Hunter or Road Hunter?

[KIDRR]

I don't see anything wrong with road hunting. All I do is regular hunting because I'm usually with my dad and he wants to get to the lake and fish right away. I've busted my butt hiking miles of steep trails and making my own trails too many times with nothing to show for it.

[doublebuck]

Is walking on a dirt road consider road hunt? Is it legal to carry your rifle loaded when walking on dirt road?

[NytWolf]

When it's dry, I hit the trails on foot. When it's raining light, I hit the dirt roads in my truck. When it's raining hard or snowing, I sit tight near a trail.

The unfortunate part is that some zones, there are dirt roads practically throughout the entire area. You'd be damned if you didn't roadhunt. While you're humping the trail, the guys in the trucks already took your prized buck home to show them their cozy kitchens.

[lewdogg21]

Is walking on a dirt road consider road hunt? Is it legal to carry your rifle loaded when walking on dirt road?

No and yes. if your walking on a main road with lots of vehicular traffic you might as well be playing xbox. Sneaking down skid roads and such to catch game off guard can be a real good tactic especially when the woods are like walking on cornflakes.

[NytWolf]

Is walking on a dirt road consider road hunt? Is it legal to carry your rifle loaded when walking on dirt road?

lewdogg already gave you the short answer, but I believe the qualifier is "county-maintained road". If it is a county-maintained road, then it is not legal to carry your rifle loaded. Most, if not all, dirt roads with national forest numbers are forestry maintained roads so you are okay.

[MapleSyrupSmuggler]

Nope, road hunting is for lazy bums. Only real way to hunt is by pounding sand/laying in wait in high animal traffic zones.

[krzgoat]

I feel for ya, I did it for 2 days and just about lost my mind. I did get some new spot and marked them so I can get back but it was super boring.

I wish it was only for two days. It was 4 and half days and needless to say I started loosing my cool after the 2nd full day and was about to snap after he drove passed turn off after turn off that I recommended and had been before and either seen deer around the opener or others I had talked to had seen deer. We pounded a lot of pavement but I did get to mark some new spots on the GPS.

By the last day I was so bored and annoyed that "Mr. Know It All" clearly either didn't want to hunt the areas I knew or couldn't hunt them I just gave up.

Riding in the truck that long I was so cramped up that when I did get out of the truck I stumbled out. No way I was going to even be able to bail out of the truck fast enough to shoot something road hunting.

We both had our quads up I think we rode those for maybe 20 miles or like 5 hours over the course of those days.

Hiking well that ended about half a mile or a mile max from the truck due to my partner not being able to hike as far as he said he could.

While I didn't get my deer this year due to this trip being a deerless one I did learn the new spots and who not to hunt with.

[krzgoat]

i like the guys that wear the full camo while road hunting

i like the wilderness and like to get off the roads away from the crowds... if i dont see another hunter it is a success for me even if i dont harvest an animal

Yeah I felt stupid wearing camo sitting in the truck driving around last weekend. We came in one night into town and sat down for dinner. Waitress asked "Are we hunting or do we just like camo?" I replied - "We just like camo."

[littlebear44]

i like road hunters, you ask why? it keeps them off the real honey spots that produce monsters but require time and effort to find.

[rodeoflyer]

After opening weekend this year I made the tough decision to not hunt with my dad anymore because he is a road hunter. It's ****ing boring, and gives me nothing but sore kidneys from bouncing on **** forest roads, and a headache from hearing the CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK of his diesel ford truck.

I tolerated it for years because it was time spent with dad, not it's not worth it. The only trip I ever had fun with him was the one year we didn't road hunt.

If some guys like road hunting that's their business. Is it "hunting" - I don't know or care. I only know I hate it with every bone in my body.

[krzgoat]

After opening weekend this year I made the tough decision to not hunt with my dad anymore because he is a road hunter. It's ****ing boring, and gives me nothing but sore kidneys from bouncing on **** forest roads, and a headache from hearing the CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK of his diesel ford truck.

I tolerated it for years because it was time spent with dad, not it's not worth it. The only trip I ever had fun with him was the one year we didn't road hunt.

If some guys like road hunting that's their business. Is it "hunting" - I don't know or care. I only know I hate it with every bone in my body.

Sounds just like me - I have been out two years now - last year was my first one and I loved it. Went with my father in law and had a blast - he got me hooked on deer hunting. We spent a week up drive to spot and hike or hike and sit every other day and the other days we round our quads to back areas and hiked or sat.

Opener was great and I was out for a week doing the same stuff as last year checking out new places.

My step dad I think was a bit jealous that I went out with my father in law for whatever reason so I planned a trip with him this year so he didn't feel left out. It was just as you said above right down to the Ford diesel pickup going clack clack clack and the stiff legs and sore kidneys.

I made a decision when I got home that I won't go again with my step dad in the future.

[RandyD]

I have been on long elk hunts in Colorado, where climbing hills and putting in the miles can wear me out, so when I want to take a day off walking/hiking, I am one of those who will put on my camo hunting clothes, get a hot cup of coffee to keep me warm while I sit in my leather seated F-150 and drive the roads. Its better than not hunting.

[NytWolf]

I put on camo too, but not only because I like it, but just in case I see something dart for the woods I can jump out of the vehicle to stalk it and already be in camo.

[fonzy]

Road hunting is not hunting it's shooting road side animals and some get lucky but don't FN come home and tell of how hard you hunted, you didn't.

Sometimes I don't even shoot. I just hit em with the truck. It's hard work not missing them.

[buffalo soldier ad]

I don't get you'd ever want to sit around in a car/truck when you've got the outdoors to explore. Those who take the time to get out, hike, track, etc will always be the better hunter. There's no argument against that.

That being said some people road hunt because they're physically unable to get out and hike hours and hours to get to those honey holes. I'll just never understand those able bodied that sit in their vehicles, drive around and fire the occasional shot.