I know that I may get some slack from the gun-slingers out there, but this is my opinion and well, that's that. Opening day of gun season in Michigan is a day I dread, as well as many other devoted ethical hunters. When opening day first light appears and I look out into a field and it looks like a never harvested pumpkin patch, it makes me sick.
First of all, sitting less than 50 yards from a person with a gun is unsafe! Why in the world would anyone think this is okay? I lay some of this on the property owners, be responsible with your land, manage it and who treads on it. And as for the hunter who thinks it's okay when he see orange to just walk a few more feet and pop-a-squat too, well I hope your wearing a bullet-proof vest. I don't wish ill on any gun hunter, I want them all to be safe and I DO want them all to have a chance at a mature whitetail deer. However, that brings me to my next rant.
HOW MANY SHOTS DOES IT TAKE TO SHOOT A DEER?! ONE PEOPLE, ONLY ONE! If you have to make more than one shot on a deer, you shouldn't be hunting! I have had to hear numerous stories of how many shots it took someone to "drop their deer at 70yds". Well, please hunter, tell me, had you practiced a 70yrds shot with your gun, no? Then why the hell are you taking it!!!??? It's like any one who owns a gun and knows how to pull the trigger is hunting. Please, practice your shots, so you don't have to risk injuring a deer and not recovering it, or better yet, so your meat isn't full of lead.
When I wake up opening morning and see the pumpkins and hear the chorus of gunshots, I am sickened. Sicken that so many uneducated, unethical and unsafe people (I won't even call all of the hunters, as they have not put in the work) are out in that field killing whatever is brown. You should be ashamed if this is you.
Oh and Michigan, what the hell are YOU thinking?! Why in the world are your regulations so lax to allow this to happen? Why is out gun season the longest of any other state?! And why are people allowed to shoot two bucks!? There has got to be a better way, oh wait, there is, other states are doing it.
Maybe, you should have to shoot a does first, to earn a buck tag. Gun season should be shortened and this early season, what the hell is that? Lets spook the deer before bow season, thanks, that helps. I am just so sick of seeing button bucks, yearlings and small immature bucks posted to Facebook walls. Look, if it's your very first deer and you have put in the work, OK, that's fine. But if you have been hunting for years and you take a 1-2 year old buck because he ran under your stand, you have no respect from me.
Take mature deer. Take a doe and feed your family. Hunting should not be about the trophy, it should be about feeding your family with the resources God gave you and managing those resources for those who follow you. Set good examples, do your research, make good choices and feel remorse for your kill. If you can't do that, please stay at home.
The Valentines
One Shot 1941
It runs in our blood. This is our great-grandma, her first time out with a shotgun. She took this buck and this doe with one slug. She never went hunting again, didn't want to push her luck we suppose!
