UpStateRedNeck

Crossman Air Rifle! Pump that girl up and let her rip at anything in sight! Those will bounce back though, there is no doubt about it, I remember a few close calls myself.

This "discussion" will be over as soon as Doc pulls out his M1 Garand and tells you to "Get off my Lawn!".

I like the idea of antler restrictions, but "ground-check" as moosemike said, and people leaving deer to rot makes me lean away from the practical application of it. I'd settle for a "No Suit-Case Deer" restriction. Please shoot only mature animals. Bambi does taste pretty good though.......

Going up to the farm to shoot my bow and pull my trail cam when I get out of here in an hour, and scout around a bit before football! I'm pumped, hope I have something to show!

I've always steered away from under-armor as I think you're spending way too much money for a just a stupid brand name and add campaign. Have you owned any other base-layer brands to compare it to?

I'd say it's a tie between my first buck at age 18, and my first miss. First buck : Thanksgiving morning 1998. Doing the 10 steps, 10 seconds wait walk on the god-forsaken side of the hill that drops 1000 feet in 1/2 a mile on a logging trail. Was stopped, heard some rustling 1/2 a ledge down, got set up, and 2 bucks are cruising around the side of the hill towards the southern face of the mountain. It was probably, oh 40 yards down hill. I had had about 3 or 4 minutes to get the shakes. Long story short, clipped the one I aimed at across the belly taking out his femural artery and essentially disemboweling him. Didn't wait the 1/2 hour for him to bleed out, so I basically ran chasing this deer 2 miles over some of the roughest ground around, but he eventually bled out, and it was a very happy Thanksgiving! Opening Day First Year Hunting, Sunup : Sitting on a stonewall in a saddle on the southern face of the farm in a huge group of white oaks. Buck comes CHARGING over the rise about 30 yards away from me, I line up the old mossberg, he's probably 20 yards away, at a ground eating trot. And I just clean miss. No blood, no hair, nothing. He was a damn monster too, I still remember the gun shaking back and forth like mad, and that big beautiful deer 20 yards away from me.

12 gauge, cannon missing it's wheels!

I call BS that I had to wait until I was 16 to hunt deer. I've been outhunting adults since I was 14 years old. Is there really a huge difference between having a shotgun w/ birdshot vs. a slug? Bah. 14 seems like a good age. I remember being 12 and in the woods with my 12 ga. running around after turkey, and probably good to have a year or 2 without the warzone that is gun season for deer.

I learned the skinning from my Dad, and the actual butchery from my grandmother, a crazy old farm wife who (god rest her soul) was a genius in the kitchen. It was always stressed on me to pay the most attention to cutting the back straps, as they're far and away the best meat on the animal.

Unfortunately for people who must reserve their time off a month or two in advance, we cannot be Wild and just hunt whenever (26 years until retirement!), and I think my original plan stands, take the first week of November off, work 2 days the second week, and then become tragically ill for good weather after that. I don't think there's any "witchcraft" involved in saying female reproductive cycles are moon based though. And I don't think it's a big stretch to say deer are loosely based on the same thing, such as when it's cold and there's a full moon, x-part of their reproductive cycle kicks in. I think it probably relies more on temperature than equinox/solstice, but I'm sure they factor in too. There's certainly no exact formula for it, but I think we can agree that we can get a ballpark as we get closer to the season.

Contac, duh-uh. Definitely something there, natural salt/mineral or c'mere deer.

Wow John, very very very nice. One day I'm getting something like that up on the farm, of course by then it will be my own private game reserve I suppose I should build a regular house for the wife first huh.

In the market for some warmer weather boots this year, for early to mid bow season. I have a pair of beauties for the real cold weather. I've heard good things about rubber boots, that they're pretty light and form fitting these days. Anyone have any suggestions? Buddy of mine, outstanding bow hunter recommended LaCross Alpha Burlys.

Looking for decent base layer for early/mid bow season in southern zone. Anyone have any recommendations? I want to be able to move to my stand while carrying toting all my gear without breaking out in a dead sweat. Anti-microbial is the direction I'm leaning in.......

The shotgun/ammo conversation reminded me that I have a second rifled barrel that has never been used, straight from Mossberg. I believe it's camo-patterned, I'll double check on that tonight. I think it cost me like 150$ bucks new, I can't remember. If you're interested, I'd be willing to part with it for a reasonable offer, shoot a PM and we'll talk!

Yeah the very-soon-to-be-wife and I are gluttons for football punishment too, and try and catch at least a couple games each year. We went to that browns game last year and the tailgating was far and away the highlight of the day.' Thanks guys, I took some chuck out of freezer this morning. I need to buy a meat grinder, but I'd really like to buy my house first.

I bought my Mossberg 12 ga 500 pump, with money I earned working for my grandfather on the farm, when I was 12 years old > Under 100 yards I'd rather have my Mossy than an 60 cal machine gun. With the rifled barrel direct from Mossberg (I ordered 2 by mistake) it is quite simply a murdering machine. I shoot 3' remington sluggers through the barrel. I have never NOT 1 shot 1 killed an animal with that gun, I love it to death. She doesn't take no for an answer, and that's the way I like it.

I told the kid that rang me out "Yeah might as well go ahead and get denied." He didn't believe me, but I was right. Only get a doe tag once every 3 years in 4g/4h.

Really beautiful pictures, I need to start carrying a camera while I'm out in the woods. I wish I had a picture of the Great Snowy that landed in my tree last bow season. Or the Bald Eagle I saw from 60 yards away (holy crap!).

As far as the Turkey Poults go..... around '95 there was 2 flocks of 100+ birds floating around the farm, and maybe 2 packs of coyotes in the area. Now there's at least 4 packs of Yotes', and the Turkey population is less than 50% of what it was 15 years ago. I rarely see a flock of over 50 anymore. I'm sure Bambi get's hit hard too.

Well since my grandfather runs about 90 to 100 head of sheep, I've seen them far far too much. First one I killed was with a full choke tube + 00 Buck from about 50 yards, during turkey season. She was probably at least 50 to 60 lbs. We killed a 5 of them in the space of a week about 5 to 6 years ago now, they've been avoiding the area until this summer, now they're starting to come snooping around the sheep again.

I started watering my mock scrapes secondhand last year too, it works like a charm. I also like to take a stick and make a big artificial hoofprint right in the center of it. I'd also dump my yellow gatorade bottle on the scrap on my way out of the stand as I left each day. Not hard to keep 2 scrapes very well watered!

Football is a comin (thank you Hay-zeus), and I'm looking for a decent chili recipe, any recommendations?

Supersportsman, NY gets another 100$ of my bucks you can bet I'm taking a nice big fat doe again with my boe this year. Never tasted deer meet so good as that doe who never knew what hit her right at the height of apple season last year.

There was some glare on the camera, it is facing south, but it didn't ruin the pictures at all. This is on my foodplot that I planted last year, it's a bit overgrown now but theres a real thick bed of white clover in it yet, and I can see where the animals have been munching on it.