Dakota

I've got a lucky orange hunting jacket that I've worn since I started big game hunting in '03. Here are a few critters that have fallen victim to the jacket over the years. Doubled on this doe with a buddy of mine in the Fall of '08. Fall '09 Here, you can see it under the camo coat given to me by our very own Steve B. First goat. Fall '07 Goat Opener '08 double. It's very lucky for me... Dakota

Yep, I know where they're at. We'll be in touch with you soon, Steve, about meeting up sometime the second weekend in October. Dakota

I'm still praying for you, Dustin and the family. Dakota

I think he forgot to post the pics of the animals.

Good luck, guys! It was really great meeting them last year! If they're hunting with Steve, they're going to be on some real monsters. Steve put me on an 83 B&C class goat the first morning and I whiffed. Still shot a nice one though. Randy got a real big one last year; here's hoping he can skewer a bigger one! Dakota

lol Well, I was looking at a used Ithica Mag. 10 semi-auto at Scheels today, but just can't afford it even if I traded in my single. I haven't seen a single 10 since I bought mine, either. I just need to remember to reload quick and not look to see if I hit anything. lol Dakota

When I get my shop up and running, I'll probably start out with cheap prices at first. Deer: $285-$300 Antelope: $290-$310, eventually will go up to $375 once I have a good number of clients, a good reputation and am full time. Dakota

lol I have one, Todd; she's just a girly girl when it comes to putting feathery stuff in her mouth. She'll kill and retrieve rabbits in the back yard but not birds. She will, however, point, find and pin down live pheasants. We got her before we learned how to properly train a hunting dog. Here she is. She's my sweetie. That's also a beautiful lab in your pic, buddy. Dakota

Carson, I know how you feel, buddy. I made an errand shot on an antelope doe at 43 yards last year in Wyoming. I was aiming for one doe, but the arrow hit a different one! Found out my bow didn't shoot Muzzys like field tips like the Rage broadheads do. Anyways, it hit the yearling in the rear. She definitely looked sick, was limping and I could see that the inside of her leg was coated in crimson. Steve and I decided to back off a little bit and come back a little while later. What we should have done was back off and watched her from a distance. We came back fifteen minutes later and she was gone. And I mean gone; aside from a pool of blood where we had last seen her (it was like someone had dumped a gallon jug of blood right on the spot ), it was like she had never existed! We never found her and I was just left with a sick feeling. I filled my tag with another doe later on, but that was just heart breaking. It happens, buddy, but you'll get another shot I guarantee you. Dakota

Not too impressed. I'll stick with my Monster. Dakota

Alright, Tony! That is a very nice muley, buddy! Dakota

That'll do you good, Shaun. I typically prefer #4s when hunting with my 12 ga. o/u, but I'll be sticking with my 10 through goose/duck season. I've got 3 1/2" 1 5/8oz #2 Black Cloud that I'll use for both ducks and geese over dekes. Dakota

:jaw: This is a stinkin' outrage!!! There's Obama Health Care for you. Prayers on the way for you, Jenn, Dustin and the family. Dakota

Thanks, Ben! Every other day of the week I'd be with ya' on this one, but it was freezing, I was standing in water up to my knees in my hip waders and that's not a good combination especially in my weakened state. Plus, at this spot, unless eighty geese flew in and we dropped another twenty birds between us, it couldn't have gotten any better or more exciting. Probably the only thing that could have topped this would have been in the birds had bands on them as well. One thing that could have been better is that I only have one shot with my single-shot 10 gauge. I really need to learn to reload quick, but I'm in the habit of looking to see if anything hit the water. lol Dakota

Got set up real early this morning with some buddies; we had the dekes (floaters and standing) set up by 5:45am (shooting light was 6:41am) and were patiently sitting, watching the stars above and the lightning striking to the south. Just an amazing start to the morning. Duck season doesn't start til next Saturday, so we were forced to watch as several teal buzzed in and around our spread. They sound just like F-16s coming in don't they? Well, our spot is hidden from the road and is surrounded by bean and corn fields. We've had a ton of rain this year, so the stock dam overflowed and filled in the low land in this cattle pasture; it's a lake! We saw a ton of geese around here earlier in the week, shot one out of the flock and have seen a ton of sign around the water that they've been coming in here. Well, this morning I hear some faint honking from the south side of the lake and, come shooting light, see a flock of geese on the water! So, my buddy and I start working the goose flute magic and end up calling the flock into the dekes! Four geese didn't survive the flight to get away and my other buddy got his first goose! It was very cold this morning and my hip waders took on water when I went out to retrieve my goose and my buddy's. So...yeah...I need chest waders. Anyways, we were tired and didn't feel like cleaning a 24 bird combined limit, so we decided to call it good at 7:15am...time of goose grinding carnage: 7am. Here we are! My buddy, who got his first goose this morning, is on the far left. Dakota

Very nice looking bruin! Dakota

There is NO WAY I could do something like that! :no: I hope I never have to be faced with a situation like that. Dakota

Head and shoulder mounts around here for deer and antelope are about $375 on average. My taxidermist does incredible work so, basically, I'll pay what he charges me. I have a feeling I'll be bringing him a lot more antelope than I would deer. Of course, I'm planning on going to school for taxidermy anyways. Dakota

In South Dakota, it can be pretty hard to get buck/any deer tags (the only guaranteed buck/any deer tags are archery only); they mostly manage the deer herds via shooting does. I don't mind; that's good eatin'! Dakota

You're darn right, Al! Seems like the only girl that ever wants to spend time with me is my black lab. Dakota

Just now figure that out, Jorden? My philosophy is this: God's got a plan for my life and I just hope I'm patient enough to wait until His plan kicks into motion (at least, this particular part of the plan). I'm 20 years old and a junior in college; I'm at the point where I'm not interested in a girlfriend, I'm interested in a potential wife and mother of my children. So, if I can't see myself with this woman for the rest of my life, there's just no point in starting up something that won't go anywhere and may end up breaking my heart or hers. Not only should you guard your own heart, but the heart of every girl you think of romantically as well. Anyway, until July 21st, 2011, I'm not even going to give a hint of pursuing (or wanting to pursue) a girl. I just decided to give a complete year to seek out only God instead of focusing on finding my future wife. You have NO IDEA how hard this is! But, at the same time, I'm enjoying the bachelor life. You should enjoy it too while you can, Jorden. Dakota

Same here, Shaun; way to go, Tim! Dakota

Very nice! Did you get some, Jeramie? They're not my first choice but they'd certainly do the job. Dakota

Anyone else? Thanks, Richard! Please let me know ASAP, I'd like to have at least 8 teams in the league at a minimum. Draft would be live and would probably be around October 1st. Dakota

With a bow in my hands...and if it had lost its spots...yes. If it's spotted or a young buck (depending on how young, if I've already put some meat in the freezer and how big my biggest buck currently is), I'll pass. Dakota