ROFLMAO!

Hunters are as tough on each other as gun owners.

I've said it before, and I'll repeat it.

The archer scoffs at the rifleman.

The rifleman derides the semi-auto shooter.

The blackpowder man laughs at smokeless shooters.

The wood and inlay man grumbles about the blackrifle hunter.

Together we stand, or divided we fall.

We've been falling for a long time.

TRG

Quoted: ROFLMAO! Hunters are as tough on each other as gun owners. I've said it before, and I'll repeat it. The archer scoffs at the rifleman. The rifleman derides the semi-auto shooter. The blackpowder man laughs at smokeless shooters. The wood and inlay man grumbles about the blackrifle hunter. Together we stand, or divided we fall. We've been falling for a long time. TRG

Man, no kidding.  

It's amazing to me how the non-hunters have such strong opinions about things they know absolutely nothing about--but that doesn't stop them from talking out of their collective asses.  Maybe tomorrow I'll start a thread on how this space shuttle thingy SHOULD have been handled.  

"It's not hunting unless the game knows you're there"--  

I've hunted, killed and culled alot of animals.

Some hunts are more traditional than others.  Take any of my hunts and you can find several people to criticize the method used, the game taken, the stalk/lack of it.  

Unless you are wearing a breechcloth, smearing yourself with woods ash and taking game with your bare hands, someone, somewhere, will have an issue with it.

TRG

PS.  I ever tell you about guys about shooting a hog in the hips?  It was a great training aid for the young hogdogs.  PETA would have a cow (pun intended), but... man, it sure made the dogs' confidence levels go up.  We were culling hogs, hunting them with dogs, and killing them when we were finished training the pups.  Happened more than once that way.  And I never lost a moment's sleep over it.

Quoted: Quoted: Okay.  So-called "canned hunts" aren't for everyone (myself included).  Of course, I knew you would only kill the wild boar the "right" way--with a spear, in the tradition of German nobility.  Anything less is very gauche.   Talk to Ed, I think he has one of those spears. He could use some backup that would actually stay awake

Story time...  

So, the Avilas came to East Texas to hunt with me.  With only a week's notice, and not much sign of hogs, I began dumping corn everyday in several areas, to draw the hogs out of the creek bottoms.  

After a few days, the corn began to disappear, and the sign of hogs increased.  Circular areas where the corn had been placed, appeared to be from hogs feeding.

One of the sites was near a low rise and a brushpile.  I continued putting out corn until they arrived.

In talking to Ed, and company, we decided to make a slow stalk through a known bedding area to check for fresh sign.  There were about 6 of us I think.  Ed, EdJr, Juan, ILL, and EdJr's son.

Seeing no hogs, I decided we should back off and check a few other areas and set up an ambush for that evening near the feeding site.

We cruised around a little and discussed our plan.

We would set up three shooters near the brushpile.  Juan, EdJr, ILL.  (and EDJr's son)

EdSr and myself stayed near the low rise with a light and a spear.  EdSr planned to spear one.

We took our positions and waited.  And waited... waited...

Evening turned to dark and EdSr and I decided it was time to go.

I eased over to the brushpile, to tell our shooters we would be leaving.

I came back ot EdSr unable to breathe.  


Why?

Because I was laughing too hard to draw a breath!

All three of our shooters were out cold!  The SNORING is probably what caused the hogs to stay away!

ROFLMAO!!

When leaving the field of dreams, EdSr and EdJr rode with me in my truck, ILL and Juan rode in ILL's Trooper.  I spotted a lone hog in the open and we gave chase.  EdJr stuck his AR out the sidewindow and gave it a Texas Heartshot.  Two to the gut!

It fell, so I circled around to locate any more of the pack in my headlights.  No dice.

We returned to find a triumphant ILL and Juan.  ILL had seen my truck accelerate and assumed I was leaving them.  When he saw the hog fall, it was still kicking, so he DROVE over it.

That's right, DROVE over it.  Geezus!  

Now, pictures were taken and celebration occurred, everyone got a piece of the hog at GS1.

TRG

PS.  1NUTGUMMER showed up later that night and assisted in cleaning. (Honorable Mention)

Quoted: The only hunters who impress me are ethical bowhunters. Chuck Adams is the guy I try to emulate.

You might want to Google him, if you are going to emulate him as an "ethical bowhunter."  

Oh, those of us who both bowhunt (ethically) and hunt with a rifle (ethically)--are we in for "half" impressing you?  

No biggee either way--I'm sure the vast majority of hunters could GAS less if they impress anyone else.  I know I don't.  

Quoted: Quoted: Hunting over a bowl of cheerios is pretty much culling, or maybe an "exercise in bladder control" If you're not moving to find the game, or trying to set up in area where the game may pass through is it hunting? I don't know, I don't have a problem with calling in game, that requires a skill to get the buggers to come into you, but just putting out the picnic basket and waiting--> Most deer hunting is done from stands. Is it hunting?

Not, in my opinion, if your stand is in a tree above a salt lick or feeder

How does one move “to find the game” when dove or duck hunting.

I think I covered duck calls, don't know anything about dove hunting

If you buy the license and follow the rules it is hunting in any modern context.

So if I go to some eastern european country with no game laws and use a claymore or laser guided bomb on a rabbit, that'd be hunting as long as it's legal?


<edit> That actually might be kind of fun

Quoted: Outsmarting animals just doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment to me.

Have you hunted? If so you must be better than me, they outsmart me on a pretty regular basis (which may not be saying much).

Quoted: I hunt EASILY over 100 days a year. Hell will I go on more than 30 days this year on out of state and instate guides hunts. .

Quoted: The only hunters who impress me are ethical bowhunters. Chuck Adams is the guy I try to emulate.

Dove and duck hunting must be a real sight to behold with a bow.

Ditto with squirrel hunting, pin them to a limb and climb a tree?

Coonhunting with a bow?  

The ones that impress me are barehanded hog hunters.  Dog bays the hog, hunter goes in and grabs it by the legs.

TRG

Quoted: Ditto with squirrel hunting, pin them to a limb and climb a tree? TRG

They have blunt tipped arrows for small game. I don't think I actually managed to hit one, came real close a few times...

Quoted: Not true. There was a time when all I had to eat was the deer meat in my freezer.

That is absolutely true for my wife and I--by choice.  We simply LOVE venison and absolutely never haul home red meat from the grocery store.  As long as we are able to legally kill adequate numbers of deer to feed us, we will do so.  Last year we killed eight deer, hunting in two states--all legal and not much no thought given to whether it was "real" hunting by some non-hunter's definition.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Not true. There was a time when all I had to eat was the deer meat in my freezer. That is absolutely true for my wife and I--by choice.  We simply LOVE venison and absolutely never haul home red meat from the grocery store.  As long as we are able to legally kill adequate numbers of deer to feed us, we will do so.  Last year we killed eight deer, hunting in two states--all legal and not much no thought given to whether it was "real" hunting by some non-hunter's definition.   I know several families whose entire meat consumption (except for what they eat out) for a year is based on what they take hunting, catch fishing, or raise. When I take a animal that is not for vermin control I almost always eat it.

That's pretty much our situation--though we eat out a LOT due to our work schedules.  At various times we have/do hunt/catch/find:  deer, elk, turkey, quail, pheasant, squirrel, rabbit, gig frogs, fish, morel mushrooms, snapping turtles, mourning doves, and nearly everything else for which there is a season.  All God's creatures have a place--right next to the mashed potatoes.  

Edits cuz I keep thinking of more critters I kill.  

Quoted: snapping turtles

You eat snapping turtles?

Quoted: Quoted: snapping turtles You eat snapping turtles?

Um, yeeeeeeeees. <casts suspicious glance>  Why?  

They taste great.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: snapping turtles You eat snapping turtles? Um, yeeeeeeeees. <casts suspicious glance>  Why?   They taste great.

I need someone to show me how to clean them.  I have caught/killed several, and would love to knwo how to clean them.

TRG

I have to admit that I have never seen anyone whip up snapping turtle tacos (or whatever you do with them).

I'm scared to ask what happens to any skunks you come across...

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: snapping turtles You eat snapping turtles? Um, yeeeeeeeees. <casts suspicious glance>  Why?   They taste great.   I need someone to show me how to clean them.  I have caught/killed several, and would love to knwo how to clean them. TRG

It's MUCH easier than it looks/seems.  I posted detailed instructions several months ago.  I'll try to find the post, otherwise just contact me when you have one and I can talk you through it.  It takes about twenty minutes and only requires a fillet knife, large "channel lok" pliers and, if it's alive (hopefully it is--stays fresh better), a ball peen hammer to kill it.  You do NOT need a hatchet for the shell--just the fillet knife.  

Edit:  A few minutes with the Archive and I found it:  archive.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=337687&page=2

(Link available to Team members only.)

Quoted: I have to admit that I have never seen anyone whip up snapping turtle tacos (or whatever you do with them). I'm scared to ask what happens to any skunks you come across...

I pressure cook to tenderize them, then just batter and fry in butter like chicken.  

Beekeepers kill skunks--they are second only to bears in robbing colonies of bees.  

Quoted: Quoted: I have to admit that I have never seen anyone whip up snapping turtle tacos (or whatever you do with them). I'm scared to ask what happens to any skunks you come across... Well it is pretty clear you don’t know any Cajuns. If they can catch it they will eat it.

Especially one who still has all his fingers/toes after hogging alligator snappers.  

Quoted: Quoted: I have to admit that I have never seen anyone whip up snapping turtle tacos (or whatever you do with them). I'm scared to ask what happens to any skunks you come across... Well it is pretty clear you don’t know any Cajuns. If they can catch it they will eat it.

I guess around here people'll poach before they eat turtles.