Coach

Correction - it's not going to make everyone happy all the time. Better?

So is the question, "Do kids quit hunting because they aren't drawn" OR " Do kids learn to love hunting because they are drawn"? From my perspective, and I have 3 sons that have done very well over the years. If it weren't for our state's youth hunts, they wouldn't have had the opportunities and successes they have had. I'm all for youth hunts - from the perspective of a dad, and that of someone who wants to see the next generation understand and relish what we sometimes take for granted.

The draw is an imperfect system. Sometimes people with tons of points don't draw. Sometimes people with low or no points draw - even hard-to-draw tags. That's just how it is, but it doesn't help anyone to try and make it seem unfair. Each year we wait on the draw results, and either we're happy with the outcome or not. Being smart, reading the rules, using the information supplied by G&F to bolster the odds of you or someone in your family getting a tag is just being proactive in the draw process. Of course there are a lot of opportunities to get a tag if you are a youth hunter. That's a good thing.

Nice job - congrats! They sure are fun to hunt.

Nice job!

Pretend you're hunting deer - pigs all over. Pretend you're hunting pigs and deer will be all over the place.

Snow happens. I am glad we're getting the much needed snow pack up top. The rivers, lakes and streams all need it.

Yeah, it was 06 or 07.

S'no beers around here,

One of the biggest I've seen was late March - 06 or 07. Think someone already had pix of it. Nobody was expecting it. It was a warm spring and out of nowhere we got about 3 feet in a weekend. I've got some pix around someplace. I always hear about the big storm way back when folks in Hon'dah were making tunnels. Can't corroborate it though.

Nice shootin' Tex! I used to take a Hawaiian Sling down there and a snorkel and could clean up on triggers around the point, but that is way cooler. Thanks for sharing.

It's been snowing most of the day, but we have only gotten a few inches of new accumulation. This was around noon today.

Gunbroker has lots of stripped lowers under $50. For example: https://www.gunbroker.com/item/800603763

Maybe just me, but usually when we get advanced warning of 20-30 inches of snow, it never materializes. They've already cancelled school here for Thursday and Friday in anticipation, and you can't find a bag of wood pellets anywhere on the mountain today. Not to mention crazy lines at Walmart. We'll see - it's supposed to start at 4:00 Am and dump a bunch of snow through Friday. I hope that's the case because we need as much snow up top as we can get. The lakes and streams need a good run-off spring, but it's a clear night so far. Got the snow-blower ready, let's cross our fingers.

One Christmas a long time ago we bought 3 of those Chinese quads. The smallest one was barely more than something you'd buy at walmart. The kids drove those things endlessly. Of course, we made them wear helmets, but I'm thinking they were 12, 10 & 7 around then. Maybe a year earlier. We've carted them around in a ranger since around that time as well. Helmets & seat belts go a long way. Have fun and keep them safe.

FWIW, bet thread title EVER! I don't have anything else to contribute.

I've always been a huge fan of your calls. I always carry one in the turkey woods. They're not just beautiful, they sound amazing - like AZ birds. Best luck in the contest.

Nice! Sounds like you had fun. Congrats.

Happy Valentines Day. For starters, simple math. If kids get 50% of their overall grade based on attendance, that's the baseline. If the other half of their grade is based on assignments, and they get 50% on those for having a pulse (that's what the whole topic was about), then well... half of 50 is 25 and...let me get out my calculator...yes, 50 + 25 = 75. That's a C - remember those? "C is for Cookie" 😂 As for reading comprehension, you're saying a 52 year old woman trying to hold students accountable for actually doing their assignments and not learning through osmosis, is a wet behind the ears socialist just like 29 year old AOC who wants to give everything away for free to those who don't want to work. Hmmm. I guess you're right, those are exactly the same. That whole paying attention, doing your assignments and turning them in thing - that's just for rich people. 😁 Anyway, no matter - it's all in fun. I do hope you know I'm joking and not attacking you personally. Have a great day.

Yeah, it's getting him to see the bigger picture that I've been struggling with. Pulling wires is one thing, becoming an independent contractor is a way bigger step. Turning that into becoming an entrepreneur, even a bigger step.

With all due respect, I have to disagree whole heartedly. For starters, my mom was a teacher, my wife is a teacher (private school), my closest friends are or have been principals at public and private schools. Showing up, whether it's the workplace or school doesn't equal 50% IMO. Workplace - that's obvious, you contribute, produce or you don't have a job. School, well that's pretty much mandatory. In most schools part of your overall grade is just "showing up". So for an individual assignment, getting 50% for not even doing it on top of your overall grade, is just giving out a free "C". As in competent. Broken down simply, if a student achieves 50% of their overall grade just to show up and sit in class - assuming that's half of their overall grade, then gets 50% of the other half of their grade for doing nothing, that's still 75% overall. A "C" average if all they do is show up. Obviously this is somewhat hypothetical, as each school and district has different baseline structures, but it does illustrate one simple fact: We are creating an environment that gives the illusion of success when the individual student has learned or accomplished nothing. And when that happens, it's the student who is getting short-changed in the long run. I can't emphasize that enough. Soft teachers = dumbed-down, entitled students. I mentioned my wife is a teacher at a private school. It's kind of funny. At first her students are a little intimidated. She has a reputation for being a lot like the teacher at the center of this thread had. She's tough, the kids know it. And I'll tell you this, more kids in her classes, and those that have been through her classes call her the best teacher they every had. These kids want to learn, they want to be pushed, need to be challenged - and have zero respect for a push-over. They respect her toughness and honesty. And they did better in some of the hardest classes in high school (Biology for example) than those who came from the public Jr. High. It's too bad public schools don't have more teachers like that.

That's a great opportunity. I'll pass it along to my oldest son, Matt. He's a certified welder, hard working kid, loves working with machines and any kind of steel working. He's got a forge he built himself out of vacuum cleaner motors and likes building knives. I've been trying to get him to consider CNC, tooling etc. He has talents but needs a career and probably a mentor to harness what he likes to do into something bigger. He's currently working as an electrician apprentice.

Just my perspective, but having my sons able to go out on youth cow hunts when they were starting out was pretty awesome. After they all got their first cow, they wanted to go for bulls. Now comes the waiting game. My oldest took to bow hunting and has had 2 archery bull hunts in a good unit. The other two, well, waiting for a rifle or muzzle loader bull hunt could take a long time. I'm OK with that. But having a backup plan for cows while waiting for a bull tag isn't a bad thing. That said, my wife isn't a hunter, and we've never put her in for a hunt for the sole purpose of handing down a tag to one of the kids. Some folks do, and I have no problem with that. It's playing the odds and using the existing, legal opportunities to get the kids in the field - and that's a good thing IMO.

I'd say with 9 points you are in pretty good shape if you do your research. Kind of that gray area where you wonder whether it's worth it to use your 9 points now for an archery tag, or keep building for a rifle tag. Took me 19 years to draw in AZ. If you really want to hunt antelope, I'd look out of state. There are lots of places with plenty of opportunity. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think if you're willing to drive to Wyoming there are over-the-counter tags. If so, maybe that's a "have your cake and eat it to" approach. Best of luck.

Sure saw a lot of trucks parked off the beeline. Best of luck guys.