It always takes 3 weeks for the magazines to make their way down here to NC.

Looking forward to it. Maybe it will have a picture of a deer in it so I can see what they look like 🙄

Maybe they’re disguising themselves from what they really are like other’s take a liking to do this time of year,ya spose?:D

Dang Ralph, I think you figured it out! I was wondering where all them ugly cows came from all of a sudden 😀 🙄

dwcphoto wrote: Steve,

I’ve been thinking of you with your comments on the lack of deer in your area. Sad to hear. I thought you had plenty, as it seemed you and your son did well and you just built the aging shed for game. I really hope things improve for you. I also wondered how you fared during the storms that we down your way recently. I hope this find you and all yours well. best, dwc

I noticed the deer herd starting to thin out 8 years ago. That’s when I started our sheep herd. I figured we would eat more sheep and fewer deer. This year it may be a sheep only year. So the meat cooler will still get a workout 😀

I’ve got a trapper coming in here this fall/winter to put the hammer down on these coyotes. We’ll see what happens. I think the lack of deer is due to several causes: Too liberal deer tags, Too liberal depredation, hemorrhagic disease, and coyotes.

The WRC says our herd is “sustainably decreasing”. Which is code talk for “we’re making the insurance companies happy now cause they give us stuff”.

On the storms – we got over 20 inches of rain in 15 days. Not sure how much over because I couldn’t keep up with the rain gauge. We’re all dried out now though. Thanks for asking…

Steve Graf wrote: The WRC says our herd is “sustainably decreasing”. Which is code talk for “we’re making the insurance companies happy now cause they give us stuff”.

I heard about the auto insurance companies pressuring game agencies. Mostly in the east, but it’s an issue all over. I am also worried because The Wildlife Society and biologists are talking about moving away from public hunting as a management tool and using private sharp shooters to reduce white-tailed deer populations. I understand that it’s especially hard to draw bow hunters into suburban neighborhoods to shoot does and fawns (can’t use rifles in city limits right), but I think it would erode the hunting opportunities and tradition. It’s a topic that is on the periphery of most western hunters, but something we all should be watching and discussing.

Good luck with the coyotes, current belief is you’ll have to remove 75% of the population to make a difference.

I was out practicing with the bow the other day and my cell phone range.

The coyotes responded to it and started singing. I am sure there were at least 10 dogs, probably 15. They were in a semi-circle around me at about 75 yards.

Beep, Beep???????:D Might wanna change that y’spose:roll:

I changed my ringtone to a grunting buck and then went out yesterday morning… Asked my wife to call me at 7:45….

I was ready, had an arrow on the bow, she called….

I had rutting bucks all around me… Maybe 10, more like 15. Ran out of arrows shooting like I was at the OK corral…

Phone is for sale 🙄 asking $1000.00 😯 😆

If you want the phone, I also have some swampland for sale 8)

A bargain Steve, the lucky recipient will need to buy a bigger freezer.

Mark.

On the cell phone thing… I once had a catbird figure out how to copy my cell phone ring. Was a bitch till I figured it out and changed the ring. Dam bird rang at the worst times. Guy can’t even take a leak…

On the deer population… Doe tags here in MASS are given out on a lottery basis, within regions. There none available outside suburban Boston. So you can get as many doe tags you want as long as you use them on Boston Common. On the other hand if you try to hunt in suburbia Bambi’s friends will be chasing you with a baseball bat. Same people that complained about their shrubs being eaten.

On a lighter note… Dam near froze my azz off this morning, 2 weeks ago the leaves were green, and the girls were wearing shorts. Now most of the leaves are on the ground (Oaks are the last to fall) and it really is COLD out there (20s). All I saw was 2 scrapes. First of the season it is nice to know that things are progressing, and there actually IS a buck out there. Not serious scrapes, just a little extra testosterone.

Buck probably wondered off thinking “Why did I do that?”

Think I’m gonna change my cellphone ring to sound like a dollar bill. Maybe more of them will hang around ya reckon Steve?

My basic transportation is at the doc’s so I’m sitting here on me laurels……….:(

Guess I’ll go out back and shoot some falling leaves :).

Low falling ones. Neighbors don’t like arrows zipping over the fence.:roll:

I went out past the sheep pasture and shot 4 blunts into an old round bale from 15, 20, 25, and 30 yards. All four arrows were touching.

Then went and sat in the woods till almost dark. Saw one squirrel.

Passed the same round bale on the way home and repeated the arrow slinging. This time using only one arrow as others were now F%$ked up 😳 Note to self – don’t shoot blunts at the same spot when shooting well.

Went home and had 2 gin and tonics while playing cribbage with wife. She kicked my butt as usual. Slept well.

Deer? Who needs em. We’re eating bale tonight 🙄

get some shredded wheat. They’re easier to swallow and they’re sugar coated too 😆

Congrats on the good shooting…..I think 🙄

I am almost all the way through reading this recent volume, and it is a good one. I really have enjoyed the contributions Krista and Sterling have made to TBM.

I’ve skimmed the magazine. It’s open to the interview with Jason Wesbrock right now. This hot weather has me too agitated to spend much time reading. Cool autumn weather and brightly colored leaves falling around me is my tonic to get through the rest of the year. Looks like I’ll have to go without this year 😥

Going up to mid 80’s again today…

Gonna shoot my bow this morning before the sun gets too high. Kids are home for a long weekend so I’m gonna enjoy that. My boy and I are going to early voting this am. His first vote. Then I take my girl to the DMV for her drivers license test. Dang, what happened? Just yesterday they would easily fit in one arm as I carried them through the woods…

Steve, fall or spring? Seems it can’t make up it’s mind around here…

The time, where did it go????????????

Lots of memories though……