dogghr
Well-Known Member
Don't be deceived, I've had lawyers tell me otherwise.
Do You Miss It??
- Thread starter dogghr
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Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
The following is a true story.
Once upon a time (over 35+ years ago) during the check station days, I had permission to hunt a piece of property near where I lived. I built a stand out of treated lumber in a cherry tree in a fence row and made the stand big enough for two people to hunt in. I invited my dad to hunt with me.
We were in the stand as daylight broke, and I looked across a field and saw a big spike (any buck was a trophy back them) so I laid the lead to him. A few seconds later, a modest 8 point came sneaking down another fence row (obviously disturbed by my gun shot) and dad was able to take him. So there we were with two deer just after daylight, so we headed to the check station.
A man I didn't know was standing there and made a comment about how lucky we were to have two deer so early in the morning. I agreed with him and said, "...yes, and we took them from the same tree...." He looked puzzled for a few seconds, and replied, "What were they doing...just crawling around up there on the limbs?"
Once upon a time (over 35+ years ago) during the check station days, I had permission to hunt a piece of property near where I lived. I built a stand out of treated lumber in a cherry tree in a fence row and made the stand big enough for two people to hunt in. I invited my dad to hunt with me.
We were in the stand as daylight broke, and I looked across a field and saw a big spike (any buck was a trophy back them) so I laid the lead to him. A few seconds later, a modest 8 point came sneaking down another fence row (obviously disturbed by my gun shot) and dad was able to take him. So there we were with two deer just after daylight, so we headed to the check station.
A man I didn't know was standing there and made a comment about how lucky we were to have two deer so early in the morning. I agreed with him and said, "...yes, and we took them from the same tree...." He looked puzzled for a few seconds, and replied, "What were they doing...just crawling around up there on the limbs?"
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Drycreek
Well-Known Member
Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
And what was your answer ?
That cherry tree grows chocolate covered cherries, and you can't keep the deer out of it.....
dogghr
Well-Known Member
My first buck. Walking to stand on warm day with clothes on backpack for evening hunt. Met up with a spike who had a death wish in apple orchard I had to cross. I shot bare fingered as I couldn't get to my shooting tab in pocket of my coveralls on my back. I had 6 arrows including my squirrel shooter/practice arrow covered in dirt. As I shot each arrow, they would fly in weird directions since I couldn't really shoot properly without my tab, and each time the buck would panic then come back to within 20 yds. Yes, I shot all 5 arrows missing him then finally, concentrated real hard and double lunged him with the dirt covered dull final arrow I had left . He ran 40 yds and died. I gutted him having no way knowing what I was doing and went to ck him in. I promise you I was the most proud hunter at that station and to this day one of the best deer kill memories of mine. Guys were all happy for me, and that entails what I miss when starting this thread. Kinda surprised anyone even cared of the topic. Thanks for the responses.
I definitely look back on the past with rose colored glasses. Things were definitely different when I checked them in at the small country store. Not sure these days of how many kids are getting introduced to hunting. Seems like a lot of people I know are so busy running their kids to some type of activity 5-6 days a week that hunting falls by the wayside. Then I wonder how much a high divorce rate affects kids getting introduced to hunting and fishing.
My kids enjoy it but I don't see the same enjoyment that I had at that age though. I'd give anything to be able to go back to that magical time between 8-13 and be able to hunt with some those that have passed on now. If I'd known how good I had it I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to grow up!
My kids enjoy it but I don't see the same enjoyment that I had at that age though. I'd give anything to be able to go back to that magical time between 8-13 and be able to hunt with some those that have passed on now. If I'd known how good I had it I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to grow up!
Triple C
Well-Known Member
Enjoyable thread to read. I never recall a time we had "check stations" other than WMA hunts. I do recall very vividly the 1st deer I ever killed. I was 16 yrs old and had hunted for 3 years prior to killing my 1st. Interesting enough, it was the 1st deer I ever saw while deer hunting. That was 1972...not to many years removed from the restocking program that reintroduced deer to N GA. The thing that was so different back then was the absolute thrill of actually seeing a deer while hunting. And when a deer was actually killed, the display of hanging it on a rack or riding it around to show it off was an event. It was a very rare occurrence and often, guys never saw a deer the entire season in those days.
Each generation looks back with fondness of days gone by. Ours is no different and those after us will have the same feelings. I'm glad I still vividly remember the good ole days with fondness. With that said, I believe we are living in the golden age of deer hunting today. I believe my grand kids, when they're my age, will be telling their grand kids of the good ole days of growing up and hunting on the farm. 40 years from now, very few of our properties will be as they are today. Some will be subdivisions, some shopping strips and hopefully some will still be rural country that future generations will own and manage to create their own memories.
When I ride around the area of my farm and see miles and miles of dirt roads, thousands and thousands of acres of pine plantations, hardwood draws and wetlands, I think it will always be the same. But probably not. I grew up on a farm where the paved road ended a few hundred yards below our house. It was so rural. Today, there's a subdivision on that farm and many more in the miles around it with traffic non-stop throughout the day. Times change and we do our best to embrace the change.
But...I hope to go to my grave always remembering with fondness... the good ole days!
Each generation looks back with fondness of days gone by. Ours is no different and those after us will have the same feelings. I'm glad I still vividly remember the good ole days with fondness. With that said, I believe we are living in the golden age of deer hunting today. I believe my grand kids, when they're my age, will be telling their grand kids of the good ole days of growing up and hunting on the farm. 40 years from now, very few of our properties will be as they are today. Some will be subdivisions, some shopping strips and hopefully some will still be rural country that future generations will own and manage to create their own memories.
When I ride around the area of my farm and see miles and miles of dirt roads, thousands and thousands of acres of pine plantations, hardwood draws and wetlands, I think it will always be the same. But probably not. I grew up on a farm where the paved road ended a few hundred yards below our house. It was so rural. Today, there's a subdivision on that farm and many more in the miles around it with traffic non-stop throughout the day. Times change and we do our best to embrace the change.
But...I hope to go to my grave always remembering with fondness... the good ole days!
dogghr
Well-Known Member
Dad always said, the only thing you can count on is nothing ever stays the same. The old man had a lot of sayings that aggravated me as a kid only to find out most of it was correct. I'm not sure most realize the population explosion that has occured in the last40 years. And many of the past 2 generations make more money by the age of 30 than most of us managed to do by 50. And they ain't afraid of dept. Like BrianVT said, many of them like to hunt, but just don't put in the amount of hours most on this forum did at those ages. In part, it was cheap entertainment for those of us without much free money. I know things change, and much of it I really embrace and enjoy, but the lack of civil social interaction on a face to face basis is probably making us into a heartless society. But that doesn't mean that we can't fight it ,and make the most to counteract the norm.
This group on forums such as this one, are a select people with much different attitudes about the world than most of the population with their head up their asses. It's not really their fault entirely, but its our select duty to help them realize that they don't know what they don't know.
Anyway, continue to make the hunt a fun activity for any of all ages and we will keep that remnant alive that loves all nature has to offer and the social adrenalin it can provide.
This group on forums such as this one, are a select people with much different attitudes about the world than most of the population with their head up their asses. It's not really their fault entirely, but its our select duty to help them realize that they don't know what they don't know.
Anyway, continue to make the hunt a fun activity for any of all ages and we will keep that remnant alive that loves all nature has to offer and the social adrenalin it can provide.
lakngolf
Well-Known Member
We never had Check In Stations either. Hunting for my son and me was always a family thing. I would pick him up from school on Friday and we would head to the farm. Many times it was just the two of us hunting, and primarily bow hunting. We would hunt and then spend night with my Parents. I remember the first I killed with a bow. My son and I had practiced all summer. We had feed sacks filled with cotton for target. I remember this word AMERICAN on the sack and we could spell it out with arrows. Practice does make perfect.
I took a big doe one afternoon at the farm. It was a cold night so I gutted and hung her up in the shed. The next morning I hunted a stand in some white oaks and along comes a four point. I shoot and there he drops. I thought, "WOW, this is easy". In subsequent years I learned that the summer practice made ALL the difference. I had a few misses that proved that.
I told the story in the "Live" thread about my sons oldest getting his first deer this year. Well, my son told me of a trip he and his middle son made to a Y camp recently. There they had opportunity to shoot BB guns and bows. He said he and his son had a blast with the bows and he remembered our back yard in the 90s where we had a ladder stand set up to practice shooting. A smile came to my face! My son was wishing they could do the same thing in his back yard.
I took a big doe one afternoon at the farm. It was a cold night so I gutted and hung her up in the shed. The next morning I hunted a stand in some white oaks and along comes a four point. I shoot and there he drops. I thought, "WOW, this is easy". In subsequent years I learned that the summer practice made ALL the difference. I had a few misses that proved that.
I told the story in the "Live" thread about my sons oldest getting his first deer this year. Well, my son told me of a trip he and his middle son made to a Y camp recently. There they had opportunity to shoot BB guns and bows. He said he and his son had a blast with the bows and he remembered our back yard in the 90s where we had a ladder stand set up to practice shooting. A smile came to my face! My son was wishing they could do the same thing in his back yard.
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THE LLC
Well-Known Member
In Nebraska we still have to go to a check station. I enjoy that. My buddy usually is the biologist on duty and we get to shoot the crap with hunters from all over the US---some we've been seeing for YEARS. Social media will be the death of civil society----mark my words. It is the electronic Gestapo.
I wish we had that here again...good memories!
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