jdmidwest

Ahh, but it was not that big of a deal back then. Dang ole law makers and activists. MADD was to drinkers like PETA is to outdoorsmen.

Looks like one of them lonely little kitties have munched on one of our 30k imported Elk. Caught in the moment by a game cam on the Peck Ranch area, poor little meandering Mountain Lion over a carcasss of a juvy elk. I wonder if the Elk release a pheremone that attracts the mountain lions? Has the MDC studied that? Not being one to cater to conspiracy theories, but I seem to see a pattern developing. Elk come to MO. Mountain Lions seem to appear out of nowhere on game cams and roadsides. Either the Elk release a scent that attract them here or MDC reintroduced them to control the Elk population. It is just a theory. I Am NOT Jumping to ConfuSIONS. http://rhtrav.com/wordpress/mountain-lion-confirmed-on-peck-ranch-feb-2/

The keg and the Gremlin was the survival gear back then. I think there was a 20 gauge and a box of shells in the back seat too.

I think the part that gets dull is fiberglass. I always just shoot a coat of paint on it to keep it from fuzzing up and getting glass in your hands.

I learned to drive with a beer in my hand and no seat belt. I have never wrecked. I found out early that a keg of beer in a tub fit perfectly in the back ot a 74 Gremlin and the hose would reach the front seat. You did need a copilot to pump it every once in a while. Trying to do that while driving was just too dangerous. If you learn to drive drunk and do it well, sober driving is a breeze.....

Al, I only attended 1 meeting in Cape when they were trying to drum up a chapter there. There was only 1 true member if I recall, the rest were just ones that showed up. I really don't know what happened to them but I see their signs posted on alot of local streams. I used to fish the 10 Mile near Poplar Bluff before and after the SMA. I saw a decline in the fishery at first due to it becoming more popular and have not fished it in about 5 years. I always considered it a hidden jewel that only a few locals knew about. The upper 11PT section actually improved with the goggle eye size limit but I did not see any change in the smallies. Both goggle eye and smallies numbers and size were down in 2011 on the upper 11PT. We fished it several times that year. The stretch from Cane Bluff to Greer was really disappointing that year. I started fishing the Jacks Fork after the SMA started and have only floated the lower sections of it a few times. I did not ever see any great numbers or sizes there either in the SMA or below to Current River. Years ago we fished the upper sections and always did well, but I have not been to them since the late 80's. As far as Big River, I always float above the SMA area, so I really can't tell much about that. I have only waded the Piney a few times and have never been on the Meramec. I really can't account for 2012, it was a low water year that I did not spend much time on the local rivers. Most of my fishing last summer was in TN and ARK. Personally, I have not kept a smallmouth bass out of any stream in for over 20 years. About all I keep is bluegill and a goggle eye now and then as far as warmwater goes.

When they came to town and tried to organize here locally, I was skeptical. Looked like a lot of meat fishers at the meeting with the exception of one out of stater. Everyone seemed to want to know where everyone was fishing. There is only one smallmouth organization that I am aware of. It goes back to the old theory on here, unknown stream in an unknown place. Too much info leads to more crowds and less fish. Most of my favorite streams have been posted with their banners in the past few years, but some have not. Fishing has seemed to decline in the area, but I could blame that on the drought too and other factors. One thing that has killed a few streams rather than help has been the SMA designation, hence only 12.3% fished them. They were prime streams years ago before they received state attention to protect them. Now, either some feel it is a waste of time if you can only keep 1 bass, or it is for trophy fishing only and numbers are not there that keeps them away. I have fished some of them and they don't seem to be as great as they once were. The other thing has been the tagged bounty bass on several streams. It led to many more fisherman trying to make a little cash and ended up with fewer than normal numbers in the stream after the fiasco was gone.

How much do the cabins rent for? I assume they have air and heat. Are they open all year?

Did the folks at the Mammoth Springs Canoe Rental sell that property? I camped there long ago before Sonny built his resort down river. The only downside to that place is the choo choo all night long.

They won't, if the law of supply and demand catches up soon. If the suppliers decide to get on it. like they did the last time, we will see higher prices.

I came within one year of going to a one room school about a mile from the farm. The year was 1968. It was an 8 year school, then you went to high school. We had a party line until 1990 something.

There is no empirical evidence that supports the theory that having "survival" gear increases your chance of living in a desperate situation. I was wonder what bodily oriface he pulled that one out of. That is a "statistic" without any support.

At least you might die happy. What good is the Club magazine if it is dark outside?

I have carried a 10-22 for as long as I have carried guns. It is good for any small game. And in a survival situation, capable of taking deer, turkey, waterfowl, assuming all game laws are suspended. I would choose a kayak and a river any day over sitting on a lake in a boat. It is what I use most of the time while I am fishing, and most of my fishing is done on a river. I chose a flyrod as it is the best all around for presenting a lure in front of a fish. You can fish on top, middle, and deep with the utmost of control. The fly part is kind of limited, one fly is hard to do, but I could narrow it down to ten if I had to. But I would need a fly tying kit and supplies to tye them. I love to fish for all species. But I seem to get the best numbers and enjoyment out of the panfish. Bluegills and google eyes deliver the best bang for the size and are abundant in most places.

Weapon is what anti gunners use to make them seem more ominious and scary. Sure, in professional protection and the military, they are weapons. But everywhere else they are guns. I hunt with a gun. I carry a gun for personal defense.

Local gunshow this weekend drew a large crowd. More guns than I have ever seen in a while at this show. Many AR, Uzi, Galil, AK 47, and even a couple H&K's. Plenty of ammo. Downside, most guns were double the price they were at the last show which took place the weekend of Sandy Hook. Olympic Arms basic 20" AR $1650. DPMS Oracle $1295. The Oracle sold for $625 at the last show. 22lr Blazer bricks $60. Winchester 555 bulk packs $75. 9mm Blazer Brass $31.50 for 50. It was really stupid. I was pretty disgusted with the mess of people that have been drying up the ammo supply just trying to make a quick buck. And all the noobies wandering around talking about it being the first gunshow they had ever been too. Dang O Voters looking for the gunshow loopholes. It was enough to make me sick. I went out and bought me a nice new Android tablet instead. I will buy guns when they come back to earth.

I think I would buy my own canoe and a cheap igloo cooler.... They want a fortune for those Yeti's. Gavin has a good point, 2 coolers. Beverage coolers get opened alot and food only once or twice a day.

I live about 20 ft underground in a hardened concrete bunker, got that one covered too.

The under prepared are fodder for helicopters and search parties. The well prepared stand a better chance. The kit in the bottle cost less than a 12 pack of beer, I think it is money well spent.

There is a magnesium bar on each of the orange whistles for sparks and cotton balls for tinder. Large kits have a bar of wax sawdust fire starter in them. But a match or lighter goes quicker. As far as snacks and food, those are in the pocket on a walk anyway along with a bottle of water. In a survival situation, food is the last thing you really need. Keeping dry and comfortable, hydrated and safe, and have some type of signal device are further up on the list. The space blankets double as a tarp for a shelter, the paracord is multistranded to rig the shelter with. One thing I am looking for is a good cheap source ot the clotting powder. Most I have found have been pretty expensive. But it would be handy in the first aid kit to stem bleeding from a deep cut or gunshot.

While I carry electronics like a gps, I don't want them as my sole means of navigation. Cell phone usually stays in truck unless I know there is service. Most areas I roam do not have cell service as of yet, so it is just dead weight.

I have this allergy to horses, that is why I toss in a few sinus tabs.... I would prefer to cut a shelter out of pine or other branches and hunker down against a nice warm fire.

Really it could happen to anyone. I got turned around on a piece of property that joins ours this year. Between the storm damage and timber cutting, all the old landmarks were gone and I lost my bearings for a while. There was a day at Duck Creek in the wade and shoot swamp. I was carrying a gps. I had a compass for a backup. It came in a dense snow storm and my gps could not get a signal in the timber. I had to rely on the compass to get me out. If I had not had a backup, I could have wondered around for a while. But, I have never been lost, knock on wood. It is not really about being lost. What if you turn an ankle or break down in the wilderness. Slip and fall and break a leg while wading around in your new PC waders. How would you survive? If you were stuck on a cold wet night in the middle of nowhere for an overnight stay.

I do have a few in reserve. If I need more, I will just overrun my neighbor and use his.....

After the event a few weeks ago, it got me to thinking about my prepardness. On a stormy Tues night, I pulled together all of my little survival packs and made a new one. I replaced the old expired stuff in the others. The first contains matches, whistle, mirror, compass, tinder, and 2' of paracord. It will fit in a pocket and cover most important needs. The second is a stainless steel drink bottle I filled with the following. 20' braided paracord, firestarter, survival blanket, compass, 2' foil, led flashlight, sport wrap tape, asst bandage, aspirin, whistle, 22lr ammo, eyeglass repair kit, suture kit, box of strike anywhere matches, and a container to collect and boil water. It is pretty indestructable, watertight, and has a carabiner clip. Could attach to boat, throw in a pack. Will stay in truck. The third is the standard first aid kit that stays in the truck with the fire extinguisher, hatchet, and small shovel. The fourth is a wallet size kit I keep in my fishing vest, my tackle pack, my duck pack, and my hunting pack, I have 5 of them made. Assort bandages, needle and thread, aspirin, sinus pills, antacid, matches, compass, tweezers, burn ointment, sting releif, splinter out, antiseptic wipes. They take up very little space but come in handy all of the time. One is usually with me each time outdoors. There are 2 others that are about the same size but thicker that I will toss in my pocket when I go on a hike. They have the above along with a led flash light, tinder, box of matches and lighter, space blanket, and misc other stuff. One thing I did find out when going thru my stuff and checking, my waterproof matches did not want to light. Heat had melted the wax coating or something and rendered them useless. I tossed them and replaced them with the strike anywhere matches I found at a local farm store. I always carry a Leatherman Blast, Leatherman LED flashlight, and 2 knives. The Blast has a nice little saw that will help form a shelter if I need it.