I am lucky- we hunt virtually all private ground and we do not have near that much pressure where we hunt. Granted the big deer drives with slugs flying everywherestill happen - but wekeep people off our land - and for the most part they respect that, every now and agian - well you know, but all in all not too bad.

Il I have also wonder about the Cyote/hi-po situation.I guess there are justnot as many yote hunters asdeer hunters. BUT - we are having a special high power doe only late season inselected counties... can you say POACHERS GONE WILD...next thing you know they will have Snoop Dog doing a video for it!

I have been working entirely too much (especially for this time of year) am getting to shoot my bow every night though so that does help.

We are driving up the river road this weekend (taking Grandpa and Grandmawho are 94 and have been looking forward to it for about a year) so that will be an enjoyable weekend and time well spent. (Even better than spending it out in my stand).

Quick & Rybo - I like the idea of a porkey doe contest will have to try to get one started down here it would be neat!

Good luck to everyone out there - Mike

Are local shop did one last year... And a big buck,big turkey, big fish big whatever... The doe contest even had a category for most total pounds of doe brought in.. But thoses got cancelled this year since the deer check in stations no longer exist.. A local bar though about doing one, and they might be doing one still, would probably work better for them anyways to drum up buisiness. Guy brings in a bruiser and buys drinks for the whole bar while showing off and euphoric. Guy came into the shop to enter the big dear and wanted to leave right away to show off to his buddies.. Gun check in was a different, more busy story with long lines and the like.

Why used to have a late season doe season in Illinois that was handgun only. I thought it was a cool idea. Now they are allowing muzzleloaders and shotguns.. The only problem that some have with it is the bucks have started shedding at that time sometimes and a few bucks were harvested antlerless.. Nothing you can do about that but I can imagine it only being worse with a .270 win out there too... I am sure the reason HP rifles are allowed for yotes is because otherwise the success rate would stink in hunting them and the lobby to kill every coyote in sight is pretty strong in this state, from Chicago to Cairo.

Mike - the big doe contest is a good time - b/c usually on the opener, guys aren't seeing many "shooter" bucks, and it gives you another goal.

A local archery shop owner does this thing, and for him, it drums up a lot of business b/c the guys have to come out to sign up - and when they do, they buy stuff. Then, at check-in, they buy more stuff.
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So here's a piece of bad news - Remember I told you guys about the new farm that I was hunting? Well, I went out there last night, and there were two guys sitting in treestands right in my spot, about 75 yards apart. Grrrrrr. So, it was too late to hoof it all the way across the farm to the other spot, so I just stayed in the fields and glassed all night. Hardly anything moved last night - it was really windy.

Am I a bad guy for hoping that they got skunked? Saturday morning, they betterwake up pretty early to beat me in there.

The place isn't posted, and the owner lets 2 other guys hunt, but the guys in the stands were different - I'd never seen them before. I know they were trespassing, b/c they were trying to hide from me, and they weren't parked at the farm - they sneaked in through the quad paths that cross her land from down over the hill.

Just to scare 'em, as I was walking away, I pulled out my cell phone, and pretended to dial numbers. Then I talked into the mouthpiece loud enough that everybody could hear, pretending tocall the landowner (I don't even know her number). I said"Yeah, I'm down here on the corner of your ground, and there are two guys up here in treestands ... yeah ... OK ... No, it's not them, it's somebody different. Do you want me to... OH.. OK ... I'll be right up."

I felt kinda bad later, b/c that was dirty. Should I have not done that?
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By the way - I agree with you guys about the high-powered rifles. I got into an argument about the same topicon one of these forums about that a week or so ago, and some NRA activists tried to get me banned from this site for being "anti gun." I won't get into it, because they're still trying to ban me,so they read all my posts, then run andtattle.

Gentlemen the SHIRTS ARE DELIVERED. man, they turned out great, I can't wait to get them out to you guys.. I will double check my mailing list and get them out this week!

I think you all are really gonna like them. !!!!!! Good luck eveyone hunting, lets get r done!

Troy

I have everyones Address but SUMHUNTER...

Sum did i miss it ??? PM me..your address These shirts turned out great ..

DARRENpm me your last name, I dont have it for shipping.. thanks..

Awesome - Troy, you're a great American hero, even though you're a pi$$-poor hunter. [:-] J/K

Maybe we have a future in fashion retail? Versace, Prada, Ralph - Step aside. Now, all we need are some lanky models with a penchant for camo and deer pee... hmmmm...

Well, I have no problem with guns in general, own quite a few of them actually ranging from a .22 short, to .264 Win Magnum and 30-06 to several shotguns and a handgun.. I just find the season a little loud and some of the hunters a little less cautious with mixing liquor and firearms than I would care for them to be. Not all of them are bad, in fact most are good but those exceptions seem to really stand out to me and leave a bad taste in my mouth.

Never feel bad for messing with tresspassers, more people should do it in those very nonconfrontational ways that you choose, no one gets hurt that way which is important

Tresspassers are always tough to deal with. I dealt with one a few years back. I was civil at first, explained the situation to him. I talked to the landowner about it. He's cool and wants me to toss anyone I run into. Well after running into the guy the 2nd time and him being a jerk, I got a little more stern, about if I ran into him a 3rd time. I never saw him or his truck again.

As far as the gun thing goes...I'm quite pro gun, NRA life member, I just feel bad that PA (and other states) just don't have enoughspace (for my tastes) to make gun season a truly enjoyable experience. I feel bad for those whose only hunting experience is during Pa's gun season where there isn't a deer moving on it's own routine after 730 in the morning. It would be interesting to hunt a place where it would probably be more, or just as difficult to take a deer with a gun, than it is for me to take one with a bow in my current situation.

Well put, Rybo - the PA opener isnot a veryenjoyable experience. Unless you find the sound of gunfire "soothing."

My family has a cabin in Warren County, PA, and the property abuts the Allegheny National Forest. I buy a doe tag or 2for up there every year, and hoof it deep into the ANF - just me and the .300 mag. Last year, in 2 days, I saw 0 hunters and 10 deer and 2 legal bucks. Pretty awesome.

Up there, you have the opportunity to outwalk the others, and if you're not afraid of getting lost, you can go pretty far. I pack up the daypack with MRE's and other foodstuffs and survival junk, and leave 1 hr before first light. So far, that's the only peace & quiet that I can find in PA rifle season. Last year, I brought my doe out in quarters, b/c there's no way I'd drag a deer that far w/o help.

So, I guess it's not all that bad, if you have a good spot where you're not drove nuts.

very funny Quick.... I don't think I have much of a future in the fashion business, I am just happy they turned out..pretty decent. I'll keep working at this hunting thing.. I've been trying to model, "good things come to those who wait" not to mention I have 10 days off, figured I had better take care of this non-hunting business..before the season opens back up..

Lanky girls modeling hunting products.. Hey my wife is 5 11 and looks pretty darned good in a bikini.. should I ask her? LOL

The xx-shirtsare in the mail guys, I just got back from the post office here on my lunch break.. Check your mail in about 3 days fellas.....

Sum, I still have your shirt..waiting on your address. I hope a large fits because thats all I have left!!!!!! If not let me know I will take care of it.

Darren I sent yours..I have your address they didn't think it would be a problem..