Outdoor Thread

[gutshot]

Like wrekkr said, a 12 gauge is best, but in my experience, a 20 ga. can be deadly out to around 25-30 yards with the right choke tube. It all depends on what kind of pattern your gun holds with certain shot sizes.

I shoot a Browning Pump 12 with a Comp-N-Choke and 3 1/2 Winchester Supreme #6 shot. I have whacked turkeys at distances that I probably shouldn't even shot before...my farthest being 53 yards. #4 shot doesn't hold a pattern worth a crap in my setup, and 2s, and BBs aren't legal to turkey hunt with in Arkansas.

Now that being said, my pattern is so compact, I have trouble with them within 25 yards. I have wounded a couple at that distance because I'm practically shooting a slug at them. You can easily miss with the bulk of the pattern and only get a few stray pellets in them. I knocked one down that completely got away about 5 years ago, and I've had 3 others that I had to shoot again on the run or fly to finish off.

The best thing to do is get a couple of big carboard boxes or a pieces of freezer paper and shoot a couple of different shell sizes out of it, preferably with a full or extra full choke. See which shot size holds the tightest pattern, aim for the skinniest part of their neck, and give em hell. Good luck!

[Clams]

Costa Rica. December 2012. Tight lines, good times.

[gutshot]

Awesome pictures, Clams.

[wrekkr]

made a trip to the shakk . . . last year I was picking morels at this time, right now the front yard still has snow on it
But the trip yeilded some good outdoor adventures.
The trout were biting

and Jennifer found a really really solid shed, can't wait to get an eye on this guy this fall!

[Iowan]

Wrekkr, that looks like the Driftless. Is it?

EDIT: I dug back through the thread and saw it was. Between you, me, and 'Scratch, there's a lot of Driftless afficianados on this board. I live on the west edge of the Iowa Driftless. Used to spend about 2 weekends a year at at a rustic lean-to trailer drug out on a plot of land near Harper's Ferry (between Prairie and Waukon sorta). One of the best kept secrets out there.

How you feelin' about the morel crop? I've heard some guys nervous about how cold the spring has been around here. I assume you aren't looking at any warmer.

[wrekkr]

Wrekkr, that looks like the Driftless. Is it?

EDIT: I dug back through the thread and saw it was. Between you, me, and 'Scratch, there's a lot of Driftless afficianados on this board. I live on the west edge of the Iowa Driftless. Used to spend about 2 weekends a year at at a rustic lean-to trailer drug out on a plot of land near Harper's Ferry (between Prairie and Waukon sorta). One of the best kept secrets out there.

How you feelin' about the morel crop? I've heard some guys nervous about how cold the spring has been around here. I assume you aren't looking at any warmer.

Yep, I am a born and bread driftless area hillneck. The shakk is a few miles from where the east and west fork of the Kickapoo River meet. In the heart of Organic Valley operations. Stellar trout fishing if you can get to areas that don't have direct access to the public, even so there are a few spots of public accessible streams that can produce. I have a 30" 12lb brown on the wall I landed from a place accessible fto the public. I primarily fish the stream that runs through the property, which the land is privately owned on both sides. I don't have to combat fish and neither of my neighbors really even fish it.

It is going to have to get warm really fast over the next couple weeks for morels. If it does there should be plenty of moisture for a good year, otherwise *plop*. A few years ago the winter hung on like this and it sucked.

[Iowan]

Wrekkr, that looks like the Driftless. Is it?

EDIT: I dug back through the thread and saw it was. Between you, me, and 'Scratch, there's a lot of Driftless afficianados on this board. I live on the west edge of the Iowa Driftless. Used to spend about 2 weekends a year at at a rustic lean-to trailer drug out on a plot of land near Harper's Ferry (between Prairie and Waukon sorta). One of the best kept secrets out there.

How you feelin' about the morel crop? I've heard some guys nervous about how cold the spring has been around here. I assume you aren't looking at any warmer.

Yep, I am a born and bread driftless area hillneck. The shakk is a few miles from where the east and west fork of the Kickapoo River meet. In the heart of Organic Valley operations. Stellar trout fishing if you can get to areas that don't have direct access to the public, even so there are a few spots of public accessible streams that can produce. I have a 30" 12lb brown on the wall I landed from a place accessible fto the public. I primarily fish the stream that runs through the property, which the land is privately owned on both sides. I don't have to combat fish and neither of my neighbors really even fish it.

It is going to have to get warm really fast over the next couple weeks for morels. If it does there should be plenty of moisture for a good year, otherwise *plop*. A few years ago the winter hung on like this and it sucked.

That sounds like a great spot for your shakk. I've heard a lot of good things about floating on the Kickapoo. That's the stream through Gay's Mills, right? Mrs. Iowan makes routine trips over there throughout the summer for apples.

We definitely have the moisture for morels over here, but we're a million miles in terms of heat units. If they do pop, a buddy of mine has a good spot between Lansing & Waukon IA. They got tons of 'em last year.

[wrekkr]

Gays mills area harvests a lot of apples. The Kickapoo runs through there, but the most popular place to canoe is further north from Wildcat Mountain to Rockton.

[LBRod]

30" 12lb brown

[bovine knievel]

Ide Adobe State Park

['Scratch]

Wrekkr, that looks like the Driftless. Is it?

EDIT: I dug back through the thread and saw it was. Between you, me, and 'Scratch, there's a lot of Driftless afficianados on this board. I live on the west edge of the Iowa Driftless. Used to spend about 2 weekends a year at at a rustic lean-to trailer drug out on a plot of land near Harper's Ferry (between Prairie and Waukon sorta). One of the best kept secrets out there.

How you feelin' about the morel crop? I've heard some guys nervous about how cold the spring has been around here. I assume you aren't looking at any warmer.

We're hoping that all the snow and cold holds them off until we visit NE IA in a few weeks. My wife found about a gallon of small morels here in Jersey on Friday, but we've had a much milder spring.

I was wondering of the cold would push some hatches back too. I usually fish with soft hackles and hare's ears but it would be nice to be able to match an actual hatch or two.

Clams - I just saw those Costa Rica shots, NICE ROOSTERFISH!

[Smitty]

Been getting the crawfish traps and frog gigs ready. Won't be long.

[Iowan]

Wrekkr, that looks like the Driftless. Is it?

EDIT: I dug back through the thread and saw it was. Between you, me, and 'Scratch, there's a lot of Driftless afficianados on this board. I live on the west edge of the Iowa Driftless. Used to spend about 2 weekends a year at at a rustic lean-to trailer drug out on a plot of land near Harper's Ferry (between Prairie and Waukon sorta). One of the best kept secrets out there.

How you feelin' about the morel crop? I've heard some guys nervous about how cold the spring has been around here. I assume you aren't looking at any warmer.

We're hoping that all the snow and cold holds them off until we visit NE IA in a few weeks. My wife found about a gallon of small morels here in Jersey on Friday, but we've had a much milder spring.

I was wondering of the cold would push some hatches back too. I usually fish with soft hackles and hare's ears but it would be nice to be able to match an actual hatch or two.

Clams - I just saw those Costa Rica shots, NICE ROOSTERFISH!

Its damn nice today, but the forecast for the week is 50's and rain. If we get some heat soon, the moisture is primed for those babies to grow.

[Iowan]

Took a hike up the Coldwater Creek valley to the mouth of Coldwater Cave, outside of Kendallville IA. Beautiful hike on a beautiful day. I bet Scratch has fished these waters before.


View of the Coldwater Valley

f
From the mouth of the cave, looking west


Cliff above the cave entrance


Mouth of the cave. The first guys to enter had to put on scuba gear, dive down through this water hole, and swim through an underwater tunnel before popping up into the cave chamber.

['Scratch]

I haven't been there yet, but it looks like an awesome place to check out. Thanks bud!

[Iowan]

I haven't been there yet, but it looks like an awesome place to check out. Thanks bud!

Its on Coldwater Creek Rd, between Kendallville and Bluffton. Probably 10 minutes from your in-laws.

[Smitty]

Anyone here go frog giggin/catching? I broke out the canoe and went this past weekend but only got a half dozen before my partner saw a snake and got freaked out (he was a froggin virgin) but I'm going again this weekend and I'll make sure to get some pics...
BTW, has anyone ever cooked/ate the entire body (minus head)? We've always stuck strictly to the legs, but looking at recipes online I see most of them call for the entire frog.

[gutshot]

Anyone here go frog giggin/catching? I broke out the canoe and went this past weekend but only got a half dozen before my partner saw a snake and got freaked out (he was a froggin virgin) but I'm going again this weekend and I'll make sure to get some pics...
BTW, has anyone ever cooked/ate the entire body (minus head)? We've always stuck strictly to the legs, but looking at recipes online I see most of them call for the entire frog.

It's been a couple of years, but I used to go alot. The frog population around here just ain't what it used to be, and having a house full of kids makes it harder to stay out all night chasing them. I've never cooked anything other than the legs, though. It would usually take us a month or so to build up enough frogs (and usually a rattlesnake or two) to have a good cookin'.

[bovine knievel]

Mendocino Headlands

[DiamondDave]

Recent trip to one of my favorite places on earth....Witchita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.....



Quanah Parker Lake


Collared Lizard




Free ranging buffalo


Commanche territory

[bovine knievel]

^^^^
Looks amazing, DD

[Iowan]

Mendocino Headlands

Is that the same as your beer pic? Looks incredible.

[bovine knievel]

Mendocino Headlands

Is that the same as your beer pic? Looks incredible.

It is the same spot. I can sit there for hours and stare at the ocean.

[Iowan]

Sweet pics Dave! More proof that there is more to flyover country than some think.

[UTHeathen]

My brother is getting ready to build on his lot in Idaho, which is about 5 miles as the crow flies from Yellowstone National Park. On a hike not far from his property last week he found this track. Hiking in Grizzly country adds a whole different level of excitement.

[Cole Younger]

Costa Rica. December 2012. Tight lines, good times.

Looks like big fun man. My first wife was from CR. She had lived in GA for years but most of family still lived down there. The worst thing about our getting divorced was that it happened before I got to go fishing down there.

[Cole Younger]

Anyone here go frog giggin/catching? I broke out the canoe and went this past weekend but only got a half dozen before my partner saw a snake and got freaked out (he was a froggin virgin) but I'm going again this weekend and I'll make sure to get some pics...
BTW, has anyone ever cooked/ate the entire body (minus head)? We've always stuck strictly to the legs, but looking at recipes online I see most of them call for the entire frog.

Yes sir. Gator hunting too. Never eaten the whole thing before. The legs are about all I'm going after. Frogs that is. With gators it's the tail of course.

[Clams]

Spent some time on the Lackawaxen River in Hawley, PA last weekend after dropping my daughter off at camp. Did some swimming and climbing and caught some trout and also some smallies and rock bass.

[bovine knievel]

^^^^^^
JR is a triple threat! Guitar slinger, fisherman extraordinaire, and he has his Mother's good looks.

[bovine knievel]