Rubicon,

You got that right. I just dropped $5,000 on a new bicycle, and trying to convince my wife to let me spend another $1,800 on the hunting club is a tough sell, but I'm trying.

You should have let me known about the trip to Texas last season. If it didn't cost thousands of dollars I would have been able to make it.

Today at lunch, my dad was talking about making a trip this winter to South Dakota. Only time will tell if that is going to happen. So many plans, not enough time or money.

KT,

My dad is coming to my place tomorrow afternoon so that we can go and get our hunting licenses. I don't think I'll get too excited about this hunting season until I actually start hunting. Then, all hell will probably break loose.

Fabs, Trip was booked for Jan 07. Hunt club just got another hot farm on Choptank 125 acres.

Is the January 2007 trip still a possibility? Look at me asking about this stuff.

Right now, I am looking at the hunt club at $1,800, a 4 day whitetail deer hunt in Illinois at $1,200, an antelope trip to Wyoming for God knows how much, and a Jauary 2007 trip to Texas for God knows how much. My wife is going to take a frying pan off the pot rack and hit me over the head. Not to mention that I just bought a $2,500 bike frame, I am bidding on some bike wheels on e-bay for $500 right now and might just hit $750, it will cost me another $2,000 to finish the bike, I want a new Browning safe for $2,300, an AR-15 for $2,500, and an AR-10 for $2,000. I should get the guns first and rob a bank to get everything else.

In due time, I guess I will be doing and getting everything. Rubicon, maybe I can tag along this winter on a hunt or two with you at the club, pay my guest fee, and see if I really like the place. Then, I can get a membership next year. That will be an easier way to try and sell everything to my wife.

Yea Fabs, I know what you mean. right now Im thinking Argo but I only have to convience the banker. Ill take you hunting. Sounds like you got a lot to sell to the little misses. That Del. State contest is this Sun. It would be a good chance for you to see the club house, a little of the property and some of the members. and its free ( an easier sell). Bring your dad and wife, take a little ride, and check it out.

yes, all plans must be authorized by the boss.
duck central is not dallas texas the only birds i see are pigeons and starlings and grackles, i would love to be on the coast for a hunt

say umm how many guest are you allowed to bring to this club down there? jk
kt

Off Topic;

Fabs, you're a road biker aren't you, or have you gone to the MTB maybe both? Ironic, I just bought my first MTB last Monday! I decided it was time to do something involving excersise and cardio before I blow a gasket at the age of 44. My neighbor is big time into MTB Trail/XC so I went to him asking advice. I figured what could a halfway decent bike cost nowadays....$500....maybe $750 if I really splurge? LMAO!!! Boy was I schooled!!! LMAO!!! I also called on my younger buddy or "adopted son" as I call him who is way into it. He just had his Ellsworth frame built to his specs for a mere $6600!! I just about sh*t myself!!! I went in with a $600 dollar budget and a pipe dream and came out with a $2500 dollar bike!!! :eek:

It's cool...specially for a first timer! I bought a still brand new in box early '05 Specialized Enduro Comp which as you may know, is a full suspension model with Fox Float RL forks, Fox Float shock, Juicy discs 8" front / 6" rear and the usual Shimano LX front XT rear package. I bought way over my needs but it sure is an incredible bike. Being that it was an early '05 model, I was able to save some serious coin and got out the door for $1850 but I have been back and spent an easy $400 for the little things I need to get outfitted since I am a total newby.

Just curious, though I know nothing about road bikes if that's what you bought, what did you get?

KT- I can check but with my son its at least 2 guests. We have lots of PA hunters in club. With property in Del and Md we can hunt from Sept 1 untill spring.

The four of us should try to get together and do a hunt together. That should be fun. We can make fun of each others calling and shooting ability to make it even better. I'll readily admit that I'm not the best at either, but that makes it even more fun.

Dove and early (resident Canada's) Goose opens friday, the 1st. We can take 5 geese per day and 15 doves. The Collared Dove has been invading so they're not included in the bag; no limit. I have only seen them 50 miles south of Nashville, so they haven't become well populated as of yet. Our Teal season is mid September but only lasts 5 days. Second goose is in October but the limit falls to 2 per day (just in case a stray "wild" bird is around). Then we're closed until late November. Usually a weekend duck hunt, then we close until the first weekend of December, running until late Jan. Arkansas just set their season so most of my plans are to hunt south of Stuttgart with one of my guide friends. Went over last weekend to hog hunt but it was 102 degrees and they were as dry as a bone. Just started getting rain this week and some guy from the Outdoor Channel shot a pig with a bow. They're supposed to air it next season in 2007. I'll go back when the weather is cooler and hopefully the rains have replenished the ground with moisture. They have so many hogs over there you don't need a license and there's no limit. Too bad the ducks aren't in that condition, but it's six per day this year. I'm getting to where I like hunting Whitey the Snow Goose as much as duck hunting....nah, I'll take both. We drew a good blind this year (if there is such a thing in middle TN anymore) so maybe we'll have a decent season here at home. Prolly not, but the blind is almost finished. Hopefully, we'll get some real winter weather this year and all of us will remember the big shoots of '06 & 7. Good hunting, grayghost

i am still jealous of those who have one of those early teal seasons, right now we have blue and green wings all over creation. come october, just a sprinkle of them.

i would love to get together for a hunt any where feasable

i was just assessing my situation for friday morning, i have half a box of bb's, cant find the head to my goose chair, and havent picked up a gun or goose call since may.... i am that guy they tell you not to be in the magazines.
kt

The magazines wouldn't sell if they just told you to go out and have fun and not worry too much about blowing the call or how many birds you kill. Magazines are only sold to those who are looking for information.

Don't worry about it because I haven't blown a call since February and I haven't shot my gun in a couple of months. You should already know that the early season geese aren't that hard to kill, and they will give you time to practice with the call and the gun before things start to get serious (i.e., migratory geese and ducks).

aint that funny thats how every one feels about september geese, as my one buddy says its not worth getting out of bed till november.
so this morn i was suffering from insomnia so i drove and found a field of grass where geese were dumping in every ten minutes or so five at a time, you know whats going to happen if they sprinkle in 5 at a time on friday morn?
i'll be in a diner by 8 am.
kt

And what will you be doing in a diner at 8:00 a.m. since those geese will be going bad rather quickly with the 90+ degree weather? Are you bringing a huge cooler to stick them in while eating breakfast?

That is my biggest problem with hunting geese in August and September. You are not allowed to breast them out in the field, if they sit for too long in that heat you can bet they are going to go bad, and trying to stick 20+ whole geese in coolers is rather difficult and it takes a lot of ice. The limit here is 15 per day per person. I can not imagine what I would do if my dad and I went out and just killed 15 between the two of us. Plus, geese don't taste all that good when they have been feeding on grass, but I guess I could use them for jerky.

We entered into an agreement with the USFWS, and they built berms around two of our spring-fed ponds, and they are flooding nicely. Should really bring in the mallards and woodies. Now, if I can convince my dad and brother to change over the nearest food plot from brassica to corn, next year we should have more geese as well.

Our Teal/Wood Duck season is 5 days: September 9-13. Daily bag limit is 4 total. However, only two can be Wood Ducks. Teal hunting in middle TN can be spotty. Either they're here or they're not. Usually, if you stay in a blind most of the day, you'll get a least one group to come by. Later in the morning when the fishermen hit the area lakes, they will flush the Teal and get them moving. The farther west you go, the better your chances. From Barkley to Kentucky lakes and on to the Mississippi, they can be as heavy as a corn field opening day of Dove season. I prefer to hunt Teal and leave the Woodies for regular Duck season which this year is Nov 25-26; Dec 2-Jan 28. The drakes begin to look good by cold weather. Oh I forgot, it rarely gets cold here anymore :( It's still hot here and will be during early Teal season. Makes for a less than desirable hunt. If it were cooler, I'd be more in to it. 15 geese a day, now that's some heavy hunting. We can take 5 per day in our first season resident Canada season. Then it drops to 2 in the October season, and remains at 2 per day from Dec 12-Jan 28. Aren't many migrators here anymore. Again, the further west you go, the better. Good hunting, grayghost