So does living in a state that is a foregone conclusion. I waffle back and forth between being jealous of/pitying those folks who live in one of the VIP states..
Sounds awesome. I've never seen a fight either, though once I came across the aftermath of one, while tracking a buck. My mind was pretty well blown by the amount of blood, the number of snapped off saplings, etc. It was like two bulldozers had been fighting. They don't mess around!
Congrats to you and your dad! Hope the elbow shapes up soon. I'm in a similar boat, with my right shoulder being stubbornly injured for the past week. Really hoping I can figure this out before deer season really starts...
I think your point is valid, but it's influenced by your location. There are all sorts of examples of hunting woods that are less crowded, fisheries getting better, etc. in the east. We have the opposite story as well, in some cases, but it doesn't all feel like doom and gloom around here...