Hunting & Fishing deer hunting out of a truck?

C

ccoker

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 2, 2008
1,183
39
60
Central Texas
www.tacticalgunreview.com
#1
how many of you hunt out of a truck?
not driving around, but just pull up and park somewhere with a good view..

my dad has always been a believer in it and that deer pay no attention 99% of the time to a parked truck..

On most places they are used to seeing vehicles, now, a truck driving slow and then stopping when a deer is spotted sends most bucks hauling for the next county...

I shot my best buck yet, out of the truck hunting with my dad and son about 7 years ago down at a friend's place outside of Refugio, TX. It was about 10:30 AM on the last morning of a 3 day hunt, we left the hotel before daybreak and just put my sleeping son in the rear seat and covered him with a blanket.

We pulled into a spot and backed in to a nice little area with a good view. Cracked the windows and had the truck idling with the heater on, it was January and down in the low 30s..

My son woke up about 8:30 and about an hour later was getting homesick, wanted to go home and see his baby brother.

Kept saying "there are no deer here, let's go!"

or standard response "just a little bit longer"
kind of like "just one more cast"

well, about an hour later here come some deer and out of the brush a little buck following some does..
sure enough, a big boy was following him

they disappeared into the brush and then the does came out through a sendero about 150 yards out.. followed by the little buck and then the big boy was hung up in the edge of the trees and finally took a step forward.

then another and I still couldn't get a shot because there was an old blind between us and I couldn't line up on the shot.

finally he stepped forward and with me in the passenger seat with the window down and a perfect rest with the rear view mirror I let him have it.

down it went.

seemed like he took forever to come out into a clear shot for me..

little did I know that my dad had his 22-250 out the driver's side window with a clear shot the whole time..

he told me if it had been anyone else he would have shot that deer out from underneath me!

him and my uncles and old hunting buddies were ruthless with that.. no mercy whatsoever.

obviously, the memory of hunting with dad and my son and teaching him the invaluable lesson of patience when hunting are the best parts.

This was on a 150 acre piece of land with low fence and no feeders.

I was using an old, 59 Sako 243 that I have handed down to the my boy (7 in this picture, now 14) and his little brother is 7 now and loves hunting

seanwith10pointet5.jpg
 
#2
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

Since that practice is illegal in PA without a special permit for the physically handicapped, I can't say that I've ever done that.

That's a very nice buck. Congrats on the deer and the time afield with your little guy.
 
#3
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

Agree with bohem

Unless your hunting on your own land I think your asking for trouble in most states.
Maybe some places allow it but I don't know of any.
Your right about them being used to seeing vehicles. Sometimes when I'm on the tractor they stand right across the field. You'll laugh but the damn wild turkey's are worse. I can be setting corn seed and look behind me and the turkey's are pickin the corn I just planted. I've ran after them throwing rocks at them to get them to leave.
 
#5
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ccoker</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Really, what is the difference between a parked truck and a blind?
</div></div>

I'm not disagreeing with you, but keep in mind that while PA is good for anything Title II; the hunting laws here are pretty screwed up.

I can't use buckshot, auto-loading rifles, certain types of camouflage, until a last year we could only use in-line muzzle loaders during regular rifle season, no crossbows until about 3 years ago...

Definitely moronic... We have petitions circulating annually about any/all of the issues I listed above. It doesn't do jack, and so far we have not come together as a state to throw out the bums who have sorely mismanaged the state deer population.

But I digress...
 
#6
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

Spent the better part of the weekend chasing people parked along the roads doing the same thing trying to get deer coming our of our alfalfa fields.

To me is is a lazy way to hunt. Put some time and effort into getting out there. Find travel routes, transition areas, bedding areas. Then go set yourself up.

Isn't hunting mostly about getting out afield enjoying the opportunities and wildlife. Teaching your kids about the ways of wildlife and respecting mother nature and the opportunities she provides?
 
#8
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

ccoker,

I too have many memories hunting years ago with my dad and grandfather from a truck on the "crossroads". While its not much of it that goes on anymore unless you own the land you hunt on.
Most clubs frown apon it. Although it sure helped many a dads be able to hunt on fowl weather days while playing Mr Mom.
 
#9
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ccoker</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Totally legal in Texas on private property

Really, what is the difference between a parked truck and a blind?
</div></div>
You can't toss a poached buck into the bed of a blind and drive away.
 
#10
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

I didn't say "road hunting"
I said hunting out of a truck on private land

is there a difference between driving near a blind, getting out and walking to the blind and driving to spot that looks like a good hunting spot (like where you might setup a blind or get out and still hunt" and just staying in the truck?

I never said it was the only way or the best way to hunt, I prefer to be out in the elements and it's hard for me to stay in a blind more than a few hours, I want to get out and stalk hunt.

I am on a private lease that's 7K acres, but there are other hunters out there as well so no one has free reign of the place to go wherever/whenever they want.

Most lease managers in Texas want you to get in the blind and stay there for safety reasons..
 
#12
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

Shit, here in NY, you can't even lean a loaded firearm up against ANY on/off road vehicle, let alone shoot off, or out of one. Just as illegal as shooting directly from, or across a road...
 
#13
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

There will always be different opinions on this subject and all subjects for that matter. That what makes the forums interesting. I tend to agree with the NOT hunting from a vehicle group. Unless you are handicapped or old enough where you cannot get out into the woods.

I agree with cocadori I see to many people just idle along the back roads and look for an opportunity to kill something. That's called shooting a deer. Not hunting in my opinion.
Big difference between shooting a deer and hunting a deer.

A lot of guy's Put planning,scouting stalking ,Lugging in a tree stand etc. and hard work into a hunt. When they bring home a kill it's something they can be very proud of.
Not saying it's right or wrong but if you pull up in a truck Then sit there with the radio on while drinking coffee & having a smoke. Deer walks out you shoot him toss him in the back & drive home. Yes you harvested a deer. Hunted? I don't know.

Don't know what the exact definition of what hunting would be in the dictionary but I doubt it would mention sitting in a truck. It just seems to easy, but to each his own.

Just my 2Cts
 
#19
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mortarguy5611</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I love when people from Texas and Oklahoma say its cold outside haha funny stuff. </div></div>

Hey I spend several weeks in the U.P. every winter. I know what cold is.


Just because I use the truck as a blind for rifle season doesn't mean I don't get within 10 yards during bow season. And this is a long range forum, no? So someone has an issue sitting in the truck and shooting a deer at 500 yards but doing the same out of a blind or from a tree stand is totally acceptable? Right.
 
#20
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

Hmmm, for those who haven't been to texas in the middle of the winter how would you know how cold it gets here? I have been in missouri when it was 10 to 20 below with the wind chill in the negative 50's. Does it get that cold down here, no but it gets pretty cold when the wind is blowing 30 mph a day for the whole winter. I'm also sure you never complain about it being hot in Minnesota. I have been at both ends of extream tempertures, 130 degree temps of iraq and -20's(I know it dose get below -20 in the northern states at times, just -20 is the coldest I've been in) and I still get hot and cold depending on what I have gotten use to.

Another thing, it is completly different hunting in the northern states compared to West Texas, just like West Texas is different from Colorado or Utah. Out here a small piece of hunting property is a couple thousand acres and a bigger one is 200,000 acres. It is pretty hard to kill off all the deer you need to on 200,000 acres just hunting from a blind, if you want to properly manage it.

I'm not saying that one way or the other is right or wrong, I'm just saying that you have to realize it is a lot different hunting depending on where you live. I pretty much hunt from a blind but if we are trying to help somone fill MLD permits, or I'm trying to fill my tags with does so I have plenty of meat for the whole year I might take a different approch.
 
#21
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

I've come to realize things are A LOT different in Texas when it comes to hunting. I no longer criticize, just accept the fact that TX style of hunting, all the paying for access, high fences and other BS (like legally shooting out of a pickup), is not for this guy.

You want to shoot deer out of a pickup in TX, fine. In ND, expect a visit from a warden if I see that taking place.
 
#22
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

First for all of you guys that say " hunting From a truck is not Hunting " Shame on you. It might not be the way you hunt. You do not have to sit in the cold freezing your ass off some where in the north to call it hunting. I love when you bow hunters get on and say " if you do not bow hunt then you really are not hunting."
The bottom line is it is " ALL HUNTING "
I have watched many people fight about who is the best hunter or which way is the true hunting. "THERE IS NOT ONE WAY THAT IS THE ONLY WAY " Most of the time it is a geographical issue. All my relatives in the north think sitting by a feeder is wrong, That is because they are not allowed to hunt over bait. Yet they either put a stand, or sit under a tree by a corn field. ( that they did not plant ) What is the difference in the two. None, my corn field is in a can theres is not. We are both hunting over bait.....
I think it all boils down to Self fulfillment. Yes that is " SELF " meaning the individual.
I brought my uncle down to Texas and let him attempt to hunt "yankee" style. By the end of hunt he was changed and realized you hunt differently in different geographical locations. When he hunted our way he ended up shooting a 10 point nice buck.
 
#24
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

I totally agree with what you said thunderbolt. I definately think it is a geographical issue. There is a world of difference compared to hunting in central Texas from west Texas, much less comparing hunting in west Texas compared to Oregon.

There is nothing wrong with hunting from a truck if it is legal in your state if that is what you want to do. If you only hunt from tree stands and blinds with a bow there is nothing wrong with that, if it is what you like.

For all of you that say only bow hunting is real hunting I say this; I bet the majority of you who say that are using the best compond bow you can, with the best sites and best eqiupment you have. I say to those people that only real hunting is using a recurve or longbow is real hunting and to take that one step further only real hunting is cutting down a tree that you grew and making a bow and arrows out of that. I mean we can go all day saying what real hunting is but there will always be someone that can say they do in a way that is closer to "huntin" than the other guy.
 
#25
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

+1 briscoetab, I was going to say use a knife and run down the deer. Is real hunting, But CIGARCOP, would just jump on here and say " I would pay 100.00 so see Travis RUN DOWN and kill a deer with a knife"
 
#26
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: THUNDERBOLT68</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I bet you Scout deer from a pick up in ND. </div></div>

Yes I do. But what does that mattter?

It's illegal to shoot deer from a pickup in ND, period. I see somebody doing it, I'm calling them in. Sorry you don't like that.

I should mention, shooting deer from a pickup up here is quite a bit different than shooting deer from a pickup being used as a blind in TX. The ND way is to surround a chunk of land with vehicles while pushers walk some cover. A deer gets up and the race is on. Deer gets chased down via convoy of vehicles and gets shot out the window as it's crossing the road. Sometimes the pickup is at a complete stop, sometimes not, depends if the driver spilled his beer or not.... THAT I have a problem with, as I'm sure you do too. And that is why it's illegal in ND to shoot out of a vehicle. I don't imagine you can head off a deer in TX very well. Wouldn't think 100,000 acre ranches would have roads every half mile like up here.

Also, Thunderbolt, did I or did I not say I was NOT criticizing people in TX for shooting deer out of a vehicle? I merely pointed out that it would not be for me. I, for the most part, don't begrudge people for hunting however they want, within the law. I realize things are different in TX, as well as other parts of the country. What seems abnormal to some is completely normal to others. I get it.
 
#28
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

Not my cup of tea either as it is illegal here but as long as with in the states laws have at it. Just like i have never baited a deer and was always taught that was un ethical as a kid. Just go a few states over every one has a bait pile. Funny how a couple hundred miles can change hunting methods.
 
#29
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

I am certainly a believer this is how i have donnas some of the doe management hunting on properties. drive up park in a field see what happens. if you shoot a deer (these are yearly doe hunts to maintain buck to doe ratio) you can quickly load the deer up and move to the next spot and set up. "Kill them all and keep movin"

(all meat other than the amount we will process is brought to local hunters for hungry drop station and a donation is placed to pay the processing and distribution fee.)
 
#31
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

People fret about shooting deer out of a truck, but those same people will plant a 2acre food plot, put out a corn feeder, and a mineral lick. Then you take a $5000 rifle/scope combo and make a perfect shot at 100yds on a broadside feeding deer using a SMK and then talk about what a deer killing machine SMK's are. I'll take shooting deer out of a trk window anyday! And it is legal here in Arkansas as long as it ain't on public rd and you got shoes on
laugh.gif
krw
 
#32
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

Heck, here in S. Eastern NC we just let loose 25+ hounds and let them do the work. More fun to shoot at a moving target than one standing still. That's what steel targets are for...
 
#34
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: THUNDERBOLT68</div><div class="ubbcode-body">+1 briscoetab, I was going to say use a knife and run down the deer. Is real hunting, But CIGARCOP, would just jump on here and say " I would pay 100.00 so see Travis RUN DOWN and kill a deer with a knife" </div></div>

Oh I could just see you running too...spilling that Dr. Pepper all over yourself...LOL
 
#37
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

here's a video I got from the truck a few weeks ago... before the season was open.


<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oMcb45ncZCM"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oMcb45ncZCM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>
 
#38
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kyle1974</div><div class="ubbcode-body">we do a lot of hunting out of high racks and trucks. I don't know what the big deal is.... </div></div>

I think the difference in opinions comes from where you are located. It is illegal to shoot from a vehicle in sd and some times really fucks shit up when the guys are driving around with there trucks shooting out windows up here. A guy got shot a couple years ago when some clowns were shooting his goose decoys out in a field. With the huge tracks of land and high fences in texas and such those problems are probally few and far between. I will always say if legal where you are from have at it and post some pics for every one to enjoy. We have enough people trying to take away our hunting rights as it is and as a group we need to stand together.
 
#39
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kurt</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> We have enough people trying to take away our hunting rights as it is and as a group we need to stand together. </div></div>

This.

We need to get our shit together as a hunting community. The forces aligned against us are not always in total agreement with each other but they are good at putting aside their differences to fight their common enemy, us. So lets all stop being Jim Zumbo. If it's legal, super have fun and be safe. If it's not, don't do it and report those who do.

We will end up killing our own sport over this "what's ethical" BS
 
#40
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

My favorite deer shot was out the 2nd floor window of my house when I was sheetrocking the bedroom. 100 yds down the driveway, and the 2 does he was with just stepped around the twitching 4 pointer. There was an old outlaw in my gun club that used to cruise the roads, and once he decided that it was too cold to roll the passenger side window all the way down. Took the shot with the 30-30 muzzle inside the truck. Blew out the glass, and he couldn't hear shit for a week.
laugh.gif
 
#41
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: xs hedspace</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My favorite deer shot was out the 2nd floor window of my house when I was sheetrocking the bedroom. 100 yds down the driveway, and the 2 does he was with just stepped around the twitching 4 pointer. There was an old outlaw in my gun club that used to cruise the roads, and once he decided that it was too cold to roll the passenger side window all the way down. Took the shot with the 30-30 muzzle inside the truck. Blew out the glass, and he couldn't hear shit for a week.
laugh.gif
</div></div>

laugh.gif
 
#43
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

good points on the division between hunters. I have talked with people from out west that think hunting from a blind is bullshit. I'd love to walk up a mountain, and glass at little grassy openings all day looking for deer activity. problem is, in south texas, there are no mountains, and no little grassy openings other than the ones we cut with a brush hog. It's just how we do it here. a deer can walk out into a sendero, and take 5 steps back into the brush and be invisible. each area is different...why can't we just get along?

jeff, I bowhunt only for the most part, with the exception of when it's time to kill does and hogs... just can't get it down with a bow. You're right though, it can be tough to find the deer in the brush down here, there are several people that have good tracking dogs though and for a few hundred bucks, it can save the day if you shoot a big deer.

 
#45
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jeffbird</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No offense intended, Kyle. My apology if it was came across that way. I was just offering an example of how local conditions dictate local practices and views.

Why and where we hunt, often effects how we hunt.



</div></div>

not offended at all Jeff, I was agreeing with you that it can be a royal pain in the ass to find deer down here. it sucks, but we lose several a year, even with dogs. heck.. we lose deer that are shot with a rifle as well though. It's hard to appreciate how thick the brush is down here unitl you've walked through it.
 
#46
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kyle1974</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It's hard to appreciate how thick the brush is down here until you've crawled through it dragging a deer that made it 75 yards back into the brush after a double lung shot. </div></div>

Fixed it for you...
 
#47
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

in Arizona you can't "hunt" from a vehicle, however you can drive to and from your hunt location with loaded weapons and if you so happen to see some game during the process you can stop and exit the vehicle (both feet MUST be on the ground), then and only then can you fire your weapon.
 
#49
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

We're all after the end result: a deer on the wall or in the freezer! As long as it's legal, I don't give a S#%T how the deed is done. It's all how you prefer to hunt......don't know why it has to turn into a pissing contest to see who's really the last Mohican!
smile.gif
 
#50
Re: deer hunting out of a truck?

Here in Louisiana, I have seen guys hoist truck cabs into trees and use those as blinds. Have also seen 55 gallon barrels used. We also hunt out of our vehicles, run dogs, ect. I guess its where you live, but down here we see anything wrong with it.

Some of yall make a big deal over nothing.
 
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