Five Seasons

First time a 315er who lives in Mississippi has been called a sissified city boy I think...[emoji8] Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Not sure if serious... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Temps are usually ok but not permanent. Any stand does not reserve a spot. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

iirc Target quickly changed their tune as well. So now they don't allow it, although wont enforce it. Way to go. Right? What was accomplished? http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/07/03/target-announces-but-wont-enforce-gun-ban/

I work in risk management. Insurance rates are all based on what you do to minimize risk. Chances are both the deer and prized bull are insured. If you have great security you pay less of a premium. If you haven't done a good job maintaining your fence line or sweeping your fence line to prevent this than your premiums might be higher. It's the same with any homeowners or car insurance. The more you invest the less you pay. furthermore, should you choose to gamble and not purchase insurance (if not required) then you're SOL when $20k + runs out on you.

A dog is a pet and not a hunted species. Now I agree, it's not much of an accomplishment. The deer was probably pretty tame having never had to survive in the wild. except i'm not going to shoot a cow if I saw one in the woods. It's just not fair for a hunter to have to know what's pen raised and what isn't.

I wouldn't want an army of their employees screwing up my property to get it. Unless a chunk of money was involved I would like to continue to hunt my property with the deer unspooked. how do you fine a hunter who didn't know it was an escaped pen raised deer?

we've hunted this one 60 acre property for 30 years. Still moving stands. You need to know where the food sources are. Some of it is based on local crop rotation, others from logging and certain areas becoming hardwoods and others reverting. It's a game that's never over. Make your own deer runs. Lots of work but it helps a ton.

the break open is on the trigger guard. You have to be pretty clumsy to hit it on something. In my case I don't think I latched it properly when putting the primer in. It is a downfall for sure, but it is a budget gun.

I'm still thinking stillwater needs his permission to retrieve it and he's not obligated to let them on. Honestly, I would let them know. I would then still hunt it. Maybe if they offered some money for it then it would change.

I've never been nothing but honest with this place so I will say it and take the beating. I don't have the time. 2 little kids and a full time job. I'm spending my free time with them or doing something I like. I am not taking my kid to any sort of rally of any kind. And in addition if by protesting through disobedience than yes I am risking going to jail. I already know the list of responses "you're not worried now, but they will come for your long guns and pistols next if you don't act now" "confiscation starts with restriction" "you're a bad gun owner" etc. Listen, I've done more than most. I took a lot of my tax money and left the state. I support the NRA. I vote pro-gun. I own guns. I'm done with it at that. When I read the constitution I believe the intent is that the government does not stop me from pursuing happiness. Some can argue that the SAFE act does this very thing and I agree. I am not arguing the SAFE Act. I'm arguing open carry and just being silly. How does not bringing your AR into target prevent you from being happy? A .45 on your hip under your jacket isn't enough?

playing devils advocate, what if he didn't know it was pen raised? there's nothing illegal about it.

his property? His buck. If I leave a $20 bill on a park bench I don't expect it to still be there. The company should do a better job protecting their investment. What would they do anyhow trample all over his land and tranq it? Good for the buck for escaping and good for the kid for killing it. $20k? good lord...

I think a few of your lessons learned are why some of us "gear junkies" have more invested in our clothing than our guns. It's not that we want to look pretty for the deer or that they will notice. It's the comfort they provide to keep us hunting longer. Some good wool and flannel will get it done for sure but I appreciate some of the lighter thinner modern tech that keeps me just as worm. At the end of the day, you need to be in the right spot. This is something that will come with the more time you spend in the woods. Right now is the best time to scout for next year. Don't wait till the spring or late summer. Pattern them now. Hope you get some success. It can take years for some to get their first deer.

well i've said my peace. I feel how I do. I vote and try to spread my views to others. I try to bring in new hunters and introduce others to guns. That's the most I can do. At the end of the day I have a family of 4 to look after and I'm not getting locked up in protest.

I know what he means. Hunting is certainly an escape. But after hour 3 of sitting the mind will return to the things in life giving you stress. I too have made big decisions on how to handle issues at work, marriage and family while in the stand. It's a peaceful time to ponder and debate (gets scary between the ears sometimes) haha. My heads on a swivel and I'm also thinking about how to motivate an employee. I assume this is more common for a manager. If I was blue collar I'm certainly not worried about making parts.

ummm Maybe you believe we live in some utopia where we can govern ourselves but we've proven otherwise. This doesn't just pertain to guns. The government gives us many freedoms and provides laws around them. You will not get out of paying taxes, you will need a license to drive a car, you will need a permit to build your house, you need to be a certain age to vote and a certain age to drink etc. Providing some common sense laws around gun control are for the better good. I do not disagree with some form of universal background check. I do not agree you should be able to own an RPG or C4. I do not believe you should be able to mount an m40 to your hummer. I do not think open carry of long guns or pistols makes sense unless we're talking situations like hunting. If you walk into a store with your AR I'm probably pulling out my CC. I do believe you should be able to own any gun and as many as you want, any amount of ammo and any amount of bullets in a magazine. Once again we have 2 sides not willing to compromise for fear of giving an inch. A fear I understand. Sorry for putting a little common sense out there.

i think the difference is being classified as forever wild or not.

I don't know the difference in models but I love my optima. I think it's cheaper as well. Dad won it at a gun show. I'm 3 for 3 with it. and yes I also broke it open while walking through the woods haha. I shoot TC shockwaves and pellets.

Why do you have to be fat, crude and bearded to be a hunter? I'm thin, in shape, clean shaven and white collar. And I get it done just the same....with prettier girls and more money.

I'm not big on fancy clothes and shoes. Don't care much about my appearance either. I have a nice Tag watch and Raybans and that's about as deep as it goes. Just feels good to get a facial, massage, pedicure... Scientifically proven to be beneficial for stress. Never had a manicure. ditto. I have 2 very different appearances. M-F driving a nice car in nice clothes and clean shaven. On the weekends I'm in camo, or dirty jeans doing chores or working on my car in a beater truck. You should never judge a book by it's cover. Many people down south heard I was from NY and instantly judged me. Not a clue that I can hunt, fish and turn a wrench. On the flip side, seeing me walk into home depot sometime you might think I live in a trailer. I heard a quote the other day. "the best hobbies are those that take you furthest away from your work". I think that's what I love so much about the outdoors. lets just clear it up a little. In the past 10 years I've had 2 pedicures, 1 facial and 4 massages. So lets just be clear about "guys who get pedicures". It's a once in a while thing with the wife. Usually we drink wine during and after and I get rewarded. You know... the reward married guys stop getting when they put a ring on it?

Please do not take the title out of context. There is a point to be made but it's not my goal. I wanted to share my story with you all as I'm sure some will enjoy it. It's just kind of funny this happened really concerning all the talk lately of legal shooting hours. In Mississippi legal shooting hours are 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after. There is also a 10" inside spread or 13" main beam. The rut is in full swing down here so I snuck out of work Friday afternoon for a sit in a ground blind (it was drizzling) on some public land near me. I harvested a doe near the spot I chose just a few weekends prior. I have been seeing great sign in this area, fresh rubs and scrapes and passed a new one on the way in. I get in and set up by 2:30. It was one of those days where you're feeling good to be in the woods but I didn't see a thing all sit. I'm sitting up on a nob overlooking a deep shallow creek which provided a small window between 2 thick bedding areas where I had found some great sign. It's a hard to reach area as it's a pretty steep climb down and up. Sunset is ~4:50 and the light is getting thin around 5:05. I'm hunting with my muzzleloader instead of my shotgun as I do not yet have a rifle. I look through my nikon 3x9 and still have good light. I'm shooting at a downward angle and decide to give it 5 more minutes. Truthfully any later, while legal would have been iffy. Had I been in a field I'm sure it would have been fine. At 5:10 a see a deer come running down the hill and paused broadside at about 50 yards behind a tree. I bump the power to 4 and cock the hammer on my CVA Optima. I am not going to shoot a doe. It's dark, wet and a hell of a drag. He steps out. He's a shooter. Bang. The buck runs 20 yards down into the steep shallow creek (oh crap), up the other side (thank God) and then flops once and dies. I sit another 5 minutes and go and check him out and was very happy with my decision. Not a perfect shot and didn't get much meat out of both shoulders but double lung just the same. The drag out with my cart may have been one of the hardest things I've ever done. Into the creek and up the otherside pushing him up with my shoulders. Inching up the ravine grabbing onto trees to prevent myself from slipping and from him sliding back down. 2 hours later he was out. I was sore but thankful. Cut him up Saturday and did the grind Sunday. He's going to be a European. 15" inside spread and a wopping 110lbs dressed haha. I'm calling him a 9 as the broken brow tine passes the keychain test for me.

that was the only point i was trying to make. thanks.

i guess my comment was directed more towards the adirondacks. My family has had a cabin up there for 50+ years and it's forever wild. I love that the small lake we have a place on does not allow motor boats but the only time we see new growth is when there's a major storm. There are variables for sure, but it just seems the wildlife has been getting less and less and the land has not shrunk.

why demonstrate at a target though? Why not the public courthouse? Demonstrations like these always tend to hurt more than they help is my only argument. Look at what Greenpeace just did down in South America. Look at the crap PETA has done, the civil rights movements in Ferguson. People view the extremists and tend to be turned off more than anything. Same can be said for religious extremists, fox news, msnbc etc etc. The more unwilling you are to compromise and the less open minded you are the crazy you appear. And perception is often reality whether it's right or wrong.