We've got to answer the question "Why?" Why do you want February hunting?

Because it makes it easier? (I disagree, but that's another argument)

Because you want to see Outdoor Channel deer behavior? (as if you're guaranteed to see it)

Because you don't see bucks otherwise? (So what you're telling me is for 3-1/2 months you couldn't see a buck?) This is the worst answer to me, do NOT tell me this and expect me to be persuaded.

Because you want to see rutting activity? Why???? Why does it matter??? If you CAN see a buck(s) from Oct 15 thru Jan 31(and you CAN!!), what does it matter if you see a buck chasing a doe on Feb 10??? This is a grossly selfish and misguided reason.

And to the guys who say "we hunt turkeys when they gobble", I'd say "yes, but we haven't already been hunting them for 3-1/2 months prior to gobbling." As a young man, I easily killed as many longbeards in the Fall season as I did in the Spring.

Quit being selfish and abusing the resource. Get out of your over-pressured club, get off the food plots, get out of the shooting houses and ladder stands. I don't see bucks when I hunt like that either!!! Quit goofing up the season for those of us who DO see and kill good bucks from Oct thru Jan, just because you've been brainwashed by TV shows.

We've got to answer the question "Why?" Why do you want February hunting?

Because it makes it easier? (I disagree, but that's another argument)

Because you want to see Outdoor Channel deer behavior? (as if you're guaranteed to see it)

Because you don't see bucks otherwise? (So what you're telling me is for 3-1/2 months you couldn't see a buck?) This is the worst answer to me, do NOT tell me this and expect me to be persuaded.

Because you want to see rutting activity? Why???? Why does it matter??? If you CAN see a buck(s) from Oct 15 thru Jan 31(and you CAN!!), what does it matter if you see a buck chasing a doe on Feb 10??? This is a grossly selfish and misguided reason.

And to the guys who say "we hunt turkeys when they gobble", I'd say "yes, but we haven't already been hunting them for 3-1/2 months prior to gobbling." As a young man, I easily killed as many longbeards in the Fall season as I did in the Spring.

Quit being selfish and abusing the resource. Get out of your over-pressured club, get off the food plots, get out of the shooting houses and ladder stands. I don't see bucks when I hunt like that either!!! Quit goofing up the season for those of us who DO see and kill good bucks from Oct thru Jan, just because you've been brainwashed by TV shows.

I would never give up the first month of the season. I love bow hunting hot white oaks way too much!

Exactly, I would be in favor of a season that opened Dec 20 or 24th and ran further into Feb. And that is for ALL weapons, bow included. I get pissed every year at the number of hunters that shoot their bow two or three times and get in a stand, then all you hear is "I stuck one, but didn't get it".

I feel very safe betting that (most of) those in favor of February hunting are not bow hunters. I would 10,000X rather see a group of racked deer feeding on acorns in October than see a buck chasing a doe in February. What the crap is this fantasy of hunting "the rut"???
For 25+ years now, EVERY season without fail, I see who knows how many more bucks in October than the rest of the season combined. And don't take that to mean that I quit seeing them in Nov/Dec/Jan. Is December as good as October, not even close. But I have killed large, mature bucks in December more years than not. All over the state, but primarily from Barbour Co to Birmingham....SOUTH ALABAMA!!!!!!!!! You are not talking to a novice hunter here, nor someone who is unaware of deer in S. AL. I am not labeling you, nor automatically pointing fingers at anybody in this discussion who is for Feb hunting, BUT most of the guys I talk to in person who want Feb hunting are what I call "food plot shooting house" guys. They don't climb trees, don't hunt cutovers, don't scout, etc. They show up on Saturdays and hunt a ladder stand that's been wore slap out all season, then that afternoon they get in a shooting house on a food plot. Then piss and moan that they ain't seeing bucks. Meanwhile, I walked with that climber till my clothes were soaking wet, sawed limbs off a tree to climb 40', so I could get on the back side of huge cutover where nobody else is. Guess what I saw??.....big bucks.

But even if you are hunting your arse off hard, that's not really my sticking point with the whole argument. You simply cannot make me understand this bizarre fascination with "the rut"?????? I've repeatedly said, I couldn't give three $#@$'s if deer ever rutted whatsoever. What are YOU seeing during "the rut" that I'm apparently missing??? I see deer chase does, I hear bucks grunt/snort wheeze/growl, I see and hear bucks sparring, but I don't see those often, sometimes I go a whole season without seeing any of that. Yet I still kill my 3 bucks most years, and don't feel disappointed if my buck was only standing in a cutover nibbling on privet (instead of fiercely chasing a doe). And yes, they are large, mature deer, not skinny racked 3yr olds.

I'm telling you, if you hunt 3-1/2 months from Oct till Jan and do not see/kill a buck(s), YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!!, not the season dates. Come on guys, I don't want to argue about it, I don't dislike y'all (we're all hunting brethren), but let's quit being Democrat hunters. (Let's change the rules to make it easier on some of us) If they made our season from June till September, I'd just make it work, not whine about "the rut".

THIS!!!!^^^ X1000!!!

I feel very safe betting that (most of) those in favor of February hunting are not bow hunters. I would 10,000X rather see a group of racked deer feeding on acorns in October than see a buck chasing a doe in February. What the crap is this fantasy of hunting "the rut"???
For 25+ years now, EVERY season without fail, I see who knows how many more bucks in October than the rest of the season combined. And don't take that to mean that I quit seeing them in Nov/Dec/Jan. Is December as good as October, not even close. But I have killed large, mature bucks in December more years than not. All over the state, but primarily from Barbour Co to Birmingham....SOUTH ALABAMA!!!!!!!!! You are not talking to a novice hunter here, nor someone who is unaware of deer in S. AL. I am not labeling you, nor automatically pointing fingers at anybody in this discussion who is for Feb hunting, BUT most of the guys I talk to in person who want Feb hunting are what I call "food plot shooting house" guys. They don't climb trees, don't hunt cutovers, don't scout, etc. They show up on Saturdays and hunt a ladder stand that's been wore slap out all season, then that afternoon they get in a shooting house on a food plot. Then piss and moan that they ain't seeing bucks. Meanwhile, I walked with that climber till my clothes were soaking wet, sawed limbs off a tree to climb 40', so I could get on the back side of huge cutover where nobody else is. Guess what I saw??.....big bucks.

But even if you are hunting your arse off hard, that's not really my sticking point with the whole argument. You simply cannot make me understand this bizarre fascination with "the rut"?????? I've repeatedly said, I couldn't give three $#@$'s if deer ever rutted whatsoever. What are YOU seeing during "the rut" that I'm apparently missing??? I see deer chase does, I hear bucks grunt/snort wheeze/growl, I see and hear bucks sparring, but I don't see those often, sometimes I go a whole season without seeing any of that. Yet I still kill my 3 bucks most years, and don't feel disappointed if my buck was only standing in a cutover nibbling on privet (instead of fiercely chasing a doe). And yes, they are large, mature deer, not skinny racked 3yr olds.

I'm telling you, if you hunt 3-1/2 months from Oct till Jan and do not see/kill a buck(s), YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!!, not the season dates. Come on guys, I don't want to argue about it, I don't dislike y'all (we're all hunting brethren), but let's quit being Democrat hunters. (Let's change the rules to make it easier on some of us) If they made our season from June till September, I'd just make it work, not whine about "the rut".

We've got to answer the question "Why?" Why do you want February hunting?

Because it makes it easier? (I disagree, but that's another argument)

Because you want to see Outdoor Channel deer behavior? (as if you're guaranteed to see it)

Because you don't see bucks otherwise? (So what you're telling me is for 3-1/2 months you couldn't see a buck?) This is the worst answer to me, do NOT tell me this and expect me to be persuaded.

Because you want to see rutting activity? Why???? Why does it matter??? If you CAN see a buck(s) from Oct 15 thru Jan 31(and you CAN!!), what does it matter if you see a buck chasing a doe on Feb 10??? This is a grossly selfish and misguided reason.

And to the guys who say "we hunt turkeys when they gobble", I'd say "yes, but we haven't already been hunting them for 3-1/2 months prior to gobbling." As a young man, I easily killed as many longbeards in the Fall season as I did in the Spring.

Quit being selfish and abusing the resource. Get out of your over-pressured club, get off the food plots, get out of the shooting houses and ladder stands. I don't see bucks when I hunt like that either!!! Quit goofing up the season for those of us who DO see and kill good bucks from Oct thru Jan, just because you've been brainwashed by TV shows.

I would never give up the first month of the season. I love bow hunting hot white oaks way too much!

THIS!!!!^^^ X1000!!!

I feel very safe betting that (most of) those in favor of February hunting are not bow hunters. I would 10,000X rather see a group of racked deer feeding on acorns in October than see a buck chasing a doe in February. What the crap is this fantasy of hunting "the rut"???
For 25+ years now, EVERY season without fail, I see who knows how many more bucks in October than the rest of the season combined. And don't take that to mean that I quit seeing them in Nov/Dec/Jan. Is December as good as October, not even close. But I have killed large, mature bucks in December more years than not. All over the state, but primarily from Barbour Co to Birmingham....SOUTH ALABAMA!!!!!!!!! You are not talking to a novice hunter here, nor someone who is unaware of deer in S. AL. I am not labeling you, nor automatically pointing fingers at anybody in this discussion who is for Feb hunting, BUT most of the guys I talk to in person who want Feb hunting are what I call "food plot shooting house" guys. They don't climb trees, don't hunt cutovers, don't scout, etc. They show up on Saturdays and hunt a ladder stand that's been wore slap out all season, then that afternoon they get in a shooting house on a food plot. Then piss and moan that they ain't seeing bucks. Meanwhile, I walked with that climber till my clothes were soaking wet, sawed limbs off a tree to climb 40', so I could get on the back side of huge cutover where nobody else is. Guess what I saw??.....big bucks.

But even if you are hunting your arse off hard, that's not really my sticking point with the whole argument. You simply cannot make me understand this bizarre fascination with "the rut"?????? I've repeatedly said, I couldn't give three $#@$'s if deer ever rutted whatsoever. What are YOU seeing during "the rut" that I'm apparently missing??? I see deer chase does, I hear bucks grunt/snort wheeze/growl, I see and hear bucks sparring, but I don't see those often, sometimes I go a whole season without seeing any of that. Yet I still kill my 3 bucks most years, and don't feel disappointed if my buck was only standing in a cutover nibbling on privet (instead of fiercely chasing a doe). And yes, they are large, mature deer, not skinny racked 3yr olds.

I'm telling you, if you hunt 3-1/2 months from Oct till Jan and do not see/kill a buck(s), YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!!, not the season dates. Come on guys, I don't want to argue about it, I don't dislike y'all (we're all hunting brethren), but let's quit being Democrat hunters. (Let's change the rules to make it easier on some of us) If they made our season from June till September, I'd just make it work, not whine about "the rut".

Have you seen how many gun hunters had to call in a dog to find their deer.How many didn't call and left deer in the woods.SMH

This is not really about patting some hunters on the back for being hardcore during low percentage time periods. Its more about focusing on the best times during the season for hunters to see deer and have the opportunity to harvest one. That directly relates to hunter satisfaction. All that has to be weighed with how many deer get killed but just because you go out and hunt your arse raw to get one during Dec doesn’t necessarily mean that its all good for everyone else. That doesn’t really dictate the direction in which we take the whole shebang. Everyone doesn’t have to be a buckmaster and hunter participation/satisfaction is important.

Damn you really just don't get it.......by the way in my forty years of hunting I can probably count using all my digits how many times I have sat in a shooting house. Also your comment about shooting your three bucks shows me again you don't get it. I too could have killed three bucks if that is what I wanted to do.....it sounds to me you are the one trying to abuse the resource instead of the February hunters as you insinuated earlier...