Hunting has Changed

When I lived in Western New York I hunted quite a bit.  I preferred small game hunting (especially rabbit and pheasant) over large game (deer).

I have always found small game hunting more exciting and  lot less work.  The targets were always small and fast moving.  You had to be on your toes.  If you did score a rabbit or a bird you would field dress them, wrap the meat in a bread bag, put the bag in your pocket and continue to hunt.

Large game (when I hunted) consisted more of sitting in a spot (well travelled by the deer) and shooting them if they happened by.  I had a bad habit of falling asleep as I waited.  I've seen many deer run off as I woke up with a start.  If you do get a deer then you have to gut it and drag it back to your car or truck.  Dragging an animal that weighs as much as you do is no fun.  If you haven't had a stroke by the time you get back to your vehicle then you have to get it up on to the vehicle or into the trunk.  If you are lucky you have come with a group of other hunters and they will usually help you (provided you don't rub in the fact that you got one and they did not).  If you are unlucky...  Well, that is what they make pain killers and muscle relaxers for. 

Today they have cell phones and gps units.  I hear stories of people talking about a deer (via text) before taking the shot.  That makes hunting much safer, but takes a little of the excitement out of it as well.  Now I feel like my father talking about walking up hill both ways in the snow when he had to go to school.