Before you see how long this thread is and just click to something else read a little farther.
Somebody else is bound to feel this way, not just me.
I began hunting a certain buck Dec. 2005. I got some (3)trail cam pics of him and estimated him to be about 3 1/2 years old. I hunted him until the season closed in mid Jan. with no sightings. I kept my camera out and got 1 pic in Feb. and 1 in late Apr. when his antlers were about 3 inches long.
I got another pic in late July (which I posted here on AT). I didn't get anymore until about the middle of this Oct. I then began getting more frequent pics of him (20 or so). I even have a picture of him 30 minutes before I shot him, which was the first time I had layed eyes on him. I estimated his age at 4 1/2 though I have not had the jaw bone aged yet.
I even passed up a mid 120's 8 pter in late Sept. that I probably would have taken had I not known the bigger deer was there.
I since have had a funny, weird, sad feeling in my stomach when I look at the last picture of him alive (30 min. before I shot him). I did realize that when I shot him that this was a bitter sweet ending to a year long story. Maybe I am just getting to soft, but the numerous pictures I had gave a weird sort of attachment to him, that I just don't know that I like.
Has anyone else ever felt this way or is it just me?
How much of an effect has game cameras had on your hunting success, deer herd, age structure, and overall enjoyment. I love the heck out of my camera and just can't wait to see whats on it. How much has it changed the way we hunt? I can say without a doubt that it makes me a better hunter or at least makes my time afield more efficient. So does that tip the odds to the hunter to much? I don't know?
what do you think??????
Somebody else is bound to feel this way, not just me.
I began hunting a certain buck Dec. 2005. I got some (3)trail cam pics of him and estimated him to be about 3 1/2 years old. I hunted him until the season closed in mid Jan. with no sightings. I kept my camera out and got 1 pic in Feb. and 1 in late Apr. when his antlers were about 3 inches long.
I got another pic in late July (which I posted here on AT). I didn't get anymore until about the middle of this Oct. I then began getting more frequent pics of him (20 or so). I even have a picture of him 30 minutes before I shot him, which was the first time I had layed eyes on him. I estimated his age at 4 1/2 though I have not had the jaw bone aged yet.
I even passed up a mid 120's 8 pter in late Sept. that I probably would have taken had I not known the bigger deer was there.
I since have had a funny, weird, sad feeling in my stomach when I look at the last picture of him alive (30 min. before I shot him). I did realize that when I shot him that this was a bitter sweet ending to a year long story. Maybe I am just getting to soft, but the numerous pictures I had gave a weird sort of attachment to him, that I just don't know that I like.
Has anyone else ever felt this way or is it just me?
How much of an effect has game cameras had on your hunting success, deer herd, age structure, and overall enjoyment. I love the heck out of my camera and just can't wait to see whats on it. How much has it changed the way we hunt? I can say without a doubt that it makes me a better hunter or at least makes my time afield more efficient. So does that tip the odds to the hunter to much? I don't know?
what do you think??????