I have realy hesitated before posting this comment. Hunted as a young man. Taught by my father and we hunted to put meat on the table. Stopped hunting for about 20 years after leaving home. When my son Salmon Slammer took an iterest in hunting, we took a hunters safety course together. We were hunting this past weekend and pushed some deer around the area that we live. At the end of the day we took a ride around the piece that we hunted to see if we pushed them out. Got really excited when we saw an 8 pointer in a clearing. Parked the truck, got out the shotgun, loaded and started toward the deer. Saw his tail move, steped off the road and heard "Good to see that you did everything right". By know you have probably figured out that it was a Fish and Game Decoy. I must say that I felt a little violated by being tricked in this fashon. We follow the rules, educate ourselves, get the youth involved and this happens. I appreciate everything that the Fish and Game does for our fishing sport and I am glad that they don't have any Mechanical Fish!!!!

A couple of years back,I had a simular situation.I was driving by my uncles farm on the first day of muzzleloader when I saw the prettiest little doe feeding in the field,moved every bit as good as a real deer,watched her for 20 minutes,almost got out to chase her away many times as she would never survive the day.Anyway I left her there and went about my business but made it a point to drive by the field on my way back,the doe was still there in the same spot and fish and game was busy handcuffing a couple of yahoos.I for one think its a great deterant and support them in there efforts to stop poaching,besides it was one of the funniest things I had ever seen.Polebreaker who only has 4 hours of hunting for the year,but my hunting partner fairchase Jerry managed three bucks without me?????GOOD GOING JERRY

I personally think, and again it is only my opinion that I think that if the fish and game where to use them at the time that it is not legal to hunt deer. Off season, from after regular shooting hours during the hunting seasons etc. then that would be fine.

However I strongly feel that for the most part they are dilerlately using the decoys strickly for revenue. I don't think that is the purpose of the fish and game. I think it is their purpose to uphold the laws and protecting the fish and game> I don't believe they should be allowed to practice. I feel that is entrapment. I feel the fish and game dept could and should focus on more productive things than that. as I said when it is not legal to hunt the game I would be the first to say hang these guys, but don't nab a guy for not getting over the stone wall or being 299' from a domiclie when he should have been 300' come on that is just looking for trouble and is what gives the F&G a bad name and I think and again this is just my opinion that F&G knows that the reason they do this is strickly for revenue. just my .02
Forry

Several years ago I was up north and Fish and Game did the same thing with a patridge. My son got out of the truck, loaded, and fired, Fish and Game came out of the woods behind us. They never said he had done a good job, they just wanted us to leave so they could set-up the decoy again. Many people will not agree with me but this is intrapment, and a definite way to turn new hunters away from the sport. I do not support Fish and Game with their games and wish they would use the money they don't have more wisely. Here's another situation, more often then not whenever Lena fills her tag Fish and Game shows up at the house and always blames the registration station for not filling out the form correctly. Just my two cents but I'm not as impressed as others are with this organization. Roland

My Father and I have also seen and pretty much been in the same situation as yourself Roland, we saw a nice 8 point buck about 6 years ago on the side of the road back a little ways in the woods, stopped the truck walked the proper distance off of the road put a cap in the muzzleloader then aimed both me and Dad, Dad says to me Don't shoot something isn't right, he no sooner says this and two wardens step out and say thanks for not shooting and for handling your weapons the proper way, we asked some questions and they answered them all, seems somebody shot from their truck at a big doe and just left her there. I also feel this is a form of entrapment, but i think it's important to catch the poachers also, most of us are decent hunters who hunt to put food in our freezers it's the few bad apples (Ie; poachers) and those that just shoot stuff to say that they shot something that gives us dedicated hunters a bad name. if you want to view a good spot light on this, put this link in your address bar and google it, it shows why it is important to catch all these poachers that are out there and it is from our neighboring state of Maine, after viewing this myself I do support anything to catch these guys(what a sad waste of meat that could have fed the hungry) http://www.myoutdoortv.com/index8.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=131&Itemid= Take Care God Bless and Good luck hunting LOL Dave From up North

If everybody feels like tis is entrapment blast the decoys a couple of times for a short term fix. That will put them out of commision for a couple of days. Happened to a buddy of mine with a pheasent. What else can we do? Its not right

I have no problem with this at all. No different than police radaring on the roadside at night with their lights off. My take is this. If you see a nice deer grazing off a roadside (even if it is within legal limits to shoot) is that what it is about? Where is the challenge in that, unless you are a bow hunter that wants to stalk it to within bow range.

A few years back Tink ,from Tinks bait and tackle shop, stocked and killed a deer in an open field under fair chase conditions with a bow and was publicly ridiculed for his action. Sometimes even if you do it right! its wrong!
I believe if those officers are doing there job and really keeping an eye out, entrapping with a mechanical decoy would not be needed. I think that the man power spent is better served really policing the big bands of 10 - 12 men driving deer.
We were accosted by "The Task Force" in Pittsburg many years ago. Not even a mechanical unit but a flat cardboard cut out of a doe set on the edge of Indian Stream. Gun fire is always dangerous but these seven F&G officers hidden in the bush and under a bridge listen to all of the conversations until we had both unloaded our weapons LEGALY. The cut out was visible only from one angle, I even had ranged it, looking through binoculars it never moved. I went back and handed the muzzle loader to the other shooter. He could not see in the scope. I took the gun back and realized it was someone's idea of a joke and fire a shot!! SEVEN gamies came from the brush realized we were going to shoot up there decoy. Before we left they checked our license and I was tagged out! Low and behold I was pinched for over the limit. A very heated discussion ensued, I was on the verge of an overnight,we left and I had my day in court!! The judge was disappointed in the act of letting us continue to fire our weapons and threw it out.*smile* I think some of there tactics are gangster!

I agree with Proline.

To add to the reason... what happens if a non hunter happens to drive by as someone jumps out of their vehicle, runs off the road and shoots an animal standing there? What happens is that the "non hunter" probably just became an "ANTI hunter". Why? Because they see someone merely "killing" an animal, not "hunting" it. We don't need anymore ANTI hunters.

In my opinion, I'd be happy to see F&G change the rule about discharge of a firearm near a road. Right now, as long as you're 15 feet from the travelled portion of a road you may legally shoot at a deer. Change it to 300 feet and it would certainly make it easier to determine which guy is poaching and which guy is "road hunting". To me... and I know I'm gonna create more enemies with this comment... but I don't see the sport in road hunting. I was raised to believe the reason for hunting was the camaraderie, the chase, the time outdoors, the whole experience. What experience is there in jumping out of a vehicle and shooting an animal you found by chance?
I say, put in your time in the woods and do it the sporting way. Popeye is a prime example. This guy puts in hundreds of hours and is very determined to locate the oldest/smartest buck in his area. If we could all be as determined as him... He is a true sportsman.
Okay... go ahead and send me hate mails now... I know they're coming, they always do. Address above.

You nailed it slipknot. The hunt is about everything you mentioned, the satisfaction of the plan coming together and the respect for the animal you take. To me, there is no greater challenge and reward than a whitetail taken with a bow. I hope someday I am lucky enough to get a brute like Popeye's with my bow.

Slipknot his is not HATE MAIL however I would like to ask you a question or two. Lets say you are hunting up in colebrook. you have been hunting in the woods all morning long and you head back to your vehicle that you have park just off the side of one of the many roads that are not paved but fall under the catagory that you can't legally shoot from, (I think it is class 4,3,2, or 1 you can't shoot from not truly sure) but anyway you exit the woods and are walking back to your vehicle and you pass a field, now in that field is the biggest buck you have ever seen in your life out in that field, do you mean to tell me that you want to make it a law that you can not shoot that deer unless you are 300' off the road? It is not just the paved roads that F&G do this little game. Also since the deer is in the field and not in the woods that you are going to pass that deer by? Do you sit in a tree stand if so why? do you use any type of deer lure and if so why? You know I believe it is okay for people to agree and to disagree with what F&G does but you being a sportsman who likes to hunt and fish as you do can agree with them on the issue we are discussing. if you think It is not very sporting to shoot a deer in the field, why is that any worse than sitting in a tree stand ringing the dinner bell on the deer with buck lure, scents etc. Come on guy!!!

Not a hunter myself, but I ws thinking the same thing, put a box of shells into the **** thing, however aren't they placed in areas that shooting would be against the law ?????

I think it's a cheap trick and will voice that opinion to the next F and G people I see. Entrapment is legal I suppose, all Law enforcement do it and get away withg it probably 100% of the time.

I can't believe NH fish and Game would pull cheap **** like this. A true poacher would never fall for this trick anyhow but rather some young excited hunter I suppose..

Big John

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Replying to:

If everybody feels like tis is entrapment blast the decoys a couple of times for a short term fix. That will put them out of commision for a couple of days. Happened to a buddy of mine with a pheasent. What else can we do? Its not right

I do agree with you Slipknot and everyone else, but i can almost bet that someone would say planting a food plot wouldn't be fair chase either? I'll be the first one to admit I have a small food plot but i haven't shot anything from it? Seems up at my house where i live i only have Nocturnal deer who don't like being seen during daylight, but they do like my clover LMAO Oh well to me banging a deer is just icing on the cake The time spent with my Daughter, Dad, and Nephew is what its all about Quality Family Time!!!!!!!!! Now that truely is "Priceless"!!!!!!!!!!

Just wanted to agree with slip..and Dave..I'm actually taking my daughter out for her 1st hunt with this weekend..hahah she's gonna freeze her *** off..what a way to break her in..good thing is she's already hooked on fishing..just gotta figure how to post some pics of the fish she got outta winni over the summer..Lata...Bob

Hey Bob, send Slipknot an email he's a pro a posting pics Don't feel bad I watched the demonstration at the gathering of how to do it last year and i still can't LMAO Good Luck this weekend Hope your daughter gets her first deer, even if she don't enjoy the time with her it don't get no better then that!!!!!!!!! Take Care God Bless LOL Dave From up North

Definately 2 sides to every issue and I can see some points on the other side. I think in some posts (Forry) we are straying away from what is legal vs. what is not legal (food plots, scents etc)per the game laws. Also, if you are a deer hunter you know that setting up a treestand and hunting it with /without scents etc. is very different. Much time and prep goes into deer hunting and stands are not placed randomly around the woods just as you do not troll Lees Mills for salmon. The issue also comes down to what is ethical and ones own beliefs of sport. I hunt every second I can. Spend hours in a stand and often have arrived home to see deer standing in my back yard, bucks and does. Do I shoot them. Nope. Brings a smile to face because on that day the rascals out smarted me.

On the issue of law enforcement, we all know there are good cops and bad cops and no matter how lawful we all are the bad cops will harass the heck out of us.

My 2 cents;
I can remember when it was against the law to hunt in a tree...Remember that? But now it is not.
Food plots? primary function of these is to increase the deer heard, and to give them food that is good for them. Hunt over them? Show me a racker hanging in a food plot during hunting season other than on 2000 acres of posted land.
How about baiting deer? It is ok if you have written permission from F&G. Not right, to me.
Shooting from a rig? Not right.
In Idaho you can drive an ATV with a gun loaded, same with a rig.... I don't, even way back in the thick stuff.

I believe that what F&G do with the decoys is intended to catch the outlaws. i have seen many deer from the road, even shot one at the ripe old age of 17...It did not do anything for me.
I do remember one time an A-hole shot at deer in a field from the road right above my house. I was in a tree in the back of the field. Have you ever heard the sound of a bullit wizing by your head? How about 3 of them? Not pleasant.It will lift the hair off your neck, I promise you.

Everyone has thier own values. Mine is to try to take the biggest deer on the hill, that is just me. It was not always like that. I started off by shooting any deer, then to any bucks, then to where i am today. My own personal satisfaction. In the same breath, there is nothing wrong with taking does, fawns, or whatever...A deer is a deer....But if you did not have F&G out trying to stop the outlaws from shooting from the roads, you all would have an experience like I did.
I have also taken out a hunter who had been shot, and died in front of me. In his last breath as his son looked over him he asked him why he shot him, then expired.His son did not shoot him, some other hunter did. Imagine his sons thoughts, the rest of his life. This hunter got a slap on the wrist for shooting him, and got to hunt again years later. Not right, not right at all. How can you mistake a 2 legged person for a 4 legged deer, and with a freakin' scope? This guy should have rotted in jail, but did not. Imigine what a 30-06 bullit does when it travels through someones wrist and into his side, and exits his other arm..............
Shooting from a road? Not right, go get em F&G...I personally don't care how they do it....
My rant....

Popeye

Forry, in answer to your question from last night...

If the state were to pass a law on discharge restrictions increasing to 300' from a road, yes, I THOUGHT I would approve.

BUT, you bring up a good point...

Perhaps 300' from the road is a bit much? Maybe a law something more along the lines of... you have to be a set distance from your non-running vehicle AND 15' from the road? (This would help show that you were not just jumping out of your vehicle.) It would not bother me so much if a person walked fifteen feet off the road and shot that big buck you speak of... IF and only IF that hunter wasn't in plain view of some school bus, family van, etc that was carrying non or anti hunters. The LAST thing we need is more antisportsmen in this world. Seeing death, as an unlucky bystander can dramatically change a persons opinion of our sports. And that is exactly what they are for the majority of us nowadays... sports. Its no longer a "survival" need. If we need meat, we can just go to the supermarket. Tagging a deer is NOT going to make a difference in survival to MOST people. Admittedly, there are families in this state that DO count on and need wild game to make it through the winter. That's a different issue, though.

To me there is a distinct line in the sand between a person returning to their vehicle after spending hours in the woods and a person purposely driving around in their vehicle waiting for a deer to be standing beside the road.

Like I said before, the hunt is about many things, one of which is "outsmarting" your intended game of choice. By outsmarting, I mean things such as: locating escape routes, finding feed areas and the trails leading to them, patterning a specific deer, using calls and scents to trick a deers nose, spending hours looking at aerial photos and topo maps to find good "ambush" locations...
To me "outsmarting" a game animal cannot be done while driving in a pickup, sipping a coffee, listening to the Patriots game on the radio with the heat blaring... you need to be in the woods.
The difference to me is "hunting" and just plain ol' "killing". If there were too many deer around and the F&G department opened a "killing" season, then by all means "road kill" to your hearts content. But, until that time, remember it is a "hunting" season.

As far as the use of "robo-deer" by ANY state game department... I'm all for it. Matter of fact, years ago, my own uncle got bagged by F&G for shooting one of their partridge decoys. The idiot, shot it while he was still sitting in his truck! When F&G approached the vehicle, they found a half finished twelve pack on the seat as well. These are the people F&G is after.
If a law abiding hunter encounters the same decoy, but gets out of their vehicle, moves away from the road and THEN prepares to shoot... good for them, they've done everyone proud for following the game laws. So what if they just wasted time from their day preparing to shoot a decoy? They should be happy that F&G is out there trying to stop wanton waste of OUR game.

The truth is... coming in contact with a "robo-deer" will keep honest people honest. Many people would turn their activities illegal if they felt there was no chance of getting caught. F&G making a presence, keeps those folks on the right side of the fence. Can you argue with that? Imagine the devestation if even 5% of NH sportsmen/women turned "rogue" and started blasting animals from the road... wouldn't be pretty.

Sometimes we have to accept the laws that are imposed. There are ethical AND safety reasons people aren't allowed to shoot from their vehicles OR directly from a travelled road. Keeping the poaching numbers down WILL have a direct effect on everyones hunting opportunities and is a nice bonus of the 15' rule.
If F&G could be everywhere at once, there'd be no issue. But, since they cannot, we will have to accept the fact that they need to "bring the violators to them" with their "robo-deer" and "robo-birds".

As an aside... I have no problem with people hunting from GATED roads (Class 6 or whatever they are) in the National Forest and similar areas. These are great areas set aside for outdoorspeople. As long as you're not in a motorized vehicle the use of these roads makes the outdoors accessible to many people that could otherwise not enjoy it. About ten years ago, I was subpermitee for my grandfather on a moose hunt. We were in the Twin Mountains area. Many, many moose around... but due to his bad feet, he couldn't walk well in uneven terrain. We had to use those gated roads to create a viable source of entry for him. It wasn't until the last day of the season that we finally downed a cow moose. He was ecstatic. Although he had hunted moose in Canada and Alaska, that was the last moose hunt he ever went on and he talked about it til the day he died. Without use of those roads it would have been impossible.

WOW! Some really high morals here....

Its hunting! Whitetails are clever animals. A tree stand is the downrigger of hunting. If you do your homework you put the stand up where the deer are. Put the ball down where the fish are. Success comes from hard work and luck!! Scouting is the only way to find out what's going on. Like a fish finder, if there are no fish on the screen don't fish there. If the deer tracks, rubs and scrapes aren't there Guess what??... no deer. Shooting from the truck or the road is luck hunting only. If your disabled there are exemptions for you!

I'm willing to bet any one of you guys on this page went to a hunting camp and the lead guide or the previous hunters said go to the edge of the field or in the stand for 3:00 pm the deer will cross before 4 ...you would be there on the first day and shoot one. Even if you didn't shoot one you would be there to look. Someone has done the homework!! That's the bottom line. It is the exact same as asking what the bite is at Winni.

Be careful not to present the holier than now attitude.

Mechanical deer is nothing more than"entrapment by deception"

Entrapment is such an over-used term. Popeye's strand says it all. What would you rather see:1) have the wardens wait until some trigger-happy yahoo accidently shoots a person? or, 2) set up a situation to weed the idiots out into the open. I choose 2. Like they say about many laws and regs in our society: if you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.

this is to Joe G you talk about maybe the fish and game will catch the trigger happy idiots. that is fine. What is fish and game going to do when the time comes and it very well could, (I hope it never does) when the fish cops are playing thier little game when out of the blue one of those triggerhappy yohoos gets so excited and leaps out of his truck to shoot at that decoy and someone like Popeye (no offence popeye but you witnessed the bullets wizzing by) is up in his tree stand unbenounced to the fish and game in the back of the field and this time ole pop doesn't hear them this time he feels them and fall to his death (again I don't want to offend or see you or anybodyget shot or killed) what are the fish cops going to do then? Like the old saying goes "It's all funny until someone gets hurt" let fish and game play thier silly little games at night and let the hunters have the legal hours of hunting. My dad rest his soul taught me more about hunting and the handling of firearms than anybody and I will stand toe to toe with anybody when it comes to respecting the laws and the game and above all the rights of others. It is evident to me that since a hunter safety card is needed to obtain a hunting license, that the people who are teaching this course aren't getting through to the students. Maybe the fish cops should get more involved???????????????????????? I do want to say I don't road hunt, I do use stands, scents the whole shabang because against the white tail we do need all the help we can get and I am very thankful that the deer don't have guns or bow/arrows. But before I leave I want to say "LONG LIVE POPEYE"
just another of my friendly two cents
Forry who is still looking for big buck
I guess I haven't traveled that right road yet LOL

Point taken. To tell you the truth Forry, after I posted I started thinking a bit more about this. If the wardens are hiding in the woods, some young, excited kid without much hunting under his belt could hear the wardens, wheel around and hit one of them. So, I guess this should be thought out more by the fish and game.They probably shouldn't even let the hunter get a shot off. Then they could rip them a new one and give a warning. But if it's strictly for revenue, like it probably is, this won't happen.

I hope you didn't think I was referring to all hunters as trigger-happy idots. Just a label for the donkeys.

Hey Popeye, great buck! My 85 yr old buddy,Jake, had a 40 foot maple uproot in his yard last week. He cut it with a chainsaw and split the whole thing with a sledge and a wedge IN ONE DAY!! 85!!!! I'd like to take him up to fish with you again before xmas if you're up for it. Seems like we'll have some ice. Joe G

Not being a hunter I can tell you I would be scared sh----- to walk in the woods these days, no matter how much Orange I had on. I can't believe there aren't more hunting accidents and it don't have to be a trigger happy hunter, with that many folks hunting these days, accidents can and do happen.

Big John
Who prefers to stay indoors during hunting season, actually all winter, lol.

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Replying to:

this is to Joe G you talk about maybe the fish and game will catch the trigger happy idiots. that is fine. What is fish and game going to do when the time comes and it very well could, (I hope it never does) when the fish cops are playing thier little game when out of the blue one of those triggerhappy yohoos gets so excited and leaps out of his truck to shoot at that decoy and someone like Popeye (no offence popeye but you witnessed the bullets wizzing by) is up in his tree stand unbenounced to the fish and game in the back of the field and this time ole pop doesn't hear them this time he feels them and fall to his death (again I don't want to offend or see you or anybodyget shot or killed) what are the fish cops going to do then? Like the old saying goes "It's all funny until someone gets hurt" let fish and game play thier silly little games at night and let the hunters have the legal hours of hunting. My dad rest his soul taught me more about hunting and the handling of firearms than anybody and I will stand toe to toe with anybody when it comes to respecting the laws and the game and above all the rights of others. It is evident to me that since a hunter safety card is needed to obtain a hunting license, that the people who are teaching this course aren't getting through to the students. Maybe the fish cops should get more involved???????????????????????? I do want to say I don't road hunt, I do use stands, scents the whole shabang because against the white tail we do need all the help we can get and I am very thankful that the deer don't have guns or bow/arrows. But before I leave I want to say "LONG LIVE POPEYE"
just another of my friendly two cents
Forry who is still looking for big buck
I guess I haven't traveled that right road yet LOL

I agree accident can and do happen but to shoot a Human????????? That is just not following the basic rules of hunting and that is Identifying your target before you shoot, The only type of human shooting i can accept in hunting is the possibility of a malfunctioning weapon, (example, gun goes off while loading or unloading) or some type of problem with the weapon itself, Anyone that shoots another human should lose their hunting license for LIFE Just my .02cents, I've missed many a deer because i just wasn't sure if it was a deer or not, I would much rather Miss a deer then be stupid and shoot at movement in the bushes or something that is just plain Stupidity!!!!!!!!! Take Care God Bless LOL Dave From up North Who knows of someone in my area who got shot by his own brother for the same stupid above reasons of not identifying his target!!!!!!!!

I perfer to call my firearms tools and not weapon. my firearms are used for hunting. the definition of weapon is below. If we are going to keep our rights to bear these arms, we must as they say be POLICTICALLY CORRECT (Bull Dung)but we can't let the antigun freaks beat us with our own words.

weap·on /ˈwɛpən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[wep-uhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 1. any instrument or device for use in attack or defense in combat, fighting, or war, as a sword, rifle, or cannon.
2. anything used against an opponent, adversary, or victim: the deadly weapon of satire.
3. Zoology. any part or organ serving for attack or defense, as claws, horns, teeth, or stings.
–verb (used with object) 4. to supply or equip with a weapon or weapons: to weapon aircraft with heat-seeking missiles.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Origin: bef. 900; ME wepen, OE wǣpen; c. G Waffe, ON vāpn, Goth wépna (pl.)]

Tool / Weapon/ Bow/arrow, spear, speargun, harpoon, fish hook, howitzer, tank, missiles etc, etc. etc., all weapons don't make much of a difference they're all used to KILL!!!!!!!! I'm already in college I know the definition but thanks for the update!!!! Take Care God Bless LOL Dave From up North

Sounds to me like you are are on the fence trying to decide which side to take. I did not mean to offend anyone. just making a comment on how we hunters ( if you fall into that category that's great if not then I wasn't speaking specifically to you just the part you said about hunting guns being weapons, you could be a wolf in sheep’s clothing who knows?) must be careful how we word things to make sure that our rights stay protected. If I offended you then I apologize. none of the item you mentioned can, as you say KILL by themselves I't takes someone to do the KILLING.

Maybe I was a little sarcastic for that I apologize, but either way you put it all those Weapons or tools do kill correct? and Yes your absulutly correct it is I or someone else that pulls the trigger to Kill something, Not sure what you meant by on the fence trying to decide? I've re-read it a few times and I can't figure out what you mean. and one of the only reasons i call it a "Weapon" is that is what i was taught and that is also how fish and game states it in the 10 commandments of safe hunting, specifically always having full control of the weapon you are in possesion of. We can call them whatever we want to but in all reality they are "Weapons" no matter how you look at it. and unless we get a president that changes the entire constitution my rights to keep and bear arms are still protected under the second ammendment!!!!!!! Again sorry if i was sarcastic towards you we all have "Bad" days!!!!!! And yes i understand what you are saying Big John, but that there still goes with knowing the target you are shooting at and also what is behind that target, If your not sure?????? Then you shouldn't shoot Thats also in the 10 commandments That's all from me on this subject let's move on!!!!!!!! Take Care God Bless LOL Dave From up North P.S. I am also by no means a wolf in sheeps clothing, I'm a dumb frenchman (proud of it i might say) and if i got a problem with someone I'll tell them straight out not behind their back!!!!!!!

there was really nothing to apolagize about. just a couple of guys having a discussion on a topic, on a web site that I believe is desgned to do so. there are no hard feelings here. I believe you are younger than I. the reason I say this is because when I took my hunter safety course way back when,the ten commandments were a little different. I don't have that old book, BUT it was back when the game book they passed out was about 1/2"-5/8" thick and in that book it read never aim a GUN at anything you do not intend to shoot, Never jump a ditch with a loaded GUN.
Treat every GUN as if it were loaded etc. nowadays the wording is all changed. in fact I am pretty sure they even change a few of the commandments.(not positive) I guess you know by now that if I have a problem I don't go behind their back either I confront them head on as well. let be end by saying I am a puddle jumper as well. and you must remember there is only two types of people, a french man and those that what to be French.

As I said many times, "not being a hunter", I didn't realize the basic rules, like you said Dave, "make sure it's a deer before you shoot", makes perfect sense..and I'm sure 99% of you follow those common sense rules. What I was referring to was more like getting hit by a stray bullet. Someone shoots, at a Deer, misses and some poor soul a few 100 yards behind the target takes a bullet.

I'm done, I think I should sit on the side and let you hunters hash this stuff out as I don't have a clue anyhow..

Big John

Many good opinions, I tend to agree with Fish N 247, and Forry. I do believe many more people in NH hunt for meat than some individuals on this site assume. I do not hold it against any one for shooting does or smaller deer. I will still congratulate them and probably help them drag it out. But to have Fish & Game play games during hunting hours with the sportsmans who pay their wages is wrong. Many of us put in several hundred hours in the woods each year to improve our chances. Maybe if the F&G spent the extra time IN THE WOODS they would improve their chances also. The Robo-Deer and the other real animals they use is entrapment and a slap in the face to many sportsman. Again just my last 2 cents, gone hunting and good luck. Roland

Good Luck Roland...Your still chasing?????

Popeye

Still just have the two with bow in NH, seeing some, nothing big and still using the smoke pole. May do Mass with the smoke pole late Dec. good luck. Roland

Roland... I never meant that shooting a doe or small buck was a bad thing. Lord knows, I've shot both. It doesn't matter one bit what size the animal is as long as its being pursued legally and the meat is put to good use. That was my only point there, that it was legal.
Now as far as the hunters that are out there for NEED of meat and not for sport...
First, they still need to follow the law.
But secondly, there should be some sort of permit a person could obtain to harvest a deer during an early season or something. Like a subsistence permit. Alaska and Canada give them to the natives... why not give them to anyone unable to keep food on the table otherwise. Obviously a person would have to prove they needed such a permit... but it is something that should be available.

On another note, theres always "hunters for the hungry". I hope more and more hunters contribute to this and continue to help others in need. It really is a good cause.

And lastly, good to hear you're using the smokepole still. That is my weapon of choice. Still toting mine around the little time I get. Heard today that someone saw a monster eight point coming out of my number one spot at 6:45 this morning. Guess I should have been on stand prior to my doctors appointment!

entrapment ,maybe. a way to catch the poaching and illegal fraternity who all give us a bad name ,deffinately. here in maine the fish and wildlife estimate that for every deer taken by legal means one is taken illegaly. ill bet new hamshire is close to the same . having lived in new hampshire for over fifty years i heard and saw my share of the activities. i say let fish and game figure out how to catch the ones outside the law,its their job. strings