Goals for the new season

[mxsailor803]

Alright guys, what’s one of your goals to accomplish this new year new seasons? Mine, finally getting a tag to get a gator.

[bamaranger]

I've got a score to settle with a trio of gobblers that whupped me 3X at the end of last season. No way to really know if they are still in that same location, but I plan to take a gobbler out of that hollow this season....and there always seem to be a couple in there. Alabama's spring gobbler season is just around the corner. I'd also like to gobbler hunt another state this season if possible.

Not hunting, but I am anxious to take a vintage glass fly rod to E. Tennessee to trout fish this spring/summer. It is almost like the one I fished as a kid, just 6" shorter. .... 7-1/2 foot Curt Gowdy Parametric.

I've got my eye on a great new location to bowhunt deer come fall, how I never noticed it before, I dunno. A bunch of old rubs there, from years gone by, and fresh ones from this season past as well. Already have the trees picked,and access is not difficult. In another spot, I moved a stand a wee bit to see some better, and never did go back and hunt the place, I need to get back in there. At another old favorite spot, I saw a buck with promise that was not quite a shooter, next fall he should be a dandy, and I'm anxious to get back in there as well.

I'd sure like to get a lead on some affordable hog hunting. My "best man" is now solidly in his seventies, a soft hog hunt with him would be grand before either of us get any softer.

[reynolds357]

I would love a rematch with the catfish that broke my 50 lb line after running over 100 yards of drag.

[stinkeypete]

1. Train the dog to sit until commanded to fetch. He’s a Labrador and gets so excited to bring back a bird that once he’s flushed one, he’s off like a big rocket chasing. He’ll chase the one in the air if he didn’t see the one that went down.

This is somewhat hilarious as we flushed a turkey last season. Suddenly a “pheasant” the size of a B-52 explodes out of the marsh grass. Off the dog went.. after a couple hundred yards of rocket dog fun run he came back with the waggliest tail to tell me about the forty pound pheasant he found for us. That was fun.

Flushing 3 birds I brought one down. He chased the remaining two. I went to get the bird and while calling him back, it turned out the bird was only stunned and ran off. Dog was too excited about the birds in the air to get the one that fell and we spent hours trying to find the crippled bird in vain. I really hate that. Next time I won’t be shy about swatting a crippled bird on the ground. Dog just turned two at the end of the season, he’s settling down and takes well to training. We’ll get there.

2. Get out at least 3 times a week. I always feel better after a few hours in the outdoors.

3. I might have some work done on my Ithaca Model 37... reduce LOP by less than an eighth of an inch, maybe have the bore opened to Imp Mod and maybe have a nice recoil pad installed. It’s either that or have the buttstock thinned and refinished a little to fit the original butt plate from 1945. I really like that old shotgun- it’s smooth as butter and is beat up enough that I take it out in drizzle and snow and use it to keep blackberry vines from tearing at me at the expense of maybe scratching the wood.

[big al hunter]

I'm going to teach myself to call elk. Then I'm going to bugle in a bull, and kill him with my bow. At least that's the goal. I got the calls. Been watching YouTube videos and practicing. Hopefully the elk think I am another elk and not some schmuck with a diaphragm call. I have cow called elk in before but never bugled. I can't wait for September!

[bamaranger]

Thought of this one too. I am going to take a deer with an iron sighted handgun, before my eyes get any worse.

[Scorch]

Me and a friend have been talking about some weird stuff:
* Hunting deer with iron-sighted lever action rifles, specifically Savage 99s (we both have nice old 99 TDs)
* Hunting pigs in AZ, since CA has gotten stupid pricey to shoot a pig.
* Back-country drop camp for elk in ID.
* Moose in AK (his son-in-law is a resident and has all the gear)
* Fishing in AK for salmon and halibut (probably combine this with the moose trip if we do)
* A trip to Africa. I put together a list of 6 people but the safari outfitter won't call me and give me rates.

[RGRacing]

stinkeypete - Your story is better than the Outdoor Channel. Thanks

[reinert]

To keep up my weekly walking regimen with my hunting day pack. Another year older (69 in a few days) and the way I hunt elk needs my legs and lungs as young as they can be if I want to stay my method on the mountain!

Still hunt, spot and stalk...

[Blindstitch]

Finally bag a Tom or Jake or hen with a beard.
Learn how to be patient and sit over duck decoys. Bought Mojo drake today for $30 in the clearance aisle.
Check some new bird/animal/fish off my list. Maybe dove, woodcock, snipe, pintail, gar, flathead catfish, sturgeon...