like it leave! I hear TX doesn't have any problems about deer hunting....oh-I also heard they don't have public land either!

huh?

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) offers a variety of hunting opportunities through two public hunting systems.

The Annual Public Hunting Permit provides nearly year-round hunting on nearly one million acres of land

[LightningBG]

Outlaw deer drives on public land!

And here I thought someone saw a fugitive 12-pointer cruising through the state forest in a stolen SUV. Oh well.

[ClownColor]

huh?

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) offers a variety of hunting opportunities through two public hunting systems.

The Annual Public Hunting Permit provides nearly year-round hunting on nearly one million acres of land

PSE-Yeap...Texas is ranked 47th in public land ownership...

[TooTallTom]

That was my first thought, too. Some 12-pointer in a stolen SUV, tearing up the local WMA!

[benbosh]

I think stand hunting should be illegal because it is unsafe and you could fall and it also ruins the whole hunt for the people who want to do deer drives. (all sarcasm there)

Its fine the way it is. Deer drives are not the problem, its SOME of the people doing the deer drives who are the problem, with saftey and not being respectful to other hunters.

[barebackjack]

I wouldn't try to ban drives. Although I'm not a fan and don't participate. To each their own. You'd have a hard time convincing me that a drive is as safe as stand hunting if the best safety precautions were taken sitting vs. driving. I think OP is more frustrated with how the drive is done. If I had to deal with the group I think he's talking about I might get carried away also. They do not do what most people see in their mind as a "deer drive".

Sure they do, they are are just a whole hell of alot louder than the average bear. I can speak from personal experience with the group that it works.

[Big Dave2]

I think the whole point when this blog started was how some make deer drives knowing full well it is going to affect the quality of hunt for some people and some hunters really do not care about others in the field. Just like any hunt of any type it is how you do it and if no respect is given to other hunters, where do you draw the line,in the mud puddle where some peoples attitude is a I attitude only.

Why would you automatically assume that a deer drive will effect a stand hunter NEGATIVELY? I would hunt a few small MWA's in my area every year if I knew that a bunch of guys would come and drive it for me by 10:00 am every morning. I would have the place all to myself for the first light hunt and then guys driving the place toward me by mid morning. If I don't see anything that way, there is probably nothing there to begin with.

[JimmyJames]

I think the whole point when this blog started was how some make deer drives knowing full well it is going to affect the quality of hunt for some people and some hunters really do not care about others in the field. Just like any hunt of any type it is how you do it and if no respect is given to other hunters, where do you draw the line,in the mud puddle where some peoples attitude is a I attitude only.

That is it , very well said.

[JimmyJames]

Sure they do, they are are just a whole hell of alot louder than the average bear. I can speak from personal experience with the group that it works.