Deer stands - how close to feeder

[RidgeHunter]

Many people have the misconception that feeders cause the deer to come in and do a conga line around the place and that monster bucks just sit there and say SHOOT ME SHOOT ME. Not the case.

That's the main reason we don't hunt feeders. I see them more as a disadvantage than an advantage in 95% of situations. The negatives outweigh any positives to me.

I definitely won't call a feeder "cheating", I'd be quicker to call it a gimmick. A good hunter is not going to say a feeder is why he kills mature bucks any more than the color of his socks.

Definitely not a huge advantage, and has enough disadvantages for me not to be interested.

Whats the difference in a feeder, and sitting over an oak tree, or grain field edge, or any other deer food source for that matter?
Is the hunter handicapped?
Totally legal in Ok and that makes it ethical.

He never said it wasn't ethical, just he "didn't get it".

I know a wealthy family that hunts a huge, highly managed chunk of land. They are the only people I know to consistently score on mature bucks off feeders (because of light hunting pressure and because of the management, otherwise I think feeders are a disadvantage at hunting mature bucks outside the odd buck checking them for does in the rut.)

Point being, they sit in box blinds all day listening to radios and whatnot, watching huge bucks until they find one they want to kill to add to the dozens they have mounted.

I wouldn't call it unethical, but I sure as hell "don't get it". I'd rather not even go hunting than hunt with them, despite their big bucks. It has no appeal, excitement or interest to me. They video tape their deer and sit around talking about whether they should shoot them next time. I don't "get" that. There are no surprises in their hunting, it's like it's scripted.

On a side note, legal does not equal ethical....and ethical does not always equal legal. I think we all know that. There is no law saying you can't shoot a deers leg off on purpose during legal season, but I would say doing so is unethical.

 

[dennishoddy]

That's the main reason we don't hunt feeders. I see them more as a disadvantage than an advantage in 95% of situations. The negatives outweigh any positives to me.

I definitely won't call a feeder "cheating", I'd be quicker to call it a gimmick. A good hunter is not going to say a feeder is why he kills mature bucks any more than the color of his socks.

Definitely not a huge advantage, and has enough disadvantages for me not to be interested.



He never said it wasn't ethical, just he "didn't get it".

My comment was a general comment, not a reply.On a side note, legal does not equal ethical....and ethical does not always equal legal. I think we all know that. There is no law saying you can't shoot a deers leg off on purpose during legal season, but I would say doing so is unethical.

Shooting a leg off on purpose is not ethical, no matter how one wants to spin it. Get real.

 

[RidgeHunter]

Shooting a leg off on purpose is not ethical, no matter how one wants to spin it. Get real.

Is that not what I said? Because that's what I was trying to say.

I was countering the "legal, therefore ethical" idea.

Where's the law saying one has to aim for a deers vitals?

 

[dennishoddy]

Is that not what I said? Because that's what I was trying to say.

I was countering the "legal, therefore ethical" idea.

Where's the law saying one has to aim for a deers vitals?

There is none.

BTW what is wrong in managing your deer herd to produce trophy bucks, or for the best part to get the buck to doe ratio back to managable levels?
I've helped a guy do that for the last 6 years. If they want to sit in a blind and discuss what buck they want to kill, is it any different than sitting at the kitchen table looking at game cam pics and saying THAT is the one I want to kill?
Its all about managing for a healthy herd and the landowners/hunters in the surrounding areas will benefit from it.

 

[RidgeHunter]

There is none.

That's my point. Just because it's legal, doesn't mean it's ethical. Same in hunting, same in life.

We jacked this thread, but it was just going to be the 999th million feeder debate on the internet anyways, so no great loss.

I will say I'm about to set one up in my backyard this winter for pitchers and deer watching. I assume 99% of activity will be at night, I don't hunt here though. I wanna see what's hangin' around. It's in my garage ready to be assembled.

 

[dennishoddy]

No biggie! Its just a discussion

 

[djcorrell]

60 - 75 yds. is a good distance. 100 is ok but wind can start to play a big part. my $.02

 

[tm8634]

just put the feeder under your stand...

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Gotta agree with Ridgehunter here - ethical is a smaller subset within legal, not coterminous. And yeah, Dennis, you just repeated what RH had said.

 

[Werewolf]

There is none.

BTW what is wrong in managing your deer herd to produce trophy bucks, or for the best part to get the buck to doe ratio back to managable levels?
I've helped a guy do that for the last 6 years. If they want to sit in a blind and discuss what buck they want to kill, is it any different than sitting at the kitchen table looking at game cam pics and saying THAT is the one I want to kill?
Its all about managing for a healthy herd and the landowners/hunters in the surrounding areas will benefit from it.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that if managing/culling is what you're doing. It benefits everyone including the animals.

Just don't call it huntin'!
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