204 inch free ranging buck killed in Georgia.

[Mark from MA]

I think you're taking it personally bro. Like you said, just an opinion. But the fact that you feel like you need to defend baiting kind of tells me that deep down you feel that asterisk too. But it's all good. Like you said - just my opinion. If it's legal where you're at - have at it.

That said if it is your impression that there aren't deer in MA, I have to strongly disagree. There's a reason the state extended the season an additional 2 weeks this year for most of the zones in the state. We have a lot of deer here. Too many in fact. Maybe not the coveted big boys that roam Iowa, but we have a lot of deer here. Now maybe you have to travel to a different zone, but a blanket comment about the entire state is just, well, factually wrong. That's what the state's wildlife biologist responsible for managing and monitoring the herd say on the matter anyway. Not trying to offend bro, just stating the facts.

IDK why you went on about access, land, etc. Every hunter faces those challenges. My comments strictly revolved around bait and high fence. Hey if you like that stuff - more power too you. It's not like it makes you a bad person. But people who "hunt" like that are a rung below those who do not in my eyes. Don't really care if that opinion is shared by others or not. In my eyes - that's how it is. I don't consider it "hunting" so much as maybe "harvesting" would be a more appropriate word. There's no semblance of fair chase involved in bait or high fence. Really no pursuit or chase at all.

Not really taking it personally, I know it's your opinion, and on high fence deer I agree with you 100%. I feel on high fence, judgements can be made as it's NOT fair chase. Ive done that as well, its is NOT hunting, did a boar hunt that way, it was the closest and cheapest way to do it, and I had a lot of fun with a bunch of guys. Not hunting 100% agree.

Other than that, I feel it's just best keep your opinions and asterisks to yourself. Because some guy that hunts thousands of acres in Northern Maine, tracking down deer, can easily say your buck, shot in a RI or MA 150 acre woodlot is a joke. Can't he? I mean, he's a woodsman finding a deer in an area that has 1 deer per square mile, navigating himself by compass. You are sitting in a tree, in an area with 20 deer per square mile, sitting 1/4 mile from a mall or a major highway....... Now your deer gets an asterisk in his opinion.

So where do we draw the line? Is a deer taken with a gun less than a deer taken with a bow? How about taking a deer driving deer? Does that get an asterisk? So on and so on. Honestly, I try not to judge, I've seen and done all sorts of hunting, and I feel it becomes somewhat elitist to judge, and there are so many methods and its so different throughout New England, whose right and whose wrong?

I also don't think you've done any baiting, because it's no magical potion, again, if your sitting an acorn ridge, apple tree, corn field, or using any food source to get a deer over your baiting or taking deer with aid of bait IMHO. Ill state this again, my biggest bucks have come from travel routes in areas where they are looking for does. Not over a bait pile. Not being able to bait means nothing to me.....I could care less. Hunting CT during the rut, I don't bait, its a waste of time and money because I don't sit on it....because it doesn't draw big bucks. In September, when does are hungry and I want to put meat in the freezer, sure I'll use the corn pile and whack and stack a few and be done with it.

MA has a shit ton of deer in the East on small woodlots........I was wrong there by saying the whole state. That is NOT true. MA's problem is the setbacks that don't allow hunting in those areas, towns that are closed, etc.
Kinda why I ignore MA when it comes to "lots" of deer and go to other states.
Other states are much more hunter friendly than dealing with MA idiot liberals.

 

[ThePreBanMan]

Maine hunters tracking down deer in low deer density big woods get mad respect from me. If they want to laugh at me, so be it. I'll be the first to admit, they're better than I am. Asterisk or whatever they want to call it, they wouldn't be wrong.
I don't think the set backs in MA are too bad. I mean 150 from a road.... That's only 50 yards. That's nothing. The 500 from an occupied building can be a little challenging at times though. I have to agree, town ordinances are rough. New Bedford has some huge woods in the North End... All closed by way of town ordinances prohibiting discharge of firearms or archery. I've heard stories of NB police giving grief to hunters on the Acushnet Cedar Swamp WMA as it's largely in NB. Hunting is a protected activity on state WMAs under state law which supercedes town ordinances. But that didn't seem to stop them giving grief.

 

[Mark from MA]

Maine hunters tracking down deer in low deer density big woods get mad respect from me. If they want to laugh at me, so be it. I'll be the first to admit, they're better than I am. Asterisk or whatever they want to call it, they wouldn't be wrong.
I don't think the set backs in MA are too bad. I mean 150 from a road.... That's only 50 yards. That's nothing. The 500 from an occupied building can be a little challenging at times though. I have to agree, town ordinances are rough. New Bedford has some huge woods in the North End... All closed by way of town ordinances prohibiting discharge of firearms or archery. I've heard stories of NB police giving grief to hunters on the Acushnet Cedar Swamp WMA as it's largely in NB. Hunting is a protected activity on state WMAs under state law which supercedes town ordinances. But that didn't seem to stop them.

Same here....those guys from Maine/VT/NH that are the trackers, are the "real" hunters in my book. I've done some of it in Central and Western MA, but eventually your run into Posted signs. Sucks really cutting a nice track and having to stop.

Yeah....MA really not hunter friendly. Most of the towns with State land in Southern CT have no problem with hunters, they want them. Private land is private land, no setbacks, you can set up right next to the neighbors swingset if you want and they can't do squat about it really, not that that's ideal. In general there's less to worry about is my point.

Not that some of these urban deer loaded spots aren't fraught disaster in dealing with leafblowers, Mexican landscapers taking a dump under your stand, kids walking around, neighbors and construction, etc....messing up your hunt. You name it, I've seen it, and its likely messed my hunt up. So yeah...I can bait...but dealing with the peripheral crap that goes along with the area....its a pain in the ass.

 

[joseph]

When you bait with corn mix C'mere Deer Corn Coat in the corn and the bucks will come out during the day. It really works.

 

[joseph]

If it is true this kid is really dumb:

Heard this morning that the recent GON 204” buck was confiscated by the game warden. Guy purchased his license after he had already posted the buck on social media..

I will keep you updated!!!!

 

[joseph]

From what I gather it is true.

 

[joseph]

This was posted on another chatroom.

 

[Mark from MA]

When you bait with corn mix C'mere Deer Corn Coat in the corn and the bucks will come out during the day. It really works.

Not in my neck of the woods it didn't. The big bucks visit feed after dark. Those are little bucks.