Club hunting or alone for Deer?

[Margaritaville]

This might end up in the first locked thread. :D

I was born into club hunting with organized drives. I wouldn't change it for the world, but if I quit the club, I would NEVER join another one.

What is your preference?

[Barrell]

Small quiet drives with a few freinds are alot of fun.and are very effective in the right conditions. I would never participate in the large noisy drives I see in Nj. I prefer to hunt solo.

[onthehunt]

I gun hunt with clubs here in NJ. If I quit this club i'm in now I won't join another also. The rest of the season it is strickly standhunting and the 6 day firearm season is more about fun with friends than deer hunting. The bow season is all business:)

[njbowhunter]

I would never join a club I only hunt alone or with 1 or two friends. I am one of those guys against the drive army. If you want to have fun and hang out with friends you can do it out of the woods. Not trying to start trouble just my opinion. I had some bad run ins with mostly one club when I was younger.

[stephenf]

i have hunted with a couple different clubs i have family members in and i would not do it again , I saw how they treated other people in the woods and took deer they didnt shoot and did what ever they could to a POT hunter as they called it ,also having issues on the private ground i hunt ,when they get together it seems to bring the bad out in alot of people and event he ones who recognize some of what they do being wrong they look the other , it is a hunter right to do it i just prefer not to .I do do small pushes 4 to 6 guys silent to the kids and what not ,but the GANG style so popular here is not for me .

[onthehunt]

Club hunting in NJ during six day is "the way it is". If you don't like it, buy property or go to work. I also had runins with clubs very early on and know your pain. I just accepted the fact that it was going to be very difficult to kill a nice buck during that week and that was it until I went with some of my football teamates from school "driving" and was hooked. Not by the hunting itself but the comraderie. I know this is going to be brought up so hear it goes... the club I belong to does not allow drinking in the club and if you show up in the morning with liquor on your breath from the night before you are asked to sit the morning out. period. We are safe and most of the guys have been doing this for years and know the routine so we are also very efficient, often getting 9,or 10 drives in a day. Being a bow hunter I already get 3 months in the woods stand hunting, what's 1 week of dealing with drives? Yeah, and I feel bad about the father and the son in their two man ladder in the middle of the drives. Again, this is the way it is in NJ. And one more thing, if NJ decided to do away with clubs alltogether, i would not be dissapointed:rolleyes:

[grtwhthunter/fisherman]

:cheers:my brother inlaw belongs to a cluband like you guys already stated if your looking for comaradery and just hanging out playing cards and gun rafles its great i go evry year day before openong but never will join the slaughter. to me the quite of the morning and whatever comes by not scared to death is what its all about ya think:oif thats there thing they have that rite BUT in the zones marked for all january slaughteris so wrong this ive witnessed seeing clubs meet every single sat and day off driving same piece of woods over and over and over shooting all that moves (deer) im talkin 35lbs 40lbs arent they cool. woods i used to hunt no longer have deer in them not kiddin (williamstown) i know the state wants them reduced to nill but these guys r ruining there own sport evry doe shot in january is like killing 3 actually and the fetus's are fully formed which is just kinda wrong '''''''''':thdown: just one mans side.:huh:

[onthehunt]

Whoa!! That late season "anything goes" slaughter is a whole other thread. I don't agree with that! Not for the club hunting reason but the message it sends to the young hunters often seen on these hunts. Too many guys aren't able to identfy what exactly they are shooting at. At least during buck season you need to look closely enough to see bone on it's head. And secondly, way to many buttons get killed during that hunt. Crippled up fawns and all that, I just can't see it being a real enjoyable day. But it's legal and it's thier right as sportsman to choose right from wrong. Those hunts are more for meat hunting and numbers than comraderie.Again, only one guys opinion.

[BarnesX.308]

Love the deer camp experience but mostly hunt solitary. We'll have about 10 guys up at camp and we play cards and darts and sit down to dinner together. In the day time, we all hunt alone. If someone gets one, we have 2-way radios and we'll help out.

I guess I'm for both. :D

[Huntincrazy]

Used to hunt w/family upstate.There where always at least 12 of us.Tried to hunt w/ a buddy at his club once to many people:eek: I like being alone or just with a few guy's.There always seems to be alot of folks out to push the Deer anyway.

HC:D

[Eastern Shore Slayer]

pretty much just me and my dad at camp. we join up with the local farmers that last day of firearm season and drive a few small slivers of woods
i dont hunt nj anymore, i like the peaceful solitude of the woods of gods country

[cableguy657]

No clubs for me. Went with a club when I was a teenager just starting out hunting. Found out quick it wasnt for me. For years I would even skip shotgun week altogether, just to avoid the bs from the clubs.
Some small drives with the neigbors is about as much as I do.
In recent years I have been lucky enough to hunt on private property. Really nice, no one bothering you and when you get one you walk back to the barn and get the four wheeler.:D Got my fingers crossed that I will be able to hunt there this year.

[brown bob]

i really love club hunting, for 30 years now. the past few have not been my favorite due to the lack of deer we are seeing in belleplain , but i enjoy this way of hunting . plus it is another way to be in the woods with my dad. bb

[condition1]

Always hunt by myself or with one other. But opening day is usually spent chasing other hunters off the property. Sometimes all 6 days. What a PITA.

I can remember one of my first years hunting with my Dad. Club comes in to a property next to ours. Smaller club maybe 15 guys. Deer comes out into the opening, 1st guy shoots deer, it falls instantly. Second guy shoots the dead deer. Then its on. They must have shot the same deer 7 times. When the deer moved from the impact of the buckshot, someone else would shoot it. Closing in with every shot. They were happy as $hit. When they calmed down we went into the DMZ. I was young and asked them how come they shot it so many times. The last guy who shot said, it wasn't dead yet and the person who kills it gets to keep half of the meat. My Dad grabbed me by the shoulder and we left. I said to him, "Dad what meat is left" He looked down at me and said "your learning"

My Dad made sure I knew how to put a wounded dear down with a knife. Why hunt if your waisting food.

I'm not saying this happens with all clubs but it left a sour taste in my mouth. So we always hunted togehter, just family.

[PhilCVG]

I hunt along 85% of the time. I did a few drives with friends of mine who are in clubs and just really don't enjoy it. Last year I never brought a gun into the woods, bow only.

[salt-hay]

I have no problem with club hunting....I've just never done it that way.
I duck hunt for my social "type" gunning. For deer it solo alone with the bow.

[yobuck09]

hunted with a club for many years, new members safety issues, left. Hunted alone for 7 yrs bagged a deer every year . Rejoined a club been with them for 8 yrs now, Enjoy Buck week, get to be with fellow hunters you don't see much over the year.

[swab1985]

I'd rather hunt by myself or with another gal or guy

[Reel Nice]

I Hunt alone ...Not into the drives , maybe the last day if I don't have one...Deer that is..

[grtwhthunter/fisherman]

hold it :) i said im against the slaughter . i dont like it i hunt where they wipe them out zone 25..:eek:

[grtwhthunter/fisherman]

i had meant also to say MEAT HUNTERS R THE SAME AS FISH KILLERS RITE KEEPING SMALL FISH WHICH CAN GROW TO B STUD FISH

[Deer Down]

I have done both while hunting in PA. I hunted with a club but most of the hunting was standing only maybe a drive or 2 in the middle of the week this is the way i hunted for 23 years, when i started hunting in Jersey i thought these clubs and the they hunted were a joke, BUT about 5 years ago i joined in with a small club and gave club hunting a try and it turned out to be a good move for 1 i have seen some of the biggest trophy bucks killed with these guys, i have ever seen 2 these guys are all about safty first, also althought most of us have shot gun permits( for 25 ) we do not shoot does this is a big no no and will get you thrown out and of coarse there is no Alcohol while hunting there is no hanging around the club playing cards or things like that just a beer or 2 stories about the days hunt go home get some sleep and do it all again the next day. I still love being in the woods myself and get plenty of time to do this. But like anything else there are the those nit wits that give club hunting a bad rap

[Margaritaville]

i had meant also to say MEAT HUNTERS R THE SAME AS FISH KILLERS RITE KEEPING SMALL FISH WHICH CAN GROW TO B STUD FISH

I hunt for meat but will not intentionally kill a small deer unless it is already wounded.

Now if it is late in the season and the freezer is not full and I can legally take a deer, well, I am taking it.

Yes, I keep just barely legal fish too.

Nothing goes to waste around me

I would much rather have a guy that hunts for meat then one that hunts purely for the sport of killing a big buck.

Now if you find an antler soup recipe that tastes good, let me know

[Bernie M]

I do both. For rifle we have a club (Centre Six) but if i don't get anything up state i hunt localy sometimes with my dad in bucks county with shotgun.

[Treude1]

Grew up hunting a camp in NE PA. Kind of grew apart after the oldtimers stopped hunting and the politics started. Ben hunting alone for last 10 years and like it, may try another camp if found right group of guys.

[BarnesX.308]

Treude - what county in NE PA?

[Treude1]

Susqehanna,

[BarnesX.308]

We're in Sullivan. Spent 8 days of my last two weeks there. Taking one weekend off this weekend and heading back up every weekend well into October. :thup:

Only seen scrub bucks and a couple average 6-points so far myself. Waiting to see that first bruiser of the year.

[Bullseye]

I've hunted with a club in North Jersey for 20 years, They stand hunt only. & I have hunted with clubs in S. Jersey & they did drives all day long. When I was younger I thought it was pretty cool ( all the shooting & carnage) Now I'd rather bow hunt & stand hunt.
I have a lot of friends that club hunt & complain they don't get as many deer! Hmmm, think about it. Drive hunt & kill anything that is brown??? (w/permit that is) I wonder how long it will take to reduce the herds, or even eliminate them in the small peices of woods between all the developements. I guess we all know how long. It is happening.
I'm all for club hunting for bucks. Guy's forget about the does. We may as well be commercial hunters! No offense commercial fisherman. The state likes it anyway. I still fill my freezer & 2 others every year. the last 10 years I average 7 deer a year. stand hunting. 4 friends of mine that club hunt don't have 5 deer between them in the last ten years. I guess thats why they keep me around. Only my opinion, no offense to anyone. GL this season.

[hunt n blood]

solo or with one friend

[jross]

I hunt alone or with one trusted friend we allow to hunt our place. I let him shoot the deer, gut them, and get them butchered. I volunteer to drive my Max 6x6 into our swamp to retrieve them. After all one has to their part. I have read that I am now in my "mellow" stage where it is not so important to kill a deer, but to reflect on past times while up in the stand, or now in my case, a ground blind. Someone has to kill enough to maintain balance, so we allow one person to do that task.

[ub1243]

alone 99% of the time.
i do put my father in a stand a few times a year, but 200-300 yards from me.
i'm ready to go into my recluse stage of the year. a few calls after dark to see what my buddies seen, thats it. my social life doesn't exist during the season.
i hate the big deer drives and the "it's brown, it's down". but i have done 2 or 3 guy little bumps. but this is only for a kids first deer or someone needs just one more for the freezer.
there is no drives on my places.

[Y-BUC-BILL]

Hunted alone in Pa.since 1958.Started hunting in N.J.1942.First 5 bucks i shot were Y-BUCKS..Started hunting with a club 21 years ago.About 25 guys in our club.Safe ,hard .hunters..Never had an accident.I like hunting both ways.What ever
way you want to hunt is your business

[Margaritaville]

Hunted alone in Pa.since 1958.Started hunting in N.J.1942.First 5 bucks i shot were Y-BUCKS..Started hunting with a club 21 years ago.About 25 guys in our club.Safe ,hard .hunters..Never had an accident.I like hunting both ways.What ever
way you want to hunt is your business

We have a great group of guys.
65 active members, 10+ retired
we hunt hard all day, play hard all night. We are #1 or #2 in kills every year for cumberland county, but most of all, we are VERY safe. Not a single accident in 49 years as an incorporated club.

We have ALOT of fun.

[Y-BUC-BILL]

Margaritaville.....Safe Hunting is foremost.Just like to hunt with a bunch of good hunters.I am a permanent stander.2 knee replacements 15 years ago.Can't keep up with the young guys.Drivers get as many deer as the standers.Wish everyone a safe,successful season.

[bigolebuck]

I have never hunted with a club before nor would I want to start now! I'm not bashing any clubs, but in my mind it's far from what I call hunting. I'm a loner when it comes to hunting for deer, sometimes my brother in law joins me.. I hope I don't offend any club members, that's just my opinion.

[theirishjig]

I used to hunt with a good freind that passed on last year...(Command Sargeant Major Keith Stokley....rest in peace pal) I choose to hunt by myself, but I do enjoy hunting with freinds once in a while.

[Fishiecroft]

Been hunting with a small group of guys usually 5-6 of us. Mostly we hunt solo but occasionally make small drives. I've done well at it for about 40+ years, with a few impressive racks and a world of great memories. Hope to do it till I can't do it any more, then sprinkle my ashes where I got my 12 pointer.
:thup: