Is it just me, or have we gotten greedy about the whitetails that roam our swamps, fields and forests? Excuse me for being blunt, but I think I’m going to be ill if I hear one more person possessively refer to a free-ranging deer herd. You have probably heard it, too:

“Those public-land hunters are killing all my deer!” … or

“We no longer do deer drives because we might push all of our bucks on the neighbor’s land!” … or

“Don’t plant food plots near your property lines. Otherwise, everyone will be shooting your deer!”

What kind of message are such statements sending future generations? OK, so you’ve worked hard, saved money and bought land, obtained a lease or exclusive access somewhere. You’ve also invested a lot of time and money to live that sportsman’s dream. You want to bag a buck of wall-hanging proportions more than anyone, and you will try to tip the odds in your favor no matter what it takes. That’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with aspiring to bigger and better things.

But is it really OK to do that through total selfishness and petty actions? I don’t think so. Remember, your way might not be your neighbor’s way. You might practice QDM and pass up any buck that isn’t at least 3 years old. Your neighbor might be tickled with the mere thought of getting a crack at a 6-point yearling.

If you truly care about your fellow man, take a step back and recall those days when you were first starting out as a hunter. You needed someone to help you — whether that was a friend, family member or neighbor down the road. Invariably, one of those people in your life back then put their own interests aside to help build that fire within you for the outdoors.

In the end, this deer hunting lifestyle is one that should be cherished and shared with everyone in the fraternity. It shouldn’t be a competition that divides us.