THANK YOU... I had an article featured in my outdoor column I titled, "IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS." It described EXACTLY what you are saying. I talked about the place where I took my first deer. It is now a strip mall and where my treestand was, you can now buy Lottery tickets. The place my son took his first deer is now a parking lot for a liquor store and the place where my oldest grandson took his first deer is a "FAST-MART" store..

I have been considering for a few years giving up deer hunting and concentrating on my competitive bass fishing and it looks like it may become more than just a thought. I certainly hate to consider the fact I am soon to be "on the sidelines" but I will jsut have to wait and see what transpires.

                                                                                Bud Fields

Sorry to hear that Bud.  My wife and I were recently at some family owned property in a town south of here.  It's only a few acres, but when I was growing up, it had my grandmother's house, my great-grandmother's house, and my great-great-grandmother's house.  It was out in the country and my dad and I hunted all over the place on that property, and the surrounding properties(all woods and farmland back then).  Now it is in the middle of the city.  There is a Gander Mountain and a motorcycle dealer right next to it, and across the road is another huge shopping complex and a few hotels and restaurants.  I know we hear about progess all the time, but sometimes I just sit back and wish things were as simple as they used to be.

Good luck finding new hunting ground this year.  I know it's not easy to do.

-John