I know living here in the deep south that I am lucky that our season starts sooner than other parts of the country but the wait is starting to really suck. We have about 51 days before we can start hunting and it seems to be slowing down some. I have already pulled my vest out and played with it some. Soon we will be reloading and checking guns. I will have to do a little scouting on the farm this year as some timber was cut and I just want to make sure I got a good feel on how things will go. Anyway Spring 202o is closing in and I cannot wait for it.
Yes it does.
Waiting always stinks. Get some hounds n chase something til spring
I'll probably just keep fishing till I start scouting. Been a fairly consistent winter for me on the fish. When it's cold they've been fairly predictable.
Do not got hounds and do not want them.
I say that half lying. I would love a fiest!
I've got one dog and it is a fierce beast. I'm surprised I still have all my limbs.
Quote from: dirt road ninja on January 30, 2020, 07:58:40 PM
I've got one dog and it is a fierce beast. I'm surprised I still have all my limbs.
Lol
Yes the wait is dragging. I'm ready to get in the woods and start walking for sheds. Got to get the shotgun lined up with a new optic but that won't take long. I guess I can just keep practicing on my trumpet till April. Lord knows I need a lot of practice.
Quote from: davisd9 on January 30, 2020, 07:49:48 PM
Do not got hounds and do not want them.
I say that half lying. I would love a fiest!
Get a couple rabbit dogs and it's not real dif than turks in a sense. Barking closing in on you or gobbling nearing means a shot may be imminent. The anticipation is similar. Dif degree of course but similar too.
Same for calling ducks except you can visually see the birds reaction. It's all about the anticipation
:cross2:s Ti
Quote from: Bowguy on January 31, 2020, 10:04:21 AM
Quote from: davisd9 on January 30, 2020, 07:49:48 PM
Do not got hounds and do not want them.
I say that half lying. I would love a fiest!
Get a couple rabbit dogs and it's not real dif than turks in a sense. Barking closing in on you or gobbling nearing means a shot may be imminent. The anticipation is similar. Dif degree of course but similar too.
Same for calling ducks except you can visually see the birds reaction. It's all about the anticipation
Not enough rabbits around to shoot. Population is improving but when coyotes came and populations grew, they put a hurting on our rabbits. Not a lot of great habitat anymore either.
We have pretty good rabbit hunting around here in the marsh. We use to kill limits all the time without dogs.
Quote from: davisd9 on January 31, 2020, 10:07:14 AM
:cross2:s TiQuote from: Bowguy on January 31, 2020, 10:04:21 AM
Quote from: davisd9 on January 30, 2020, 07:49:48 PM
Do not got hounds and do not want them.
I say that half lying. I would love a fiest!
Get a couple rabbit dogs and it's not real dif than turks in a sense. Barking closing in on you or gobbling nearing means a shot may be imminent. The anticipation is similar. Dif degree of course but similar too.
Same for calling ducks except you can visually see the birds reaction. It's all about the anticipation
Not enough rabbits around to shoot. Population is improving but when coyotes came and populations grew, they put a hurting on our rabbits. Not a lot of great habitat anymore either.
Same issues up here. Not like it used to be.
Quote from: dirt road ninja on January 31, 2020, 10:13:32 AM
We have pretty good rabbit hunting around here in the marsh. We use to kill limits all the time without dogs.
Swampers?
Cottontails, they just bigger here than I've seen in other places.
Interesting
Never really thought of it, but they are swamp rabbits. Didn't realize they had 2 species here. We have tons of them.
I think swamp rabbits are a subspecies or something of a cottontail.
That's what the World Wide Web said. I just thought we had big rabbits, like the Midwest has big deer
All this rabbit talk is getting me hungry, every time I see one I think white beans and rabbit.
Quote from: davisd9 on January 31, 2020, 12:26:45 PM
I think swamp rabbits are a subspecies or something of a cottontail.
I think so too. There's lots of subspecies but swampers exhibit different tendencies
Quote from: Bowguy on January 31, 2020, 12:34:08 PM
Quote from: davisd9 on January 31, 2020, 12:26:45 PM
I think swamp rabbits are a subspecies or something of a cottontail.
I think so too. There's lots of subspecies but swampers exhibit different tendencies
I can't speak of their tendencies, but they seem to act just like rabbits I've encounter elsewhere, saving TX and NM as exceptions.
Quote from: dirt road ninja on January 31, 2020, 01:51:54 PM
Quote from: Bowguy on January 31, 2020, 12:34:08 PM
Quote from: davisd9 on January 31, 2020, 12:26:45 PM
I think swamp rabbits are a subspecies or something of a cottontail.
I think so too. There's lots of subspecies but swampers exhibit different tendencies
I can't speak of their tendencies, but they seem to act just like rabbits I've encounter elsewhere, saving TX and NM as exceptions.
They seem to make bigger loops is the biggest difference I have seen.
I was referring to the swampers swimming. I think we're talking 2 dif rabbits
I thought all rabbits could swim.
Back to the waiting part though. I actually don't mind it. I enjoy the prep. Finding birds, listening to what's to come, patterning them, working on guns, running calls, etc.
I feel the same way bow hunting. The constant practice, sharpening knives, broadheads, splicing feathers on arrows, etc, to me all part of it and an enjoyable part. It all keeps me involved even during the off seasons.
For instance running dogs, running traps, what have you, you see so much you prob wouldn't have if you say at home waiting. Time in the woods can be multi faceted. What's better than listening to a pack coming to ya and finding a bunch of turkey tracks in an area you might not have looked?
Good stuff.
Quote from: Bowguy on January 31, 2020, 02:12:37 PM
Back to the waiting part though. I actually don't mind it. I enjoy the prep. Finding birds, listening to what's to come, patterning them, working on guns, running calls, etc.
I feel the same way bow hunting. The constant practice, sharpening knives, broadheads, splicing feathers on arrows, etc, to me all part of it and an enjoyable part. It all keeps me involved even during the off seasons.
For instance running dogs, running traps, what have you, you see so much you prob wouldn't have if you say at home waiting. Time in the woods can be multi faceted. What's better than listening to a pack coming to ya and finding a bunch of turkey tracks in an area you might not have looked?
Good stuff.
I have deer hunted since Sept, duck hunted since thanksgiving and back in December, and hunt other small game. It is time to stay home with family and rest for a long spring
Wished you guys lived closer. I got 40 acres that is ate up with rabbits. More swampers than cottontails. Every time I've let people hunt they tell me their dogs got wore out. It's very thick and those swampers will cover a lot of ground on the dogs.
Quote from: davisd9 on January 31, 2020, 02:26:09 PM
Quote from: Bowguy on January 31, 2020, 02:12:37 PM
Back to the waiting part though. I actually don't mind it. I enjoy the prep. Finding birds, listening to what's to come, patterning them, working on guns, running calls, etc.
I feel the same way bow hunting. The constant practice, sharpening knives, broadheads, splicing feathers on arrows, etc, to me all part of it and an enjoyable part. It all keeps me involved even during the off seasons.
For instance running dogs, running traps, what have you, you see so much you prob wouldn't have if you say at home waiting. Time in the woods can be multi faceted. What's better than listening to a pack coming to ya and finding a bunch of turkey tracks in an area you might not have looked?
Good stuff.
I have deer hunted since Sept, duck hunted since thanksgiving and back in December, and hunt other small game. It is time to stay home with family and rest for a long spring
Family is more important than all this stuff so I understand
Went out with my youngest this afternoon to pull a card from a camera I keep out and found fresh scratching afterwards as we were looping thru the woods to see if any squirrels were running around wanting to get shot, there weren't any. Camera did have a couple of pics of a jake running by at a pretty good click. Found some older, recent scratching as well, hopefully there's a mature bird or two running around.
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Went fishing Sunday and found a few.
(https://i.imgur.com/GxstJrGl.jpg)
Quote from: dirt road ninja on February 04, 2020, 11:05:36 AM
Went fishing Sunday and found a few.
(https://i.imgur.com/GxstJrGl.jpg)
Yep, I'd say you did. Great way to pass the time.
Will have a busy February with family things and all so hopefully that helps speed time up a little. Never one to ask time to go faster as it goes fast enough but I am ready for spring!
Also, I have made sure buying season is a huge success.
I've stayed fairly tame so far. Davis9 turned me on to a deal on a new easy rider vest, didn't need it, but glad to have it. Bought 2 pounds of TSS and a new choke to try. Got my son a few pairs of hunting pants on sale last weekend. The real expensive stuff will start in a few weeks, buying out of state license and plane tickets, and all that entails traveling turkey hunting.
If weather permits I'll probably go fish at least one day this weekend and hope to roll up a few shells.
I got my calls out too! Got my vest out... I'm tired of running with the kitchen sink in my vest.
I am going to try and slim down my vest this year.
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I run calls almost all year except possibly during the rut. I've also been attempting to carry less.
Told ya I'm able to find things to do. I like this time of year. Especially this year. Snow has been light.
Buck rabbits are running giagantic circles.
Ran one last week 2-1/2 hrs before I decided to let him go n caught dogs off him.
Got some young dogs coming on strong.
Here's a buddy w a pup of mine not even 7 months old. Her first rabbit after maybe 45 min chase. She done good
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I fished Sunday and for most of the morning I could hear a few dogs running the marsh to my north. Sounded like they killed a few. Those pics might make me go kick a few bushes this weekend. Congrats on the pup doing well.
Thanks if you all were closer you could tag along anytime
This is the last weekend of basketball for my oldest boy so hopefully I can get out and put some boots on the ground here soon. Got some shells load the other week and hope to check everything next week or so. We are getting close down here and I cannot wait!
You need to go tie one to a tree for me.
Quote from: dirt road ninja on February 19, 2020, 09:27:01 AM
You need to go tie one to a tree for me.
I will but you have not told me when to have him ready.
I need to do that looking like early April, but we will chat many times before then.
Has the peacock been spotted again?
Quote from: dirt road ninja on February 19, 2020, 09:35:02 AM
Has the peacock been spotted again?
Not that I have heard. Gobbler group has shown though.
I won't start to end of April so I have time. Bought 3lbs of #8 to load, have a few new calls and been hitting the trumpet practice hard.
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45 days.....