Fall is Hunting Season

[RodandStaff]

Ski....I just want to thank you for your comment...without it, RodandStaff might not have felt compelled to speak this truth. Very well said, Rod.....just beautiful! Truer words have never been spoken. It's time to get back to basics....and it doesn't get anymore basic than knowing how to feed yourself and your family. Thank you, Rod

Thanks Snotrocket,,, I hope ya'll know I'm not here to bash anybody, esp. Ski. I have grown to love her albeit blunt at times passion for speaking her mind. I just think in this instance there is a much bigger picture, and your right... it is getting back to, and maintaining the basics of survival and never losing touch with our roots.

I'm sorry I neglected to post a link for Polyface Farms and Joel Salatin. No, this isn't a farming post, but I just want to reinforce that "Basics of Life and Survival" techniques that are very well promoted by ones like Mr. Salatin. This is just one of his You Tube post's... a brief introduction if you will. I would advise anyone to do their own research into this "getting back to basics" lifestyle. Am I suggesting everyone move back to the country and buy a farm... not necessarily. I do however recommend that you learn the basics of growing your own food, and what it takes to harvest it, and preserve it. If this knowledge is ever lost... it's almost like nailing our own coffin shut. That may sound somewhat radical but I am that committed to these ideas. It's modern society that has drifted away from our roots that really scares me.

At the turn of the 19th century there were somewhere between 90 and 95% of Americans where considered "farmers" in one capacity or another. You had to grow your own food, raise your own chickens, pigs, and usually someone close by raised some milk cows and beef. Many hunted just to supplement their own meat supply. Now it's the other way around.... there are only approximately 3% of our population that are considered farmers... a dying breed indeed. I was fortunate enough to marry a farmers daughter, and she continues to grow her own garden and can our own veggies and meat when it's available from the efforts of our own harvesting.

Enough rambling... sorry if I'm boring some of you folks... but here is a link to introduce you to Joel Salatin if your interested in that sort of thing.

[pattyangel]

I live in Texas. The arrogance of the hunters in my state is overwhelming to me, deer season in particular. I'm cool with hunting for the sake of food. Killing animals for the purpose of target practice and some odd dominance is difficult to me.

Ski, I lived in Texas all my life and the hunters I know from my father, my brothers, my husband, my husbands brothers, my sons and their father in laws and his sons and my son and law, his father, his brother and friends have never hunted for target practice. I think your exaggerating on the overwhelming part in your statement. Your statement...some may take it, you are condemning all hunters.

Hunting is survival and feeding your family. And that is what the overwhelming majority of our hunters do.

RodandStaff said it best "we have never had such a disconnect to our ecological like we have now. Could it be these are the hunters you are referring to.

[RodandStaff]

A shout out to all the Hunter Safety Instructors that teach and educate young men and young ladies the proper art of handling a firearm. The tradition continues!!!

Home on the range... practice makes perfect!!!

The rewards of listening and learning..

.... now it's time to put it into practice!!!

[RodandStaff]

I don't know if your like me or not... but the fall color's just set something off inside my head.... telling me it's time to head back to the woods and enjoy my favorite time of year. As I get older I don't even have to be hunting to enjoy the fall... I just love the color for what it is, but any quality time in the woods is fine with me!!!

[brbrlocke]

I went hunting for guys that drive fast cars and look what I found.

[RodandStaff]

I went hunting for guys that drive fast cars and look what I found.

Not exactly what I had in miind... but he does believe in trophy's now don't he!!!

[RodandStaff]

When you go "hunting the big boys"... make dayam sure you have a big enough box!!!

[PipPig]

Like I've said before Ski, and I'm not here to argue, but the tradition of hunting has connected people to the land for thousands of years. Just like a gardener who grows their own vegetables when it's much easier to just go buy the lesser quality veggies in the grocery store. Why not just buy the nice little packages of meat in the grocery store? A couple of reason's come to mind, but remember, your not dealing with "modern thinking"... your dealing with tradition. An animal has to give up it's life in order for us to eat meat... and people can see the hunters lining the roads, or driving through town with a deer in the back of the pick up and think "oh how awful". Yet the same folks will go to the grocery store and buy meat that hasn't been able to walk more than 100 yards from where it was born it's whole life... raised in pens, and slaughtered without really experiencing "a full life". I love a quote from Joel Salatine (owner of Polyface Farms) who said this... "our animals have a wonderful life... and one bad day". He does it with domestic animals. The hunter harvest's their meat from the wild... the ultimate free range full life an animal can have before becoming part of the table spread.

We have never had such a "disconnect" to our ecological cycle like we have now. We think our meat comes with a bar code, and our veggies have a bar code... we have forgot the origins. And our modern society thinks it's vulgar and crass to see bloody meat, or someone skinning a carcass from their harvest. We have lost touch with the land, the cycle that it takes to bring food to the table. We just go down and buy it, and think if anyone who doesn't do the same is backwards and what's the word you used... arrogant??? Please don't say that with your mouth full... because no matter where your meat comes from, or your veggies come from... you can be sure somebody had to either raise them or harvest them in one form or fashion. Hunters are just staying in touch with their roots that's all. They are not being hypocritical of the necessary process that it takes to bring meat to the table. They are also upholding the ancient practice of families going out to hunt together for their food source. Yes... some of the hunters are more interested in drinking their beer than they are in the actual hunt, but from my experience they are the exception and not the rule. Those guys just want an excuse just to get away from home and the wife. Although I have enjoyed many hunting trips with "the guys"... it has never been about the "escaping from my responsibilities" that has mainly drawn me, but rather the reconnecting to my roots that has kept me coming back year after year.

I am not trying to convince ya'll to think like me... just trying to ask that you think outside the modern box that folks have been most recently trained to think in. It hasn't been until the last 50 or 60 years that we have developed this form of thinking. Hunters have thousands of years of experience bringing home the meat to feed their families. It's only the modern ways of thinking that has brought any kind of "shame based" mentality upon the hunter and what they do. Be careful now, as many authors have put it, we live in such a fragile state thinking this is how life works, this is the way it will always work. Modern food supplies only stock approximately three days of food in the grocery store. If their is any kind of interruption in that supply there will be bare shelves... and then what will you eat??? Yup... it's those who stay connected to the land that will go from "zero to hero" in a heartbeat if that ever happens. Until then they face ridicule because they are viewed as backwards or vulgar... when they are just keeping the knowledge and craft of food harvesting and preservation alive. Some day you may owe your life to a hunter or farmer that supplies those resources without a bar code.... so as the saying in farm country goes... be careful not to criticize the farmer (or hunter) with your mouth full!!!

What?? Meat dont grow on trees?? ...................Back to eating my elk tenderloins and eggs....

[dog53]

I appreciate Rod starting a post like this. It may not be for everyone But Hey that's OK if the girls started a knitting thread it may not get a big response from the guys. Or it could be a car thread not everyone is a car guy. Being a native American Hunting has always been a way of life I have never considered it a sport. But with that being said I do not have any problem with a man who hunts for sport. Its still learning the animal and learning how to harvest in the wild. A sport hunter may not know it but he`s learning through his sport how to survive if things should ever head south. So anyway continue the beautiful pic`s Rod. Loving it. The weather has turn chilly and re plowing the garden under and readying it for spring. Time to clean and oil up the guns(not that they need it) and think about making much meat.

[Goldiegirl]

I've never intentionally killed anything except a bug. However, as a Canadian whole loves her polar bears, I could put a bullet right between this guys eyes.

http://morallowground.com/2012/03/06/i-love-hunting-club-wealthy-chinese-paying-80000-to-hunt-polar-bears-in-canada/

[DiveDeepSix]

I've never intentionally killed anything except a bug. However, as a Canadian whole loves her polar bears, I could put a bullet right between this guys eyes.

http://morallowground.com/2012/03/06/i-love-hunting-club-wealthy-chinese-paying-80000-to-hunt-polar-bears-in-canada/

I have to say I'd agree with you on the polar bear thing, they are in real trouble. Same goes for tigers and most African big cats and rhinos. Alaskan brown bear though, yep on my dream list, I won't hunt anything that's endangered or even threatened for that matter. We eat what we kill, and it gets people off the couch and outside, at the same time teaching you the skills necessary for survival if things head down hill like they have been.

[skitealwedrop]

Ski....I just want to thank you for your comment...without it, RodandStaff might not have felt compelled to speak this truth. Very well said, Rod.....just beautiful! Truer words have never been spoken. It's time to get back to basics....and it doesn't get anymore basic than knowing how to feed yourself and your family. Thank you, Rod

Your welcome. Rod is an interesting member. I respect his posts. Hunting is cool. I have no problem with hunting as long as the creatures are absorbed into our food chain. Read Kliks post.

[RodandStaff]

I've never intentionally killed anything except a bug. However, as a Canadian whole loves her polar bears, I could put a bullet right between this guys eyes.

http://morallowgroun...ears-in-canada/

I am not a fan of the "big dollar hunt" myself Goldie... esp. when it's a critter that isn't exactly plentiful. I would much rather hunt to keep a balance so the herd or population as a whole thrives better because of it. Thanks for your input, and like dog said... this thread isn't for everyone, though I do appreciate folks chiming in!!!

I haven't shown any duck hunting yet... and of course... what would that be without man's best friend???

Come on buddy... I'm gettin bored here!!! (yawn)

Finally...it's about time!!!

[fastarnie]

Myself, I don't hunt, but I do know where a lot of animals are, and their habits. If it were to get bad, I don't think I'll have much problem. I am a fisherman, and right now is Salmon season. I believe that I could easily trade Salmon for venison, or canned veggies/fruit. I can grow a garden, but never learned to can. I love this time of year, except for bees. Bees this time of yer are just plain onry(sp). They're always at the river collecting mud, or whatever they do. I'm not talking regular ol honey bees either. I'm talkin about the ones that could drag off a small child. Things I put up with to go fishing.

The picture in this thread where the guy had a cat behind him. I fish at night a lot for Steelhead, and that is one of the scariest things I think about. I fish on the Olympic Peninsula quite a bit, and Cougars are a very real threat out there. I mean they're all over Washington, but out there they have a lot more. I've crossed a lot of tracks in the snow, or sand, and can't help looking over my shoulder at night, or least scan my surroundings with the flashlight.

Thanks for the thread RodandStaff.

[skitealwedrop]

I've never intentionally killed anything except a bug. However, as a Canadian whole loves her polar bears, I could put a bullet right between this guys eyes.

http://morallowground.com/2012/03/06/i-love-hunting-club-wealthy-chinese-paying-80000-to-hunt-polar-bears-in-canada/

Thanks for your post Goldie. The arrogance of such hunters makes me ill. Trophy hunting is not cool and should never be condoned on our continent.

[kliklok00]

As deer season approaches, I get excited for those who love to hunt. Like I stated earlier, I've mellowed a bit in regard to hunting...but, I still hold a "pro" hunting attitude. My son came down from Arkansas to visit the last weekend of deer season (I live in Texas) two seasons ago...while playing golf he stated he sure wished he could hunt some deer. I picked up my golf ball and said let's go...I took him out to a "honey hole" nearby and an hour later, this is what he bagged. Wonderful memories! By the way, the buck was eaten...

[dog53]

Check out this bear. Their is no words to describe the feeling of being in the Canadian wilderness alone miles from anyone on the ground and its getting dark ,All you have is a ash bow you made yourself the way they were made 300 years ago and a knife and a bear this size comes in. For a moment in time you are overpowered by a single point of clarity that the beast will hear your beating heart and charge. It is a moment that you will never forget as long as you live. To take a deep breath and get past that point and make a clean and humane shot . Yeah Its definitely not for everyone . I have walked this path.

To all the hunters out there this year. Be safe and good hunting

Edited September 25, 2012 by dog53

[DiveDeepSix]

Check out this bear. Their is no words to describe the feeling of being in the Canadian wilderness alone miles from anyone on the ground and its getting dark ,All you have is a ash bow you made yourself the way they were made 300 years ago and a knife and a bear this size comes in. For a moment in time you are overpowered by a single point of clarity that the beast will hear your beating heart and charge. It is a moment that you will never forget as long as you live. To take a deep breath and get past that point and make a clean and humane shot . Yeah Its definitely not for everyone . I have walked this path.

To all the hunters out there this year. Be safe and good hunting

Well said my friend, there is nothing quite like staring down an apex predator. For those not in the know, apex is a hunter term for something that can and will kill and eat you, also known as the top of the food chain! Yeah you are right too, it feels like your heart is going to blow right out of your chest, especially if you are on the ground. If eye contact is made you feel like your heart stops completely! Kind of the same feeling you get when you narrowly avoid a car accident, all systems on hyper alert! I love it!!

[RodandStaff]

As deer season approaches, I get excited for those who love to hunt. Like I stated earlier, I've mellowed a bit in regard to hunting...but, I still hold a "pro" hunting attitude. My son came down from Arkansas to visit the last weekend of deer season (I live in Texas) two seasons ago...while playing golf he stated he sure wished he could hunt some deer. I picked up my golf ball and said let's go...I took him out to a "honey hole" nearby and an hour later, this is what he bagged. Wonderful memories! By the way, the buck was eaten...

That my friend is what is known as a buckmonster... or as we used to called em in the north woods of Wisconsin... "A Chequawama Mama" (pronounced "Shewama Mama)!!! We used to hunt in what we called the big woods of the Chequamagon National Forest... you could hunt all day and not see a living soul. I sure you reminded him that it just plain wasn't fair to give up a good round of golf to go "deer hunting"!!! Congrats to him... that is one fine buck!!! I still love to hunt when I get the chance... which isn't anything near what I used to do back in WI.. These days though I also hunt a different kind of "beast" whenever I can (those of you that have seen a bit of my carving might know what I use these "trophy's" for!!!

This is my "kill" from last years hunting... I hunted at a new location and didn't see a deer for several days... but my eyes noticed a whole lot of these trophy's walking in... so I of course didn't leave empty handed!!!

Check out this bear. Their is no words to describe the feeling of being in the Canadian wilderness alone miles from anyone on the ground and its getting dark ,All you have is a ash bow you made yourself the way they were made 300 years ago and a knife and a bear this size comes in. For a moment in time you are overpowered by a single point of clarity that the beast will hear your beating heart and charge. It is a moment that you will never forget as long as you live. To take a deep breath and get past that point and make a clean and humane shot . Yeah Its definitely not for everyone . I have walked this path.

To all the hunters out there this year. Be safe and good hunting

Dog... I am jealous on a couple of counts. I have always wanted to learn to make a bow and I know that is nearly a lost art... respect to you for first making one... and then having the nerve to face a large predator like that... you da man... oh, sorry... Da Dawg!!!! I will say this, it is a story relayed to me from my dad. He loved the outdoors but he wasn't necessarily the best hunter in the woods (if ya know what I mean). He was bow hunting with around a 70lb. recurve bow when he came out out of the woods by the local land fill. He spotted a large black bear chomping down on some garbage. In those days in WI. you could shoot a bear while out deer hunting... so he reared back and let it fly. The arrow when right between the bears ears... just missing the top of his head by maybe 1/2". The bear kinda look up and started checking what "insect" just flew by his head and then went back to eating. My dad however had to rush home and change his shorts!!! Your right... hunting bear... esp. with a bow is definitely not for everybody!!! A friend sent me this link on Plains Horse Archery Assoc., something I definitely want to try out someday... oh and don't worry... I'm used to eating humble pie... but at least I can say I tried!!!

[Dinarkicker]

I haven't missed a opening day in 17 yrs but unfortunately business has been so bad it doesn't look like I will be making it this yr. If this dang thing would RV I could still make it.

DK

[RodandStaff]

Here's a few more of my "skinned out trophy's" kliklock00 just hanging around waiting to be worked on!!!

Yup... I can turn a bad day hunting into an excellent day pretty quick when I see baby's like these growing around in the woods!!! Unfortunately they don't taste very good... I suppose I could make a soup of sorts from em, but I would probably starve to death then!!!

[DiveDeepSix]

That my friend is what is known as a buckmonster... or as we used to called em in the north woods of Wisconsin... "A Chequawama Mama" (pronounced "Shewama Mama)!!! We used to hunt in what we called the big woods of the Chequamagon National Forest... you could hunt all day and not see a living soul. I sure you reminded him that it just plain wasn't fair to give up a good round of golf to go "deer hunting"!!! Congrats to him... that is one fine buck!!! I still love to hunt when I get the chance... which isn't anything near what I used to do back in WI.. These days though I also hunt a different kind of "beast" whenever I can (those of you that have seen a bit of my carving might know what I use these "trophy's" for!!!

This is my "kill" from last years hunting... I hunted at a new location and didn't see a deer for several days... but my eyes noticed a whole lot of these trophy's walking in... so I of course didn't leave empty handed!!!

Dog... I am jealous on a couple of counts. I have always wanted to learn to make a bow and I know that is nearly a lost art... respect to you for first making one... and then having the nerve to face a large predator like that... you da man... oh, sorry... Da Dawg!!!! I will say this, it is a story relayed to me from my dad. He loved the outdoors but he wasn't necessarily the best hunter in the woods (if ya know what I mean). He was bow hunting with around a 70lb. recurve bow when he came out out of the woods by the local land fill. He spotted a large black bear chomping down on some garbage. In those days in WI. you could shoot a bear while out deer hunting... so he reared back and let it fly. The arrow when right between the bears ears... just missing the top of his head by maybe 1/2". The bear kinda look up and started checking what "insect" just flew by his head and then went back to eating. My dad however had to rush home and change his shorts!!! Your right... hunting bear... esp. with a bow is definitely not for everybody!!! A friend sent me this link on Plains Horse Archery Assoc., something I definitely want to try out someday... oh and don't worry... I'm used to eating humble pie... but at least I can say I tried!!!

Homemade bows are a labor of love buddy, I've tried and failed over and over again. Making one to survive is easy enough for shooting rabbits and stuff, but one that has the snort to take down big game is a whole new ballgame. Finally got one that worked pretty well but a year later it has warped so bad I think I will donate it the military to shoot around corners! Nice, what type of willow is that? Diamond willow is pretty popular around here, I have some of it nice and dry but haven't had time to do anything with it. Dried some really nice balsa too, and made some musky plugs out of it.

[RodandStaff]

I haven't missed a opening day in 17 yrs but unfortunately business has been so bad it doesn't look like I will be making it this yr. If this dang thing would RV I could still make it.

DK

Believe me Dinarkicker... we is all pulling for that one!!! I do hope you get the chance to go hunting though!!!

Homemade bows are a labor of love buddy, I've tried and failed over and over again. Making one to survive is easy enough for shooting rabbits and stuff, but one that has the snort to take down big game is a whole new ballgame. Finally got one that worked pretty well but a year later it has warped so bad I think I will donate it the military to shoot around corners! Nice, what type of willow is that? Diamond willow is pretty popular around here, I have some of it nice and dry but haven't had time to do anything with it. Dried some really nice balsa too, and made some musky plugs out of it.

These are just various trees that had Honey Suckle growing on them... the vine wraps around the tree and "shapes it" as the tree grows... no two are alike. I would love to find some diamond willow though... that is rated the best looking walking stick material... but I would put a good spiral against it any day. The diamond willow is unique also though... maybe some day I'll get me a good one!!! And maybe some day I'll get a crack at building a bow too!!!

[stonewall67]

Now here's a subject I love!!! I just purchased a new pig gun that I consider the ultimate hog gun!! I have an AR15 chambered in 300 blackout. It has a 6 point tactical stock, 3x9x50 BSA scope, with a floating retical sight mounted with a 45 degree mount, pistol grip, forward grip with built in red dot and bi-pod, popup iron sights, 2000 lumen flashlight attached and a 16 inch bull barrel....... It will drop a pig through a brick wall!!!!! By the way.... It also looks ominous as hades!!!!!

[DiveDeepSix]

Believe me Dinarkicker... we is all pulling for that one!!! I do hope you get the chance to go hunting though!!!

These are just various trees that had Honey Suckle growing on them... the vine wraps around the tree and "shapes it" as the tree grows... no two are alike. I would love to find some diamond willow though... that is rated the best looking walking stick material... but I would put a good spiral against it any day. The diamond willow is unique also though... maybe some day I'll get me a good one!!! And maybe some day I'll get a crack at building a bow too!!!

Very nice, I've never seen so many like that. Yeah diamond willow is pretty, what amazes me though is how strong it is, almost unbreakable. I do a lot of wood burning, mostly animals and hunting scenes, done stuff for Deer Hunters, Pheasants Forever, Turkeys Forever, Ducks Unlimited, etc. Pretty much all donation stuff or for friends and family, I did all the North American big game animals heads plus a scene for each all the way around my bar at home. I've never tried burning on diamond willow though would be interesting. Did a lot of paddles for people and a rifle stock for my buddy we put a pronghorn head on it, I was sweating bullets on that job, wood burners are not forgiving if you screw up LOL.

I tried doing it as a business for a while and made good money at it, it's just when you take something you love to do and turn it in to a job it takes all the fun out of it, and if you figure the hours and hours it takes to make an amazing piece it's not worth the money, but you do get a tremendous amount of satisfaction from it.

Someday if I can figure out how the heck to bring pictures in here I'll post some of my stuff for you guys to check out. Take care bud, and remember "Hunting happiness is taking home a horny one!" :lol: