Gator

I do build rods, but I don't sell rods. Sorry, man, Honestly, custom rods don't save you any money either, once you're done outfitting them. The upside is that you get exactly what you want, though :). John Powell on here builds professionally. And I know a guy who has a new 44" lake trout rod that could be cut down to size .

Ditto. Let's all get along. We're a community, no reason to poke the bear.

I will arm wrestle him for it, Scotty. KIdding.

LS- read your pms! Your rod is done. Come and get it.

Shazam!

I've read all his books, and I want to know - how old is that picture on the cover? Not saying nothing, though. I'd take a few years and a pound of gray off the top too if I published a book. Lol. Looking forward to the new read.

Ok, that last one got me. LOL.

Man, that hurts. But when your middle school girlfriend broke up with you (not that I'd know much about that lol), what came next? Rebound!! So you have that to look forward to. I'm confident that you will find a way forward. One door closes, another opens, right?

It's funny how this thread just lingers. I'd guess that 95% of the time, those Rage broadheads work perfectly - otherwise, they wouldn't sell. It's the other 5% that concerns me. It seems like shots with a steeper entry angle are prone to mishap, particularly around the shoulder. It could be that this is all just an urban myth and that Rage are no worse than any other brand out there...maybe there are so many folks that use Rage, it's inevitable that there will be more horror stories. But I know I've had some Rage fails in the past, switched to Slick Trick, and haven't looked back. Maybe I've become a better hunter and choose better shots in my age...I mean wisdom. Regardless, IMHO the only difference between a bowhunter who hasn't experienced an issue with mechanical broadheads and one who has is time.

I hate this damn disease with a passion. Too many good folks taken too soon. Rest in peace, Mike. We will think of you often this coming season.

Every year, I seem to get pictures of little bucks sparring until their antlers fall off. They must figure, if you got them, use them. Their annual appointment with the deer-equivalent of "Dr. Snip" is coming soon enough. And Rob, much as a I feel for you, and I've been there too, I think you've got to look at it as fifteen+ years of being blessed. But it sure does suck in the moment.

I won't be the idiot who says, "that's why they call it hunting". Duh, I just was. Sorry to hear you didn't connect. Sounds like a fun trip and great group.

I'll ask the question that's burning in everyone's mind: what happened in Ohio this year? Dish, Rob! Enquiring minds want to know.

Lots of interesting information there. I recall that Les posted a link referring to the recent Science article on how leftovers from tires wearing down were causing big problems in West Coast Coho. Here's the abstract. I don't know how widely this applies to other salmonids, but it's worth considering.

That's some nice gear she's wearing. I suspect she's not new to the game. Nicely done!

My season recap: Start each day with unwarranted optimism. Sit. Watch. Crap. No deer. Curse and return home. Repeat. 83 times. Lol. Honestly, though, this was by far the poorest season I've had in decades, despite having hunted more than ever. I'm assuming it was just me, since others seem to have done well, including some buddies I hunt with. I'd say luck of the draw, but I suspect that there's something I'm missing, scent, movement in the stand, hearing - we joked that I might have selective Turret's syndrome that only manifests in the woods, combined with early AD so I forget what I did. Picture this: deer comes by, I see it and start swearing at it like a sailor. Deer shakes its head sadly and moves on. Best day was October 1st, when I videoed three 2 1/2 year old 8 points wandering under the stand feeding on acorns. The worst days were the next 82. My bowhunting ledger that I keep for DEC showed that I had a fair number of sightings from the stand, and you'd think that the numbers look good, but many times it was something like thirteen doe that stormed by as I was getting ready to leave, probably pushed by somebody else or a buck one of the neighbors had shot, coming over to die by me. Not a joke. My number three buck got shot and lost by a neighbor. My number two buck got taken by another neighbor who saw it chasing a doe in his backyard, went inside to get his rifle, and shot it between the houses. My number one disappeared, so who knows? I was happy to take a small eight and a doe with clean shots during gun, one of them at 170 yards, which isn't a long shot but it's my longest. Now, if we're going to talk about how much fun I had being able to hunt with my friends and spend time in the woods, that's a truly different story. Production may have been down, but the value I place on being blessed with the ability to hunt and share my hunting with the people I love is immeasurable. Stay frosty, my friends! Until next year...