BSmaster

Yeah - second that. Even when I took my house beagle hunting (more like a lazy lap dog) she would have nicks and cuts and a red tail. Anyone that runs dogs knows they get beat up pretty good after a good hunt - especially if there is a lot primrose.

Anybody use a decoy dog? I am thinking this is a good dog - very smart.

Pap, Gorgeous dog. He looks like he runs the house. I too am a beagle man and had many misfortunes. We had a mother daughter not return home. We had the best dog we ever had just gone. Pups stolen. One got shot. Right now I have a 16.5 year old. I can't hunt her anymore and I won't replace her either. I have had her longer than my family and that's all they have ever known. I really don't know who will cry the most when she passess.

I watched a red fox run around my yard in the moonlight this morning around 4am. Not worth waking the family up for. I have watched it before. I love the route this thing takes when it leaves. It goes away from the brush making me think that it has decided it is safer to go the long way to get out.

I think I found my varmint rifle. Howa 22-250 bolt act bolt action top load. I think it is technically the Howa 1500 Ranchland 22-250 light weight Yote. Looking for negative comments... If you feel good about it I want to hear it too but I really want to hear the cons (if there are any).

Pap, sounds like you took me hunting - definitely sounds like something I would do.

Well, last night when I got home from work there was a mature bald eagle on the deer (I pointed it out to my wife and kids) and it was my wife that was acting like a kid on Christmas morning. She has not been a fan until then. On another note. I find it sort of creepy skinning out predators looking at there hairless faces. I guess it reminds me of demons. I watched a documentary on the coywolf of eastern canada and they compared the skulls from the top down and showed where the additional muscles were attached. The interesting thing in that documentary was that eastern wolf can breed with either the timber wolf in the west or the coyote but the coyote can't hybridize with the timber wolf.

That is pretty cool.

Don't take this the wrong way but I am glad to hear this. I thought I had screwed something up. The Yotes have not been back since I saw them the first time. I had a gray out there last night early but it vanished as soon as I lifted the sash. I have been admiring a rather large red tail hawk ripping things apart and a couple crows that are working in a pair and always fly away at the right time.

now that pic makes me like cats. Good kitty...

What about a 204? Any thoughts?

Maybe someone should have the lampreys tested to see if they are not just taking from the host but giving something back detrimental.

I heard this on the way in to work this morning. Yuppies... "Fish Depression" - 1st Dogs get there own icecream in the grocery store and now this... wtf https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/16/science/depressed-fish.html Maybe it is time to dump antidepressants into the lake.

A red came in last night. I convinced it to stay. I am going to ask a dumb question. What can I use for a round 30-06 that doesn’t destroy the hide of those thinner skin animals. Frangible, full metal jacket? Right now I am using 150g core lok. It is my favorite for deer season . I will start looking for a designated varmint rifle next year. thanks,

That is a nice memory Whaler. This is my first winter back on the hill so I am trying to figure it out. The bait pile has been really quiet. I had visitors about 2 weeks ago and now nothing. I notice the crows are even boycotting. The only thing I could come up with is that the deer is frozen solid.

Coy dogs. Look at the size of the ones they get out West. Normal size is much smaller.

Reminds me of all of those hogzilla stories.

That’s too big for even a coy dog. I guarantee a farmer would have killed it long before deer season.

I am planning on tomorrow but I learned today that my heart isn't in it. I passed on one Saturday about 15yds and a 5 pt today about 60yds. I think it is the work the comes after that is making hesitant. Of course both deer are good passes.

Nice one! Getting me pumped up for the weekend! I noticed the lack of wind this morning made it feel much more comfortable even though the temps were much lower.

If you shoot something is there a way to get it out?

I never shot a ML until a few years ago. I still have never fired at an animal. I tried something new last night and was making excellent progress but ran out of light before I got the thing sighted into a couple hundred yards. A couple of years ago I had no faith in a 20 yard shot. I have been learning slowly. I discovered back then that the jag was wrong and was messing up the plastic tip. Last year I was out to 100 yards and feeling pretty good but not totally confident. I was told go with powder - I could not find buckhorn anywhere, so I do not remember where I heard this but I picked up a package of these Hornady SST-ML speed sabots. These have a stem that slides down into the pellets (3). I suppose you could trim them for 2 but I didn't want to change anything. The idea is to keep all off the pellets aligned for better accuracy as well it reduces the likely hood of them being crushed while loading. Anyways, I was very happy shooting my ML last night until the wind changed directions and about killed me. An idea for those of you still struggling to find a combination. I had heard just about everything regarding advice - Muzzle loaders are similar to women... They all have their (fill in here).

We finally got optimum conditions (snow amount) for still hunting down here and the wind will cut right thru you. Can't still hunt in gortex. I am actually glad I had to work today. Good luck guys...