So today I heard that there was this game called “hockey” that looks like a chaotic and random version of soccer. Apparently it matters to Canadians and some scattered pockets of people in Russia and the Northeastern US. I thought I’d see if I can figure out what all the fuss was about. During the pre-game the announcer declared this the, “… most important game ever.” Wow, now I’m interested. Apparently the Canadians have a guy named Crosby who is good. The Americans have a goalie who is good. I’ll be watching them.

So after watching the first of three halves (?!?) I decided that it was impossible to find this Crosby guy (or any other non-goalie) because people are randomly entering and leaving the game constantly. I’m pretty sure each player was 6 foot tall, 195 lbs, and white anyway. Goals seem to be mostly a collection of good timing and random luck. Occasionally a shot will result in a rebound and occasionally that rebound will bounce to the right part of the scrum in front of the goal. That rebound occasionally finds its way past the goalie when someone in the scrum hits it, kicks it, or accidentally redirects it. Usually you can’t see what actually happened until the slow motion replay.

I got bored and went outside to shoot my bow. If the Canadians care about hockey I’m happy to let them have it.

Apparently DU sponsored a contest for amateur hunting videographers. They have narrowed it down to the best 9 and if you have a few minutes you should watch the finalists and vote for a champion. To me there were several well edited and/or narrated videos that didn’t capture much in the way of actual carnage. Maybe that’s not important to many people, but it is to me. One video was not only well made but also was shot by a guy or group of guys who are real killers. It was dramatically better than the others to me. Anyone care to guess which one I picked?

You can watch them and vote here.

A very cool thread about an Iowa buck that got away, here.

Our weekend hunt was mostly weathered out but we did get out for a few hours Saturday in the rain/sleet/snow. The dogs and I covered quite a bit of ground and I saw sign everywhere I went:



Then the rain/sleet/snow turned into ice and it was time to watch basketball by the fire:

I did see some snows and blues roosting and feeding in the area. The conservation order started last week so maybe a good sky carp hunt is in order next weekend…

I haven’t looked for a shed yet this year because it seems like only a few hours go by between snow storms. I’ve also had an eye on this weekend when our friends from Arkansas are coming up to look for them with us. I’ve been itching to look for the sheds of the monster I saw several times but couldn’t close the deal on… Of course it’s supposed to snow tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday… ugh…

Anyway, I’m out of here. Hopefully I’ll be back Sunday with some nice pictures of bone…

Until then you can read an interesting article about shed poaching here.

Will this story ever end? If you remember, after great consternation (including a protester holding a deer head he bought at a butcher shop) the park commission agreed to allow cops to shoot a whole bunch of deer within the boundaries of Shawnee Mission Park in an attempt to reduce the population from 200 per square mile to around 50. They got it down to around 75 before the archers got a chance* at them towards the end of December. Unfortunately the archers were relatively ineffective.

* The process for selecting the archers led me to believe that a pre-determined group of hunters was expected to be given the opportunity. After the final class was closed we were informed that the otherwise unnecessary bowhunter’s education course would be required regardless of experience, age, proximity, or anything else. Since Kansas does not require the class basically no one has taken it. One can only guess why they didn’t inform us during the late summer and early fall of this requirement…

So the deer head guy and his friends are back and hoping that the parks commission will install a plan to catch the deer and give them some form of birth control. No problem except for that whole $400-2000 per animal price tag. Oh, and the Department of Wildlife won’t approve the plan.

Unfortunately the precedent has been set that archery can’t handle the job even though it was not given a fair chance so I suspect we’ll see the police “sharpshooters” again next fall. I’ll keep you informed if I hear any different.

I got an email today from the Kentucky Department Fish and Wildlife with a nice little press release letting us know that Terrell Royalty has killed a new state record elk measuring 372 6/8ths B&C non-typical. It also reminds us that you must apply for the Kentucky elk draw by April 30th. I’ve applied each of the last two years but alas, no luck. I encourage you to try as well. It costs only $10.00 and is very simple.

Here’s the press release.

Sunday will be a sad day for me. Just like September 1st brings excitement for the adventures to come over the next several months, February 15th brings an end to another season and a few weeks of moderate depression. This evening I took several guns apart and cleaned them, a sad ritual. But I decided to make the best of it so I took some pictures to see if I could make an educational blog post…

First, we start with a dirty but otherwise healthy Browning BPS:

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I have no control over the Skinny Moose part of my blogroll. The powers that be at SM simply decide who makes the cut and who doesn’t. Yesterday they told us we would be getting a new member, Backcountry USA. He’s a marine, a hunter, trapper, and general outdoorsman. I like the start, hopefully he’ll enjoy blogging and bring us some good stuff.

I suggest that everyone head over and welcome him, then check back regularly to see what all he’s got to tell us.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has apparently decided that the only option available to stop the spread of pneumonia among wild sheep is to kill off the entire infected herd of roughly 80 animals. Tough blow to the sheep, but it will really be a tough blow if it doesn’t work. The sheep will not be killed by hunters. The story from the Yakima Herald here.