mallard_drake85

it happens, but you're the better person for gaining permission in the first place.

congrats! thats an amazing buck!

I too keep secret alot of my hunting stories, only writing them down in my journal...the reason is that a great story gets told hundreds of times, and evenutally everyone knows about you, what you've done and have been doing, and where you're doing it at. Likewise when i take someone hunting with me, i never take them to my best spots...more than once i've taken someone only to find them hunting that particular spot later or worse, with one of their friends. Never tell all your secrets.

Its a shame that people won't open their eyes and are blinded by the "disney effect". Trappers are invaluable to the economy, providing an important service virtually free, and usually at the trappers cost. As a hard core trapper myself, I am constantly on the prowl to educate those who are ignorant (for clarification I use ignorant as in not knowing, not ignorant as in stupid) to this type of management. By removing the surplus of animals, you balance out the ecosystem reducing the chances of diseases (mange, distemper, etc..which are more prevelant that most people realize) outbreaks which can decimate or even extirpate mammals from an area. These diseases are often contracted by domestic animals which can lead to humans..thus brings another point that trappers help reduce human animal interactions in the rural (and more increasingly) urban interfaces. On an increasing level you are hearing about coyotes or foxes, moving into urban areas. Often this is caused by habitat displacement, however this is also due to overpopulations due to lack of animal regulation. I don't know about your areas, but here in my portion of Southern Illinois, its not uncommon to see furbears including predators (canines, foxes, bobcats) within city (and town) limits. They had to come from somewhere right? No, these animals are not restricted to public lands such as wildlife refuges, however each year these animals reproduce their young fledge from their home ranges in search of new habitat in which to dwell including private properties and increasingly these urban interfaces. It's all connected. Foot hold traps are designed to hold the animal across the paw, not the leg, thus inflicting minimal, if any discomfort. Responsible trappers go out of their way to reduce discomfort and injury to the animals they intend to capture with modification to the trap (including baseplates, extra swivels, shock springs, jaw lamination to increase surface area) and set design. There is no reason why these traps should be banned from Refuge system. Where there is a refuge, normally there is water...where there is water normally you'll have beavers, muskrats, mink, coons and more furbears than I'll list here...left uncontrolled these animals quickly reproduce to such numbers that they become nuisances to the enviroment. This is where trappers have the roll...How many landowners on this site have beaver problems or muskrat damage? If you do, you know how quickly they can cause damage, ranging into the thousand of dollar range if left unchecked over time. If you are worried about your canine friends, most of these public lands have leash laws to protect your companion...thus I laws are followed, there should be no incidental catches on public properties. By passing this bill, the government is only going to cause problems for themselves in the long run...Responsible trappers have proven time and time again their importance to the environment as well to the government, because who will they contact once these refuges become over run with animals...normally a state or federal trapper. Just for reference, my name is Joshua Ashmore...I currently hold a B.S. in Forestry and will complete my M.S. in Forest Management for Wildlife in December of this year. I am a hard core lifelong trapper and have fought and will continue to fight for my right to trap now and for as long as I have too. I feel its a shame how other outdoors enthusiast such as houndsmen, archers, and any other hunters (both male and female alike) cannot come together on issues such as this...give an inch, and they will want a mile!!! That is my thoughts on this subject... mallard_drake85

nice story! congrats!

I like 40 minutes before legal shooting light, any less and i feel like i have a greater opportunity at spooking game

Thats a big doe!!! nice shooting!

congrats, its addicting isn't it!!!

nice shooting!!

hope ya found her

Good luck buddy, hope ya find him quickly!

as a forester, i have used these tree gaffs before. mind you, if you are not experienced, they can be hazardous. but they are light weight. invest in a good pair, not the cheap nock offs. look at the http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/drilldown_pages/view_category.asp?cat=225, buckingham and klein both make great gaffs. as for the actual climbing harness, weaver make a good one (found on that sight as well). some pros of the gaffs: quick, light weight some cons of the gaffs: hurt your shins (invest in the extra pads) above all, invest in a good rope! just my 3 cents mallard_drake85

howdy yall, my bro and i each recently purchased a T/C Encore 209x50 magnum muzzleloaders and topped them with 3-9x40 Leupold muzzleloader scopes. our delimma: we just bore sighted them and apparently our mounts are too low because when we peer threw the scope our elevation hair is still ~6inches high and that is with the adjustment setting at the max. our desired sight in goal is to be dead on @ 200yds. do we need taller scope rings? or is there something else we can do? any and all input is welcome

Is it absolutly necessary to have a ml scope on a ml? it cant be just a standard scope? i was looking at the leupold muzzleloader scopes but very few have the the maginification i want (along the lines of 3-9x40 or 4x40) thank you mallard_drake85

you are right, there are officers out there that do act like that. however i dont believe we are getting the whole story.

That officer was just doing his job, and it is people like you that make it hard for us to do our job safely!! Laws are made for everyone not just certain people! If ya break them and you get caught, you will be (and should be) punished. Laws were created to keep people safe. what was your attitude towards the officer? As an officer, speaking from the experience i have, traveling at that speed down back roads is reckless. Now partner, im not pickin on ya, but honestly I would have written ya a citation as well. Do you know for sure that officer hasn't been back on that particular stretch of road? did he switch shifts? (we do that you know). Littering is one of my pet peaves (as is turn signals), and i write citations for those offences ever time. so what if you really were innoncent? IMO take the citation and thank of it as making up for the time ya actually broke the law.

partner im not sure you know this, but hilary is supporting gun control and stricter gun laws!!! if ya are a sportsmen/women, ya might need to reconsider who ya vote for. just my 3 cents mallard_drake85

Re: Police encounter with hunter leads to ........ thats too many, what is this world comming to?

Re: Hand Made bows I would post some pics, but my camra (a cheap gift from grandma) doesnt work anymore. however im in the process of trying to find a new one and then ill post some pics for yall. mallard_drake85

Re: Muzzleloader Scopes thanks for the input mallard_drake85

Any yall ever made your own bow?? my bro and i are in the process of tillering our bows we made....they are Hedge (Osage orange) with bamboo backing and cocobola tips and riser, they are 64" tip to tip and between 60 and 65 lbs when they are fully tillered. we just finished making our stings (alot easier than i thought it would be) i cant wait to harvest a deer with a bow and arrow i made. (we also knap arrowheads out of flint, chert, and glass) any yall do that kind of work??

Re: Police encounter with hunter leads to ........ [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Speaking from the vantage point of 16 years of law enforcement experience.... WHAT THE **** EVER HAPPENED TO COURTESY AND "INNOCENT UNLESS PROVEN GUILTY" ?!?!?!? [/ QUOTE ] as an officer, i treat people with respect and courtesy they deserve until they prove to me other wise that might create a problem for me (however that happens very rarely) most people get kind of upset once i hand them thier citation and tell them to "have a good day and drive safely" most dont take to kindly to that, even though im sincere. it only takes one moment for an officer to lose his life....there have been over 43 officers killed in 2007 already!!!

Re: Police encounter with hunter leads to ........ we are to respond as if there actually is a person with a gun, im just abiding by my SOP's or else its my job (or possibly my life). personally, for my safety and others, until i have the situation diffused, he is armed and dangerous (if that pi**es him or his family or anyone else off, well im going home tonight to my family!!!!)

Re: Who owns a pet dog and keeps it tied up? personally i thinks it is a sin to own a dog and keep it tied up all its life. that pup will never get any further than the end of that chain. my labs are inside and i work/train them every day. they have a chance to run and play, and are let outside several times a day to do thier business, but they will never be tied up.

Re: Antigue road show? they have some rather interesting firearms once in a while but thats bout it. i would rather spend my time watching the outdoor channel or outside scouting