I spend very little time on social media. 5 minutes in any form: IG, Facebook, etc and I want to pour bleach in my eyes or give myself a lobotomy!!!! But…. Any hunter discussion - here’s 3 comments I see OVER & OVER & OVER - that drive me INSANE!!!! 
. I know a lot of hunters are intelligent folks. Critical thinkers. Open minded. But good gosh, there’s a % that spent grade school sniffing too much rubber cement & huffing gas in their parents garage!!!
1) anything discussing crossbows (valid or not. Legal in your state or not) & their use for able bodied guys…. The GO TO comment…. “Well compounds are more advanced than recurves”. Or any variation of that. Like “ok, and???” “So that justifies why crossbows being thrown into archery season is the way to go?!?” The same logic: ok, put rifles into archery season then. Because compounds are more advanced than recurves. NEWS FLASH: crossbow is NOT archery. Whether u like them or not- it’s not. Just like muzzlelaoders having their own season for weapons- put crossbows in their own season!!!! When u can compete in the Olympics for Archery & use a crossbow - ok, let’s chat. I have no problem with crossbows & in their own seasons or for disabled or seniors or injured. But good gosh, those comments “better use a spear. Or only traditional guys can comment on this” is so shallow & illogical!!!!
2) “don’t argue or debate issues with hunting. It’s giving ammo to PETA & anti hunters”. News flash!!!! What’s “ruined hunting” or degraded it is OURSELVES. Not stopping special interests that have pushed to kill all the deer. Use every weapon. Increase the season to 1/3rd++ the year. Give states unlimited tags. If anything- hunting has become far more liberal and the killing increased!!! The reaction to the madness- guys locking up land to insulate from the madness & special interests that exploited hunting for $!!!! Now folks often have no where to go. BOTTOM LINE: go look at the most lefty-lunatic places u can think of…. They NEVER do away with hunting (Europe, California, etc)…. The folks want animal #’s controlled. Seasons & killing are very open. Now- it’s all privatized in Europe because people have ruined the resource & the wealthy locked it all up to hunt. PETA or anti-hunters make zero traction on stopping hunting of deer or small game, etc. The ONLY place the anti hunters have made any headway…. The “unique” critters that they can get people to believe are rare or not a game animal…. Like a wolf or maybe a bear, etc. Deer???? C’mon!!!!
The real threat!!!: Special interests selling hunters out to make a buck, ruining age structure & populations with massive seasons & quotas…. Regs that ruin average ground so everyday hunters don’t enjoy it & quit. Then guys locking up more land in response - THAT is the threat to hunting. So tired of hearing about PETA & the anti hunters that are having ZERO impact to the Midwest’s deer hunting issues!!!!!
3) “if it’s legal- it’s all good”. Some states u can use dogs to hunt. Some u can use bait piles, crossbows, rifles & shoot 2+ bucks in a day. Some states u can shoot multiple bucks with guns in middle of rut. Infinite tags. Unlimited NR tags. Many states the 1.5 yo bucks are mowed down like they are an invading army. & “it’s all legal” so that ends it!!!!! & where has the line gone for much of the country in last 20-40 years??? Laws have changed non-stop…. Just in the wrong direction most of the time…. More weapons, more seasons, more killing, more lethal weapons, easier hunting, more technology, etc. Which is fine in some regards but why would our seasons get LONGER when we have all these new weapons, technology & ease of killing? One would think the seasons could actually be shorter?!?! & what’s happened to deer #’s in MOST states in last 10-20 years? MOST: have gone DOWN. not all but most. Iowa is down in 10 years. “If it’s legal- it’s all good!!!” The laws in most states are not desirable. What’s legal needs to be changed IMHO. just because it’s been a certain way- doesn’t mean that’s the “best way”. & we clearly can see different states regulations have vastly different outcomes!!!!! Some far better than others. & the guys…. If it’s legal it’s good …. We could legalize rifles all season long!!!! We could make it legal to hunt with drones!!! We could make it legal to hunt deer at night like coyotes!!! & why not?!?! A dead deer is a dead deer- right?? So what’s it matter??? Heck, why even have deer seasons???? YEAR ROUND HUNTING - make it legal!!! Why not? Less government & more freedom right!!!?!?!? MAKE IT ALL LEGAL!!!! & watch the resource disappear!!!!! Just like the age class, access, balanced herds, opportunities for new hunters have in MANY states - they have disappeared under the legalization of every stupid idea and season the politicians have approved! What’s legal needs to change!!!! If not- mark my words…. If next 20-30 years is like the last 20-30 years: same trajectory…. We will be EUROPE!!!! All: HIGH FENCED! All pay to access. All for the rich. All privatized self regulated hunting.
I’m sure I ticked some of you off. Not my intention. But- if we can’t discuss the stubborn stupid discussions that are crippling ourselves - things will continue to get worse. The more we can have the discussions & debates & wake up some of these folks with the tired old arguments - that’s our hope to making hunting great again. & we need changes in our own house. Direction has to change.
FWIW: I don’t think above thoughts & discussion constitutes “beating a dead horse”- at all!! In my 30+ years of hunting… I’ve never felt a “call to change” stronger at any other time. The younger folks are hungrier for a revolution than I’ve ever seen. GROWING #’s & %’s want the pendulum to finally swing the other way!!
Sorry on the rant. All over the place. Thoughts? U guys see any silly point of views that are tiring, lazy & ignorant that drive you nuts?? & yes, I say all this with a smile on my face. We love hunting. We want it to get better. This is an amazing sport. Go enjoy guys. Best wishes out there.
. I know a lot of hunters are intelligent folks. Critical thinkers. Open minded. But good gosh, there’s a % that spent grade school sniffing too much rubber cement & huffing gas in their parents garage!!!1) anything discussing crossbows (valid or not. Legal in your state or not) & their use for able bodied guys…. The GO TO comment…. “Well compounds are more advanced than recurves”. Or any variation of that. Like “ok, and???” “So that justifies why crossbows being thrown into archery season is the way to go?!?” The same logic: ok, put rifles into archery season then. Because compounds are more advanced than recurves. NEWS FLASH: crossbow is NOT archery. Whether u like them or not- it’s not. Just like muzzlelaoders having their own season for weapons- put crossbows in their own season!!!! When u can compete in the Olympics for Archery & use a crossbow - ok, let’s chat. I have no problem with crossbows & in their own seasons or for disabled or seniors or injured. But good gosh, those comments “better use a spear. Or only traditional guys can comment on this” is so shallow & illogical!!!!
2) “don’t argue or debate issues with hunting. It’s giving ammo to PETA & anti hunters”. News flash!!!! What’s “ruined hunting” or degraded it is OURSELVES. Not stopping special interests that have pushed to kill all the deer. Use every weapon. Increase the season to 1/3rd++ the year. Give states unlimited tags. If anything- hunting has become far more liberal and the killing increased!!! The reaction to the madness- guys locking up land to insulate from the madness & special interests that exploited hunting for $!!!! Now folks often have no where to go. BOTTOM LINE: go look at the most lefty-lunatic places u can think of…. They NEVER do away with hunting (Europe, California, etc)…. The folks want animal #’s controlled. Seasons & killing are very open. Now- it’s all privatized in Europe because people have ruined the resource & the wealthy locked it all up to hunt. PETA or anti-hunters make zero traction on stopping hunting of deer or small game, etc. The ONLY place the anti hunters have made any headway…. The “unique” critters that they can get people to believe are rare or not a game animal…. Like a wolf or maybe a bear, etc. Deer???? C’mon!!!!
The real threat!!!: Special interests selling hunters out to make a buck, ruining age structure & populations with massive seasons & quotas…. Regs that ruin average ground so everyday hunters don’t enjoy it & quit. Then guys locking up more land in response - THAT is the threat to hunting. So tired of hearing about PETA & the anti hunters that are having ZERO impact to the Midwest’s deer hunting issues!!!!!
3) “if it’s legal- it’s all good”. Some states u can use dogs to hunt. Some u can use bait piles, crossbows, rifles & shoot 2+ bucks in a day. Some states u can shoot multiple bucks with guns in middle of rut. Infinite tags. Unlimited NR tags. Many states the 1.5 yo bucks are mowed down like they are an invading army. & “it’s all legal” so that ends it!!!!! & where has the line gone for much of the country in last 20-40 years??? Laws have changed non-stop…. Just in the wrong direction most of the time…. More weapons, more seasons, more killing, more lethal weapons, easier hunting, more technology, etc. Which is fine in some regards but why would our seasons get LONGER when we have all these new weapons, technology & ease of killing? One would think the seasons could actually be shorter?!?! & what’s happened to deer #’s in MOST states in last 10-20 years? MOST: have gone DOWN. not all but most. Iowa is down in 10 years. “If it’s legal- it’s all good!!!” The laws in most states are not desirable. What’s legal needs to be changed IMHO. just because it’s been a certain way- doesn’t mean that’s the “best way”. & we clearly can see different states regulations have vastly different outcomes!!!!! Some far better than others. & the guys…. If it’s legal it’s good …. We could legalize rifles all season long!!!! We could make it legal to hunt with drones!!! We could make it legal to hunt deer at night like coyotes!!! & why not?!?! A dead deer is a dead deer- right?? So what’s it matter??? Heck, why even have deer seasons???? YEAR ROUND HUNTING - make it legal!!! Why not? Less government & more freedom right!!!?!?!? MAKE IT ALL LEGAL!!!! & watch the resource disappear!!!!! Just like the age class, access, balanced herds, opportunities for new hunters have in MANY states - they have disappeared under the legalization of every stupid idea and season the politicians have approved! What’s legal needs to change!!!! If not- mark my words…. If next 20-30 years is like the last 20-30 years: same trajectory…. We will be EUROPE!!!! All: HIGH FENCED! All pay to access. All for the rich. All privatized self regulated hunting.
I’m sure I ticked some of you off. Not my intention. But- if we can’t discuss the stubborn stupid discussions that are crippling ourselves - things will continue to get worse. The more we can have the discussions & debates & wake up some of these folks with the tired old arguments - that’s our hope to making hunting great again. & we need changes in our own house. Direction has to change.
FWIW: I don’t think above thoughts & discussion constitutes “beating a dead horse”- at all!! In my 30+ years of hunting… I’ve never felt a “call to change” stronger at any other time. The younger folks are hungrier for a revolution than I’ve ever seen. GROWING #’s & %’s want the pendulum to finally swing the other way!!
Sorry on the rant. All over the place. Thoughts? U guys see any silly point of views that are tiring, lazy & ignorant that drive you nuts?? & yes, I say all this with a smile on my face. We love hunting. We want it to get better. This is an amazing sport. Go enjoy guys. Best wishes out there.
