Frazz by Jef Mallett for November 14, 2014

Deer hunting styles actually vary by state. In the flatter states like my old homestate of Indiana, rifles are illegal for deer hunting because they shoot too far, (apparently). Because the alternatives to rifles are bows and shotguns, both of which have short range, the style there is mostly sit and wait. In other states that allow rifle hunting, stalking is a much greater part of hunting deer.

Well you do have to train. You need to sight your rifle, you need to be sure that you are physically fit enough to walk miles over rugged terrain out here in the West. I don’t take it lightly.

My son-in-law just return from hunting in Kansas during bow season. Got his limit of 1 doe and 1 buck on the same day.

Jef Mallet and I both live in central Michigan where there are way too many deer. Car/deer accidents are a real problem, as I know too well. In Southern Michigan you need a shotgun for the reason sited above and hunting is a lot of sitting but then they have to drag the carcass out after field dressing it. Many heart attacks among older or out of shape hunters happen after the shot, especially if it’s not a clean kill and there’s snow to wade through as they track it.

Wolves are incredible creatures. I raised 3. but really watch this video. it is amazing. http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/how-wolves-change-rivers/

Nature got along perfectly well before humans arrived, and it will get along much better after we’re gone (if we don’t destroy the entire planet first)

The deer where I live in Oregon are so numerous that they come right into town. I often see them grazing in farmers’ fields as if they were domestic livestock.

I’m a mechanic by trade, and I can say that while cars don’t eat their kills, I’ve certainly had them take bite out of me… ;)

Several years ago, the Canadian government made it a real pain in the hoop to obtain a hunting rifle. Since then, the number of hunters has dropped way off. When I first started hunting there were hunters everywhere – every logging road, power line, clearcut and farmer’s field had a hunter in it. Now, 25 years later, the older hunters are either becoming too old and giving it up, or they’re dying off (I’m the youngest of our hunting group at 42, the next youngest is in his 50’s, and the rest are all in their 60’s and 70’s). There are few young deer hunters to take the place of these retiring/dying hunters. As this is happening deer populations are exploding, as are coyotes. When I started hunting we were allowed one buck. Then they started offering a “lottery” for does. Then we were allowed a buck or a doe (no lottery). Now we’re allowed a buck AND a doe, and I expect before long we’ll be allowed two deer regardless of sex, and after that probably two of each sex. And the population continues to rise as hunters dwindle off. Farmers are constantly complaining about crop damage. The highways are littered with deer carcasses. Even in suburban areas like where I live deer are common – there is a nearly pure white one that frequents my yard, and I almost ran one over the other day while slowing down to turn into my driveway. Coyotes are booming, and they’re also diversifying – not only are they fattening up on deer, they’re also eating house pets, and in a few cases they have even killed people.

People who whine about deer hunters being cruel fail to realize that deer do not die peaceful deaths naturally. They either starve to death, get torn apart by predators, or are run over by cars. A person shooting a deer is no more cruel, in fact, far less cruel, than a pack of coyotes or wolves ripping a deer apart.

Coyotes are in residential areas of central FL attacking cats mainly.Also in FL if you kill a deer with your car you can keep the deer.