Eastern hunters are overly defensive over spatial distribution!

[KipCarson]

I feel like many didn't read the post or look at the graphic. You don't have to get defensive. There are these large sanctuaries that no one is hunting because there's a hill in the way.

I read it, as I’m sure most of the other posters did. I think we’re all just pointing out that there are a lot more factors at play than just a hill. Should we make it harder on ourselves just for the sake of making it harder?

As far as getting defensive, of course, we are, lol! The title of the thread comes across as accusatory, the only thing saving it from that is it is posed in the form of a question. We must defend our honor! “Do western hunters routinely shoot over 300 yards because they are not good enough to get closer?” I’m sure a thread title like that would garner quite the amount of defensive behavior too!
Thanks for posting that, I do find that research to be genuinely interesting.

 

[np307]

I feel like many didn't read the post or look at the graphic. You don't have to get defensive. There are these large sanctuaries that no one is hunting because there's a hill in the way.

At least we have deer

 

[Treeshark]

Two of the best stands I’ve ever had were within 100 yards of a fairly major road, and it’s not like I’m afraid to go in 1+ mile in with a climber or hang-on. That’s where the deer live sometimes.

My personal view is that whitetails are edge animals- often times heading into the middle of a large block of land leads to diminishing buck activity.

 

[Big Sky Guy]

I feel like many didn't read the post or look at the graphic. You don't have to get defensive. There are these large sanctuaries that no one is hunting because there's a hill in the way.

Or, there are more deer/better hunting success where the hunters are hunting. They didn’t collar any deer so I think it’s a pretty big assumption to presume the deer are automatically where hunters are not - especially when most are attempting to kill a deer not jump them. Also doesn’t appear they measured hunter success in the gray area vs. white area.

If the gray areas are producing dead deer then it makes sense to keep hammering there. Now if hunter success is low and no one is seeing or killing deer there might be something to the white areas.

 

[Big Sky Guy]

Two of the best stands I’ve ever had were within 100 yards of a fairly major road, and it’s not like I’m afraid to go in 1+ mile in with a climber or hang-on. That’s where the deer live sometimes.

My personal view is that whitetails are edge animals- often times heading into the middle of a large block of land leads to diminishing buck activity.

Or you bump them on your way in, another reason I found to hunt the edges.

 

[more_cowbell]

Its rifle deer season in Oregon right now and while I’ve only been blue grouse hunting on various ridges in NE Oregon, Ive walked a total of over 20 hours, including 6.5 yesterday and saw no other people.

During the entire time I have seen a total of maybe 20 sets of deer tracks, and have seen only 3 does and no bucks.

So if Easterners have a lot of deer to hunt and can be efficient about it, then thats great.

 

[noharleyyet]

Hunter tribalism...

 

[Irrelevant]

Should we make it harder on ourselves just for the sake of making it harder?

Yes, absolutely! Just ask my kids lol

 

[marshman]

6 miles in yesterday. Gotta get away.

 

[Treeshark]

Sometimes 6 miles, sometimes 60 yards

 

[Steiny77]

In the midwest where I do most of my whitetail hunting, 1/2 mile is about as far as I ever need to hike in.
Many good spots are much closer than that.

 

[Bigjay73]

6 miles in yesterday. Gotta get away.View attachment 297464View attachment 297465

Did you make 3 trips?

 

[jtm307]

Hunt smarter, not harder.

 

[JDH]

Way back in the dark ages when I started deer hunting we had to physically take our kill to a check station whole. We don't have to now but I don't think too many people around here would even think about packing one out. We're just going to drag it where we can get it with the atv. Lazy? Maybe compared to western hunting but around here it's all we've known our entire life!

Before online check in we had to do the same. There were some comments that in my experience were spot on about not climbing hills. I had one spot where I would go up and over a ridge just to set up on the next ridge. Killed a deer there the first year I hunted there. I had to go about 200 yards away from where I found him to get enough signal to check him in first. Set a cam the next year for a couple of months and ended up with only 2 other guys on it. One of those guys was someone I ran into way back in on another piece of public. I think he ended up killing the only buck I had on cam at that location. Place was loaded with squirrels though.

 

[Hunter4Life78]

At least we have deer

Ouch that one stung a bit

 

[marshman]

Did you make 3 trips?

The same trip on three different days

 

[SaskHunter]

I was a pretty lazy Eastern hunter, but it worked and I shot a deer every year.

Wouldn't go back to it now though...

 

[johnp]

6 miles in yesterday. Gotta get away.View attachment 297464View attachment 297465

Heli logging area ?

 

[Pucky Freak]

247 yards? That's it?

If you go 248 yards you’re closer to the next road.

I’m hunting 65 yards from a busy road right now…

 

[Irrelevant]

I changed the thread title, because while I meant it tongue and cheek, apparently eastern hunters are quite defensive on a point that was really just... hey look at this, if you walk a little ways further you can get a pretty different experience, maybe better, maybe not, as others have pointed out. But the consistency is pretty shocking.