steve863

No, I don't always make a perfect shot, but this doesn't mean I should "love" or "enjoy" blood trails if I have to follow one. In my mind if I need to follow a blood trail a long way it means I most likely SCREWED something up in one way or another and I am not ashamed to admit it. I hunt mainly with a rifle although I do bowhunt once in a while. I fully realize that a bowhunter may need to follow a blood trail more often than a gun hunter. I said that from the start. I do think that even for bowhunters, a good solid hit in the right place should not give you much of a blood trail to follow. So even for bowhunters a long blood trail means there was probably a screw up on the hunters part somewhere. For whatever it's worth I have killed over 50 deer and assorted other game and have been hunting since 1977, which is before many here were even born, so I am not new at this game by any stretch.

Yup, it's the same gun. Don't know what they do with their Mark V's these days, but they have always contracted with someone else to build their guns. All they do is throw their name on it. No one is claiming they are not fine rifles, but when it comes to accuracy and killing ability, one doesn't need a Weatherby to get the job done. Lots of other options available and many for a cheaper price.

Weatherby guns have had their followers, but they are far less popular than they once were. LOTS of other choices out there that are just as accurate if not more and cheaper to boot. Weatherby itself seems to be pushing it's Vanguard model even more than the Mark V which is its trademark gun. Why? Because it's just as good and accurate in the standard calibers and way more affordable. Cartridge power isn't everything. MORE game gets killed with the more traditional hunting rounds and will continue to. A Weatherby magnum won't make someone a better hunter than he is.

The only problem I see with the current Remington 700's is that for most of their models, other than the Mountain rifle and BDL, their barrel lengths for the .270 and .30-06 is 24". I see absolutely NO reason why a 24" barrel is needed for these calibers. With a 22" inch barrel you would lose nothing at 300 yards or further, yet you'd have a more portable gun. That is the reason I would vote for a Savage in the standard calibers, like the .308, .270 or .30-06, plus their accuracy is supposed to be second to none, let alone their reasonable price. And this is coming from someone who has used a Rem 700 BDL(with 22" barrel) in .270 for close to 30 years now!

I don't know if Obama and the democrats will have the guts to go after assault type weapons in the next 4 years if he wins knowing it could effect the 2016 results, but I think everyone here needs to face the fact that someone will sooner or later. I just feel that the government has come to the realization that a LOT of people now have these type weapons, and the potential for someone to wreck havoc with them is getting greater. That's just how I think they are seeing all this now. Yeah, I think we all can understand that there isn't much difference mechanically between a Rem 7400 and an AR-15, but the high capacity magazines I think are the kicker here. Sure, one can custom make something for the Rem 7400 which will hold a bunch of rounds, but these high capacity magazines are as easily available as candy for AR and the AK type rifles. This is where the difference lies in my opinion. No, statistically there haven't been too many crimes committed with these type guns up to now in comparison to handguns, but like I said a whole LOT of people have these guns now. And for any Joe Schmoe to legally get one is a whole lot easier than it is to legally get a handgun in most places. The Colorado killer surely wrecked more havoc with his legal AR and his 100 round magazine than he would have if he had some other weapon with less ammo capacity. Ain't saying that banning these weapons or the magazines is right or will make any sort of real difference, but that's just how I think the government, along with MANY people in this country are looking at this. In my mind it won't matter if the democrats or republicans are in power. Sooner or later laws will be proposed to put limits on them or their ammo capacity somehow.

I honestly don't see how anyone could "love" or "enjoy" blood trails. I realize that bowhunters may need to take up blood trails more often than gun hunters, but in general having a long blood trail on your hands is most likely due to a less than perfect shot no matter what weapon you are using. I know it happens to everyone once in a while, but I just can't say that I will "love" or "enjoy" the experience. Just not the right way to look at it in my opinion. To me following a long blood trail becomes necessary because of a screw up on our or someones elses part. Not much to love or enjoy about that, at least the way I look at this.

They say that they have 100 processors in the program, so one couldn't bring a deer to just any butcher and expect to get the deer processed and donated for free.

Could be. Would be interesting to know how it really all works. What I would really like to know is who gets this venison? Plenty of "poor" people out there who probably wouldn't touch venison with a ten foot pole. The old saying "beggars can't be choosers" isn't exactly true.

I have never used a butcher in NYS, but know that butchers in other states will charge you for cutting it up even if you decide to donate. I would think it's the same here with most butchers, but don't know for sure. I just can't see what the incentive for the butcher would be to cut a bunch of deer up for non-paying hunters and then give them charity. Wouldn't he lose out on all the deer he could have butchered for a fee?? I can't imagine that he gets too much if anything from the venison donation people for his services, and any tax writes offs he might be eligible for would be piddly at best.

The blood trail I like is the one I make while dragging the deer out of the woods. A couple of times I even added some of my own blood to the trail. LOL

How many deer butchers out there will do it for free if you donate the venison?? There may be some, but I bet they are in the minority. Most butchers have more than they could handle. I doubt you will get too many chopping deer up for NO money. I cut my own up. Always have and always will. I don't care how reputable the butcher is. Absolutely NO way for you to know that the meat you get back is actually yours.

You guys really think Romney is pro-gun?? Yeah, of course he flip-flopped on this issue like he has with every other one, and now he says he supports the 2nd amendment, but you guys just might be in for a surprise if he becomes president. Sure Obama could pull something if he gets in again also, but I think his party is well aware of the potential backlash for the 2016 election if they do something unpopular. On the other hand Romney would have absolutely NOTHING to lose by implementing more gun control. You know damned well that the sitting president is pretty much a shoe-in for renomination for a second term. So if he sticks to his original anti-gun philosophy and implements some gun controls, what would you republicans do in the 2016 election?? Vote for a democrat instead?? LOL Like I said, he would have absolutely NOTHING to lose. Have a few more mass killings happen under his watch and you will see what happens.

OK, I see what your saying. Yes, no doubt lots of things have changed. People once hunted several hundred acre plots now they hunt ten acres. Nothing ever stays the same unfortunately. People rather sell their land to builders who will give them some good money for it. I highly doubt any landowner is worried about us hunters having fewer places where the deer could roam. Just the way it is unfortunately. $ signs rule the world it seems.

Who is taking land from us? There is still a lot of public land. Yeah, many landowners don't want hunters around, but what can we do about that? It's their land so they have the right to do what they want with it. If anyone is taking land from us, it's the hunters who have the private spots they don't want to share. So once again you would have hunters fighting hunters here. We need to face it, hunting can be a very selfish pastime, and I think it's more so than ever before. I simply do NOT see it getting better any time soon.

I can hear the lights and sirens going off after this post! LOL

More times than not these days, when we hear of a serious injury or fatality while hunting, it will involve treestands.

No, we live in the states now. We only grew up in Africa. That picture was taken at Burt's place. We go up to his place when he isn't around. We monitor his hunting journal here on the forum, so we know when he's up there or not.

Are there any clicks left in your scope adjustments or have you gotten to the end? If not how much have you moved the adjustments? You have to realize that most scopes have 1/4 inch adjustments at 100 yards. This means to move point of impact 1 inch you need to move the adjustments 4 clicks. At 50 yards you would need to move the adjustments 8 clicks to move the point of impact 1 inch. So maybe you aren't moving the scope adjustments enough at the 50 yards you are shooting at? To move it 3 inches in any direction at 50 yards would require roughly 24 clicks.

If you want to be a 'czar', you may need to vote in a republican then. He can start a war with Russia, and then maybe he can appoint you 'czar' there. lol

For those who didn't know that me and Doe were Africans, here a picture of us hunting two years ago. We shot that nice buck on Burt's property when he wasn't up there.

His our nominee for secretary of defense since he know the names of at least a couple of military aircraft.

Virgil, you were at the top of our list for secretary of health and welfare. Looks like that may not happen now.

Well, if Obama got in why can't we? I'd be the second black president and Doe would be the first black VP.

Is it too late to write me onto the ballot for 2012?? Of course Doewhacker will be my running mate. All of you will be invited to the inaugural ball if we get elected. You will all get VIP treatment, I can assure you. Except the antler restriction supporters of course. They will be sent to Guantanamo.

I've said it before. When the democrats are in office, money is thrown into every social program imaginable, and when republicans are in office they will throw money into fighting a war in some fleabag country. They BOTH spend way more than should be spent. If one thinks it's a waste to provide healthcare for illegals here, why is it any better to rebuild fleabag nations like Iraq and Afghanistan? Neither is better than the other in my opinion. Both parties are garbage and a movement should be started to vote for candidates not affiliated with either. I know it will probably take some time to change the current system, but it will NEVER happen if we don't start somewhere.