DirtTime

Shawn, you were offended by jjb's post, while those who use a shotgun might take offense to your post as well. "Point and shoot"? 12ga with #6 should be fine. High or low brass. As mentioned, pattern the gun.

Third pic looks that buck already busted antlers on one side.

Would I pass on a legal spike if I knew there was a bigger buck in the area? First few weeks I might. After that, that spike will taste just fine. Example, if I knew there were say, a spike, a nice 4, and a nice 6 on the private land I was hunting, for the first few weeks I would wait on the 6. After that I would shoot the 4 or the spike if the shot was there. I am human and I am a hunter. So of course getting a nice deer with a good rack means something. But, at the same time I am not out there to keep passing on a deer if the season is end is growing close. I have nothing against people who wait for that huge buck, or trophy for the wall. As for does, no fawns with her and good size she will taste good as well. Public land, if it gets a lot of pressure, most of the time you can't wait. That is if you hunt for the meat. Let that buck or doe walk by and the hunter 100 yards away may not.

I like dome tents for one reason, the wind. The wind usually passes over them without ripping them out of the ground or collapsing them. Not always, but domes are better in wind then a full straight wall tent. IMHO. Even the big wall tent we have has a slight slant to the walls. Image below. I was just asking because I never knew Bushnell made tents until I came across the one in the link above. They make good scopes so I figure the tents must be OK.

Yes jjb, water bath process. She boils the jars to sterilize and the lids, cooks the spices in vinegar, and then puts the still hot spices in the jars, add cucs, put lid on, then back in water bath and et boil for 15 to 20 minutes, remove from the boiling water bath, allow to cool for a day, screw down the top/band. No pressure canning for pickles or peppers. She got a pressure cooker for x-mas so I am looking forward testing out some pickled kielbasa in that. Oh, and she wants to try making her own pasta sauce.

Yes, she usually quarters or slices them after removing the ends. Pickle crisp is a MUST. No true 'snap' without it.

OK, so here's a penny in the pond! How many? 2! If you see 2 then that would most likely mean a pair. If they have adequate food, they will not be going anywhere soon. They will make a den and mate. Then you will have at least double that the next year if nothing is done, the year after that you will have at least 8. Then 16....... As long as they have food they really aren't going to leave the honey pot. But when they don't have food, then they will leave and you will not have much to hunt. So if you are spending money to plant food plots to help grow deer you hunt, 2 is 2 too many. You put your money, time, and work to get those plots in. The only 'competition' you should have to deal with is ( if you allow them there ) other human hunters killing the deer.

I agree with that 100% VJP! I also agree that some guides are pretty questionable in their own right. This is an example of stupidity no matter how you flip the coin. If the guides are at fault, that's one issue and it's not good. If the hunter was at fault or knew about this situation, that's not good either. Yet, the third is also a stinger, if the hunter was unaware and put all his trust in someone else after being stung once, you have to wonder about his conviction or common sense. This is bad no matter what happened. This won't end well period!

@jjb, that's why I added the never mind ( NM LOL ). I edited after you posted. @Mike, I see your point. You are worried you bought it, will fill your tags with the vertical bow and not get to use the crossbow.

I like straight wall. But because I use this at our b/c camp, and I let others use it on campgrounds, I try to keep cost down and ease of setup up. Our 10 x 14 is a wall tent, not canvas though.

He's right jjb. Last year the early bow season started 10/1, and last year crossbow started 11/1. This year opening day early is the same, but crossbow is 11/7. NM, lol.

Anyone actually pay attention to this part? Something fishy in the punchbowl for sure here.

moog. I looked at the map a lot. Those are the spots I would set up, and cater to the wind where to sit on a given day. You are welcome bill.

Just by looking at this map more then a few times. Two spots catch my eye the most are the edge of the ditch area near the creek, and that point the bottom corn field creates. Two others would be the edge of the cow grazing area and that little jut the lower corn field makes on the left. Reposted your map with the areas I mean in green. Those are the spots that really stand out to me. But I am not on the ground, so this is just a guess. Scout and if you have them put out some cams.

No argument from here. All good. I added the cost for ammo ( steel shot and grabbing some 3" turkey loads ). Already have turkey calls. I haven't decided on waterfowl yet though. Will be over fields though. Coyotes? I could use the diaphragm calls. The big thing with that is getting my buddy out there to help hold the dang light. LOL The crap on a cracker comes in because once people start posting pics of the deer they killed in the early seasons, the fever will get harder to control.

Great watch! Thanks for posting this growy. I have said for a long time, what's in the ground is a big deal on how well pants grow. Good soil will create better food for deer or any animal. I also liked the end about we have to help in land management. Not only planting and and taking care of the actual woods, but removing "EHEM", other 'things'.

Some pretty good ladder stands for about $100 to $150. Ameristep has a two person for $90, reviews are good on it as well.

Before I answer this I want to make sure I have the question right. You are not asking why we hunt deer, or if we prefer a buck over a doe ( or vise versa ). You are asking us why we kill deer? Would we kill one deer over another? Correct?

That's kind of funny. G/f is hitting veggie stands this weekend, she was a recipe for the green beens and plans to try them.

Not to be rude, but um, aside from the ladder stand, what calculator did you do the math for this on? Hunting big game/small game $22, turkey permit $10, DMP $10, and if I decide FDS $15. That's $57. Ammo another maybe $75. Thats totals $132. The ladder stand is an option, a want, not a 100% necessity. I still have a tree stand I can use. I tried to sell it last season, and the guy that came said he would be back in the next evening with the money so I asked for a sold label here and took it down from Craigslist. He never showed back up. I just don't like trying to get into my hanger from the side with a fear of heights these days. Where can I get a good bow for $137? Graigs list? Been there done that, never again. The bows I shot this year started at base for a good use bow at $200. That was looking in shops and AT, and a few other sites. New was $300 bare. Like I said, I am fine with it for this season. I enjoy spring turkey hunting so giving it a go in the fall as a goal will be interesting and fun. Nothing wrong with a few squirrels in the freezer either. I am looking forward to the regular seasons. No tears in my eyes.

Another good way to look at it. I am actually starting get curious what if anything Curmudgeon hunts. Anyone know the actual 2015-2016 coyote season dates yet? DEC site only has last tear posted. If I recall it doesn't change, but would still like to know when it was in official writing. E-mail and ask?

I can't imagine more then what you did biz, 6 minutes, even with a quick boil. I am curious to see how this turns out as well. Double cooking seafood would have to make it tough and maybe even loose some flavor. Let us know jjb.

What sarcasm? Mine was a little of both. I also stated more then once that if people want to hunt inside a fence that's there decision. The way I see it, as a personal point of view, it's not for me. If it comes to that I will stop hunting and buy my venison from the grocery store. Because, and again, my personal point of view, it would be the same thing in my mind.

Nice. That's a lot of food.

They are still dill, but she adds a ton of fresh smashed and diced garlic. When my hot peppers are ready I add garlic to those as well. The garlic just seems to really add flavor mixed with the other pickling spices.