Many people think that hunting is just a form of cruelty to animals. If you
ask a hunter what their definition of hunting is you will get a different answer. Hunting is a form of wildlife conservation.
Hunters pay taxes in the forms of hunting licences and duck stamps. These funds are used by Fish and Wildlife
management to ensure the availibility of forests and wetlands. The funds are also used to keep the animal population
managable for a given area. Hunters are conservationists. If there weren't any hunters animals like deer would become
overpopulated which could do damage to land or people. Deer could expand to the cities and cause accidents. Many
deer would starve because of an insufficent food source in their habitat. This is where the hunter comes into the picture,
by hunting the deer population is managed. There aren't too many deer and they don't go extinct either because of
hunting laws that limit how many deer a hunter can take per day.
Gun safety is another important aspect of hunting and often not empahsized enough. Many people often debate on the
use of guns by youngsters. If youngsters are taught how to responsibly use a gun as a tool and to respect their rights
to own one there is nothing to worry about. I have read debates where adults condone the use of guns by teenagers for
hunting or shooting sports. When used properly a gun can provide hours of enjoyment and satisfaction from owning such
a fine tool. Sure guns can be dangerous but if used responsibly they are very safe. It is the job of the parents of a child to
teach them how to use a gun. If the parents are not skilled enough to train their children how to safely use a gun, there are
classes avaliable for both the parents and the children. The National Rifle Association (NRA)
often promotes gun safety and offers programs to children in gun education. The NRA also promotes hunting and wildlife
management.
My answer to this question is yes.
Let me explain, All game animals have the potential to produce many more young than their habitat can support. When too many animals survive, a population explosion results, causing disease , stunted growth, and eventually starvation. If this occurs in an area where the animals come in contact with humans, an increase in automobile accidents can occur. If this involve big game such as deer, bear and elk, loss of human life may be a result of these accidents not to mention damage to personal property. Hunting regulations are set to control the harvest while controlling overpopulation.
Here is an example of how game populations remain stable if habitat is not disturbed and hunting pressure is regulated. This is taken from a ruffed grouse population study in the state of New York.
The conclusion:
These first year breeders combined with the 70 second year birds resulted in a total of 175 adult grouse. This number is nearly identical to the breeding populations of the previous year. Take notice that if hunting was not allowed 64 more birds would have survived to breed the following year. Even if 50 percent of these birds died due to predation and disease 32 would have survived. In a matter of years their habitat would probably have exceed it's limit to sustain them.
Hunters are actually conservationists. They care for the land and for the game they hunt. Also, hunting supports the local economies of many areas across our great country.
Approach your stand location from a crosswind or downwind direction.
Avoid approaching from anywhere in front of your stand location so deer
will not detect your scent. Tie a drag rag or scent pad to your boots
when you are approximatley 200-250 yards from your stand. When you reach your
stand, remove the rag or pad and walk about 200 yards to the opposite side
for your stand, replace the rag or pad and walk back to your stand laying
another trail. Freshen the rag or pad often. By using this procedure
a Buck that crosses either scent trail may follow it back to your stand.
So be alert at all times.
The food and feeding habits of whitetailed deer vary region to region and from season to season.
They are also know to eat around 700 different species of plants in North America. Most healthy deer consume about 4 to 9 pounds of food per each 100 pounds of body weight per day.
As Spring begins and turns into summer, deer consume the lucious low growing grasses and forbs. They also consume leaves and twigs during this time. In the Fall, deer switch to what I would consider their favorite food, Acorns ! They prefer the white oak acorn to the red oak because of it's sweeter taste. To locate a stand of white oaks look for trees with light grey to almost white, scaly bark. The leaves have rounded and smooth lobes. Also, check out the inner shell, it has a smooth inner surface. Red oaks are different, their bark is dark and furrowed, their leaves have pointed lobes and their inner shell is hairy. The deer will eat these acorns if the white oak mast is not available. As winter approaches, deer have one thing on their minds, staying alive. During this time, the deer are trying to maintain their body weight. Sometimes, this is difficult because of the reduction of the quantity and quality of their food. This is a very demanding time on the deer population, especially in the colder climates because the Whitetail's system demands more nutrients than it's habitat can supply.
The water requirements of the deer are seasonal. They will seek out water, but usually get enough from the food they eat. Usually, deer need about 2 to 3 quarts of water per day. (per 100 pounds of body weight)
Calling:
Scents:
We all know that nothing can completely mask human scent, but scents can
confuse deer long enough for you to possibly get a shot.
The most common scents used while hunting are:
Using scents:
Because the Whitetailed deer's diet is so diverse, it would be nearly impossible to list all the types of food they eat. Below is a list of some of the most well known:
Food Type
Example
Where to Locate
Nuts
acorns(white and red oak),beechnut,hickory
along ridges and the big woods,
Non-Woody Plants (herbaceous)
grasses,sedges,legumes,ferns
along roads,forest openings,field edges,powerlines
Woody Plants (browse)
maples,aspen,dogwood,blueberries,honey suckle,poison ivy,poplar,sumac,chokecherry
In the deer woods
Crops
clover,corn,winter wheat,oats,soybeans,apples
Agricultural areas
