Elmo

Don't use rifled slugs on a rifled barrel. The rifling doesn't match up, it'll tear up the barrel. Use sabot slugs if you have a rifled barrel.

Rev, I agree with you and would add that the new adult hunters is an entire market of potential hunters that just are not tapped into that is completely ignored. There's a group of people that don't even know that you can even hunt. There are some people who when I mention that I hunt immediately people are surprised that I don't have to fly out to Montana to hunt or that I can legally own a firearm. These things they didn't even know was possible. I was exposed to hunting when I went to college in Michigan. Ever since then, I wanted to give it a try but I didn't because of finance. Then when my brother came back from the service (his main base was in South Carolina and he was exposed to hunting there) and wanted to give it a try as well, he said the heck with it. But I'm considered daring amongst my peers. I'm the guy who is willing to try anything. I head into the woods like a headless chicken just feeling my way through this. I don't have the luxury of hunting with friends who I can tag along with and have them point out things I should or shouldn't be doing. Other than my time in Michigan, I don't know anyone who hunts. I wouldn't even know that it is an option. There are a lot of people who won't venture out there without someone to lead them. I have friends who won't even going hiking unless I go with them. The common response is "I'm not going out there! What if we get attacked by a bear? I hear there's mountain lions out there?" Hunter Ed classes are great and I applaud all the educators who take their time and energy to conduct these course. I seriously do. But please keep in mind that those who are signing up for the course already has some interest. The class availability had to be actively be sort out and registered by someone meaning for them to even know the class exist and for them to be there means there was some prior interest. No one sits up late at night and some infomerical comes on and tells them "Sign up for Hunter's Ed now!" A bit of an exaggeration, I know but I hope you get my point. I think about how I got into hunting and I think about all the people who never left the cities and never had the exposure that I have and I think about how many of them would actually give hunting a try if they actually knew hunting is something they can easily do?

3P and a little of 3M.

Biz, Looking to hunt coyotes this year. PM me if you're open to having a tag-along.

I saw...wouldn't even mind having that logo on a hat. Hmm....

jmasiakos, I stumbled on the bowfinger while searching the web. It's only $30 for the bowfinger original version. I don't want to invest a lot into filming my hunts just yet. I don't have a camcorder but I figure I already have a pocket digital camera that has video capabilities on it that I can attach to it. Not the best of quality but if it works out then maybe I'll buy a small camcorder to attach to it in the future. If not, well I would have only wasted $30. http://www.bowfingerarchery.com/

Whenever I wear a baseball cap, the bill always touches the top of the scope. I always end up turning the hat around and wear it backwards when I'm about to shoot. Maybe that's just me. Otherwise I would totally check out the lid cam.

Ha! I like how the dog turned to his owner and gave them the "What the heck just happened?" look afterwards.

Sweet!

Curious...can you end up with two of the same zone? For example, 3P was my first choice and 3M was my second. I ended up getting both. What if I trade my 3M with someone for their 3P. I would end up with 2 3Ps. Would that be legal?

Hmmm...that seems like a nice easy way to do it. I'll have to give that a try. Thanks for sharing.

A few years ago, I was out late walking my dog (off leash...I know, not good) and she ran ahead of me up these stairs that is by my building and started balking. I couldn't see what she was balking at since I was still walking up the stairs. When I got to the top, I still couldn't see why she was balking away until I got closer to her and I almost jumped back, startled! A foot in front of my dog was a possum but it wasn't playing dead. It was frozen like a statue. If you took a picture of possum in full trot, that was what the possum was doing but with mouth open and teeth exposed. Front right paw was extended as if he was about to take a step. I stared at it for like 30 seconds with my dog still barking and not a single hair moved. I then pulled my hair away, walked a few feet and turned around, the possum was gone. Jumped into the bushes. Strangest thing.

Darn it! I was going to change mine to "Padawan".

Don't know if you guys and girls ever saw this before but I just came across this and think it's pretty cool. (Camera sold seperately) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PozTjZ2NOBY

The guys problem was he let the dog go. He would be even dumber if he took a follow-up shot to end the pigs suffering while his dog is chewing on the pigs leg. Yes. He could call the dog back and then taken the shot. I know it's assuming but I doubt he did.

You also have to be an active member of the armed forces or be a guest of one to hunt at West Point.

I understand the argument as far as all the arteries in the rear area but isn't the concept of the "texas heart shot" to try and hit the heart through the rear? The pig was actually on a quarter turn when it was hit. If there would have been an exit round, it would have came out right under the pigs right ribcage. It's hard to see but I didn't really see an exit round since the pig fell on it's right but there would have been blood on the grass from his flopping around wouldn't it? If Slice "The Wonder Russell" is actually a Jack Russell Terrier then that is a piglet. No exit wound on such a small piglet means a very small caliber. I've seen clips online of people in the South taking out 250 lbs pigs with 17HMRs but yet they say 17HMR is not enough for a 50 lbs coyote. I guess feral pigs have become such a problem in the south that they threw ethics out the window.

There's a few video's on youtube on skinning a squirrel. I was told from people on this forum to go with the slicing across the mid-section version rather than the cutting the tail and pulling version because northeastern greys hide is much tougher than other varieties. I had ones innards burst out from me pulling on the skin. Since their hide is relatively tough while the rest of their bodies are relatively delicate, I recommend using a razor blade or a mini box cutter. Makes it so much easier. http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=430133&pdesc=Team_Realtree_Locking_Razor_Blade_Utility_Knife&str=razor&merchID=4005

If a deer has their back towards me, I would sit and wait to see if they'll eventually present me with a broadside shot. Maybe give out a call or something to get it to turn. The moment I know that a broadside shot is never going to be presented is when the deer is about to move into cover or is running away. Either way it also means that I'll have to shoot at a moving target. I mean, if the deer is standing still with their backside towards you, why not wait it out and see if they'll turn? No one here is bashing anyone who takes that shot. For sure if the any main artery is severed, the animal will bleed out very quickly. If you can make the shot, the more power to you. I still have a lot of practicing to do since I can't shoot the board side of a barn so I don't have the confidence that I, myself, can make that shot at a moving target.

I've been getting my niece into it. She introduced her to a .22, a compound, and a recurve and she feel in love with the recurve. She took the bow hunter's education course already but couldn't get the regular hunter's safety ed because it conflicted with her SAT prep courses. I'll buy her a recurve for X-mas and hopefully with some practice, she'll be able to take the class in summer and be ready by next season.

Haha! If there was any thread that line was made for it'll be this one. I know I'm a novice but I personally wouldn't take the shot. Even with a rifle. Never with a bow. I just don't have enough faith that I'll guarantee I'll hit something that would drop the deer for sure. Unless you have X-Ray vision, you can't really tell exactly where the heart is but you have a general idea and even if you miss, the heart is surrounded by lungs and for a deer, the lungs are a very large organ. The fermoral artery is relatively small target and if you miss, you may end up with a shot into the buttocks.

Finally got around to posting pic of my Ruger 10/22. With Hogue synthetic stock and 18" bull barrel.

I know it's over 2 weeks into the season but I haven't had the chance to head out into the woods all month. Bummer! Plus I'll be in Cali next weekend so I probably won't get a chance to go till Oct. I did sight my .22 in this weekend so at least I'll be ready when I do get the chance. (5 shot groups at 50 yards. 1st one was 1st shot of the day. 2nd one was last group of the day after sight adjustment and I don't have the patience to let the barrel cool down.)

I was aiming for the bullseye the whole time. Oh well.