JJL

You might want to think about an archery hunt............. President Hillary is going to have our guns by next fall. :p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p

You are really blessed to have opportunities such as that. Nice work and congratulations on the trophies. That Muntjac reminds me of a gal I dated in College...........long story.

Little bitty town called Ridgway. We are about 80 miles from Utah and 100 miles from New Mexico, so way down in the Southwest corner. It's a really a nice area. Most of our friends are ranchers and their families mixed in with a bunch of people we go to church with. Life is actually very good. The hunting is a real fiasco however. The Colorado DOW's biggest concern is how they can generate the most $$$$, and in doing so, have placed the management of the wildlife in the state second behind money. But, I would imagine that its that way pretty much everywhere. It is just beyond comprehension that it takes a resident 7 years to draw a tag for their own property, when a non-resident can buy that same tag EVERY season. My tag is $40 and theirs is $400......that's the only explanation. That constitutes prostitution by the DOW of OUR RESOURCE...........and that's a real shame. On a much lighter note, I have a pair of 6 month old Labrador puppies who are amazing. Lots of fun and enjoyment from those two. My golf game is getting a lot better now that I live on a course and can play all of the time. My family is all healthy and doing well. We have a nice home, plenty of food, clothes on our backs, and a living savior named Jesus Christ. So we're a lot better off than a lot of people in this world. When I focus on the really meaningful things in life...........it's not half bad.

Well the planets must have aligned just perfectly, because when I clicked on Realtree Forums.............it actually opened. That hasn't happened in several years. I had better take advantage of the RARE Celestial event and make a post. Life is Good in Colorado....... Hunting SUCKS.......but life is Good. I seems as if you don't have access to private land, you are SOL. I live in a county with 3200 residents, it's plenty rural, however, Public land is filthy with tree huggin- granola munchin-dope smoking-Subaru diving-Obama Lovin- ATV riding-hippies. And the Elk don't like how they smell, so they stay in the private acres. And most of the private land is leased ... for BIG $$$$. Local ranches will allow you to trespass and shoot a 320" bull for $15,000.........Where do I sign up for that STUPIDITY. The commercialization of OUR natural resources.........nice. It's taken me 7 years to finally draw a deer tag, luckily it's for my yard, and I get to shoot something off my porch. Maybe in another 7 years I can do it again.............yee haw.........welcome to Colorado. And they wonder why the locals have NO Respect for the DOW...........oh we respect the officers........just not the DOW as a whole. I've killed 4 deer and two elk with my truck..........nice. Have yet to draw my bow on a live animal. I average (gps measured) 120 miles on foot EVERY season, do the math, That's 840 miles on foot through prime Elk habitat in 7 seasons............I've seen 3 elk in the wild while hunting. I have literally seen thousands while crossing private land in order to access public land.........but only 3 on public land in 7 seasons. I have come to refer to it as "armed hiking".............it has become quite disheartening. One more season of crap like this, and I'm DONE. The Family is doing well, My son Joseph Graduated Magna Cum Laude this spring from the Colorado School Of Mines ( on par with MIT ). He has a Bachelors degree in explosives engineering and is working on his Masters while employed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory..............He deals with NASA on solid rocket fuel projects...........yep......Rocket Scientist........got that from MOM. My daughter graduated High School.........still trying to figure out where she's going. Probably be a Stripper. My wife is getting Older...I'm getting Grumpier. Welcome to life. God Bless You JJL

2 W...9 L .......nuff said about Mat Ryan for a while. B U S T .

gave a piano to the church a few years back.........bout as close as I've come.

What do you mean ??? "I don't have anyone to take hunting"..........I know for a fact that you have Grandkids and Daughters who would LOVE to spend a day in a Pickup with the "Old Man" looking through binoculars. I know I would. Call it scouting for next season. You might not be hunting ........but it's the next best thing and it would be time well spent. Congratulations on the upcoming wedding. I know Rilda would approve, she loved you dearly and always wished to see you smiling and happy. God Bless You and Connie.

All we have around here is green trees and we dont climb up in them to hunt. So blending in is a must. Two seasons ago I was wearing AP and my buddy had on True Timber. Midday we switched jackets and analyized each other from various distances. The true timber dissappeared AP looked like a blob...........I've gone to the True timber exclusively...............sorry RT......it works alot better where I hunt.

Find the food....find the elk. 95% of the elk being killed here locally are in hayfields on private land. Public land is void of food. Good luck. Cancer has hit here at home again.........wish I was there. Best wishes jjl

Faith and Attitude........................You're Strong in both. You'll get through it. Continued prayers from Colorado.

Gotcha...........................April Fool.

"Colorado DOW has just announced a possible suspension of the 2012 Elk and Deer seasons due to a larger than expected winter kill. Increasing numbers of CWD and EHD cases have also led to the escalation of worries." " DOW officials are meeting with local wildlife groups and ranchers to discuss areas most impacted, however, a STATEWIDE closing of all seasons looks like a reality." "Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona are also affected." "This will cost the State billions of dollars, but we must save the remaining herd," officials stated.

ELK SCHMELK....................... I'm sick and tired of ELK. I'm tired of seeing them. I'm tired of smelling them. And I'm tired of eating them. They're varmits, kill them all. What I need is SEAFOOD...............preferably HALIBUT...mmmmmmmmmm. One word of advice.............TAGS MUST BE PURCHASED BEFORE SEASON OPENS. Don't plan on showing up day two or three and getting a tag. Ain't gonna happen. Platoro is right around the corner rom here. Might have to stop in and say HI. Still praying for you Steve.

James 5:16................................................. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. God Bless You.

I sit here crying and smiling all at the same time. My friend Rilda has met Jesus, I'm jealous. My time will come as well, and I shall kiss both of them. For I love them. My son Joseph and I were at the Beilgard's when Rilda's Father passed away. One might call it strength, I prefer to call it Faith, what ever it was..........Rilda had/has it. She never let the pain she was feeling affect anyone who was there, yet we all shared the pain with her. 100% LOVE............simply beautiful. Last Friday, Joseph and I were making the trip. He was leaving home to begin College. He was driving and I was the passenger. I informed him of Rildas iminent passing. Silence.............................. I looked over at him and could see the tears running down his cheeks...................... He asked, "How does anyone get through this life without God ? I said , "I don't know". We bothed smiled and said, " Rilda is a GOOD one. God will Bless Her". I've laughed with Steve Beilgard, I've cried with Steve Beilgard, and I've prayed with Steve Beilgard................... He's a good one too. God has blessed him and his family, I pray that he will continue to do so. Your Friend... JJL