I went and watch a deaf andblind kid with a some mental problems play Mozart on a piano, what are the odds?
What are the odds of Little school from NC beating big bad MI?


The point I agree with you and Fran is it extremly tough, I am not going to use the "odds" as to why it does not happen BTW I am pretty much the same boat these days I like that it's tough, I like that it's hard, I like that fact I got my butt kicked last year

Why I will never make a post as to why it did not happen, and why I will never make a post as to why guys in states with better odds get it done. I plain and simple don't care what others guys do in Iowa, ILL[8D] What Gregh or anyone kills does not affect the way I hunt, does make what I kill better or worst than him or anyone else.

This year I am dealing with

Mother going nuts
Grandfather who is failing
Two Kids who are busy than hell
A wife who will be changing schools
A daughter who is changing schools

I wonder what my odds are? I don't care, it's not about odds, size or anything else. All I know is I will be giving it 110% and having fun

And that is Gospel[8D]

Preach It Brotha!!!

Have you ever heard me complain, Gary??

Gary - I think you're getting the wrong impression about where I'm going with this. I'm definitely not making excuses as to why I'm not getting it done. Honestly, I think I AM getting it done. Hell, I've killed a pretty decent buck for my area, something like 6 years running. 14 years in a row filling my buck tags... You'll never hear me make an excuse. (2-time world champion )

But the point that I'm trying to make here is that we have to set a reasonable bar for ourselves, if we want to be able to shoot a good deer, and actually have a realistic chance of success - it's all about tempering your expectations.

If you soak in enough time and keep a reliable log - you'll start seeing identifiable patterns. Those patterns will change between locations, they'll change during the rut, they'll change over the summer. . .

The moral of the story is having the confidence that "this may be my last best chance" and taking it. You don't want to let opportunity walk away, and regret it thereafter. Likewise, you don't want to shut your season down too early, when you stand a high statistical chance of greater success - later.

Huntingis a game of skill, time, and chance. You can move around from spot-to-spot, trying to enhance your odds through woodsmanship and cunning. You can manipulate your vacation time (based on your statistical records) to enhance your odds. But at the end of the day, you're still trying to maximize your efforts and take the best deer that you're going to have an opportunity to take.

Than for the love of God stop starting post[8D]and just hunt

To me it's neither

Gospel.

When we throw in the "Adder" that we alsostart out with the mindset that we're not going tosettle for anything less than our "standards" will allow......then we either choose to lower our standards or eat our tag. I've got no issues with either approach.....as I think they're both personal decisions.

Fran, in all seriousness, I think most of us know, and you and I especially, that the chances of finding, getting permission to hunt, and legally bagging a5.5 year old deer in PA with a bowprobably rank up there in odds of winning the lottery. That's PowerBall, not the PA lottery too.

Sure there are some out there, but the accessibility and likelihood that a buck of that age would spend any time on his feet during daylight hours are very remote. Bucks of that age do get shot here. Generally by a gun hunter after being pushed from one super reclusive hiding spot and heading to another.

Anomolies do happen, but I'm not holding my breath on those and will continue to hunt the deer that I scout, see, and know exist.

Gary....until you've experienced the NW NC rut in my woods.....you just can't appreciate the astronomical odds of targeting mature bucks, here.

More than once, last season.....I caught does chasing bucks. Our nannies are easy.....and the boys get their pick. It would be the equivalent to Jessica Alba chasing Lyle Lovett around with a mattress on her backand a handful of prophylactics.

I saw one with an "Ugly does need lovin', too" sticker on her ass......and she was walking bowlegged. Bucks here clean their tarsals daily so as not to give off the wrong signals.

My mature bucks are "pimpin"....and rumor has it all the little hottie does are eatin' buffet style deer chow over at the dumper's shack. An arrow is much more palatable than "death by boinkin'" to these guys....but the girls have my stands surrounded, it seems.

You need to come down and see this place.

Fran has a better chance of a 200'' than me hunting in NC[8D]

I am Northen Boy

I plan on spending my time here along Ausable River

NC didn't do so bad in the Summer issue of my P&Y newsletter