I think the real problem with all of this lies a little more deeply in places that we're not allowed to monitor or have a say in. (i.e. The State and the IADNR) This past Friday I ventured into Gander Mountain to purchase of pair of pac boots. ( Me and my feet are worthless when it get's really cold out.) So.....I walk in at 5:30 or so in the afternoon and am completely awstruck at the amount of people in the store. After a few seconds, it dawns on me that these guys are all here for shotgun season opener. After making my way through the crowd, I head to the boot section and find a pair of boots that I think my help my toes out a little. The next morning I'm planning on filling my last antlerless bow tag in the State Park close to my house.( It's a limited draw area that allows bowhunting during the gun season.) I grab the boots and proceed to the counter that is completely engulfed by every hunter from the surrounding three counties.
As I wait patiently, I begin to notice a few things that seem to become quite common among the other hunters waiting in line. Most of them are holding anywhere between 4 to 10 boxes of slugs in their hands. Almost half of the hunters are standing at the main counter because they need to purchase their hunting license and also their tag. Two different times I hear the mention of an out-of-state hunter that only needs a doe tag to party hunt. And last but not least, no-one seems to know what the extra dollar for the HUSH program is for.
So......I conclude from this that most of these hunters, and I say most because I won't stereotype them all, haven't sighted their guns in before season opener, or are just hoping their guns are still "on" from last year. Most of these hunters found it necessary to carry anywhere from 20 to 50 slugs with them during their short 5 day hunt. Most of these hunters are probably "weekend warriors" and haven't hunted anything before this opener. And last but not least, most of these hunters haven't been educated or informed of some of the best deer hunting news that's came out in the past two years.(The HUSH program) Although, some of them seem to have been educated as to the "loop-holes" offered to the non-residents regaurding the antlerless tag and the party hunting. So.....how does all this make me feel? Not very good. I spend more than my fair share of time involving myself with deer hunting throughout the year. It doesn't just start the day before the seaon opener. It actually starts in January and February trying to find a few sheds. Although I suck at it, and haven't found very many, it's a chance to learn something new about an area or a certain buck that you hadn't known about already. March comes along with the Deer Classic and the IBA Banquet, which is more entertaining than anything else, but it's still a good place to learn something and meet with old aquaintences.
Once the snow melts and the temps. increase a little bit, you'll find myself and my family at a 3-D shoot most weekends that I have off. Between the shoots, and my backyard, I'll probably spend as much time practicing as I will hunting during the fall. July, August and September, I'll spend a-lot of time in my truck glassing different fields, video-taping, and setting trail cameras in different areas that I think might have some potential for the upcoming season. After the 1st of October, you can find me in a tree........providing I'm not at work, on this site, or doing something with my kids and wife.
So, after all this rambling, you probably wondering where I'm going with all this, so here it is. Why, after all the time and effort I put into this sport every year, should an out-of-state hunter be allowed to come in the day before gun season opener and be allowed to shoot a buck with a doe tag???
Why, after all the time I spend practicing throughout the year, should a resident be allowed to pull his gun out of the closet, fill it with slugs, and hope for the best when a huge buck that I've studied all year long is pushed in front of him by his out-of-state buddy who's carrying a doe tag. Why is it that some knucklehead with a .270 can take a poke at a monster buck that's shed his antlers already from 200 yards away during the late high power season? Why doesn't everyone who deer hunts already understands what the letter HUSH stands for??? I seem to ask myself these questions year in and year out, but I can never give myself a clear answer. The regulations are stated clearly, yet they aren't ment to be easily understood. Politics and money are the ones writing the regulations every year, and the more money that can be made from this sport, the more difficult things will be to understand. It's been said before, but I'll say it again. Enjoy what we've got right now, even though we've already seen the start to the future of hunting in this state. The state and the IADNR have a plan, and I don't think we're part of it. I would really love to see how much money the State made from this years different deer seasons. I'd be willing to bet it'll be an eye opener......for myself and for the one's taking it all in.