SilentButDeadly

Mucho Grande!

When I first saw the headlines I called BS too. I would not bet anyone that the researchers who published these studies are hunters. If the science is sound it should speak for itself, even though all the different factions are going to claim authority over it. However, even I realize that 'over-hunting' or 'over-fishing' can damage the health of a population. Its obvious that elk are being managed well, as are deer... Why is it so hard to believe that *some* species need a different management strategy to help ensure they reach large 'trophy' size? The NY times has another article about this subject: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/13/science/13fish.html?_r=1 towards the end of the article: "Some fisheries scientists have said their studies of fish stock had not shown a correlation between fishing intensity and growth rates. And some wildlife conservationists question the idea that hunting can have harmful effects on species. Dr. Paquet said that although he had confidence in the new findings, he knew there would be questions about the analytical methods he and his fellow researchers used. “That’s expected,” he said. “That’s how science proceeds.” He said he had anticipated that the work would be “contentious” among trophy hunters. “Essentially, we are saying, ‘You should not do this because it is having effects even you might not like,’ ” he said." I think its important that you give this work a fair look; read it yourself and then judge it; don't jump to conclusions without seeing what they've had to say. What if they are right? Do you think everyone believed Aldo Leopold when he first wrote about the Kaibab deer herd?? Just think about what has been accomplished through science based management with those animals! Shoot, just look at what we've accomplished breeding dogs! I'm going to download the article tomorrow at work (any computer on UofA campus is tied into free science journal subscriptions); if anyone wants a personal copy PM me. I plan on taking my highlighter to it, to see if I can find any problems with their math. to be continued....

http://www.huntersfriend.com/bow-review-40...ompound-bow.htm I remember talking about this last year... I think the engineers are running up on the limitation of human strength and physics...

Not too many Coues deer in Casa Grande...

I'm headed out of state tomorrow for a week (so there goes part o' my January season! Ack! ) so my tag gets boiled tonight. It was an outstanding year for me, saw a lot of great deer, just not when I had a bow in my hand. Anyway, just had the idea for all you other fellers to maybe get together (online) and have a tag-soup night! Maybe make it a Vegetarian Pot-Luck! For all of you that killed, you can come too, but you cannot bring any photos of deer you killed, or talk at all about any of your successes I suggest a few contests for: 1) Best missed-opportunity story 2) Biggest buck shot at, but missed 3) Most time spent hunting, without seeing a buck. 4) Best excuse for not killing a buck 5) Best photo of a buck you hunted, but couldn't kill 6) Score of best blown stalk (equation: #inches buck would score * ( 1 / distance in yards away before he booger'd you) ex: 100B&C * 1/20yd = 5.0) T ps, there's always next year!

I think Antlerdog is the one to ask about picking up sheds (He is the true Zen master)... I pick almost all mine down in the Sonoran Upland / Desert grassland country, its easy enough, figure out: where are they watering and where are the nearest hill slopes covered in trees? According to the 'General Ecology of Coues Whitetail Deer in the Santa Rita Mountains' Coue's preferentially go to hillslopes with more cover to bed. Find their trails, stick to them and look in their beds. I find alot of sheds laying in their bed. But, like the article said, you've got to be observant, look for sign, look for other things. I go out every morning planning on seeing at least 3 cool, unexpected things, usually they turn out to be completely unexpected, but sometimes one or two (or all three!) turn out to be shed antlers. Ex: I went out one morning looking for sheds and jumped up a big buck, found an ancient horse shoe in country no horse should be in, and saw a coral snake; no sheds, but I knew when I saw the coral snake that my luck for the day was burnt out! T

I'm going to go with luck. Why some people have all the luck Lion got him.

wowzers

Let's go hunting together some time and I'll show you.

Let's get this pity party started! I'll throw out my best scores for blown stalks: I missed a shot at a 105in buck on January 1st at 30 yards, that gives me a score of 3.5; but I blew another stalk on the same buck in September at 18 yards; he probably only scores ~95in this year, score of 5.28. Jan 1 was the last time I took a shot at a Coues buck this year (pretty depressing I must admit). My only excuse for not killing a buck is that I'm neither Silent, or Deadly, when it comes to stalking these critters. Maybe its the other kind of SBD that I'm really good at

my vote is for freak. Did he have a pot belly, gray face, sway back, and walk with a limp? Thats a sign of a really old buck...

that is fricken awesome.

do everything everybody else said; but put some glasses up on any mountains near by -- they might see him up and walking after you push him; or they might see the coyotes feeding on him.... or in a couple days the ravens and TV's will find him for you.

195k is peanuts to the wealthy. The average worker makes 36k. The average S&P 500 CEO makes over 14.2 million a year (x362 what most people make). So to him, that is 1.36% his annual income. 1.36% for you n me is $489.60

I know it's only been 5 days (he said he'd be gone 8) but I say we start the chanting now; maybe it will bring him some luck! GRONG! GRONG! GRONG!

TOAD!

thanks guys, here's to hoping 30 is a good year! also, I'd like to file a complaint that GRONG has stolen all of the 12/27 luck this year.

awesome. so jealous!

get to shooting! 7 days till January Archery!

awesome!

photos no worky

TOADS!!!

Alright, alright! Josh sent me the cell photo the other night, and I know he is teasing everyone, but I can't take it anymore. Here he is, what a beauty!:

So Casey if we all start ignoring you does that mean you'll go away? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! ahem. HAHAHA!! whew...