Deer Hunting or Deer Watching?

[HenryFan]

Every year, I prepare food plots on different tracts of land and it is not cheap to do so. Diesel fuel, lime, seed, fertilizer, implement parts and repairs, tractor maintenance, gasoline for towing the equipment trailer and box blind maintenance have only gotten more expensive.

But I accept it because I still enjoy working the land and other than fishing at Lake Okeechobee once yearly, food plot preparation is really one of my few hobbies.

That being said, after I do all of the above, I seem to rarely shoot a deer anymore. I most often watch them and I enjoy doing so. My binoculars get far more exercise than any of my deer rifles. My wife laughs and says I could save money by selling deer rifles because I don't use them. I guess I have shot enough deer over the years that I don't feel the compunction to do so.

Do any other forum members experience the same or am I the only one only one who runs a free deer cafeteria?

I think old age has changed my outlook on a number of things.

[markiver54]

I think old age has changed my outlook on a number of things.

Ain't that the truth!

[DsGrouse]

I've watched a ton of them this year. It's been hot as blazes here in VA—nearly 70 degrees most of the rifle season so far. Prior to that, it's been in the 60s. I find that too warm to process a deer and get it in the cooler fast enough to avoid spoilage. It's going to be in the low 40s tomorrow morning. I might go sit in the stand with the smith and wesson lever gun to see if I can get one. I normally average five to deer a season. It's our primary source of meat, and we love it.

[HenryFan]

Temperature is a factor in shooting or not shooting. I won't go if it is too warm and also, if I don't think I can get it processed in a timely fashion.

[The Happy Kaboomer]

I am 70 and I watch a lot deer too...........Until the big horns come out......Then it's BANG......Get a ride in the Chevy.

[The Happy Kaboomer]

Temperature is a factor in shooting or not shooting. I won't go if it is too warm and also, if I don't think I can get it processed in a timely fashion.

Our season comes in Aug. 14th.. It's hot. I hunt in tee shirt/shorts and tennis shoes. If I kill one he's in my cooler in than an hour.

[The Happy Kaboomer]

Temperature is a factor in shooting or not shooting. I won't go if it is too warm and also, if I don't think I can get it processed in a timely fashion.

Our season comes in Aug. 15th.. It's hot. I hunt in tee shirt/shorts and tennis shoes. If I kill one he's in my cooler in than an hour.

[markiver54]

Interesting...I've never heard of a Deer season in August......where might that be?
Just curious.

[HenryFan]

markiver -

South Carolina has (or at one time used to have) the longest deer season in the country. The season comes in mid-August in "The Low Country" of South Carolina. Think of the coastal counties. Season openers change as you move inland with the last season opener occurring in Game Zone 1, the upstate counties at the mountains. The season closes in all counties on January 1 but I think that at one time, there was a Youth Hunt the first weekend of the new year. Can't remember for sure and I don't know if such still occurs.

When I lived in Beaufort, SC, I hunted early in the season and it was, as Kaboomer commented, difficult. Heat, humidity, mosquitos and the occasional rattlesnake. In the mid-90's, I both a Ruger M77 MKII stainless in .308 Win. because of humidity and my sweat.

I live in Game Zone 2 now and our season opens in mid-October and it is far more pleasant than The Low County in mid-August.

[markiver54]

markiver -

South Carolina has (or at one time used to have) the longest deer season in the country. The season comes in mid-August in "The Low Country" of South Carolina. Think of the coastal counties. Season openers change as you move inland with the last season opener occurring in Game Zone 1, the upstate counties at the mountains. The season closes in all counties on January 1 but I think that at one time, there was a Youth Hunt the first weekend of the new year. Can't remember for sure and I don't know if such still occurs.

When I lived in Beaufort, SC, I hunted early in the season and it was, as Kaboomer commented, difficult. Heat, humidity, mosquitos and the occasional rattlesnake. In the mid-90's, I both a Ruger M77 MKII stainless in .308 Win. because of humidity and my sweat.

I live in Game Zone 2 now and our season opens in mid-October and it is far more pleasant than The Low County in mid-August.

Hmm, I didn't realize that. I don't Deer hunt, (at least not for many years now), but I know many who do. I used to Bear hunt in the mountains up by our cottage but don't even do that anymore. my body told me to quit.

[HenryFan]

Father Time is relentless.

He snuck up on me with no warning or pity.

[Mags]

For many years now just watch. They wander through our property several times a month. Last week we we had a buck below the house in the creek bed meadow. Other than plinkin, my hunting ammo is reserved for taking nutria and non-native squirrels.

[Hatchdog]

I too have become just a watcher as I no longer hunt big game. When we moved into our current house in 2016 we had several bucks visit us. After a few years more homes were built nearby especially since 2020 and all the unrest between big city riots and Covid. So we don’t see near the number of deer in our back yard as we used to. Here’s a few examples we used to see regularly.

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[HenryFan]

I You will always have the memories of the good times in the woods.

How true. That might be the best part of it.

[The Happy Kaboomer]

Interesting...I've never heard of a Deer season in August......where might that be?
Just curious.

Southern South Carolina. Best this way forever. August 15th to January 1st........best place in the US to kill a velvet buck........On the 15th ALL methods of killing deer are legal.....Rifles/shotguns/pistols/muzzle loaders/boows-spears etc.
Here a lot deer are road killed too.

[Vaquero]

I still hunt, but I'm not nearly as mad at 'em as I used to be.
I did kill 3 last year, but 2 were given away.
I've had several opportunities in the past 2 weeks during our muzzleloader season, but chose not to.
Taking the grandson in the morning as our reg. firearms season begins tomorrow and runs thought the first of the year.

RP

[Vaquero]

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RP

[HenryFan]

Quit watching yesterday evening and began shooting. A group of four does came out and I watched them move into the food plot where they began to graze. After maybe twenty or twenty-five minutes, one edged away from the others and moved towards the edge of the food plot. She must have sensed I was in a nearby ladder stand. She watched but wasn't sure something was wrong and I decided I needed to shoot before she alerted the other girls.

I had not pulled the trigger all year and I decided she was a victim of "end of the year statistics". She was close, maybe thirty-five or forty years and it was an easy shot. She ran maybe forty yards and piled up in an open area. She was a decent sized doe, maybe a hundred pounds, maybe a couple more.

Shot in the last light in the last hour of the last hunt (for me) of the year.

This will keep Ms. HenryFan happy, she loves venison.

[Vaquero]

Well, I guess I've just been an observer this season. The #2 grandson has taken my place this year.
He turned 9 back the middle of Oct., and has taken 3, the last was last evening.
After work he told me he wanted to go to the bean field and shoot a doe.
So grabbed the rifle and headed out, jumped on the 4-wheeler and road over close then walked over to about mid way of the western side and layed down on the berm. He asked what time I thought they'd come out? I told him, Idk, deer have a mind of their own.
Well, I hadn't got that out of my mouth good and I said well there's 2 coming out right now, then 2 more.
So we laid there and watched them meander across for 20-25 mins.
One finally made it to about 135 yds., which looked like as close as they would get.
I asked him if he could make the shot and with a very confident look he said heck yeah.
He couldn't get comfortable at first, but finally did and made a nice shot, she ran probably 80+ yards before piling up.
Wants to go again this AM, but with the 15-20 mph breeze I think it may not be a great morning.
Our season ends Sunday.

RP

[HenryFan]

Vaquero -

Time spent in the field with your grandson makes precious memories. He sounds like an accomplished hunter. You must be proud.