jdmidwest

ONSR is a frickin park, you expect to see people there. It's like going to Montauk expecting to experience a Limestone Spring Branch experience. I don't go there to get away, I go there for gatherings. I really never get excited about "getting away" when I plan a trip to the ONSR. Fishing sucks during the summer, crowds keep the fish skeered. Current River is better below the ONSR on the Current and less crowded with floaters. Upper Jacks is great too, most liveries will not launch boats up there because of low flows, but you can still do private floats. If I want getaway fishing trip, I will go 11PT or some other remote stream. It is a public park that does not need more restrictions. Unless they want to return it to a wilderness, restrict all access, limit the amount of people on it, and tear out all of the improvements, then just leave it alone. If they do restrict it, then all of the boneheads you all are bitchin about will overflow into the nice streams. Quit wasting my tax dollars pondering what to do.

Most of the rivers I access here in MO are off 2 track gravel roads, Castor, St Francois, Black, Little Black, etc. They are not overly developed and publicized like a NPS river.

For a short while, then the birds got wise.

I try to avoid field dumps whenever possible. That is what I am doing at the gas station while others are loading up on junk food.

It is my understanding that AWD is the best traction alternative, all wheels pulling the same. Unless they have a limited slip differential. Most 4WD still have a limited slip differential in the rear unless they are positrac. My 4 Runner will turn all 4 at the same time, a very positive traction control. Alot of 4WD trucks have to spin a tire before the other picks up the slack on an axle in the rear.

I have always preferred rivers with 2 track trails to it instead of pavement and boat ramps. They seem to be more private and lesser traveled.

Don't sit around eating breakfast then come boating down a lane right at shooting hours at a public place ruining other hunting. This one is a pet peeve of mine. I know of a couple of public areas where there is a little restaurant just outside of the reserve. They draw the pill, then go stuff their gut till daylight. Get in a big noisy boat and go running down the lanes to their blind at daylight scaring everything off that has just gotten settled in. Then they leave about an hour or so later.

Most of the time there is lots of time between birds. Most locations are a 2 hour drive for me, so I usually don't get hunger pains till shooting time. I have always packed a stove and coffee pot. Just a little more for a skillet, ladle, etc. My buddies son packed it a quarter mile last season for a hot breakfast at Otter Slough in the snow. Gave us energy to keep waterhole open that day.

Making it a Wilderness Area is a great idea. But who controls it? And who can use it? It has been over commercialized in past years, it would be hard to return it to what it was when the indians and schoolcraft used it. Big timber is gone. Too many people on the river.

Was sitting in the blind yesterday munching on some duck jerky I whipped up Friday night before I left out and was wondering what everyone does for duck blind food. Even with all of the exercise we have chasing cripples, we seem to put on a little weight during the season. We hunt a variety of places during the season ranging from temporary blinds, boats, and permanent blinds. I usually keep a cookset in the truck with a single burner stove, paper plates, utensils, coffee pot, and spices. I toss it in the boat and carry it to a blind from time to time. We have even packed it into a field temporary blind on occaision. A hot meal really helps on a cold damp day. Pre cooked sausage links and scrambled eggs have been good breakfast food this season. Or bacon and eggs. For lunch, I have done red beans and rice with sausage that I precooked at home, heated chili, or fried venison steaks. For a cold lunch, we have the Bumble Bee prepared tuna salad and crackers, Jalapeno Vienna Sausage, Spam and Crackers, or lunch meat sandwiches. Snacks have been the Jerky or Summer Sausage of some outdoor critter, dried pineapple, pretzels, trail mix, etc.

Thanks from all of us innocent civilians that appreciate what the military does to keep us safe and secure. While many in my family have served, I chose college instead. Looking back, I really wish that I would have taken that Navy recruiter up on his offer back in HS.

Personally, I could do with out the jet boats on the river anywhere above 2 Rivers. Jacks Fork is usually too low to run them on there anyway and have not really seen any on there during the summer. Current River would be better without them and safer for the floaters in that area without them. I don't really want to see more horses and trails, their little hooves do alot of damage and the manure leaves the pristine country looking like a barnyard. And then there are the flies that always seem to ruin the camping around the stable areas. Closing accesses to launch is the interesting one, they really don't say what will go. Williams is one I wonder about. All of the upper river accesses give you choices based on how you want to float and for how long. Less access would lead to less choice. And that illustrious representative is the Federal Government, working to protect the state he represents. Maybe let the state take over and run the land within its border.

I hear catch and release season is open at Meramec Springs.

Duck Dynasty quit being about ducks when they hit the big time TV. Nothing like the actual hunting videos.

Thats what I am afraid of. Too early to start freezing stuff up around here. We don't need any skim ice till Thanksgiving weekend at the early point.

They managed to keep people off the river for a few days last month. Maybe nightly runs up the river to write tickets on the bars. Group camping usually leads to trash and unsightly riverbanks. The nature groups are seeking to make it more natural, like it was before man invaded it.

In light of the recent shutdown of the ONSR system because of the Federal Government, along comes more possible restrictions. Shutting down accesses. Limiting camping to organized campgrounds and eliminating gravel bar camping. Roads removed and replaced with hiking trails. http://www.stltoday.com/news/state-and-regional/missouri/plan-calls-for-new-mo-riverways-restrictions/article_defdfb7a-cafa-55c8-a1f8-19844c83da46.html I have a proposal, let the State of Missouri take back the land and kick the Feds out of it. I honestly believe that the MDC could do a better job. I am glad to see their major purchases of land parcels along the 2 rivers over the past years. Could be be lucky enough to get a "No Action" vote and keep things the same?

If you are fishing for other species, keep 3 fish on the stringer. Release till you are done fishing and keep your 4th. Same rule applies in the trout parks during put and take season, once you string up the 4th fish, you are done for the day by the rules. You can not keep fishing and releasing, you have to quit after you reach your daily limit.

It is the aggravation of fishing a perfectly matching hatch imitation during a good feeding frenzy and watching them run up then snub it. Moments later, they take a cigarette butt floating down.

Nice. I would like to get in a bunch of them.

I just dropped 6 sliced breasts in some marinade to make some duck jerky for the blind this weekend.

So what was the mills demise?

I took the drive back from Montauk on Monday a little early to enjoy the colors, winding back thru Bunker and Lesterville. Hickory and sumac was good, the oaks were not much. I was a little early. Later in the week here and a little rain really brought out the color. My pin oaks actually have some color now. Hard rain and some windy hail brought down a lot of leaves last night.

This one is a hard one. I love a good airshow. The Angels came to town a few years ago and you could not keep me away from the airport. I sit down there on the practice sessions and attended the show both days. Plenty of warbirds and of course the awesome raw power of the F18.

Almost a copper john.