Hunting & Fishing

[wink]

Sierra Club, PETA, WWF, not one of them has bought an acre of land for conservation, improved habitat, or increased the population of even one species. Only hunter/sportsmen organizations have a proven record of increasing the health and numbers of wildlife. The only other "conservation" group that puts their money on the line instead of lining politicians pockets is the Nature Conservancy. They actually buy land to hold in trust open to the public, though most isn't open to hunting.

 

[E5B]

Didn't a gang of PETA types attack and kill two bird hunters in the mid-west several years ago?

 

[aoconnor]

I wouldn't be surprised. I was reading a posting from another forum about a duckhunter who was hunting the coast and was followed by a boat of anti-hunters. He ended up having to quit because they wouldn't quit following him. Sucks, they do stuff like that to keep from getting arrested, but still mess up a good day of shooting.

I agree the Nature Conservancy is a good organization. Today I put a down payment on a new Benelli for this up coming season.

 

[shipwreck]

I hate to switch gears like this guys but, I've got a 75 pound lab (a hunting dog is the only kind of dog I will ever own). Does anyone know what the policy is for having pets one base...

 

[E5B]

Each base has it's own policy. Most Q's don't allow pets, but it's ok for base housing. I have 2 blue-heelers and I had them with us at Quantico base housing, and now we have them at Corpus Christi base housing. We had to register them with the base and give them a copy of the shot record(s).

While we're on the topic: Blue Heelers are Australian cattle dogs (there are also Red Heelers), they are born to raise cattle, but when I was ranch working, I always took one of mine, and since I always called coyotes (daytime) I took Minni and she would sit there silently while I blew the call. I was always nervous about Mtn lions sneaking up behind me since we had a over-population of them. The year before that, 2 hunters on the same ranch were doing the same thing and a lion sneaked up within 15 yards behind them, in the day, and one guy just happened to turn around and shot it. Who knows if that thing woulda pounced on them or not. So I figured Minni's chances of hearing, smelling, or seeing a lion would be better than mine.

 

[wink]

I currently have a mix breed 1/2 cattle dog and 1/2 lab. She is great. Seems like a good mix. The cattle dog in her makes her very high energy though. She is the best fetching dog I have ever had and love to chase, even stalk birds. I have never owned or trained a hunting dog. Always hunted with guys that had them. I have been wondering how this mutt might do in the hands of a good trainer. She is wicked smart and super athletic, loves to please. Might be a good mix for the bird hunting we do in the SW deserts.

 

[shipwreck]

E5B~
Thanks man. I'm glad to hear they allow dogs in base housing. My ol'lady already told me that she'd get rid of me befor the dog.
Wink~
She sound like a good mix. You can probably train her yourself, If you have the time. Have you read "Water Dog" or "Gun Dog"? Great books about training sporting dogs.

 

[FrogFly]

Originally posted by wink
I currently have a mix breed 1/2 cattle dog and 1/2 lab. She is great. Seems like a good mix. The cattle dog in her makes her very high energy though. She is the best fetching dog I have ever had and love to chase, even stalk birds. I have never owned or trained a hunting dog. Always hunted with guys that had them. I have been wondering how this mutt might do in the hands of a good trainer. She is wicked smart and super athletic, loves to please. Might be a good mix for the bird hunting we do in the SW deserts.

I'd had various hunting dogs growing up and was raised around cow dogs too. I'd want to think that the Lab half of her is what makes her so high energy. Every Lab I've ever encountered was very high energy during their pup years and a little longer. Without getting into all the different training methods, I know that (other than practicing retreiving) teaching them to wait on things until you give the command is essential. I don't know if you do this already, but make her wait to eat until you give the command and do the same every time you practice retreival. Maybe that'll help, maybe you're already doing it, I dunno... Shy of doing some real bird dog training, this usually lays a good foundation for which dogs can further their learning. Just a suggestion. I usually don't tell other people what to do with their animals because that's their business and it can get really personal- hope it doesn't go that direction!

 

[aoconnor]

Texas has an overpopulation of mtn Lions? I wouldn't mind getting one for my 'someday' trophy room. Is it hard to get one? E5B, you sent pics of your Texas trips, is Mtn Lion hunting pretty common there?

 

[E5B]

It's not a real big sport, usually ranchers control the lions themselves or hire someone to take care of them. They play havoc on the deer population and Calves, both are sourches of income for ranchers. The lions are concentrated in the Davis Mtns and Guadalupe Mtns area and the area continues down in to the Big Bend and Mexico. There is no season on them, you can kill as many as you want, any way you want. I shot this female with a Ruger 77 in a 22-250. She was 71" long from nose to tail and weighed around 100 lbs.

anyone else have any pictures?

 

[BigWorm]

Hey Dave…We need to get some sort of photo Contest going. It wouldn’t be politically correct to post photos of my biggest kills on this site.
You can see the pic my Saco .338, I use a 250 grain bullet – that antelope didn’t take another step after the trigger was pulled.

 

[FrogFly]

Dammit BigWorm, you won't win if we can't see your pictures! Man, I need a scanner or something, I've got some sweet bobcat pictures I took last December on the close of deer season. I'll try and upload them. BTW, nice cat there, E5B.

 

[E5B]

Here ya go Andy:

I bagged this one with the same 22-250, one shot behind the ear does the trick. Horns where 28" long, 28" wide, and 13" at the base, he weighed around 320.

 

[BigWorm]

Here is another pic from Halibut Fishing in Homer, AK. Also another Pic from flying around the Denali Area. Mountain aviation is a lot of fun!

 

[BigWorm]

How many people did it take to put the bitch in the back of the truck...That goat looks like a tank.