chowder

Yeah, well like I said I sure did not make a perfect shot while trying to scoot the coon out w/ my foot (the damm thing had the balls to bare it's teeth at me b4 retreating!)while trying not to lose my opportunity on the doe. My son told me to look at the bright side of the whole thing "well dad, you don't need to worry about how still you are when you are hunting, that's for sure, I mean jeez you got wild animals practically crawling into your lap!" I'm on my way up the hill to commence recovery operations as soon as I got a bit of day light. I know she's terminally hit cuz when I got over to the hedgerow she very slowly headed into, the fawn was milling about and very reluctant to leave so I just quietly backed away from there.

I'm in my little Gander pop up in the pouring rain and holding on a heavy doe late this afternoon & something just didn't feel right to me. I looked over out of the corner of my eye & a big coon was actually in my blind w/ me and after my granola bar that I had opened just b4 the does came out! Kinda messed w/ my site picture as I was about to touch off my rifle & sure enough now I have a recovery job in the am, SOB! I'm pretty used to defending my belongings from the farm cats but this the first time I've been raided in my little slice of man cave. What's the world coming to?

I'd bet that 10 is a 4.5 yr old buck, awesome work!

Happy Birthday Andy! -Andy

Thanx guys, usually use my older 870 for waterfowl & it's a factory mod. job.

You might want to consider putting a set of tracks on b4 you start drilling holes for these new to you riggers.Although it probably just seems like more $ down the drain I really think you will be thankful that you did it a little farther down the road b/c they make changing configurations so much easier. Also, the aftermarket swivels from Traxtech, Berts,etc are easier to use and heavier duty than the Cannon swivels. Just my 2 cents! -Andy

What choke works best w/ the Rem Hypersonic loads? Thanks, -Andy

There will be lots of opportunities to go winter fishing w/ others, stay tuned -Andy

Kind of tough to follow up those last posts but I'll be trying to help my 14 year old son Tristan get his first deer here on the family farm in McDonough, NY.

Have any of you guys shot both the Black Cloud and the Rem. Hypersonic? Any comments?

Heck of a buck Ray! Nice going, but now your gonna have to make some space on the wall of shame! -Andy

Happy Birthday and have great day Bob! -Andy

Good going Mark! Sounds like an interesting place to fish -Andy

Good things come to those who wait,

I tell everybody getting into archery the same thing; once you let that arrow go, anything and everything can happen and eventually will so make peace with it, this is a live and let die deal with no apologies offered or accepted...

Pete, speaking of stories, I'm expecting some real good ones from you and Grey after next weekend. -Andy

With my archery/mzzl ldr tags filled I was able to watch a classic rut scene yesterday w/ out needing to kill anything. Ok, Im on stand (got my dmps w/ me); in comes a young doe w/ a 1.5 6pt. They are in front of me for about 2 hrs and he is just being a real gentleman while she is truly overheated w/ no clue as to how this goes. Suddenly out of the brush charges a massive 2.5 9pt. He's closing to 25 yards w/ his head down when the 6 steps in front of the doe and lowers his head at an angle. The 9 stops and just puffs up his chest. The 6 checks to see if the doe is still behind him and lowers his little rack and paws the ground twice(I'm really starting to like this guy!) The 9 does the stiff legged walk about 90 degrees and tries to close the distance to the doe again. The 6 quarters around checks on the doe and lowers his head again. The 9 moves off and back, nibbles something as a face saving gesture and moves off... In addition to the sympathetic glow I felt when the little guy held onto his girl, I thought this whole scene showed something else interesting as well. Once bucks get to be 2.5 and better I think they are very economical about their breeding efforts when a fair number of does are in heat. In seconds after finding the source of the estrous trail he was following the 9pt 'knew' several things; 1. This doe has most likely been bred at least once, 2. She's been bred by this other mean spirited little s.o.b., that's gonna require some real effort to get out of the way. He quickly 'added' up this equation and concluded that w/ many other does in heat, his time was better served finding a situation w/ a better looking outcome. Pretty cool!

Nice going,& must have been a good day to be out on the water. -Andy

gotta love 2cd chances! -Andy

Does anybody know what's going on w/ the production/supply of Raymarine X-5 sport pilots? They were supposed to be 'back' in stock in Oct & now the distributors who list inventory info say this unit will be 'back' in stock in Jan. Thanks, -Andy

WTG! Nice work Vince.

Mark, thanks for bringing this up, I guess it's back up to L.P. or down & around to Treman. It's no difference time wise for me but sure glad I didn't have to go to Lansing 1st to find out. -Andy

Wow, that last buck is over the top!

Duane was the first guy I met in person from this forum. He was just an outstanding individual who gave a lot to others. I'm sitting here stunned and thinking to myself "life is so damm fragile"...

Pete, that's quite the story! If I were you though you I'd want to make sure Ray doesn't misread the post title and head down your way for the opening of 'bare' season. -Andy