Humor
I am a Turkey Hunting Troglodyte
I guess this contemporary versus traditional argument has been around a long while. I guess I didn’t notice it until recently when it came to turkey hunting. It could be that the turkey hunters I know are mostly illiterate and don’t own PC’s, so they don’t know they’re part of a camp. Somebody coined the term “Traditional Taliban” on here. “Old-Schoolers” is another term. I’m not going to use the terminology of one side to characterize another, but it seems we are locked in a never-ending tussle between traditional versus contemporary methods. I would like to submit myself as an … More . . .
An Anonymous Acolyte and Mister Remmy
I received the following comment the other day regarding my “Bubba’d-up” Mossy: Anonymous said… Inspirational. That’s what your ministry has done for me. I too had a sticky-tape camo job on my Rem 870 home brew turkey gun. Since I am the President of the “Order of the Blue Snood” here in Washington State, I felt it was time to give ol’ Mister Remmy a makeover. A visit to the local Fred Meyer store and $28 bucks later I was spraying my way to the coolest do-it-yourself bubba gun I’ve ever done. (OK, it was only my second.) I will … More . . .
I am NOT a Deer Geek
From Deer and Deer Hunting Magazine Forum I was in the process of trying to come up with a few quips that would get y’all laughing, and I finally stopped myself. It just wasn’t going anywhere. It’s not for lack of involvement. It’s not for lack of attachment to this place. It’s not that I’m not wholly immersed. It’s just that something has changed in me, and being a D&DH Geek isn’t quite where I’m at anymore. For one thing, a Geek act was from way back to Elizabethan times. The term “Geek” was used to describe a fellow who … More . . .
Shamanic Turkey Hunting Tips
Here’s some random turkey hunting tips The cold: I carry an extra set of socks when it’s cold. Between what’s coming through the shoe and what’s coming over the top from all the cold dew on the grass, my feet get wet. Along about 9-10 AM , after the dew’s dried out, I change socks. It makes the walk home much nicer. When it gets real cold, I throw a handwarmer in the front pocket of my bibs. It heats my chest, which heats the blood going to the heart/lungs. It’s like a hot water heating system. Calls: A dab … More . . .
Who coined the silly term "hung up" ?
From Turkey and Turkey Hunting: ORIGINAL: TurkeyComander Who coined the silly term “hung up” ? I really don’t think it’s silly, but I do think it is oftentimes a solvable state. At least it is something that was in your control at some point. It certainly is not a disease. If nothing else it is a ready excuse for the uninitiated (“I dunno, the gobbler just got hung up!”) Let’s look at the basic idea of a hung-up gobbler. A gobbler is on his way to you and at some point he just stops coming. He’ll honor calls, but he … More . . .
Winter Tonic
For the first time in several years, I braved a mid-winter trip to turkey camp over the weekend. Some years we have been blocked for three months getting there. Last year it was a snow and ice storm that kept us bottled up from VD until the second weekend in March. I have to tell you that there is just no better feeling than opening up camp, and finding it for the most part untouched and unchanged. The big treat Sunday night was listening to lots of wing beats as the flock that inhabits the woods behind the house came … More . . .
In the shamanic Reloading Cave
The shaman was busy at his reloading bench when he heard little Scooter come into his cave. “Mister Shaman?” “In here, Scooter.” said the shaman. “Jeepers, Mister Shaman.” said the boy. “What are you up to?” “I’ve been reading too many deer threads,” said the shaman, and I thought I would come here to chill out and get some reloading done. “It’s all so complicated.” said Scooter. “I wouldn’t know where to start. All these bullets. All this data. It makes my head spin.” “It doesn’t make my head spin.” said the shaman. “It was going to, and then I … More . . .
Getting Permission to Hunt
I’ve been on both sides of this permission to hunt thing now. I’ve been sitting here with this topic trying to organize my thoughts. If I look back on the efforts I made over the years to get permission, I can see one pattern arising. I got very few permissions from cold calls. I spent a lot of time early on driving around in the country asking, and got very few people to agree to letting me hunt. I was in sales during part of that time, and I doubt it was my style. I think it was more the … More . . .
On the use of Turkey Decoys and Going Old School
From Turkey and Turkey Hunting — Not as Sporting…Are You Serious??? The Turkey Hunter at the Vegetorium Some of y’all remind me of the stories a buddy of mine used to tell. He was a cook at a vegetarian restaurant/store up near the University of Cincinnati. He used to listen to the various veggie-heads all day and had some pretty funny tales. He said that there was a macho-ethic going on with the grazers, and it would always seem to escalate into a one-upping sort thing: “I’m an ovo-lacto.” (If I remember, that meant just eggs and milk) “I’m just … More . . .
Why Do They Slit the Thoats of Dead Deer?
The thoat slitting thing is a fascinating topic to me. I never did it, but I sure heard about it. Throat slitting only works to bleed an animal if the animal is still alive and its heart is pumping. Everyone not closely connected with deer hunting wants to know “Did you slit their thoats?” I even had one lady standing by my freezer waiting to get a gift of venison ask me this and then turn around and leave when I said I did not. I’m not Meshack Browing; the last thing you’ll catch me at is jumping on the … More . . .
Honey Holes and Structure Hunting
I’ve got a few spots on my 200 acre farm which are good spots for hunting turkeys. You can be fairly sure that if you’re there and you wait long enough, eventually a flock will come through. A lot of what you learn from bass fishing and deer hunting applies to turkeys: Find the roost. Find the food. Hunt the likely path between the two. I have had expert turkey hunters, men I respect, tell me that there is no such thing as a “Honey Hole” for turkeys. I have to disagree. There are only going to be a few … More . . .
Cell phones in the Turkey Woods
It was only a couple of years ago that my phone was anything but useless out at camp. The Verizon map still says that we should not get a signal, and down in the hollers, I would agree. However, up on top of the ridges, we get a fair number of bars. In fact, I can now take the laptop out with me if I want to. The air card works just fine. I doubt I will. This is a cautionary tale. Normally, I do not leave the cell phone on, but I take it with me. I am fifty. … More . . .
Taking the Venison for a Walk in the Snow
Every year about this time I wait for the temperatures to dip below zero. You have to plan ahead around here. We’re far enough South that it does not happen every year, and it has to be on a day I’m going to be off work. When it happens, I let all the venison out of the freezer and let them go and play on the back deck. Last year it did not happen at all. The frost was getting pretty thick. This morning, however, the temperature dipped down to minus 5F, which is colder than the inside of the … More . . .
Old School I am Not
Lately I have been exposed to a set of attitudes that really sort set me back on my heels. I guess these attitudes have been out there for quite a while. I just had not seen them. I don’t get off my ridge that much. For want of a better term I will call these “Old School” turkey hunting attitudes. The general gist of this is that only certain turkey hunting practices are okay, and that these practices are a subset of what is legal in most states. I really did not know what I was being called last year … More . . .
Traditional Turkey Hunting Season
I want to start a petition around. It is going to be in favor of a resolution to the state legislature to incorporate a Traditional Methods Turkey Season into the Schedule. Black Powder Shotguns of up to #4 Gauge will be allowed Breech loading rifles will be allowed with straight-necked cases up to 50 cal. Muzzleloading rifles of any caliber will be allowed. Shot of any size, gravel, and roofing nails will also be allowed as ammunition in the muzzleloading weapons. No camo will be allowed. Hunters must hunt in an old suit with the elbows mended. Mouth calls cannot … More . . .
Getting Down From Your Stand
From Nubs on Deer and Deer Hunting Here is my question: The day has come to a close and it is time to get down from your stand but wait, there is just one problem. There are a few deer feeding out in the field that you have been watching all night. You know that if get down you might get busted, tipping off the deer to your presence and blowing your stand location. What do you do in this situation? I have tried using my easy weeze to sound like an alarmed deer to clear the field before I … More . . .
How to not get frustrated
From Deer & Deer Hunting Forum auman New Member Posts: 6 Joined: 9/28/2008 It seems the more I hunt, the less I see. Being in ‘bama the rut is still a couple of weeks away. It should be heating up shortly. I just have it in the back of my mind: ” Here we go, another wasted season.” Don’t give me all that got to be positive crap. I’ve tried it before and it doesn’t work. Gonna have to try some off the wall tactics I guess. What have you done when all else seems to have failed? Don’t worry … More . . .
Briar Engineering and the Win 670
One story that got lost in the rush of deer season is the tale of how I turned my buddy, O.T., into a gunsmith. Now that things are starting to wind down for me, I thought I would let you all hear it. One morning, I was out with my Winchester Model 670. Everyone remembers the Model 70, but the 670 is a very popular variant that was sold in places like K-Mart. Mine probably came from the early 70’s. It was their value-priced model: matte finish, hardwood stock, plain bolt. However, it was a fairly handsome rifle from afar. … More . . .
8-Pointer Ushers in Not-Hunting Opener
From Deer&Deer Hunting Forum Shot for Just Bein’ Ugly – 11/17/2008 10:14:48 AM EatDeer Super Member The day after I read your story, I saw a button buck while hunting, about 4″ of the bone in his upper jaw and nose bridge was missing, and the nose was pushed off to the side a couple of inches. This deer was browsing food, and smelling the air just fine, the deer wasn’t very alert, but was healthy dispite his appearance. I passed him up, and I hope to see him in a few years. I guess the deer I saw, was … More . . .
Which Theory of Rutting? The shaman Answers
I’ve been sitting back watching the pig rasslin’ going on over at the Deer & Deer Hunting site over whose theory of deer rutting is closer: Charlie Alsheimer or Leonard Lee Rue III. I think both guys have done a great job of research. For all the arguing and fussing and things are coming out crystal clear: There is not enough of our anecdotal evidence to back up either author’s assertions conclusively. If Charlie said the sun came up just after the cock crowed, and Leonard said the sun was coming up due to the dogs howling, we would probably … More . . .
Jakes’ Theory on Rut Prediction
I’ve been sitting back watching the pig rasslin’ going on over at the Deer & Deer Hunting site over whose theory of deer rutting is closer: Charlie Alsheimer or Leonard Lee Rue III and things are coming out crystal clear: There is not enough of our anecdotal evidence to back up either author’s assertions conclusively. If Charlie said the sun came up just after the cock crowed, and Rue said the sun was coming up due to the dogs howling, we would probably be able to come to an agreement fairly soon. Enough of us have seen the sun come … More . . .
Slack Theory of Venison Production
Overall, the model that would accurately represent deer movement would have to be extremely complex. One guy writes a book on lunar influences, another on weather, another on hunting pressure. All together, it ends up being a mess. My read on it is much easier–what I call “The Slack Theory.” Deer gravitate towards slack the same way humans do. If you’re hungry, you go get a burger and fries and a side of slack. Then you feel tired, so you go home and lay on the couch to get some more slack. A while later, you’re cold, so you go … More . . .
More on (Moron) Scent Reduction — Go Figure
See, it’s this issue that always stuck in my craw– how can scent be all that important when firearms have a clear stench and deer are supposedly not minding? Ditto for rubber boots. Ditto for ATV’s. Mind you, I’ve been following this whole scent suppression business since before some folks on this forum were probably born. Also mind you that if you’d asked me about this in 1989, I would have said that there wasn’t enough you could do to lower your scent profile. Now that I’m on my own 200 acres for 8 seasons and have gotten to know … More . . .
MYSPACE Caves– Update
Hello, Thank you for contacting MySpace Customer Care. We do not have a record of removing any images from your profile; please disregard our previous message about inappropriate content. We apologize for the misunderstanding. Thank you for your help in keeping MySpace a fun and safe community. If you have any further questions or concerns, please reply directly to this email. Thank you, MySpace.com Customer Care ————— That was after I sent them this: MYSPACE CENSORS THEN CAVES It’s a bit pic-heavy, but it’s fun. I think you’ll enjoy it. This post has already been read 2287 times!Views: 3 Related … More . . .
Judging Antlers
I’ve always been a lousy judge of antlers. My gag is that I’ve got three settings on my internal antler radar: 1) Doe (no antler) 2) Buck (visible antler) 3) Quint, I think we’re going to need a bigger boat. Up until a few years ago it was inconceivable to me that I’d be putting a tape measure to antlers. I did. I was disappointed. I stopped. Still everyone keeps asking me “Whatcha think he’ll score???” There probably isn’t a better way to quantify antlers, but still it is kind of . . . well. . . Nobody asks about … More . . .
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