Doc

The method of killing with broadheads relies on hemorrhaging. Not impact as in the case of a slug or bullet. Therefore the target has some extra requirements in terms of where the most humane and effective areas are located. Also, after the shot, the rules of effective pursuit and retrieval have different guidelines and practices than those of a gun. I think those features all by themselves tell you that gun instruction for crossbows is probably not the right selection. Put the crossbow season wherever it all finally shakes out, but the education principles should be part of a bowhunter training program or a separate program of its own (which may not really be a terrible option).

It appears to be human nature to want to take the challenge out of everything we do. In archery, we get the illusion of wanting challenge by limiting ourselves with our equipment. And then we start buying everything that anyone can think of to remove challenge. It is without exception, and yes, muzzleloading technology has gone through the same game-changing mentality to remove anything that may serve as a challenge. We do not need to hunt for sustenance and theoretically the purpose of modern-day hunting is to create a "fair" competition between man and nature's critters. But when we get a chance to "cheat" and put the odds back in our favor, we can't seem to buy enough gadgets and gizmos to remove as much of the animal's edge as we can. If we don't do it with our weaponry, we do it with scent-free clothing, camo, scent-killing chemicals (oh yes the chemists get into the act also .... lol), tree-stands, arrow flinging machines of increasing speed and accuracy, or any other mechanical and chemical advantage that anyone can provide us, so that we can take from engineers and designers, and claim for our own successes as hunters. Most of the hunting success of today is directly attributable to some nerdy, egghead, sitting in a cubicle somewhere inventing things that we can take credit for and use against the natural defenses of our prey. ..... Human nature .... Most of us do it. And it shows no sign of slowing or reversing. We're addicted to taking credit for the success of marketplace products, invented and supplied by someone else. Challenge .... yes, for the engineers and chemists. For us hunters .... well maybe not as much as we like to pretend.

Ha-ha-ha .... Hear it? .... Huh? .... Can you hear it? That grinding sound as all our resident libs are pondering how to rebut all of that. You can almost see that bulging forehead vein, and the wide open bulging bloodshot eyes and beet red faces. Yeah, if you listen real close, you can hear all the muttering ...... o-o-o-oh there goes some swearing. Yikes, this is going to be a good one when it gets going. It really is kind of fun to watch everyone take themselves so seriously as if their words of aggression and fits of pathetic anger and vitriol on a hunting site will somehow save the world. But it's coming .... wait for it......Ha-ha-ha.

Yup!, That's exactly what I said, except I did not say anything about handicapping "archers". My word was "hunters". The season was established for those hunters who wanted to take on deer hunting using unique primitive equipment as a means of accepting a handicap to create noteworthy challenge. And exactly as I said, people have been diligently (and successfully) working ever since to change that primitive (handicapped) equipment toward equipment that removes more and more of that initial goal of challenge. That really is not something anyone can honestly dispute. The invention and mass marketing of the compound bow was the beginning of it all, and from that point, the destruction of the initial concepts of bow season have eroded with no end in sight. The ever increasing success rates kind of indicate that. And by the way, the skill set intended for bow season was not simply so people could practice a close range hunting, but the equipment was such that there was no choice. The physical skills involved in shooting recurves and longbows was the very feature of bowhunting that required hunters to close the distance. It was specifically the handicap of the unique equipment that required that the season be separated from gun season. So, I don't think there is a whole lot of difference in what either of us are saying ..... Just different ways of saying it. I am simply adding that I don't necessarily agree that the initial concepts and restrictions of bow season are something that we should be working so hard to get rid of.

It all can't come soon enough to suit me. This has been the most disgusting winter that I can ever remember. We have had some pretty ugly winters before, but there were always times of thawing mixed in. Where the hell was our January thaw? ..... lol. For the first time ever, I had to buy a roof-rake to clear the snow off the barn roof. By the way, that job really sucks. Before anyone begins any premature celebrations, keep in mind that March traditionally has at least one doozy of a storm of heavy, wet, sloppy, gloppy snow that can be measured in feet. Two Feet of Snow!!

I would really hate to see anyone blocking the "Gun and Hunting Laws and politics Discussions" forum. That basically would be an admission of apathy when it comes to matters regarding the legal challenges to hunting and other outdoor activities. The one most important feature of this site is that it does keep us all informed about legal challenges and threats to the activities that we supposedly care so much about. I do understand the level of that apathy from the most recent election results, but at least the information has a venue of education for those of us who do care about such things. And hopefully, some of the information and details do reach some people here that might otherwise remain uninformed.

Rap ..... Can't really get into it. Basically, I call it "chanting" rather than music.... lol. however it has even crept into country music now.

My comment was simply intended to make the results more meaningful, truthful and perhaps useful. I see no value in people commenting on things they have no interest in, or knowledge of.

We have about 42 different forums on this site. Many of those have sub-divisions, so the actual number is even higher. One of all those sites is political. It is no big trick to find all the hunting, fishing, trapping, camping, etc., subjects that you could ever want.....probably way more than you will ever have time to read. The reason that a political forum is important on a hunting/outdoor forum site is that there are political aspects to hunting, hunting weapons and the people governing or influencing laws and policies that impact hunting. There is no reason for anyone to feel compelled to access that one forum out of forty-something if they do not want to. Lastly, I have to point out that this is not a "read only" site. Anyone who feels that there are not enough hunting/outdoor posts occurring is certainly free to start threads of their own and are encouraged to do so.

It makes you wonder how long it would be before these same people would be whining and complaining about some of the features of PA. The grass always looks greener on the other side of the border.......until you actually live there.

Yeah, it probably would have been useful to have a "No Opinion" selection. That would have been my response on all of the dove questions. I know that dove hunting is not something that I will ever engage in or have a whole lot of interest in.

It is truly amazing how some of the most inane songs can have such a profound impact on our mood ....lol. Through the late 50's and all of the 60's, the rock and roll era accompanied just about everything formative in my teen years. Yes, I was a part of that massive movement to transform music into rock and roll. Elvis, Buddy Holly, Everly Bros., Ricky Nelson, and the long parade of more obscure one-hit wonders. But then along came Ted Nugent and a whole similar army of squealing, shrieking guitars and I bailed out on R&R and went through another revision. To me all that sounded like a bunch of kids learning to play the guitar and not really doing that good of a job at it. That was when I swapped over to listening to Country music. So now Country music goes through spells of taking on a repetitiveness and a "sameness" where every artist sounds like each other for some stretches. In retaliation, I have an extensive collection of old rock and roll performers, and even some pretty good old country songs to listen to. And there are still enough talented and creative country singers to keep me frequently tuned to a few country stations looking for new, unique, performers. Along the way, I have also done my time with folk, classical, and I even have some old Dave Brubeck and Al Hirt albums to cover the jazz genre. Opera ....... I can listen to some of it, but not for very long. But yes, music has always been a part of my life. Not in a performance fashion, but there always seems to be some kind of song playing somewhere around me.

I am a little northwest of there.

My point is that a lot of people have lost their natural human sense of skepticism when it comes to anything that has the words, university research, studies, or surveys, attached to them. There seems to be a growing trend in mentality that automatically assumes that because something comes from a university atmosphere that it is not to be questioned. That kind of blind acceptance does and has opened up opportunities for misuse, and abuse. Government and all kinds of agenda driven entities have found that sort of blind faith to be a very useful tool.

Nice job

Love the initials on the tree behind the turkey on the left.

I just feel a little odd to be vehemently against a gun registration system and then turning around and voluntarily publishing a public listing of all of the guns that I own for anyone to use as they see fit. Right now, no one but myself knows what guns that I own or anything else about my firearms ..... Not the make, model, or caliber, of any of them. I think I'll just keep it that way.

What I find a bit scary about some of this research is the way the public latches on to it in almost a religious fashion and attaches infallibility to it simply because of the university atmosphere it was all hatched in. If the words research, study, survey, etc. are attached, it is automatically assumed to be flawless and nearly directly from the mouth of God. Government policy and planning is based on some of these proclamations without even a thought of questioning the science. After all, it came from a university didn't it? Every year it becomes easier and easier to use studies and research to influence political scenarios and ideological situations, and I don't see that as a super healthy thing.

I used to ice fish, and I will tell you that when they are biting and the action is good, it is a heck of a lot of fun. Of course, when they aren't biting, it can be a real dismal time ..... lol. But, I was just curious how guys were making out in this exceptional year of good ice.

Ok, a lot of us are getting cabin fever and are on the verge of insanity. I have a great project figured out for at least one of these house-bound days. I'm dragging out all my poles and tackle boxes and going through everything. I'm going to toss what is busted, useless, or just plain doesn't work, and fix all the stuff that needs fixing, and putting new line on the poles, etc., etc. So, anyone looking for something useful to do during winter, that is something that you will appreciate next spring, and also gets you mind off of this crappy record-setting winter and onto a better time of year.

Hell, I can do that ..... lol.

That's funny Bill. You really won twice. Once for the 3D shoot and again for out-living all the rest. Good for you!

Damn ...... Why on earth did that video affect me the way it did? That is so weird. Am I really all that disappointed in how the world turned out? To be fair, the 50's were my teen years. Of course life was good back then. Thanks Eddie for a great walk through my childhood.

Any of you people doing any ice fishing? Any Luck? Any pics? We have so many years lately when the ice doesn't really cooperate, that I would guess that this would be the year for getting out there and getting pikes of fish.

This was the school house where I went to first grade, 1 year before the area centralized the school system. There were 12 of these scattered around the town.