Frazz by Jef Mallett for November 14, 2024

Irrelevant. Most people that buy big pickup trucks don’t even use the truck bed.

Since the answer is unknown, it’s not an insight.

So it’s more of an out-of-sight.

Alaska has a waiting list for road kill moose, too many suspicous accidents.

Some giant “mom-SUVs” now have a blind spot in front that’s sufficient to hide mom’s toddler from her view as she drives forward down the driveway. Similar backing up, but at least there’s a camera back there. This is a VERY unfortunate way to “hunt”!

One of the reason you don’t see deer on hoods of cars and such anymore, is it’s not a good way to transport something you intend to eat. Especially, at today’s highway speeds and traffic. I’d say most people are putting the deer in the bed of the truck and or wrapping them up and placing them in the back of their SUV. If placed on top of the vehicle or such, they are usually wrapped in tarps.

Anyway, doesn’t matter. Most hunters don’t even hunt anymore. They put out bait stations, train the deer to come to them. The remove the bait stations during hunting season, because they are illegal to use during hunting season. The deer will still come to where they’ve been trained to look for grain or salt licks. Allowing the “hunters” to have target practice, than actually having to use any hunting skill.

The real downside to this method of “hunting” is by having so many deer congregate in one place into close proximity using the same salt licks and feeders often causes the spread of diseases that would never have occurred otherwise. It’s most likely humans using bait stations are the reason Covid spread to deer in the first place.

BTW, there are still plenty of people still hunting around me, but there are two hunting areas within minutes of where I live and plenty of properties large enough for people to hunt on their own property.

Down here, mainly due to the temperature, we field dress, skin, and quarter out the deer as soon as possible. On the ice they go. When we used to see deer tied to the hood, or even in a pickup bed, we’d say “There goes somebody that won’t like venison.”

And the “rolling smoke” is a good concealer.

The whole world has become squeamish about the realities of life. Public inability to tolerate the sight of gore put an end to taking one’s harvest home on the roof rack. The snowflake is the bully.

Read where manufacturers are reducing production of sedans and coupés and adding more vans and pickups to their lines. Don’t know why except for the dollar factor.

There are half dozen of same in our neighborhood and except one guy up the street, mine is tho only one that hauls anything from trash and grass clipping and leaves to furniture and recyclables. But then at my age, I’m from the generations who actually did their own yard work, fixed broken things, and handled whatever else came up. Not many doing that these days.

I have noticed the once humble pickup becoming monstrous in size and accessories. Now that I think about it, dinosaurs also became huge before they became extinct.

I’m not sure why I keep reading that hunter numbers are down. It certainly is not the case where I live. Not only are hunter numbers up, but more and more people are moving here. Montana is FULL, I hear North Dakota is nice.

Not an insight, an outtasight…

Way back in 1940 my folks would take me to ‘feed the deer’ in a nearby NJ town where deer were in a fenced in place in the woods. What a treat to see these wonderful animals come up & take food from our hands.

Kid, you don’t have to stake out the local interstate to find out whether hunting is up or down, just consult the number of licenses sold, which is probably available from your state DNR.

Just yesterday, a herd (or whatever) of eight deer were roaming around in my semi-rural suburban neighborhood.

In Pennsylvania the number of hunting licenses sold has been dropping. However, the number of deer killed is higher since more than one can be legally killed by each hunter. I stoppen hunting since I live in an area that has too many houses too close to where I would be able to see deer. And, if I killed one I would have to eat the entire thing by myself because the wife would not touch meat from a critter she might have watched grow up.

Back then I was the guy driving pickups, which could be bought for $500 and repaired easily. It’s all I could afford. Now, while I could afford a giant pickup I prefer Honda Civics. The odd time I need a pickup I rent one for $20 at Lowes.

And I thought Caulfield was the only kid at that school who was too smart for his own good.

As a hunter for 35 years, I can tell you that at least around here hunting is on the decline, and deer populations are way up. I didn’t hunt this year (didn’t have the heart to, all my hunting buddies are dead) but I still go to my camp, and there just aren’t nearly as many hunters in the woods as there used to be. Don’t even hear gunshots that often.

The weather has gotten so warm, hunters need to get the carcasses to the processor ASAP. Can’t risk the meat rotting while you drive 5 hours in 50 degree temps.

With a pickup truck, the deer is put in the bed under a tarp. Then no one sees it, especially the Game Warden.

Some of the trucks out there need a step ladder to get into. Could very easily slip a deer in the bed unnoticed.

I think to some degree it’s the same reason women wear stiletto heels with jeans: substituting substance with style ( I drive a big ol’ pick-up; don’t need no dead animals to prove…whatever.)