TOPIC: opening day...

Speaking of elk, they introduced them here on several wildlife management, and national park areas(Cades Cove) , also up in cherokee, nc quite a few years ago. They actually have a lotto draw elk hunt around here you can apply for, but only a few are chosen I believe. The elk have really adapted quite well around here. I usually see whole herds of them when I go up to cherokee. Some big bull elk in there too.

44 you better draw a elk permit ,you could make it a elk ,seng hunt combo ..lol both hunts should take place at the same time of year.....going to town and grab me a 12 of beer got crappie thawing in the sink..going to have a good supper tonight......

Chief...

I made my first bow kill (5 pointer) in 1977... I was 15 years old.

Compound bows had really just come out (a few years earlier)... and I had a Bear Polar II when I killed that first deer. I killed several with that old Bear bow.
I eventually changed to a Martin, then to Hoyt... and then to PSE.

In 1984 a PSE regional sales rep asked me to be pro shop sponsored (shooting archery tournaments) and I did that for 4 years... in 1988 High Country sent one of their Big Shooters down to TN to scout out someone to sign up with them to be a National Staff Shooter.. and after participating in several local tournaments, he picked me. I signed up with them in 1988 and stayed until 1992.

I got married in 1990 and well... you know how that is, other things become more important. By 1992 I was ready to let go of the archery thing, and do more family stuff.
It was sure fun while it lasted. We traveled all over shoooting... the IBO tripple crown, South Eastern Sectionals.

Like you my taste for venison waned over they years too... I still like it, but it sure does not compare to wild turkey or bass or crappie fillets.

Man it has been a beautiful sunny day here today. Spring is springing...

Still waiting on the river to calm down from all the rain.. can't wait to get some fishing done.

TNHunter

I started with a old ben pearson recurve ,in 1974 by the 76 season I had upgraded to a martin compound,it had 4 wheels,but it felt like a new cadillac compared to the old ben pearson.. I think the old martin had 20% let off..lol...by the 90's everything changed here when they started leasing out the ground to out of state hunters..bowhunting became less fun and a lot more
competitive..yea the river is bank full here..going to get warm though by Thursday 65 degrees but 50 to 60 mph wind too

Here's a PIC of some good middle TN bass... caught from a small local river - fishing from my kayak.

That big one was 4 lbs, 6 oz.


I had one pack of smallmouth filets and 3 whole black perch in the freezer.. having them for supper tonight.

Looks like it may rain again and mess up the river for this weekend.

TNHunter

Nice hog TN, The river is just getting about right here for fishing. Hope to get the boat out next week as well if I can put the gold pan down long enough..lol. I know what you mean about the rain. We'll get a couple days break, and then boom more rain. According to the weather next week should be real nice all week! crossing my fingers.

Hey Wild...

Unfortunately I have to work M-F next week.... as I do most weeks.

4.5 years until RETIREMENT.... looking forward to that. Been working at this same job since June 1988... and worked at a different place 4 years before that... I think that is something like 35 years working. Long enough...

When I retire I am going to work at Fishing, Hunting Turkeys, Ginseng, Growing good stuff to eat (Gardening)...

As it turned out it did not rain much yesterday (at my house anyway).. just a little, and no rain today, has been sunny all day, and showing 57 degrees now on my back porch.

Looks like the low tonight is going to be around 40 degrees...

Trying to talk myself into going fishing tomorrow morning. I may just have to do that. May get a little cold, but might just catch a few if the river is not too messy.

We'll see.

TNHunter

Well I did go this Saturday morning 3/16/2019.

It got quite a bit colder than I thought... the first hour or so, my line guides were freezing up with water turning to ice and making my line hard to reel in.

I had to keep dipping my pole in the water to thaw them out.

My hands got bad cold and red... you know when they get so cold you can't make them do what you want (could not hardly crank my reel)...

but I did manage to get two decent smallies to bite.

The river was still up some and running too fast... so I was happy to catch these two.

They will make a nice supper for two.

TNHunter

nice fish TN.well I had some wind damage the other day..looks like I lost two huge ancient oak trees.they were both over 3 foot through at the but...sure hated to lose them...

Hate you lost those nice trees chief, better than the roof though I guess. Glad you got out there today TN. You've got quite the honey hole for those bass. Good looking fish.