Coach

You guys did better than we did, but we still had a blast. The area we fished was really murkey and there was a lot of silt and mud. Fishing started out really slow, but eventually we caught quite a few, and on really big one. Unfortunately, the pix were lost . Not sure what happened but this was one of the top 3 biggest smalleys I've ever seen caught on the black. From the sounds of it, the further down you go, the better.

Today was the last school day, so tomorrow we'll be heading to one of my favorite spots on the Black. I had plenty of worries after the fire, but from the sounds of it, the lower part of the river is doing well. Hopefully, some pix will follow.

I can't wait to hear of the reports on the lower areas. Fishing the lower Black has always been a rare treat. Anybody down there with some news?

last bump. This is a very cool shotgun.

Selling my Spas-12. This gun has been shot very little. I bought it a while back mostly for the "cool" factor, and as a collectible gun. The guy I bought it from was the first owner and shot it rarely, and since I bought it I've been pretty much holding it in the safe. On the few occasions I've taken it to the range, it has been a blast. Just an awesome, fun gun to own and shoot. This is one of the most collectible configurations of the Spas 12 with the folding stock and very rare factory folding hook. The hook is NOT a reproduction, but the original, and has the markings to prove it. I want to buy a Kimber .45, so it's time to let this one go. This gun is one of Hollywood's favorites and is featured in The Terminator, Jurassic Park and dozens of others, as well as all popular FPS video games. It's kind of a "cult classic" as guns go. There is probably not a single more intimidating looking gun anywhere - and it is highly functional. This gun was designed for the military and police and its unique auto/pump feature allows the gun to be used with "less-lethal" rounds (rubber shot/bird shot) on pump mode, and semi-auto with hot loads like 00-buckshot. Anyway, if you are looking, you probably already know all the cool stuff about the gun. This is the only picture I have, taken for insurance purposes, so there are other guns in the background. I can provide better pix if requested. I'll try to post more and better pictures tomorrow. The price is $1400, and it is VERY firm. If shipping is required, the buyer will have to pay whatever shipping/FFL charges are required to ship to their FFL.

Still for sale

Nice work, and isn't it a little sweeter knowing you just made some pitchfork junkies squirm a little?

You guys rock. I had a great birthday watching Josh at the mound and getting a nice "tripple" off of the pitcher the boys are scared to hit off. For all of the negatives of turning 41, (I sure hoped it would be going backward and I'd get 39 in reverse), it was a nice day. My wife still loves me, for whatever reason, I can still take my boys hunting and fishing, play some ball, and realize that God has given me an awesome gift in my family. For that, I couldn't ask for a better birthday present.

No offense meant to those of you that frequent Facebook, I just don't get it. And I'm a software engineer. I spend an obscene amount of time online. When my high school reunion was coming up, it was all communicated through facebook, so I created an account. Now I’m bombarded with who’s making chili for dinner and how good it might smell to someone in another state, or who’s about to take a walk with their dog. Now, they just had their IPO, and about 7 of those guys are billionaires, and untold number are now millionaires… Whatever the attraction of facebook is, it is totally lost on me. But clearly I’m in the minority with this viewpoint.

I've seen mech's perform really well for some of my friends - particularly the Rage and newer G5 Tekans, and now I practice with them and have some in my quiver. But I've never shot at game with them. The very best perfoming broadhead I have used is the Muzzy fixed 3 blade. They shoot great out of my setup, and what they hit, they kill. I sold my G5 stikers, Montecs, most of my Slick Tricks (all very good heads) and kept my Muzzy's and Magnus stingers and buzzcuts. If you shoot a lot of different broadheads, at some point you'll find the one that you trust - and it's different for everyone. For me it's Muzzy, but every setup and individual hunter is different.

Good post. I've also wondered about how much lead makes its way into the meat we bring home. On the other hand, while growing up, it seems I always had lead either sinkers or .177 cal pellets in my mouth. That could make a good point either for or against the potential threats of lead poisoning, depending on how you look at it. LOL.

This is conflicting topic. I truly believe the science and politics behind this are total crap. That being said, if I did one day draw a tag up there and was told I would have to use specific ammunition, I would still be happy just to have the opportunity to fulfill one of my lifelong dreams - just to hunt big muleys North of the canyon. The access and camping has been severely limited in the past few years. It seems more and more that the dream of hunting one of our most treasured areas is further out of reach each season. I think access is a higher priority bullets. But let's face it, the same people telling us what bullets we can use are the same people, that ultimately, want to ban all hunting up there. We have to draw a line in the sand at some point.

I'm no avionics expert, but that looks a lot like a Russian helicopter. Seems like everything they make is heavy and bulky - or maybe some Euro-trash flying around. It sure isn't one of ours. Even our Bell Huey UH1 look like a Ferrari compared to that thing.

Granted, a 300 WSM in that light of rifle would be a "kicker" for sure. But a .270 WSM, with the recoil pad and built-in muzzle brake would have no problems, IMO. I've got sons shooting a Howa in .270 WSM with no muzzle brake and a good recoil pad and kick hasn't been a problem at all.

Hey Lardog, I would love to come hand out and listen to you drumming some time. I had a set back in the 80's but I never quite caught on. I'll bring the hooch.

Sweet glass right there. Bump.

The Black River, the upper Salt in Spring, the pines where snow is melting off. In Fall where the leaves are changing colors. Wherever there is a dugout filled with kids waiting for their chance at bat, or on the sidelines watching young men set aside their fears and reach inside for courage and strength...Church is what we make it, and it doesn't always have walls or even a door.

A little too smal for me. I do know Sitka clothing is very well made and probably worth the price. Bump for some quality hunting gear.

I have to say, after reading the article at the link you posted about Isaac's ordeal, I just get more pissed off. Essentially, it's a big money grab by unscrupulous dentists lining up kids and performing unnecessary procedures and billing the government (us taxpayers). As much as I’d love to see this guy get his butt kicked in sideways, I think your best recourse is to retain the best lawyer you can afford and go after the dentist and the organization that put him in Isaac’s school. You can’t undo the damage that they did, but at the very least, these guys should be paying for Isaac’s higher education.

Salt in the summer months and corn & alfalfa in winter.

Hey Pine Donkey, we had a BLAST hunting turkey this year. I took Matt out the other day in hopes of filling his tag, but it was really dead. To make things worse, the slate call I took out was completely worn out and every time I started getting a good sequence in, the odd "squack" would happen. I felt really bad about that. I'm no great turkey caller, but it seems that it only takes one bad mishap to really mess things up. It can sound all natural and attractive, but the second one squeak or squack sounds funky, they get really leary and won't come in unless they are totally "love drunk". I'm really happy that Josh and Nick were able to get their birds this year, but it just didn't come together with Matt, and at least part of that was my fault. He could have killed about 1 second after Josh shot his bird, but he was not prepared for the second Tom to fly straight up when Josh shot. I do feel bad that his little brothers got to take the easy shots, and by the time they were done, the hunting got a lot harder. But I'll tell you what, that guy is really getting an education in turkey hunting, and he can now call as well using just his mouth as many of us can do with slates, diaphrams and box calls. And he is passionate about it. He's gonna kill a lot of birds as he matures as a hunter, because every time we are out there, he is so focused on learning their behavior, habits and communication, he is growing as a hunter in ways I never did at his age.

Thanks for the replies. He drew Rhodes Canyon- Feb 22nd-24th. He killed an Oryx in Africa a few years back and echoed what quailchaser said - it was the best eating animal he's ever taken, and he's taken lots. Hey Sundevil, sorry we kept missing eachother. I'll try to call again tomorrow.

I have a buddy coming from Montanna to hunt Oryx on the missle range in NM. I'm just about to start pouring over past threads to see what I can find out, but basically, I'm looking for any kind of basic information about the hunt from those of you that have done it. What I'm really looking for is the process from checking in at the base, to the actual hunting itself. I have heard it's initially like a race for the first shot, then people kind of split off, but the general tenor is kill fast and get off the base - but that's all second hand. So I'd love to hear fro anyone who has done the hunt and can describe how it went, and any suggestions you have.

Wow, Darren, I sure hope Isaac is OK. That sounds like quite an ordeal for the little guy to have to go through. Best wishes to you and Isaac.

Yes. PM me for contact info, additional pix, etc.