layin on the smackdown

i have no idea what to even begin to say for such a tradgedy. I am deeply sorry for you and your entire family...I don't have kids yet, but this just rips at my heart for you. You have one beautiful little angel watching over you all the time, and just remember that her spirit is always following you, and sometimes leading you. God bless you and your family. dan

yep - the sportsmans guide is where its at. you can get two stands and a set of climbing sticks for 100 bucks. the stands are light wieght and good quality. i personally get the big ones - similar to the big game XL. you cant beat the price and the quality. dan

i don't know, but id be just as curious about the dude in the background...

he's got rather large tarsals, a good sway from his shoulder to his hinde quarter, and what looks to be a somewhat sagging chest. not to mention, large tops where the hoof meets the hair. im with Frank, im saying 4.5 and ahhh, 110 ish. antlers don't make the deer, the deer makes the antlers.

52 yds on a white tail, 38 on a turkey - both didn't go futher than the shot itself. Some good points made here about long shooting. Ground blinds on food plots is where i end up with long shots - and turkeys that don't want instant decapitation. I don't feel comfortable taking a shot over 40 from my stand, mainly because my arrow reacts way differently in terms of drop from my sets than from the ground - i dont get to practice much from 26-28 feet in the air so im not as familiar with my drop and at long ranges, this is very significant.

More times than not, the big boy will out smart the poacher...don't be suprised if you get more pics of him in the future. They don't get big from being stupid, and at 230 am in late september, he's not gonna stand around for a photo shoot with bright lights on him. Rut yes, now, i doubt it. dan

There is fun in both, so really it comes down to your objective. Are you serious and looking to harvest a certain animal, or are you more about just being out and if it happens it happens? Prairie is tough to hunt, but if you are seeking a familiar animal and want to try and harvest it with a bow, your best bet is a ground blind and knowing this animals habits and routines. If you are tree stand hunting with a bow, you really comprimise your options and narrow your odds of being where the deer want to be or travel, so a ML would be more appropriate for the range you may need. i would stick with a bow and do what i could until ML'r season rolled around, then hit it hard with the smoke pole. dan

Well team, i passed on two jake birds yesterday at 10 yds...went out this morning for a few hours and had two long beards in the dec's at about 10-12 yds - couldn't get a shot due to me trying to be a hero and video everything...but they hung around for a little bit, and i was able to fling an arrow at one of em at about 20-25 yds...remember, i was trying to execute a head shot which is my goal for the season, but is also why i completely missed and lost my darn arrow. Im gonna leave the head shot for one of my later tags - i need to get a bird first, then i'll up the anty. if work leaves me alone tomorrow morning, i will get out, if not, i have thursday, friday saturday and sunday...I will keep ya posted! dan by the way, i did get my miss on video

Stud...i don't care who you are - thats a stud. Congrats on that bruiser! he'll be tough to beat! dan

Alright Team, checkin in here...Our opener is April 9th, and i have 3 tags for the southern zone in IL. Looks like we have a pretty stellar line up, and im pumped to be on this team! Im going for at least one on camera bow kill head shot this year, but more importantly, im just looking forward to getting out - we are about a month ahead this year in terms of weather, so my first and second season tags should be hot. Anyone creative enough to come up with a team name? thank you for participating in my intervention - My name is Dan, and i have a turkey hunting problem...

Yep, i woke up early yesterday morning and went for a walk behind the house to see if i could hear any birds hammering yet....and indeed i did!!! I had one within 125 yds. There is just something about a big old gobbler sounding off and breaking the quietness of a cool spring morning - i don't know what it is, but its just awesome. dan

Wow, i had no idea that those storms were that severe. Thats about an hour and some change south of me...i slept right through it. Prayers on the way! dan

I was hunting 4 new farms this last fall, and did as much scouting as i could on rainy days before the season opened...I was pretty close in terms of stand locations and travel routes, but not on the button in some spots, so all i will do is hang a few sets a little closer to where i need to be, oh, and purchase another trail cam or two along with a few more lock ons. I might try and pick up some more ground to hunt as well. Got a few things in the works as we speak. dan

WOW!!! How do you go from a smoke pole to a new truck? what am i doing wrong... Congrats on the new ride, and happy birthday!!!

Keep your head up Ruth...things happen for a reason, and the Lord works in mysterious ways... dan

so for the first time in my life, i decided to get my bow chronographed for poops and giggles and was suprisingly shocked at the end results. Im not a speed freak, but as far as i knew from shooting this bow, this sucker is fast, especially with my set up, but holy crap, ends up, its not that fast at all... My bow is rated IBO at 316 or 315 fps, and i think its with a 30 inch draw at 70 lbs and a 320 or 350 grain arrow with nothing on the bow. I just had new cables and string put on a week ago, so i figured, lets see what im shooting... here are my stats : Mathews Switchback XT Draw Lenght: 27 inches Draw weight: 68 lbs Gold Tip Ted Nugent series 5575 arrow 100 grain field tip Blazer vanes (3) Gold Tip knock Chronographed speed - average of 3 shots - 265 fps i thought for sure i was in the 285-290 range, but holy crap, im not even close! I can't even imagine what an arrow looks like at 345 fps!!! any of you had your bow chronographed? dan

Wow Mike - those videos are fantastic! You cant beat the winter clips of the spring waterfowl migration, birds in just about full plumage working back to breeding grounds, just awesome. The spring clips of big ole strutters, more waterfowl and a little fishing to boot...And you can't beat the fawns running around aimlessly while momma tries to keep em on a leash; along with a squirrel whose got his work cut out for him! Looks like you guys do alot of big water fishing up your way too coupled with alot of nice fish! All around well done and thanks for sharing...i wish i knew how to do what you have done with your videos! dan

kind of resembles something like the Ghost blind - i think - from what it looks like. pretty neat stuff.

im pretty sure id rather be unemployed than do that for a living.

guilty here as well...im shaking my head at myself.

Man Mike, i don't know if i agree with that plan - sounds like an accident waiting to happen. I mean im all for getting people out there, but everyone with any weapon all at the same time seems more like a war on deer than a hunting season. i don't blame you one bit for giving the deer some recovery time - good choice. dan

If i had about 5 more of those it would be alot easier to tell you what i would buy - its tough - especially with turkey season right around the corner...My left brain says to just put it towards another blind or multiple things for the upcoming gobbler season...Then my right brain keeps screaming from the back row, reminding me of all the crap i could use more of for deer season, another trail camera, another lock on, more climbing sticks, a new scent lok jacket, arrows, fletchings, broadheads, another interesting target, lumenoks, and the list goes on. honestly, id probably sit on it for a while until i had an impulse buy moment. dan

If you want massive pain and a lot of never ending surgeries for the rest of your life, you can take the Bret Favre route, and just get the quick fix cortizone shot every 3 weeks.... Or you can pretend your not a super hero, suck it up, get the surgery, hate yourself for a month and ahalf, but love yourself, your abilities, and your life for many years to come.... Short term fixes = long term disabilities long term fixes = short term disabilities be the wise man Jonboy...good luck, and i'll shoot a prayer up for ya. dan

Keep at it!!! youre only gonna get better... Im in - im buying a recurve soon, i absolutely have to. good luck and keep flingin! dan

I gotta 2000 Ford F 150 - 185,000 miles on her. Wife's gotta 2004 Chevy Cavelier with 130,000 miles on her... I hide the man card and pull the switcheroo a few times a week since i drive 120 miles per shift several times a week. Both paid off and we will continue to crank every penny out of each vehicle that we can without buying another. dan