AHM
NES Member
More like the first one but it was me sitting on the stump and the buck walked right up to me. I could have thrown my shotgun and hit it the thing got so close!
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More like the first one but it was me sitting on the stump and the buck walked right up to me. I could have thrown my shotgun and hit it the thing got so close!
Tree stands are very helpful but definitely not necessary. I shot my buck this year sitting on a stump.
No joke. Ive seen shooters in some crazy places lately. Medford, Melrose, Reading. My own backyard. And not little six pointers either. Bucks you would absolutely not hesitate a second on. Next year I’m taking off some serious time. A friend found a shed in his yard in Groton that looked like it belonged on the milk river. I might even have to upgrade the bow.
Not really necessary for shotgun...... but if you had to move and draw a bow, the deer see you and GTF out.
I've shot 4 deer from the ground with a bow, all bucks, all looking at me like they could kick my ass, because they were rut filled, they just stand there and take the arrow. Some spooky doe? Forget it. Treestand or ground blind makes it way easier to draw, and shoot at an unalamed animal. Unalarmed is the key. Deer that have your number in a tree or on the ground, are string jumpers, and things go bad shooting at the head bobbing big doe. The arrow is usually a miss, or ends up in a non intended spot.
Shotgun....different story. Ive shot 30 deer with a gun sitting or still hunting ranging from 4 to 200 yards. Some knew something was up, but I didn't have to make any real movement, so that made the difference.
My trail cam seconds this.They have some nice sanctuary in towns like this...... Some of these bucks hang around in behind houses and in industrial parks and never get hunted. Most of the time they are noctournal, but if there are deer around, you can bet theres a smasher or two in the mix. Even in Suburbia.
I see it in Southern CT all the time. My last deer taken there was a 220 pound dressed, 9 point...in the 135 class. Shot it at 7 yards. People think because it's overpopulated with deer they are all small...that's not the case. Yes youll see a bunch of dinky does in the mix. But the deer we have up here are big breed northern deer, not the smaller southern deer. Put a cam out and you'll be surprised what's walking around at night....some big northern maine style brutes out there.
The state ignores what happens with the herd out here and focuses on killing deer in the east, the herd here peaked in the 80’s and 90’s.
The late 80's early 90's was before my time but was the Berkshire's herd better back then?
After missing a chance at a buck because I had my gun slung over my shoulder I removed the sling. I never hunt with a sling anymore. Too tempting to get lazy and actually use it when I'm in the woods. Low ready....all the time.I don't like climbing trees, so for me deer hunting is either with a small group of buddies on short, small area drives (we mainly only hunt on the Cape), or still hunting if I'm alone.
Your best bet is to learn how to be absolutely still, silent, and when possible facing the wind. And don't stand around with your gun slung over your shoulder once you've found a nice spot to sit/stand. Keep aware of your surroundings with all of your senses and keep the gun in-hand, low ready or whatever. Assuming you have good trigger discipline, keep the safety off. Your gun needs to be ready to raise and fire in a second, without making any unnecessary noise. More than a few deer have escaped from the hunter not being ready when the opportunity presents itself, than anyone will ever know. And that's because most hunters won't admit to anyone that they goofed and let a nice one walk away, when there was no one around to witness it.
Have fun and be safe, and remember: Don't be the "I threw my gun at a tree" guy.
The late 80's early 90's was before my time but was the Berkshire's herd better back then?
The late 80's early 90's was before my time but was the Berkshire's herd better back then?
Hunting access isn’t going to improve. The state and cities/towns would rather pay for dumb stuff like deer sterlization and sharp shooters because hunters are bloodthirsty savages.
My advice is don’t be afraid to bang on a few doors (and have a few slammed in your face). Get online and figure out who owns huntable private property. Ask their permission to hunt it. Yes there are plenty of tree huggers in MA that are offended by hunting. But there are also plenty of people sick of having their garden chewed up, or that have had Lyme disease affect them or a family member.
The towns inside 495 are just rotten with deer.
The #1 problem in MA remains accessibility - as in there isn't enough of it. They say the population is too high... Yet they don't mention anything about how they determine that. Yea sure it's high.... on land you can't hunt. Take a walk around any WMA - different story. The herd is very sparse.
Cities like NB have to call in "sharpshooters" to contend with deer making it onto the airport runway... But bowhunting... no no.... can't have that. In fact New Bedford has a town ordinance that prohibits the discharging of a firearm, archery, or even a slingshot within city limits. So no hunting in NB anywhere.. Gee - wonder why they've had problems with deer at the airport.
You want to solve the population problem, then you need only know two words... Accessibility - as in we don't have enough... Balance - as in the herd size isn't balanced between accessible lands and closed lands. A fact the state - for the most part - ignores in its management. The state just lumps it all in when calculating the size of the herd and then doles out doe permits like peanuts around here.
If the state were serious about managing the herd they would enact the following.
1. At the state level - invalidate all town ordinances that prohibit hunting... Like NB's discharge ban. Hunting should be a protected activity under state law in this regard. The state laws that regulate hunting should be the only laws that apply. Local politics should not interfere with the state's management objectives. It's detrimental to the people of that community, the state, and the herd.
2. No more putting state land - like the blue hills - off limits. If its legal in that it meets setback requirements - then it's legal. Period.
3. All publically held lands are open to hunting. No more allowing land trusts who take taxpayer money to close off their properties to hunting... Example: Dartmouth's DNRT. You take public dollars, in one way or another, then ALL of your lands are open to all legal public use... hunting included. It needs to be a protected activity.
Political bias against hunting is the single most dangerous thing for the health of the herd. It's because of it we have the issues we now have.
I fear you are correct, and consequently the problem will not improve.
Hunting access isn’t going to improve. The state and cities/towns would rather pay for dumb stuff like deer sterlization and sharp shooters because hunters are bloodthirsty savages.
My advice is don’t be afraid to bang on a few doors (and have a few slammed in your face). Get online and figure out who owns huntable private property. Ask their permission to hunt it. Yes there are plenty of tree huggers in MA that are offended by hunting. But there are also plenty of people sick of having their garden chewed up, or that have had Lyme disease affect them or a family member.
The towns inside 495 are just rotten with deer.
The wake-up call will be coyotes eating millionaires' cats on their patio.... having coyotes around eating fawns on your patio wont be all that pleasant for your Brookline mansion owner, and that might be an issue in itself.
Personally, I wouldnt ask permission on smaller properties less than 10-15 acres because I feel the anti hunting sentiment around here is too thick. I feel even a lot of MA Game Wardens would not back your play. They would be looking for excuses to hang you due to some setback limit, town violation, etc, etc.....too many rules. Maybe I'm wrong but some of them at the classes I've teached and attended seemed like just Dicks looking for any reason to nail you. I didn't get a good vibe at all from most of them, the vibe I got was they would use any good reason to take your deer. Fxck that. Cops....same thing for the most part.
Contrast with the CT. ones Ive dealt with that basically have checked my lisc, permission slip and said....hey, I'll go deal with the anti bullshit from the landowner...that's my job. Just head back to your property and we will drive or drag the deer over to you once we are done dealing with these tree huggers.
Depends on the property. You might be able to successfully hunt 5 acres that abuts conservation land or wetland. Alternatively 10 acres surrounded by houses might be tough. Especially if there are antis in the hood. Obviously bow hunting is much more low profile.
Depends on the property. You might be able to successfully hunt 5 acres that abuts conservation land or wetland. Alternatively 10 acres surrounded by houses might be tough. Especially if there are antis in the hood. Obviously bow hunting is much more low profile.
Depends on the property. You might be able to successfully hunt 5 acres that abuts conservation land or wetland. Alternatively 10 acres surrounded by houses might be tough. Especially if there are antis in the hood. Obviously bow hunting is much more low profile.
Honestly, I think MA wardens would Fxck you hard if you hunted an abutting conservation property and the deer ended up on the conservation land, and tried to retrieve it and some one saw you.
Like Bob said, CT wardens might too....however, in southern CT, they are in tune with bowhunters. As long as you had permission on the land you shot the deer on, and could prove you shot the deer there, they wouldn't give you any issues. I've hunted as little as 2 acres abutting conservation and never had an issue.
MA wardens...Im not so sure of that....they are looking to take your deer or write you up...for almost any reason is what I get out of most of them.
I have had multiple interactions with game wardens in both states over the years. My only bad experience was in Connecticut.
As always, it’s the luck of the draw.
Bob