Special place with special deer

[Troopertree]

Got to go camera hunting special place. Not a high end camera. Just thought ya'll would like to see some pictures.

 

[Christophero]

Impressive Bucks. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Spikebuck]

Are those "natural" bucks or is this one of the places that genetically engineers them?

 

[Troopertree]

I believe they are texas and northern cross that I believe his management program has been for 20 years.
Texas Wildlife has a WMA with similar just just management and ratio produce the same results.

 

[Spikebuck]

Truly impressive bucks then. Nutrition and age. I have no problem with management programs and natural results of that effort or hunting for mature deer.

I hated to ask, but one sees more and more of the genetic engineering these days and it makes me sick. At a deer expo a couple years ago a guy had his "display" bucks....200+ inchers just a couple of years old and you could buy a "hunt" for one of them. Enough to make me puke. Might as well just go shoot a farmer's cow and yet some "brave hunter" will proudly display it and proclaim his prowess all while helping to destroy the image we need.

 

[Troopertree]

I understand and in my state its big business. The cost of hunting because of the lack of public land is out of the average man's pocketbook. I got drawn for a public hunt in January on state park 2nd time drawn, last time 97. I have very seldom gotten to hunt and when I get a chance to get outdoors I take it. I know what your are talking about but I just posted the pics. I guess the enjoyment of the seeing that is best kept to myself. I will not post pictures again my apologies, I am new and did not mean to upset.

 

[Spikebuck]

Trooper....no need to apologize. None of my comments are directed specifically at you for posting pictures of big bucks. Perhaps I'm a bit too sensitive to some of today's "modern" methods of artificially creating monster bucks to make "product" to sell for profit.

If it's a breeding program of unaltered bucks that's one thing. If it's laboratory induced genetic engineering, then that's something else, at least to me. If it's a canned hunt with "tame" deer, that's a non-starter for me.

As an example, I saw a show on TV once, can't remember if it was Outdoor Channel or which one, but they showed a "hunt" a guy bought for his young son (this was in Ohio, I believe). They picked the buck they wanted out of what was basically a cage. Then they went to their "blind" which was a cabin about 10 feet across in front by 30' long. Right by the large open window in front was something akin to a high-end sofa with several shooting rests for the rifle(s). And this next part is mind-blowing....behind the "sofa" was a bar...no kidding...a bar with a tender and the small group there to witness this kids first deer "hunt" could get drinks (beer, mixed drinks, etc.) while they waited for the show. The "blind" was inside a relatively small high-fenced area...I'd say perhaps 1/2 acre at the largest, the back of which had a few trees in it. Suddenly, there the buck they picked out was in the trees at the back of the enclosure. He wandered out to the feeder in the open and was shot by the kid. I could not believe that ANY reputable hunting show channel could broadcast such garbage. I only watched out of morbid curiosity, but shut it off after the shot as I didn't even want to watch the bar celebration that probably happened for the successful "hunt."

I understand about it being big business in Texas and the lack of places to hunt if one does not have a lease. I was on a lease near where I live for 7 years because it's getting so one leases or has their own land or a relative or good friend with land, or are subject to hunting overcrowded, low game population state lands. While I am a very selective hunter on bucks and have been for about 15 years now, I truly think that the big buck craze will probably end up ruining hunting in this country...at least as those of us that grew up hunting decades ago knew it. It not only affects deer hunting, but all those lands are mostly off limits to other game pursuits like small game and birds too. Where does the average "Joe" take his kids to start them out and have a good quality experience they will want to repeat? Having quality land access is essential to recruit and retain hunters and leasing is, in many ways, contrary to that goal. In my area, we recently had a guy lease up several farms surrounding the farm he already had leased just to provide a buffer around him! He is not even hunting those other places. He just blocked them off so no one else could hunt there to help "protect" his main leased farm. I worry about the long-term effect actions like this will have on our sport.

 

[Steveoko922]

Where is this?

 

[Troopertree]

Texas hill country i got to go with a friend for does. The hunt was at auction for a 501 c 3 that provides therapy for veterans, law enforcement, at risk youth, and special needs children that my wife along with my self volunteer. Horses are used for therapy with amazing results. My wife won the auction of this item. I felt privileged to get to be on this place and I did not mean to start a problem so you don't have to worry I will be leaving this forum. I have asked to be removed from the membership. I have had enough conflict in my life and career. No more post.

 

[azmntman]

Thats what I'd look like ifin I were a deer!

 

[poker]

Spikebuck, I sure do agree with you, and like the guy who rented several farms to protect one, it’s just the way things are in everything today. Big get bigger, and the rich get richer. When just a few in your county have 100’s of times the wealth of people of average means, of course the ones who like to hunt will have 90% of the leases. Same all over the country. Heck, they’ve been paying 10’s of thousands for elk tags on private land and 100’s of thousands for sheep tags on auctions. Its a money thing.
Otherwise, sorry to see troopertree go, he truly seems to be a decent and interesting person!

 

[appalichian hunter]

You Texas boys just kill deer, you do not hunt them. As stated money matters I would be ashamed to even hunt in a situation as has been discussed here. Cudos to you Troopertree for you support of the therapy involvement but I would of just gave the fund raiser the money.

 

[Eterry]

That's the problem with this site..too much division. The anti hunters don't care how you hunt a deer, they just want you not to do it.

Keep hating on other groups of hunters, ones that hunt from blinds, or stands or some other way you didn't grow up doing. Whether they be percussion gun hunters, smooth bores, modern cartridge guns or even the dreaded in-line and pretty soon you can proudly assert that you USED TO BE A HUNTER, before it was outlawed.

Oh yeah, all Troopertree did was post a freaking picture!!!

 

[Spikebuck]

Rabid anti-hunters aren't my concern. You will never convince them otherwise and it's correct that they will not care how a hunt is done. BUT...the average NON-hunter will and that's who we need to keep on our side to win at the polls and in the legislatures when hunting issues come up for votes. Even the major hunting records keeper organizations don't accept genetically engineered deer and condemn the practice.

I'm glad Troopertree and his wife were supporting a great cause and I'm sorry to see he is leaving, but we have discussions and disagreements on the forum all the time. I think it's healthy to have these discussions. I know I read opinions much different from mine here and at times the poster changes my position, and if not, I'd still shake their hand if I met them in person and sit down for a beer. Sometimes one has to be a little thick-skinned in the discussions, but that's OK.

 

[tallpine]

Yesterday at 8:48 PM
You Texas boys just kill deer, you do not hunt them. I can assure you Appalachian Hunter most of us "Texas boys" don't shoot $40k freak deer out of high fence petting zoos. Most hunting here is low fence free range deer. I have never hunted high fence, not my thing, but I will let the individual decide what is hunting and what is not.