Thrill of the hunt is waning across America

[fireman836]

I got a nice 140 lb. yesterday afternoon and she is already in the freezer. Tenderloin roast and 30 lbs. of burger. It had started getting dark and I had to shoot her in the front shoulders to knock her down as with my bad knee I could not look for her in the dark on the ice and snow that I still have in the woods on the far side of the lake(new hunting area) Went to Lynchburg today to see my Ortho Dr. and I am scheduled to have a total left knee replacement on the 20th. of Jan. Well maybe 2011 will be better then the last 12 mos.
Bill

Good luck Bill. I'll keep you in my prayers. Way things are going I may have to have it done too sooner or later.

[Yarddawg]

I got a nice 140 lb. yesterday afternoon and she is already in the freezer. Tenderloin roast and 30 lbs. of burger. It had started getting dark and I had to shoot her in the front shoulders to knock her down as with my bad knee I could not look for her in the dark on the ice and snow that I still have in the woods on the far side of the lake(new hunting area) Went to Lynchburg today to see my Ortho Dr. and I am scheduled to have a total left knee replacement on the 20th. of Jan. Well maybe 2011 will be better then the last 12 mos.
Bill

Keep us updated on the surgery Bill!

[SgtBill]

The thrill of the hunt happend again tonight or I should say this afternoon. I got out to my tent stand closed the back flap and opened the front one a small way's sat down in my chair and here he come straight out in front of the stand at about 60 yards. Dead deer went 170 lbs and a nice rack 7 point. Yum Yum
It will go to Hunters for the hungry.
Bill

[CowboyT]

Hey Cowboy T, next time you are down with DK let me know so that I can come over and meet y'all.
Bill

Hey Bill. Hopefully Cowboy will come down again on the 1st. We'll be in the big camo blind on the left at the end of Remy Road...

Yup, already planned on it (thanks, guys). Just made a "Bubba" recoil pad for the Mosin, and yes, it's attached with duct tape. Shouldn't make that much difference given all the cold-weather clothing that we'll be wearing, but every bit helps.

I am *so* looking forward to this!

[chuckjordan2]

I believe it comes down to Land and the Lawyers.

Land. I'm 51yo now and grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. When I was in grade school to high school, a 1 hour drive would take me to Northern Illinois and my Uncles farm (Not a real uncle, most of you had them too). I had acres to shoot with my father and grandfather. Sadly, thats all houses now.

During that same period and into my college years, I had cousins and other relatives in WI and MI and always went hunting there too. Or we knew somebody, who knew somebody and they'd let you hunt on their land. Family always let you hunt on their land and it was as much a social event as a hunting trip.

Sadly, most family members have sold their farm land to big business (that's another story). And that brings me to the Lawyers, in the USA we have gotten to litigous that we'll sue anybody for any stupid reason.

I still have a close Cousin in Grand Rapids MI where I can hunt. But with family and work (in this economy), I cannot afford to take a week off to travel to MI to hunt.

Land. Open land is near impossible to find and hunt on. Wildlife Managed Areas (WMA) are just overrun to too many people. Back to the article, if you went to Black River Falls, WI (a deer capital of WI), their WMA are now filled with people. Nearly 1 person per acre hunting. That is not hunting.

If you combine both of the above you get the reasons why hunting is in decline. And hunting in VA seems to be by club only, no wonder the Dominion state is also losing hunters.

So this article (no matter who wrote it) sheds light on a subject that we're now discussing. Unless you own a fair amount of land (of which there are fewer people owning), you're not going to hunt. Hunters will be in decline and our sport will one day cease to exist.

[zephyp]

Hey Cowboy T, next time you are down with DK let me know so that I can come over and meet y'all.
Bill

Hey Bill. Hopefully Cowboy will come down again on the 1st. We'll be in the big camo blind on the left at the end of Remy Road...

Yup, already planned on it (thanks, guys). Just made a "Bubba" recoil pad for the Mosin, and yes, it's attached with duct tape. Shouldn't make that much difference given all the cold-weather clothing that we'll be wearing, but every bit helps.

I am *so* looking forward to this!

Weather report says its supposed to be around 60 next Saturday in Keysville so short sleeves will rule the day...

Believe me T, you wont feel the recoil or even hear the shot...I've got a decent spot picked out and hopefully we'll see deer. BTW, Henry says chitlins are for supper...

[Chasbo00]

deleted -- bad video insert

[Chasbo00]

It's because of the ferocious bears...

[gunderwood]

It's because of the ferocious bears...

http://www.youtube.com/user/video20071966

At about 13 seconds in when it turned broadside and stopped, I would have put a .45/70 420gr hard-cast bullet at 1800fps through it. Then I'd have me a bear skin rug!

[zephyp]

It's because of the ferocious bears...

http://www.youtube.com/user/video20071966

At about 13 seconds in when it turned broadside and stopped, I would have put a .45/70 420gr hard-cast bullet at 1800fps through it. Then I'd have me a bear skin rug!

about a minute in provides a better shot perhaps - almost straight down through backbone...something a 45/70 would have no problem with but who could sit still through a whole minute of watching excellent shots go by...

[Vahunter]

Start 'em out young.

[gunderwood]

Start 'em out young.

Love it!