I think that it should be illegal to do on any state or federal land. With that being said if its private you can drive it if you want. The problem is there are a bunch of inconsiderate bungholes in this state that will pull into a parking lot at any WMA see a bunch of cars and still choose to drive it. Everybody deserves the opportunity to hunt and not have a bunch of yo buckers run through the woods like Grant went through Richmond. I hunt with a very small club on our own private & I choose to go with a club with a private lease because of the very subject we are discussing. My concern is the people who are not able to afford to hunt private land, they get screwed on several hunts per year by drivers. Driving wouldn't be a problem if people were considerate of others, but at this day and age all that is out the window.

 

Impossible to enforce. If you are wearing legal orange, and walking armed with a legal weapon on a WMA, you are hunting legal. Do I think it's fair to guys stand hunting and putting the time in, if an organized group of legal hunters walk through the same property they are set up on? No - not really but if 40 guys spread out and walk to their stands at 6am before sun-up, technically they just "drove" the property too... The budget for game wardens is very thin, and they are spread very thin... Give them another rule that is nearly impossible to enforce, just doesn't make much sense..

I would rather see the 2 buck tags per week reduced, which will eliminate "Tag pooling" where the big 30 member clubs realize they have 60 tags to fill and some guys shoot 5, 6, or more because kids return to school, tags are used by others, etc...

I would much rather see a TOTAL of 2 bucks per calendar year, per hunter, to be used any season, weapon, or permit of choice. Use them all during bow and muzzleloader, you can't hunt bucks during 6 day... You only hunt 6 day - well you still get your two buck tags then...

 

It's only legal if the law says it is. The way you define "hunting" is not the same as an organized drive. But, as I also said previously, and enforcement of such a law would be problematic. That's probably the reason why states never bothered to outlaw it.

 

Id LOVE to see that happen Jack. 2 bucks a year is a lot more reasonable than what we have now[up]

 

I say ban them!

 

Where in the survey does it say that deer drives will be banned. I read it as a survey from outdoorsman. I've done both and enjoyed both in NJ, Pa and NY. Deer drives will never be banned.

 

Impossible to enforce. Period.
More permits????? Are you kidding???
Restrictions????Really???
Don't we have enough issues with Anti's and Non hunting community???
We really want to be fighting amongst ourselves????
Stevo is dead on in his first post so I am not going to repeat.
I hunt all different ways, and to bash deer driving is absurd. I hunt some very vast areas in NJ where deer driving is a necesity and the "sit all day" crowd usually thank us after we drive thru because it is usually the only deer they see. Plus half the woods gets up at 1030 am and walks out (deer drive) and the other 25% get up and leave at noon (deer drive).
If you hear a deer drive coming, sit still, and pay attention it will be the best time to shoot a buck (during 6 day) since many just lie down for the day in the thickest brush and won't even move until way after dark.
If you are so against deer drives, don't shoot at anything that was driven to you, let them go because it's not fair (sarcasm).
My group of buddies have kicked more deer to more standers (not in our party), and have made the day of youth hunters, newbies, old timers and guys that just get out a couple of times a year.
I've been very fortunate to harvest many bucks over the years and I have moved to the stage of hunting where I personally get more satisfaction watching others harvest their first buck, or the biggest buck or a doe to put food on the table for the winter. True happiness comes from making others happy, not making yourself happy.
Keeps others interested in the sport we all love so much. Isn't that what it is all about??? Or are we trying to make NJ a trophy state???LOL

 

This debate goes on and on every year. Drives are very effective especially if done right.They are a long standing tradition in this state and many others. You have to learn to use drivers to your adavantage. You have to look at it as a positive and use it that way. I hunted a large state piece in sussex county this past 6 day witha buddy of mine. We prepared for the drives and saw more deer then the standers if they even saw any at all. Not one shot was fired by multiple gangs driving this piece. Most dont even know how to push a piece properly and you can benefit from this. I do agree that it does and can ruin a stand hunters hunt, but thats a whole other issue. If anything the state should just enforce bad driving practices such as this marking trees crap along with maybe limiting the amount of guys in a drive etc. Also the antiquated 2 buck limit needs to be removed as well. That regulation alone is so damn retarded I can go on and on. You have 3 months to kill a buck with a crossbow, compound or muzzy. 1 and done for six day.

 

hunters should stick together, you hunt the way you want to hunt, I'll hunt the way I want to hunt. People in the woods are part of the equation. We have enough asinine rules to follow. If they ban drives, how can they prove my son and I were just walking to our stands, or still hunting unaware that people are in the same patch of woods.

 

That's right whiskers. More rules and restrictions with added caviots, most hunters are so intimidated and confused by the rules in NJ, I tell people to "lawyer up" before walking into the woods!!

 

keep em

 

But only after we get permission from your club right

[hihi]

 

Get rid of them during 6 day and reserve it for last 2 weeks of the season.

 

I don't understand why putting the drives off until either the end of buck week or until permit season is that big of a deal.

 

Simple. There is no way to enforce it. Period.
Plus you are restricting someone else's time. Key word "restriction".
If you don't like drives don't hunt during the 6 day. Hunt early Mzl. I hunt both.

 

Everything else has a season I dont see why we couldnt have a season for drives

 

if they get rid of drives i am mooving out of nj

 

Why do the clubs who claim they have been driving for years need to spray paint trees in the WMA to guide their way on a drive? If they have been doing this for years, they should know the woods like the back of their hand. No need to graffiti their way thru. Just as bad as the scumbag dumping paint in a pond.

 

Drives screw as many people as they help, especially on state land. I say no drives on Monday and Saturday of 6 day firearm for starters... Just a few rules to level the playing field. First deer I ever killed was on a drive on state land, so they do have there place.

 

I'm not for or against, I would just like to see drives at the end of the season. Problem either way is there's not enough land to be able to hunt with shotgun and drive too. That's the reality.

 

Half the deer killed buck season are coming from a person or persons who jumped/drive them! Whats the difference? Everyone here who has gotten a deer has gotten one that was sneaking away from another human.Deer drives are a main part of deer hunting like it or not, I like sitting and letting others do the driving for me, weather they know it or not.

 

NJF&G are thieves.

 

I hear the NEW JERSEY FEDERATION OF DEER CLUBS has squashed it.

 

It is impossible to enforce. Especially on public land.
Most of the zones have numerous days on which to hunt with no encumberances (deer drives)what-so-ever. If you don't like drives you should consider hunting on those days.
6 days out of the year (more like 2-3 days) Hunting clubs or groups of like minded people push deer around to give others the opportunity to shoot a deer.
If you don't like driving, join or secure private land. Its that simple.
When a pushed deer comes past you don't shoot it, if you feel it's not fair chase.
Can anyone on this thread enlightened me on how to enforce, not restrict, enforce someone not to drive.
IMHO There are enough useless restrictions all around you, banning deer drives would be just one more.

 

I've participated in deer drives. Deer drives have their place. I've never done drives at the beginning of any season. It's a crowded state with crowded land so things are going to be tough all over.

Having said that, is there any problem with me standing in front of you come trout season at 7:55 am after you have found a spot. Clearly, it's a public spot but I am referring to the the "sportsmanship" involved in not crawling up someone's rear end in order to get into the same drift. There are reasons that a lot of people prefer to bow hunt and this is one of them. So why is it, come gun season, it's cool to go trouncing through the woods with a bunch of guys having just walked out of the diner stinking of cigarettes, gasoline and their own stench and assume that the deer in the area are just as likely to come back. I wouldn't screw another fisherman over, set up a stand next to some other guy nor trounce an area I know is likely to have guys set up in it.

Because of the fact that it is "legal" to do doesn't make it "sportsman-like" to the other guys in the woods. Let me take a spinner and start casting over the fly fishing guys because it's legal. Let me take a spinner, find a crowded hole and start casting over everyone with bait at 8:01 AM in a couple weeks because it is legal.

What is the worst thing that couple happen by waiting until later in the week or waiting until permit season? I am not asking about your "rights" as a hunter because "rights" change as the law changes. You have the right to bow hunt and not get shot at by gun hunters during bow season. What would be wrong with organized drives like we are talking about in terms of size being put off beyond opening day and possibly Saturday when the greatest # of hunters are expected to be on-stand?

 

you must compare apples to apples, i dont believe someone to close or casting over you in a 10 foot wide trout stream is the same as you sitting in the woods in a 500+ acre wildlife mgnt area or state park. again i cant stress enough scout the pressure, expect it! where i hunt in ringwood state park . i deal with people walking dogs off leash running loose , mountain bikers screaming and yelling to one another, not to mention trailblazing new runs across some of the best ridge saddles and funnels. other hunters placeing bait piles all over the place, kids rideing quads all over, etc etc a deer drive is not a problem! i can walk into the woods in ringwood and come out in oakland, mahwah,wanaque, or westmilford, iam sure a few drives in a four town radius isnt blowing the woods out. learn the groups and crews that do them and use it to an advantage! we must not divide ourselves the antis will do it for us

 

Drives wouldn't so bad if the dam standees would not stand a foot from my stand . After hunting for 38 years and seen what deer drives do to a WMA I am all for banning them

 

ALLMANN1.....Of all the answers to the thread,I like yours the best.We never sat in trees years ago.I have stalked deer and I belong to a club that drives for deer.I invie you to join a County Chapter of the Federation..I guarantee you won't be sorry.

 

never mind ! not even worth the aggravation ! [smirk] I will say this ,ban bait'n & deer drives n this site becomes a "snoozer site" just say'n [hihi]

 

I love deer drives