Welcome Back

[D_Wood]

How about a fresh pot of coffee, or a glass of nice iced tea? The other thread was getting long, and since the site took a break, well I thought we could start anew.

How was your weekend? Have you done anything as a family recently? I took a day off last week while my son was on Spring Break. Visited a mall, went shopping, had lunch, nothing real special. But it was special to my boy, and to my wife because it is not a normal thing I do. I did it for them.

Saturday I went to the the shooting range and shot some sporting clays with some friends. My wife and son came along to watch. They both loved it, and enjoyed being a part of my outdoor activity.

All too often we get wrapped up in our own wants, and sometimes unintentionally neglect our loved ones. I found it quite refreshing to get the family outdoors and away from the TV, and just have fun.

-Dan-

[db]

Saturday I went to the the shooting range and shot some sporting clays with some friends. My wife and son came along to watch. They both loved it, and enjoyed being a part of my outdoor activity.

If you were to try that up here on Sat., those clay pigeons would have come out shivering! But, you are in a southern state! Are your flowers coming up yet?

Hey! We have a bumpersticker up here that reads: "hunt with your kids, not for them". It is important to include our kids (and spouses) in our activities, as it is important for us to include ourselves in theirs as well.

My oldest is starting college in the fall. they grow up too fast! Unfortunately, she chose Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Major dissapointment considering I am a Centeral Michigan University graduate. How can I ever face the alumni association again knowing that my daughter chose a competing school. Oh well.

[Craig H.]

db said:


Hey! We have a bumpersticker up here that reads: "hunt with your kids, not for them". It is important to include our kids (and spouses) in our activities, as it is important for us to include ourselves in theirs as well.

Hi, y'all

I don't have kids, but we have a few kids who come with their fathers to our hunting camp. Yeah, they can get a little rambunctous (sp?) at camp, but very very rarely do they ever get into real trouble, at camp or anywhere else. There is something about learning responsibility (firearm safety, for instance) respect (for wildlife - and humans) and following the rules (game laws) that helps build character . They also learn about hard work, and the rewards of hard work. All while having a good time. Imagine that...

Somehow, Simcity (or however you spell that video game) just seems to lack these characteristics.

I am proud of each of these young people (guys AND girls). Hopefully if I ever do have kids, they will share many of the same traits.

Craig

[Laura M]

D_Wood said:

How was your weekend? Have you done anything as a family recently?
-Dan-

I think I'll put a fresh pot of coffee on. Nice to hear from everyone again.

The weekend was cold as described by db. But we finally got the basement remodeling underway. Have 4 -16yr old wrestling friends of your son overnight - feed them a great breakfast - and say - rip down those walls! Watch them argue over the crow bar. I could barely move one of the garbage bags, and they pick it up like its a pillow! (And I'm pretty tough!) The drop ceiling is next. Nothing like a little home project to keep the family together.

(Somehow its my job to clean up the resulting dust, however.)

Coffee's done - gotta go.

[Mike S.]

Craig,

I share your thoughts on teaching kids hunting (and shooting, fishing, and camping), and in the process teaching them so much more. But sadly there are many adults who look at you with shock and disgust if you mention the fact that you let your kids touch guns and/or hunt game. (Most of these misguided souls are not vegitarians, either.) This is a sad thing. Some of my fondest memories of growing up involve those sports and I let my kids get into them to whatever degree they want to. Never have I or any of my friends had any problems enjoying these sports. Unfortunately, places to do this become fewer and fewer over the years. When growing up I used to be able to walk to hundreds of acres of farmland I could hunt on and shoot on whenever I wanted, and I spent hundreds of hours doing so, but unfortunately this is not the case any longer. Heck, my buddy who lived in town used to ride his 10-speed thru town to my house out in the country with a 12-guage double-barrel over his handlebars and no one said anything -- but that was 20+ years ago and now this might result in the SWAT team being called-out. This isn't progress, but it is the past.

[Craig H.]

Mike S. said:

Craig,

I share your thoughts on teaching kids hunting (and shooting, fishing, and camping), and in the process teaching them so much more. But sadly there are many adults who look at you with shock and disgust if you mention the fact that you let your kids touch guns and/or hunt game. (Most of these misguided souls are not vegitarians, either.) This is a sad thing. Some of my fondest memories of growing up involve those sports and I let my kids get into them to whatever degree they want to. Never have I or any of my friends had any problems enjoying these sports. Unfortunately, places to do this become fewer and fewer over the years. When growing up I used to be able to walk to hundreds of acres of farmland I could hunt on and shoot on whenever I wanted, and I spent hundreds of hours doing so, but unfortunately this is not the case any longer. Heck, my buddy who lived in town used to ride his 10-speed thru town to my house out in the country with a 12-guage double-barrel over his handlebars and no one said anything -- but that was 20+ years ago and now this might result in the SWAT team being called-out. This isn't progress, but it is the past.

Mike,

It is indeed very sad that "political correctness" has robbed many of our younger generations of these traditions. For those who have bought into the anti-hunting line, I really have no argument that they will buy, and after the recent difficulties, here is not the place to discuss it. Let me just say that the killing, for the vast majority of sportsmen, is not the primary "thrill" or reason for participating in the activity. Those few "hunters" (and I use the term loosely) who feel otherwise need not ask me to take them hunting...

As for hunting land, what is happening around here is that, instead of asking permission, you now usually have to lease hunting rights. These leases are getting so that the average person has to start making judgements on just what they can afford.

All of this when the average age of hunters is increasing, and smaller percentages of young people are being introduced to hunting and fishing, or even camping and other outdoor sports. At the same time, deer herds are booming, to the point that CWD and overcrowding problems are emerging.

"This isn't progress, but it is the past"

Yeah. Sad, ain't it?

Craig

[Jimmy Olson]

To whoever is making the coffee now, throw on a pot of decaf for me. Apparently I am already spun up enough and don't need any caffeine.

Sure could use another weekend to relax though. Nothing quite like my son to put everything in perspective and make me forget about everything else.

[Joe Cruse]

Not a coffee drinker, how about I crack open a bottle of Yoo-hoo?

Glad to see the Cove open again. We've been doing a rewire of our house. Family and in-laws are pitching in, making it a big family affair. Only one minor electrical shock, a twisted ankle, several puncture wounds from exposed roofing nails, and a tetanus shot. I think we're ready to join the International Brotherhood of Jack-Leg Electrical Workers .

Joe