Coach

Merry Christmas to all!

Wow - that's just awesome!!! I'm guessing by your avatar that it's a remote place. Nice job.

Happy Anniversary CWT, and a huge "Thank You" Amanda for creating this awesome site. There are a lot of forums out there dedicated to hunting, but this one is by far my favorite. Great community here.

Also, I've found it's best to try and keep the camera in the shade facing North whenever possible. Sunlight directly in the lens and shifting shadows also trigger them, especially when facing toward the sun.

Man, that is priceless! What a great buck. Huge congrats to you and your son.

I agree with Bill. Yes, it is currently legal to bait Javi's but I personally think that would take a lot of the fun out of it. I saw a video a while back, maybe someone could post a link to it, of a deer hunter in Texas sitting next to a corn feeding station, literally sneak up and kick a Javelina on the corn. Spot and stalk Javelina hunting is a blast, and it's also a really great way to develope hunting skills. Howevery you choose to do it, good luck to you.

This is how I see the systematic disarmament of America, without ever enforcing a gun ban. They won't do it via confiscation. They know that would be too much too fast, and the push-back would be huge, maybe even a rebellion of sorts. I talked with a friend today in the gun industry and his prediction is far more likely - a phased approach. Phase I: They ban the sale of new "assault weapons" which will encompass not only those scary rifles with pistol grips, but probably pistols capable of holding a clip with more than 10 rounds. Existing weapons that meet the ban criteria are "grandfathered". This makes everyone think it's just a "common sense" measure. Phase II: They will allow you to keep your "grandfathered" assault weapon, but you will have to register it, and pay a small fee - say $25 per gun per year. Person-to-person sales require the same form (4473) as FFL transfers. Again, people will say, big deal, what's $25 bucks, costs more to go to the movies, and hey, I have to register my car, why not my gun. Penalty for possession of a non-registered gun is a felony. Phase III: Now they have your name and know exactly what guns you have. Tax increases to $500 per gun per year. You either pony up thousands, or forfeit your guns. You can't pretend you sold them, because of the Form 4473 (or equivalent) requirement. They can continue on with this until every gun has been turned in, all without ever banning a single one. The only hold-outs are those willing to shoot it out, likely alone, or face massive jail time. It will be slow and methodical, each step under the guise of reasonable, common sense safety measures. In the end, we'll be unarmed without ever having the chance to resist as a unified body. Legislation, taxation, a methodical approach to turn you from a lion to a sheep.

I know I should be more current on this issue. The last I heard, there was a push to ban "baiting" but it was restricted to corn and supplemented feed. Seems even the AZGFD was saying that it had nothing to do with salt. Not long ago, a fellow hunter told me this was an almost "done deal" and it included salt, except for white cattle salt blocks. So can anyone clarify where this issue is now?

I came across this article on another forum, and wanted to share it with this community. Gun control, specifically, renewal of the "Assault Weapons Ban" of 1994 are hot topics right now. If you are following this discussion, this is a great read. Not only the intitial article, which is quite long, but the following commentary from respondents on both sides of the issue. http://kontradictions.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/why-not-renew-the-assault-weapons-ban-well-ill-tell-you/

Well done, Amanda. I've seen enough sites turned into trash. Glad to see this forum is on top of things.

With all due respect, PRDATR, these aren't some ideas they haven't already thought of - it's modeled on legislation enacted in California - just a stone's throw away.

Same rumor was going around about Cabela's. People saw empty slots in the gun shelves where ARs used to be, empty racks where hi-cap mags used to be, empty slots on the floor where bulk .223 ammo used to be, and automatically assumed these items were pulled by upper management. In truth, these items simply sold out.

That is truly a unique elk. Congrats to you and your hunter.

Congrats Joey! Way to get a very nice first buck!

Merry Christmas, Doug!

Nice! What a beautiful buck. Congrats!

Nice job! Sounds like you had a great time and came home with a heck of a buck.

Super buck! Congrats. I want to hear the story too. BTW, I heard of a buck that got away during the early hunt that sounded exactly like that one. I'd be curious to know if it was the same one.

Remember too, the last ban lasted for 10 years. I'd be willing to bet this time around it will have explicit wording making it permanent. I ordered as many mags as I could yesterday, and bought whatever I could locally. If I spend any more on mags, my wife will kill me. BTW, Bonecollector, one way to get around the 2-mag limit is to order 2 of each color - that's what I did, but that vendor is notorious for charging you separate shipping on each backordered item when they do come in. FWIW.

Wouldn't bother me any, but if you want to send them to me I can photoshop out some of the blood. Can't wait to see the buck.

Well said Matty and Muleskinner. I posted this on another forum, responding to the question, "Who is really to blame". Kinda sums up my feelings on this. "I think the blame can be spread around to pretty much all of us. We've all sat back and allowed the culture to sink to such an amazing low. Remember how shocking it was to hear "Frankly Scarlet, I don't give a dang"? You know, back when boys wore suits and girls wore dresses to school. When students generally sat upright, paid attention and gave their teachers, principals and coaches upmost respect. There were relatively few divorces, the community held each person and each family to a high standard. If someone saw your kid doing something they shouldn't be doing, you heard about it, and you addressed the problem. There was very little exposure to glamorized violence and sex, or strong language. I know, even then, kids rebelled. Some drank and smoked, got pregnant, got stabbed in knife fights or died in drag racing accidents. It wasn't perfect. But compared to today, where everthing is SO extreme, it seems like a fairytale. The steady flow of graphic violence, with each new "butcher" film trying to outdo the last in terms of inventing new shocking ways for people to torture and mutilate each other. The violent games so real, your body reacts as if you were in an actual life-or-death struggle. The kids dress like whores and thugs, cuss out their teachers and principals, have sex, do hard drugs - while at school. They cuss out their parents, call their own mothers the most disgusting names. We've allowed ourselves to slowy allow a little more filth in our entertainment, demand a little less respect and responsibility from the kids - until you get to where we are today. A country full of bastard children with no parents, no morals and their only guidance coming from an entertainment industry that profits from their self destruction."

Yep, I've got some on backorder, but I doubt they'll actually fill the order. They are typically $13-17 each and packs of 5 have a "buy it now" price of $300. I picked up two locally today - the last two in my local shop.

Better get your magazines too - they are pretty much sold out everywhere on the web.

Nice job dzell, tracking a deer like that and getting in position for a shot is huge accomplishment, IMO. I hope you got some good pictures to add to your awesome story.

"The concept may get copied lol." So, can you tell us how you secured the skulls? LOL. I love the display, and I have been looking for better ways to display Euro mounts. Any pointers would be much appreciated. Very niceley done.