Lucky for me, my state has long seasons, generous bag limits, no tag draws, and few restrictions on what you hunt with, except no airguns or rimfires under .25 caliber for big game. No baiting on public land, and restricted in counties with CWD and those adjacent. They manage the game, not the hunters. Lots of deer, bear, and turkeys. Real trophy-class deer can be found in four counties that are vertical bow-only. We even have some real wild boars, NOT feral hogs, from a stocking done years ago.
Next door, VA also has generous bag limits and long seasons, and allows hunting with just about anything as well, even airguns. If allowing crossbows, inlines, suppressors, even baiting, had a negative impact on deer numbers or quality on their own, it would show up in this area, so I have to conclude that it doesn’t, so I don’t fret over what anyone else does, I just hunt how I like, within the very loosey-goosey rules and my own notions of fair chase, and ignore all the blather from those who want to tell others how it ought to be done, especially when they complain about how “their deer” are being killed before they get a chance at them. The chance is there for them just like everyone else.
I agree overall
And no one has ever heard me ever reference my deer.
What I have let walk many times .
Gets shot down the terrian feature.
Btdt.
All part of public land hunting.
My point is the baiting and good ole boy stuff enacted on for certain private interest and not the public even though it is presented that way.
And the lack of enforcement of laws.
