phade

I'm collecting points for Iowa as well. While I could certainly kill whitetails here, there's just something about being in the best state possible to chase the dream. I haven't met a person who has hunted bow season in Iowa and said "It wasn't worth it."

Great, wooly is probably posting from his toilet now.

No problem AZ. I think you are going to enjoy Vegas by the sounds of it. I think one of the best ways to ensure a good first trip is to get there and feel like "you know what you are doing" rather than being overwhelmed, which does happen to some people who don't do a little research beforehand. Yard drinks are pretty much these ridiculous looking plastic tubes filled with adult-oriented slushy drinks. Think Daquiri, Amaretto, etc. A bunch of different flavors. You will see them a fair amount. Certain drinks are free when you sit down to gamble at a casino. In most cases it'll be basic water, soda, beer and well mixed drinks. Cocktail waitresses (CW) walk around asking if you want a drink. Simply order one and when they return, you tip them. Most people tip $1 a drink. By tipping $5 that first time, most often the CW will come around faster. They make rounds through their "covered area" of the casino floor. Transportation is probably one of the tougher topics. Buses are cheaper, but slower. You REALLY need to know the schedule and drop offs to ensure you don't get on a bus and waste time. Walking is pretty straightforward on the strip. As long as you can hike it, I suggest walking. I actually think you'd get a better sight of the city lit up by going up either the Paris Eiffel Tower or Stratosphere. The Linq Wheel if open by then, will be another option. It'll be about $20-$40 for any of the options, but it'll be worth it once. The monorail has a stop at Harrahs. If you go to the south strip (MGM, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, etc.), the monorail can be a decent option, as will the correct bus in this case. KGB: It looks like Groupon has a deal for KGB right now. It'll save you a decent amount of cash: http://www.groupon.com/deals/kgb-kerry-s-gourmet-burgers BTW, their milkshakes are great, too. Burger bars are popular in Vegas right now, but I find KGB to be the best for food and milkshakes. Absinthe is a show in a really neat tent. The tent has a funny European name, but it is in front of Caesars. Again, tickets are fairly expensive, but very worth it, if you fit into the demographic - namely not offended by non-PC jokes and adult context. My wife is very timid, but she cracked up and loved this show. If you are easily offended, then it's not the best show for you. Take it for what its worth, its often THE highest regarded show in Vegas right now. You can buy tickets for about $20 off online via certain websites - OR - you can likely also do the same thing by going the day of the show a few hours early and walking over to their ticket booth and there's usually a few people handing out coupons to the show. We bought tickets only a few hours before the show this way, and it's a common way to buy them. There is also no bad seat in the house so don't worry about seat selection. Some of the Cirque Du Soleil shows can be fun if you are into that. I've seen about half of them. Some are decent, some are not my cup of tea. Las Vegas Advisor is a website run by a well-known "vegas insider" that focuses on good deals and gaming. lasvegasadvisor dot com is the site. Again, the club you join to get the book is more than the American Casino Guide (ACG), but it does have some more gaming coupons. I usually buy both when I go, but last time I went with just the ACG and it was fine. Another forum you should join, because it has a plethora of information, it vegasmessageboard dot com. You could get lost in there for hours.

Lots of nice clubs there, but I have to admit the last few times I've been, the club scene wasn't all that great. Hakkasan was just opening when I was there last summer and they were running into the typical issues of clubs just opening. I finally admitted I was too old (read married) to bother with the day clubs/pool clubs last time around and didn't hit up any of them. I simply can't unload that kind of coin for little return now, lol.

Stratosphere. Good suggestion to visit and go up. Neat view. My MIL tied into the yard drinks last summer. She danced the whole way back to the hotel. She's not exactly the party type, either. The monorail stops at Harrahs. It may be worthwhile a time or two, but walking is probably feasible in the Feb/Mar/April weather. Taxis are very expensive and we only take them to go downtown. The buses are cheap, but a little time consuming. I have rented a car there and found it to be cheaper and faster overall. But I still take a taxi downtown. I couldn't even think about driving that night.

Harrah's is indeed midstrip. I typically stay at MGM or Flamingo, with Flamingo largely for the pool and then the mid-strip location. They are doing construction around there, including adding an observation wheel like in London. I think much of it is nearing completion. I would ask at check in for a room away from the party pit. While I haven't stayed there enough, I do know some people will complain about the noise in their rooms if they are on a low level. I would just ask for a quiet room. Also, Harrah's charges resort fees now, so don't be shocked to have a balance due at check out. I forget how much, but typically range between $10 and $25 a night. They are hard to avoid nowadays in Vegas. If you like burgers, check out KGB inside Harrahs. They have unique combinations and the burgers are tasty. Toby Keith's Bar and Grill is in Harrahs too, but generally, the food it lacking. There's a lot of websites dedicated to Vegas. Also, a lot of deals via coupon books. I'd suggest buying the 2014 American Casino Guide from Amazon or similar place. You'll always get your value out of them, sometimes with just one coupon. They are typically $10-15. In them are lots of Vegas coupons and some gambling ones too. Las Vegas Advisor offers a coupon book as well that is a bit more but can be useful if you gamble enough. Free shows to see include the Bellagio fountains, the TI Sirens show, Mirage Volcano. Lots to see and do. You will likely spend time just walking and "seeing" and doing a little gambling here and there. I do suggest you spend one night downtown. It's a completely different feel from the strip Some people love it, some people hate it, but it is a must do for a first timer. Our group generally spends one night there. Better gaming odds, slightly more of a Mardi Gras feel, a bit more of a less polished place, but it is historical, and casinos are packed into the Fremont St. Experience. The light show there is a must see. We also indulge in the yard drinks downtown, but they are common now on the strip. When you sit down to gamble at a machine or a table and your plan is to be there a while (say 30 min - 1hour - although the money doesn't always last as long as planned, lol), tip the cocktail waitress $5 and then $1 for subsequent drinks. The $5 up front will result in much faster turnaround and you'll have drinks stacking up most instances. Feel free to PM me any questions you may have. I've been there enough and have researched Vegas to death, lol, and outside of hunting, its probably one of my most favorite discussion topics. If you want to see a good adult show (not tasteless, but adult oriented), go to Absinthe. Tickets are not often discounted, but it'll be worth the price of admission. I haven't laughed and had a shock face so much since I was back in college.

You can also rubber band a hand warmer around it if you can't find one. I do it to the soup cans you can drink on all day sits..They're nice and warm for lunch.

Backyard archers in villages/cities may be more impacted by local discharge laws.

From who I have spoke with in the past few weeks, I'm fairly confident that xbows will be legal this fall. The DEC will move quick and I'm not hearing the level of rumbling necessary to remove the authority provision. It's going to happen fast once the authority is granted to the DEC. In 3-5 years, xbow will represent close to or more than 50% of the archery take. It's just going to be the way it is. Am I a full-on supporter? No. I'm a dreaded fence sitter. But, shall they make it legal, I'll likely buy one for use from time to time. I know it won't be my primary archery option, but there will be days I take it afield.

I think responsibility as to recovery is a must. But, having said that, I think the setback rule change is more to do with the method of control in areas of suburbia and places where the DEC does not have land access available for those to control the population. We complain here all the time about towns taking measures such as snipers over bait, birth control, etc. and so on and so forth. I see this move as a way to at least allow hunters to come in before such measures are taken. Does it pose a challenge of recovery, yes. Does it pose a bit of a PR issue, yes. But, I also believe the DEC feels this reduction will lead to more good than bad. They wouldn't be reducing it otherwise. For example, 8C is pretty developed. There's also little/no public land. Hunters can literally shoot as many does as they want there and keep getting tags. The DEC has stated that unit is way overpopulated, to the extreme. But, getting access is the challenge. I think this area is precisely one of the spots they thought of in this situation. Shy of other fiscally more expensive methods, they have no other way to get the numbers in check. This is a tool to help them get numbers down more efficiently.

1/4" Meta. Personally, anything smaller and I sacrifice low-light shooting ability that is oh so critical during bow season.

Slow year for sheds...still early but this winter is slow going.

Ive been there quite a bit. Pawn stars visit is likely to be underwhelming. Long lines, they are rarely filming, and you dont often get to see one or two of the family. Also a small place. Some of the other vegas based show visits are nice...tanked, ricks, kount, etc. Worth maybe checking one or two out. Theres so much I could answer vegas wise for you, so if you have a specific question, ask away. If you do like guns...be sure to go to one of the ranges and shoot some. Shot uzi and all kinds of other military style firearms...always fun. Where are you staying?

Part of the problem is what will cwd do to the biggest control of wild deer. Hunters. Doc has stated it. I have stated it. If cwd becomes pervasive, I suspect you will only have killers left to shoot the deer. I believe youll have an issue with hunters not wanting to eat a cwd deer. Stick one in front of me, and im passing.

If he listened to your schtick....then said thanks but no thanks, what would your position be then? I suspect the same as what you are pushing now. If he doesn't want to drink your kool aid, I don't see that as convincing to mean that you should legislate it. To me, on face value, it appears you want to control what he does on his ground for your own personal reasons (your co-op). Is this not correct?

Doe, you really need to work on reading, lol. They must have Doc's Delorean or something.

In general, QDMA prefers the voluntary passing of yearling bucks to mandatory antler regulations. However, we recognize that antler restrictions may be justified in some situations to achieve specific deer management objectives. Regarding our position on specific antler restriction proposals, QDMA examines each on a case-by-case basis and applies a three-part test. First, is the restriction biologically sound? This means the proposed restriction will protect the majority of yearling bucks while allowing the majority of bucks 2½ years old and older to be eligible for harvest. This is always the goal of state-mandated restrictions, though voluntary antler restrictions on private lands may seek to protect some older age classes as well. In either case, the antler restriction criteria must be based on data collected from the affected deer population to ensure the right bucks are protected. Second, is it supported by the majority of affected hunters and landowners? Agencies considering an antler restriction should conduct surveys to determine support levels before enacting the restriction. Finally, will it be objectively monitored to determine success or failure? Without monitoring, there is no way to know if the restriction should be altered to improve success or possibly removed altogether if it doesn’t work or is no longer needed. Many restrictions fail one or more of these criteria. The QDMA has supported some antler restrictions, opposed others, and taken a neutral stance on still others. In the long term, QDMA is optimistic that enough hunters will voluntarily pass young bucks that antler restrictions will become unnecessary and even cumbersome to more sophisticated management. Pulled from the KA article on QDMA's site.

Some hunter who owned 50 acres enjoyed shooting yearling bucks amongst your QDM cooperative, giving you the impression that he was "undoing" or negating your hard work on 3k acres. So, because his choice isn't what you wanted, you determined that education isn't enough? So you intend to legislate him into your ideology because he "refuses to be educated"? Education doesn't mean complicity. It means providing people with knowledge to do as they see fit, including making decisions.

I believe I have photographic evidence to the contrary. Heck, it couldn't even stand still when parked in snow.

Not many places to hide it in a camera to where it does stand out. With cams getting smaller, then available space to do so is limited.

Here's the problem - doctors are in positional power. The same relationship where a teacher cannot sleep with a student of legal consent age - positional power. A doctor is in positional power because they can note and report anything they deem suspicious (and not on the level of an average citizen). In most cases, I believe that reporting is legit out of concern; however, the ability to do so in a positional power becomes in question when there is an agenda mixed in. Having an agenda asking only about firearms and not other higher risk areas which are statistically backed-up, almost forces a patient's hand to comply. Failure to comply gives the impression that reporting may take place. I think everyone will agree that nobody wants child protective services and/or police knocking at their door for a miscommunication or a desire to keep privacy private. Neighbors see this, you may have to miss work and lose out on wages, and so on and so forth. Perception is also reality, guilty or not. CPS shows up because a doc reported you as a concern because you didn't want to answer the gun question - do you think your neighbor will let their kid come over to play with your kid? Heck no. I wouldn't. A doctor asking thorough questions about safety of my child, which includes ones on firearms, as well as those about car maintenance, choking hazards, pool covers, etc. to me make me feel like the doctor cares. A doctor asking about guns in my home and nothing else, makes me feel like I am backed into a corner with little recourse but to answer, and that's an abuse of positional power. Just like a teacher implying but not directly saying sleeping with him/her is needed to pass the class - it's an abuse of positional power. Finding another doctor is possible, but not easy. It also does not stop or negate the ability of the doctor asking those questions to report the concern.

While I believe my doc has my and my kid's best interest in mind, I didn't appreciate getting asked about my guns during our newborn first visit. She didn't ask me about my pool covers, hammers, car maintenance, etc. She did ask about car seats, but really that's about it. I felt that it was an agenda. I pulled this from the CDC, which keeps records. It is the most recent year they have published on their site and it seems to be in-line with other years. Only once does firearms show up within the youth range for the top three causes. And, that's in the 15-24 range, so I suspect the majority of those are adult related crimes and not homelife related and involving youths. Anyone trying to rationalize doctors asking about guns and not inquiring about other statistically more critical risks is off their rocker. It's an agenda and it's pretty clear.

Be sure the article is in the newspaper you buy from the stands. Dont assume the cover is the same that it will be in there. I believe the newstand copies can sometimes be larger and less frequent as compared to the issues sent to subscribers. Awesome job on the kitties.

Did you use that pin on your buck? LOL. 1" would have made all the world of a difference...

Awfully nice of you to do that for your kids, but it may explain why you are the last to believe in paying your own way.