Enjoy it while it last because once it's gone it's gone. And it happens faster than one thinks and it's worse than one would imagine. We r to darn close to them Counterfeit Texans here

My 2023 Georgia bucks...both 7mm-08 kills. No food plots, no feeders, no corn on the ground. Both killed from Summit climbers 0730 to 0830 hrs. I did have pics of both of these bucks...along with many more in same area. Never named them. No fence.

Stands placed based on big buck sign in area on suspected daytime travel ways. See Badger...I have a little buck hunting knowledge...

View a few minutes b4 I shot the 8pt...on Nov 3rd..




View a few minutes b4 I shot the 7pt...on Nov 5th..

First let me say this is my first post. I joined the Trapperman Forums to delve into the archives , not ever planning to comment on any subject brought up by the base members. I, however, agree with Swamp Wolf wholeheartedly. Thing change and hunting methods and hunter's access to hunting properties change as time goes by. As a kid i drove 45 miles to see a deer track. Back home I hunted wherever I wanted as it was all small game and neighbors owned the land. Now the land has been sold by the heirs and deer and turkey are abundant. Hunting permission is hard to obtain. Just the way it goes.
For the record I too am a retired Conservation Enforcement Officer. I served proudly for 28 years. Yep I got rich. My starting pay was a little over $300.00 every two weeks. The people of North Baldwin County welcomed me with open arms as poaching and night hunting were totally out of control. All of you folks that think it is an overpaid job need to stop five drunks that have just shot a deer in a scared widow woman's yard. They literally backed into her yard to load the deer. It was 2:30 am and the nearest help from another officer was at least 30 minutes away. When stopped they all wanted to fight. Finally got it sorted out without violence. It was touch and go for awhile. The officer in the next county wasn't quite as lucky. Christmas Eve 1978, Frank Stewart was killed by an individual over a 25 to 50 dollar ticket for hunting without permission. A 12 gauge shotgun behind the ear leaves a real mess.
I was fortunate never was hurt or had to hurt anyone. I did my job using my 3 F's. Fair, Friendly and Firm. I was hired to do a job and I did it. I still have people calling to see how i am doing. Some are people I arrested.
The last 11 years of my career I served as Chief of Enforcement for the Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.
One other item most of you complainers are missing is the liability of allowing someone to hunt or do most anything on private property. Most hunting clubs have liability insurance. Anyway I just want to say "nothing ever stays the same". You either adapt or quit.
For the record I have been a trapper since I was a kid. I help with our annual trapping workshop near Troy Al and really enjoy the excitement of new trappers when they see something in a trap they set.
This will probably be my only post.

….never owned a spy camera … never will

… they’re for cheaters lol

welcome Timc. Good point on liability that is state dependent though. Indiana has stepped it up amd given landowners that give hunting access protections. for a while even had printed land owner slips that said no liability to then and the laws they could sign for people.

Access and methods are also different in different states.. Absolutely stuff changes..

Don't be a stranger Chief!

Most of the GW gouging on here is meant in good fun. There are some that have hidden molestations in their minds that they blame on a game warden. But, most are supportive. I actually enjoy the back & forth.

Been retired since June 2022 (after 27 years). My career mirrors your's, except I never made it any higher than field sergeant (which was high enough for me). I too was assigned to an area that was lawless, even the government officials here were corrupt and many were sent to prison. I am still getting calls for service or when is next hu er or boater ed class and have to tell them Im retired.

There are a couple other retired GWs on Tman. Might even be an active duty one....not sure.

I did a beaver trapping demo at the Southeastern NTA up in northern Alabama a few years ago.....west of Ft Payne. Maybe we'll meet one day.

Stay in touch!

…. Using a deer spy camera is along the lines of a dude competing in women’s sports

Ahh...you're just too cheap to buy a deer camera to get a pic of a buck that some yuppy dude from Houston will end up killin'.

I get it.

What's up with all the name calling???
If ones opinion isnt the same as urs ur a whiner??? To me when it gets to name calling you have already lost, unless it comes to Savell.

…. lol I was dragging one of the yuppies bucks out one time … he showed me pictures of the buck and me on his phone …. Was a little upset I had killed “his” deer lol

…. I just told him all these deer live in my zip code not yours lmao

I think Being a Game warrden would be fun. Putting on the hunter Ed classes,Basic public education, Getting involved with things like banding ducks, and being able to learn more about what's going on with new studies. Locking up poachers, trespassers has its draw. After all there is mor to the job than 12 year olds tickets for a fish to small.

But Being out with limited to no back up, high neer 100% encounters are armed people, And we'll the pay is or was at least not going to go to far.

Some places probably do better screening for personality type in the hiring process Than what have been around here.

… very few deer hunters left … mainly just a bunch of wildlife photographers and recreational farmers lol

… hey Swamp …. There’s a crazy millionaire out here that owns 12 miles of lakefront and has only let one family hunt it since the 70’s …. Well ol Jesse Henry is buddies with that family and last year he was the only outsider ever let in there … here’s what he and and his buddy did one weekend



… his buddy was in the better spot lol

The job of GW is the best job in this Country. But the politics.....uughh!

I fought back politics my entire career. I tried to shield that from the officer's that I supervised, but it was hard to do.

I like!!!

Add a guide and hunter transportation taxi and you got me. Also a Yankee by birth not choice.

Stan Steele is on here from time to time. He is a retired game cop from Oregon. A trapper all his life he has been extremely active in trying to keep the antis from shutting down trapping here. He sure kept Newhouse 114 and me in line during our early years of trapping. We jokingly referred to him as Sneed, the Pat McManus game warden. Lately he and I did a State Police in service training on trapping in Oregon. Used to be kind of intimidated by the guy and now we're buds!

…. Yeah Uncle Swamp I can’t believe that kid didn’t get buck fevered on that one

Thanks goodness my farm has more than enough venison to keep me occupied. Personally I could never pay for access. Just wouldn't feel right...but to each their own. Blessed that 53% of my state is public land.

… anyone that uses deer spy cameras sits down to pee