Is that what I think it is in my fire ring?

I had pitched the tent, set up camp, and collected a significant amount of firewood before I took my first little scouting hike for the evening.  It was a brisk Autumn day and I had seen deer in this part of the property before and thought I would build a blind or hang a stand to hunt out of tomorrow. I felt a little rushed, this was only day 1 of a 5 day excursion I had planned and I would need to be back at camp in time to start the fire, cook dinner, and prepare for tomorrow. After finding the spot I liked ( I still hunt from the same tree to today) I leisurely strolled back to camp only to find Items missing (food, axe, etc.) and human scat in my fire ring. I can't prove it, but I believe it to be some anti-hunters who own adjacent property. They know where I camp since they had walked up on me during an earlier hunt and told me in no uncertain terms that I should leave and if anything happened to their precious horses that I would be to blame. I never left and this is the only time my camp was vandalized and it has been years now but I still feel uneasy.  If a woman could do that to my fire pit, what would she do to me?  I wondered if anyone else has had a similar incident and if there is any rational reason for pooping in a man's fire pit besides being a crazed lunatic ( I don't think it is ancient Cherokee custom). Just a thought before heading back into the wilderness where it seems that just like in the city, man's greatest danger comes from man. I wished I had thought to take a picture that day. Poop in the fire pit is a lot like Big Foot, you never have a camera when you need one.

I'm subscribing to a Wesleyan way of conservation

I believe that John Wesley ( the founder of the Methodist Church) had the right idea as to how to live life. He had Three simple rules to live by. I think they transfer nicely to not only daily life but also wildlife management. Lets take them one at a time.

1. DO NO HARM: Every action you take either as a management agency or a hunter should be determined by first making sure this action does no harm. If you are going to take actions to help a species like introducing a non-native species to a ecosystem, you should determine first that it does not harm others.
2. DO GOOD: The only mind set that should determine the course of human stewardship should be one bound by only doing good. Politics should not play a role in conservation nor should feelings. For instance favoring one species over the health of the ecosystem based on the wants of a constituent or because it is cuter than another. All decisions should be made to improve the environment that man lives in. Everyone who is interested in the outdoors should also volunteer their time and money to projects that do good. Like any good charity, the outdoors is a worthy cause. Maybe shooting does to balance the herd is a good thing to do even if you only want to take trophies.
3. STAY IN LOVE WITH GOD: Read God as nature. If we all got up everyday and had an attitude of putting a priority on the outdoors we would see a difference quickly. When you actively love something everyday you tend to act in its best interest.

I love the outdoors, it provides me with everything I need. Every time I shoot a deer, I thank God for his creation which not only nourishes my body but also my soul. If all people placed importance on the outdoors instead of just hunters (for the most part at least monetarily) we would be further along the trail of successful conservation and stewardship. If the anti-hunting crowd spent half the time on conservation and preservation as they do trying to stop hunting, they could probably make a real difference.

May Be A New Record! Is it more important than any other deer?

Check out this article about a guy who may of killed the new non-typical record white-tail buck. Then read this post by Rick at Whitetail Woods, which describes a crazed anti-hunter not letting a man retrieve his deer from her property. I wonder what would have been the outcome if the deer in her backyard was a 32 point world record. I hate to say it, but even though I place equal importance on any deer I kill since I eat them, I would say that the hunter would have retrieved that deer if it had been the monster killed last week up north. Just a thought. Here is the staple of my diet......she doesn't have horns, but I would have gotten her off that crazy woman's property.

A squirrel in a tree is better than two in the bush?

It was a horribly foggy morning when Big Papaw, The Boy, and myself made our way to Cove Creek wildlife Management area for some early fall squirrel hunting. We split up as we left the truck. Partly because it is easier to be quiet in smaller numbers and partly because of Big Papaws emphysema. So Big Papaw sat near the truck under some hickory trees and the boy and I traipsed off down a freshly cut logging road. We didn't go far till we reached the recently logged area and I knew we should probable go else where since all this disturbance surely ran the squirrels off. I took this opportunity to use the bathroom. That is when the boy (who is six) said calmly "Hey there goes a squirrel over that log." By the time I zipped and grabbed the Marlin 22 mag the squirrel was gone. Well I was really teaching the little fellow how to hunt wasn't I.

After some enjoyable sneaking around in the woods we found a nice log to sit on and the boy commenced to eating his snack (a cereal bar) and my snack (a granola bar). While drinking water and discussing why we couldn't just put a hickory nut out on the ground and wait for a squirrel to come get it and then get him, Big Papaw came over the 2-way radio." Hey......... I have one in a hollow tree up here................why don't you come back here." We said yes and made tracks.

We arrived and Big Papaw explained how he was watching a doe when he saw a squirrel running around and proceeded to shoot at it only to wound it and watch it run into a hollow tree. I had voiced a concern as to the validity of the squirrel being in such a small hollow tree so Big Papaw picked up a stick and stuck it up in the tree and we all heard the "CHUCHECK, CHUCHECK" sound of a pissed and wounded squirrel. "I hate to leave a wounded animal and by the length of the stick he is probably about right here" he said pointing at a spot on the tree. "Do you think you could shoot through the tree with that magnum". I said " sure I even brought some solid points. I took a few steps back and shot the tree. The squirrel rolled out the hole at the base of the tree shot through the head and shoulder. If you don't believe me enlarge that photo and see for yourself. While you are looking at the photo take note of the smiles on our faces over one little squirrel. That is what I love about the outdoors, It is always an adventure.