The Hunting & Fishing Thread

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southdakbearfan
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wab wrote: Sat Nov 30, 2024 2:04 pm I’ve taken a buddy’s 6.5 creed out to a mile. But that thing probably costs more than my truck.
I got a couple I can stretch out to between 800-1000 on, for targets only. My 300 win mag will ring the gong ant 750 all day long if I do my part, it just sucks to shoot more than 25 rounds off the bench through it. My 270 weatherby is a Ruger #1 and it really likes Nosler bullets. Ballistic tips or accubonds it will put into a ragged hole all day at 100. 300 win mag prefers hornady or Nosler bullets. 257 likes Nosler and sierra’s. Typically, if you know the ballistics to most plains rifles, you can shoot a long ways with an accurate load and good optics.

For hunting, if I can’t get under 4-500 yds, well my opinion is I suck at hunting then. Even in the open plains it may take some doing and finesse to the hunt but there are so many variables in the field beyond that and rarely the type of conditions where I will push a shot beyond 400. But I will also belly crawl through cactus infested prairie like a dang badger to get a good shot.

No matter what the gun, weird things happen at extreme ranges. Bullets don’t open up, deflect off bone easier, or you miscalculate your wind drift and a clean shot turns into a wounded animal. That is a result I strive against all the time.
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wab wrote: Sat Nov 30, 2024 10:07 am Hunting specifically for trophies isn’t something I’m interested in. Keeping a rack or having a beautiful bird mounted because you happened to harvest a great animal is different IMO.
That's pretty much where I am as well. I don't get the African safari hunt to bring back "exotic" animals.
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southdakbearfan wrote: Sat Nov 30, 2024 3:29 pm
wab wrote: Sat Nov 30, 2024 2:04 pm I’ve taken a buddy’s 6.5 creed out to a mile. But that thing probably costs more than my truck.
I got a couple I can stretch out to between 800-1000 on, for targets only. My 300 win mag will ring the gong ant 750 all day long if I do my part, it just sucks to shoot more than 25 rounds off the bench through it. My 270 weatherby is a Ruger #1 and it really likes Nosler bullets. Ballistic tips or accubonds it will put into a ragged hole all day at 100. 300 win mag prefers hornady or Nosler bullets. 257 likes Nosler and sierra’s. Typically, if you know the ballistics to most plains rifles, you can shoot a long ways with an accurate load and good optics.

For hunting, if I can’t get under 4-500 yds, well my opinion is I suck at hunting then. Even in the open plains it may take some doing and finesse to the hunt but there are so many variables in the field beyond that and rarely the type of conditions where I will push a shot beyond 400. But I will also belly crawl through cactus infested prairie like a dang badger to get a good shot.

No matter what the gun, weird things happen at extreme ranges. Bullets don’t open up, deflect off bone easier, or you miscalculate your wind drift and a clean shot turns into a wounded animal. That is a result I strive against all the time.
When I was still working for the prosecuting attorney's office (so pre-2007) the sheriff's department's SWAT team got some 50 caliber military grade sniper rifle. I'm a member of a private gun club that has a spot that goes out 3/4 of a mile. The gun club lets the S.O. and city police shot out there all the time. The SWAT leader called me on their way out there one time and told me if I bought some rounds I could take some shots The spotter and sniper walked me through doing everything and finally got it dialed in after a few shots.
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Just finished making deer burger from my trim off the two deer. I did something different this year as I had about 40 lbs of trim to grind so I ground it with a 20 lb brisket I had bought cheap, $3.50 a lb.

Man it turned out perfect and fantastic. Just enough fat content to make a nice burger and great flavor. Wife and son love it, so I guess I know what I am doing if I fill my muzzleloader tag.
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Ice is starting to get thick enough to venture out as well. Should have close to 10” of solid ice by this weekend.

The debate will be, do we hunt or do we fish.
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southdakbearfan wrote: Thu Dec 12, 2024 2:34 pm Ice is starting to get thick enough to venture out as well. Should have close to 10” of solid ice by this weekend.

The debate will be, do we hunt or do we fish.
Don't know how people do it up there. Went ice fishing with my brother-in-law once (in MN). It was a good time, but it was mostly just drinking beer and watching games on the tv until something bit. Just didn't seem like "fishing" to me.
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Fishing I get. Being outside, maybe on a boat, chilling out for the most part. Ice fishing looks like some form of torture, freeze your nutsack off while staring at a hole in the ice? No thank you.
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dplank wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 1:08 pm Fishing I get. Being outside, maybe on a boat, chilling out for the most part. Ice fishing looks like some form of torture, freeze your nutsack off while staring at a hole in the ice? No thank you.
It's not that bad when you have an ice house. The one I was in was a bit smaller (12"X12" maybe), but had a heater, a fridge, tv (using rabbit ears) and a couple of recliners. But some out there were unreal. Had beds, coaches, stoves to cook. No way could we have just sat outside, I think it was below -30 while I was there.
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dplank wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 1:08 pm Fishing I get. Being outside, maybe on a boat, chilling out for the most part. Ice fishing looks like some form of torture, freeze your nutsack off while staring at a hole in the ice? No thank you.
Portable flip over insulated Ice house, 4 wheeler and heater.

Only idiots freeze their nutsack off, but of course I have good enough clothes that it wouldn’t matter if I had the shack or not. I’ll fish in -20 and it won’t bother me.

We move a lot, drill a lot of holes, find the fish and catch them.
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Arkansasbear wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 11:22 am
southdakbearfan wrote: Thu Dec 12, 2024 2:34 pm Ice is starting to get thick enough to venture out as well. Should have close to 10” of solid ice by this weekend.

The debate will be, do we hunt or do we fish.
Don't know how people do it up there. Went ice fishing with my brother-in-law once (in MN). It was a good time, but it was mostly just drinking beer and watching games on the tv until something bit. Just didn't seem like "fishing" to me.
Don’t drink on the ice. We cut a lot of holes and fish lakes we know with spots gps’d from past years. Run and gun with a 4 wheeler and flip over shack.
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southdakbearfan wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 10:59 pm
Arkansasbear wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 11:22 am

Don't know how people do it up there. Went ice fishing with my brother-in-law once (in MN). It was a good time, but it was mostly just drinking beer and watching games on the tv until something bit. Just didn't seem like "fishing" to me.
Don’t drink on the ice. We cut a lot of holes and fish lakes we know with spots gps’d from past years. Run and gun with a 4 wheeler and flip over shack.
I've honestly never ice fished like what I picture you explaining. However your method sounds fun. I am not huge on ice fishing. Mainly I find it boring. However you sound like it's more hunting then waiting.

Speaking of hunting. I've never eaten duck until last week. It's fucking good. I always viewed duck hunting as pointless. I think i may take it up.
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mmmc_35 wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2024 12:04 am
southdakbearfan wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 10:59 pm

Don’t drink on the ice. We cut a lot of holes and fish lakes we know with spots gps’d from past years. Run and gun with a 4 wheeler and flip over shack.
I've honestly never ice fished like what I picture you explaining. However your method sounds fun. I am not huge on ice fishing. Mainly I find it boring. However you sound like it's more hunting then waiting.

Speaking of hunting. I've never eaten duck until last week. It's fucking good. I always viewed duck hunting as pointless. I think i may take it up.
It is more like hunting, or similar to boat fishing in that we move a lot. I’ll take a picture if I remember. Me and the son in law are going and my son is coming later.

Duck, can be very species dependent as to how good they are to eat. Marinade helps but divers can be difficult to get good table fare from (which is why we don’t shoot them) dabblers are much better as they feed in the fields on grain vs eating crustaceans and such in sloughs. Think mallards, teal, gadwalls, wigeon, pintails as the good table fair. Shovelers, red heads, scaup, etc as lesser.
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Run and gun fishing. Old crappy 4 wheeler that always starts, chains and clam Yukon flip over, insulated.
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mmmc_35 wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2024 12:04 am
southdakbearfan wrote: Fri Dec 13, 2024 10:59 pm

Don’t drink on the ice. We cut a lot of holes and fish lakes we know with spots gps’d from past years. Run and gun with a 4 wheeler and flip over shack.
I've honestly never ice fished like what I picture you explaining. However your method sounds fun. I am not huge on ice fishing. Mainly I find it boring. However you sound like it's more hunting then waiting.

Speaking of hunting. I've never eaten duck until last week. It's fucking good. I always viewed duck hunting as pointless. I think i may take it up.
Duck hunting is my favorite form of hunting by far.
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wab wrote: Tue Dec 17, 2024 9:14 am
mmmc_35 wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2024 12:04 am

I've honestly never ice fished like what I picture you explaining. However your method sounds fun. I am not huge on ice fishing. Mainly I find it boring. However you sound like it's more hunting then waiting.

Speaking of hunting. I've never eaten duck until last week. It's fucking good. I always viewed duck hunting as pointless. I think i may take it up.
Duck hunting is my favorite form of hunting by far.
I live on the intracoastal here in S Florida, and a golf course that runs alongside it. We have lots of ducks, and my wife has named each one of them lol. I told her not to name the ducklings as they tend to not survive. It's wild out there, lots of hawks, osprey, eagles (photo'd a bald eagle yesterday), Pelicans, Herons, Vultures, Raccoons, shit lloads of Iguanas, fox, a coyote that was just taken away, and even a damn bobcat. Believe it or not, one thing I haven't seen out there yet is an alligator. I think it's plenty of sport to catch photo's of these beautiful creatures, no need to kill them IMO. All the outdoorsy without all the death.
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dplank wrote: Tue Dec 17, 2024 2:09 pm
wab wrote: Tue Dec 17, 2024 9:14 am

Duck hunting is my favorite form of hunting by far.
I live on the intracoastal here in S Florida, and a golf course that runs alongside it. We have lots of ducks, and my wife has named each one of them lol. I told her not to name the ducklings as they tend to not survive. It's wild out there, lots of hawks, osprey, eagles (photo'd a bald eagle yesterday), Pelicans, Herons, Vultures, Raccoons, shit lloads of Iguanas, fox, a coyote that was just taken away, and even a damn bobcat. Believe it or not, one thing I haven't seen out there yet is an alligator. I think it's plenty of sport to catch photo's of these beautiful creatures, no need to kill them IMO. All the outdoorsy without all the death.
Ah yes catch and release can be fun. I am excited to go duck hunting next year. A guy i work with is obsessed about duck hunting. He brought 60 birds to his partners. It's really good to eat.

That said I love the knowledge of where my food comes from. In todays world thats not always possible. I'm going to buy a half a steer next month from a local farmer. Just like when I was a kid on the farm. Mr. Moo was my first show steer. He didn't make sale wieght for the auction. Still the best meat I have ever eaten.
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mmmc_35 wrote: Tue Dec 17, 2024 8:59 pm
dplank wrote: Tue Dec 17, 2024 2:09 pm

I live on the intracoastal here in S Florida, and a golf course that runs alongside it. We have lots of ducks, and my wife has named each one of them lol. I told her not to name the ducklings as they tend to not survive. It's wild out there, lots of hawks, osprey, eagles (photo'd a bald eagle yesterday), Pelicans, Herons, Vultures, Raccoons, shit lloads of Iguanas, fox, a coyote that was just taken away, and even a damn bobcat. Believe it or not, one thing I haven't seen out there yet is an alligator. I think it's plenty of sport to catch photo's of these beautiful creatures, no need to kill them IMO. All the outdoorsy without all the death.
Ah yes catch and release can be fun. I am excited to go duck hunting next year. A guy i work with is obsessed about duck hunting. He brought 60 birds to his partners. It's really good to eat.

That said I love the knowledge of where my food comes from. In todays world thats not always possible. I'm going to buy a half a steer next month from a local farmer. Just like when I was a kid on the farm. Mr. Moo was my first show steer. He didn't make sale wieght for the auction. Still the best meat I have ever eaten.
Definitely a waterfowl hunter at heart here, one of the most renewable resources out there, especially if you are a snow goose hunter. Goose hunting is my favorite by far, especially snows, blues and specklebelly geese. They make fantastic pastrami and pretty good jerky.

Deciding on ice fishing or muzzleloader deer hunting in the morning, decisions decisions.
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May I suggest ice fishing good sir?
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Son took a nice doe tonight on his youth tag. Got the rest of the week for muzzleloader hunting until the 2nd.

Then it will be fishing until the spring conservation season on snow geese when they migrate through.
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Hoping to chase some more fish tonight. My son and son in law did pretty well Sunday without me.

They like taking my equipment and electronics though, lol.
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Anyone else on the hard water fishing?
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Haven't ice fished in forever and never did well at it like your haul of perch. Nice job! Ever get pike/walleye/small- or largemouth bass?
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Grizzled wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 6:20 pm Haven't ice fished in forever and never did well at it like your haul of perch. Nice job! Ever get pike/walleye/small- or largemouth bass?
Pike, walleye, perch, crappie and blue gill are what we target depending on the day.

Bass tend to be a nuisance up here but are sure fun in the summer. Got a few lakes where 3-5 lb smallies are fairly common as everyone chases walleye and perch.
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I routinely go on hunting and fishing trips in Red Dead Redemption 2. Strongly recommend it.
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UOK wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2025 11:44 am I routinely go on hunting and fishing trips in Red Dead Redemption 2. Strongly recommend it.
Not to get off track, but I just started RDR2 again after not playing it for several years. I forget what an incredible game it is.
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wab wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2025 11:47 am
UOK wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2025 11:44 am I routinely go on hunting and fishing trips in Red Dead Redemption 2. Strongly recommend it.
Not to get off track, but I just started RDR2 again after not playing it for several years. I forget what an incredible game it is.
WTF? That's wild man, I literally just started RDR2 again myself after not playing it for several years - and I'm loving it. My wife rips me mercilessly for it, but whatever lol. I have a pretty stressful job and it helps me relax and forget about things for a while.
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dplank wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2025 1:37 pm
wab wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2025 11:47 am

Not to get off track, but I just started RDR2 again after not playing it for several years. I forget what an incredible game it is.
WTF? That's wild man, I literally just started RDR2 again myself after not playing it for several years - and I'm loving it. My wife rips me mercilessly for it, but whatever lol. I have a pretty stressful job and it helps me relax and forget about things for a while.
Don't think I've owned any sort of gaming system in about 20 years.
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Arkansasbear wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2025 3:39 pm
dplank wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2025 1:37 pm

WTF? That's wild man, I literally just started RDR2 again myself after not playing it for several years - and I'm loving it. My wife rips me mercilessly for it, but whatever lol. I have a pretty stressful job and it helps me relax and forget about things for a while.
Don't think I've owned any sort of gaming system in about 20 years.
I got the ps4 when the kids got the ps5. Rdr2, mlb the show 20 and madden are the only things on it.
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Put the smack down on some perch and walleye Sunday. Kept 5 walleye and 19 perch between me and my son.

We have little snow but pretty good ice this year, approaching 24”. The Milwaukee M18 1/2” Hammer drill hooked to an Eskimo 8” pistol bit just cuts ice like butter. That’s probably one of the biggest changes the last 5 years, the evolution of electric drills, augers and bits. Gas augers are few and far between anymore.

It’s amaizing going from a 40-50 lb gas auger to a 7.5-8.0 lb auger/drill combo the same diameter and being able to cut holes faster. My most holes are 63 in a day through just over 20” of ice. Two 8ah batteries and one 5 ah battery were used that day.
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Picked up a Canik 9mm tti combat series on a raffle, seems like a nice 9mm. Not as slick as my kimber 1911 customer LW 45 acp, but it will be a fun plinker.
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