Antagonizing...

Yep... He would be in my sights after seeing this on my game cam. CREDIT: J.Holley

Things On My Mind! (Crazy Animal Mishaps)

If someone would have shot that doe during bow season...

This never would have happened!

• Some situations just can't be avoided... luckily for us, we have cell phones with cameras and go pros to help record some of those situations!
• Never pee on an electric fence!
• This never gets old... race car vs. deer!
• Some of these are old, but I still get a laugh out of them... Animal Wins & Fails.
• I don't think I would want to corner a bull elk! Just my opinion, but they don't look too soft and cuddly!
• That's all I've got for now... New website should be up soon! 

Why Did The Bear Cross The Road?

Things On My Mind!

• I'm not a big fan of cows being let loose on my lease a month before bow season starts... time to get to fence building!
• TPWD has set the waterfowl regulations already.  We can actually harvest 2 Canvasback a day, which is the first time that it has been legal to shoot 2 in over half a century.
• And they also have, in the making, an online course for the Texas Hunter's Safety Course.  I sat in a class room for what felt like 48 hours to get mine done, now you can be done in 6 hours!
• Did anyone watch the "Aporkolypse" last night on Sportsman Channel?  Pigman, Uncle Ted, and some others killed, what I thought they said, 455 hogs from a helicopter.  My bucket list got a little longer last night...
• I think the people in the picture above over did their limit!  Unless of course they are in South America where the dove are considered pests.
• I could always use a couch like this!

Dove Season Approaches

Click on Picture to Enlarge

• As the flying mini ribeyes of the sky start to come into season, I'm sitting here wondering, where am I going to hunt...not good!
• I have a buddy out looking for land, but have had no success in finding any decent dove property.
• If I could hunt in downtown Decatur, or my back yard, I would! Every dove hunter sees more dove in town then they do closer to the country... for some reason that is just how it works.
• I also like to shoot and eat pigeons... they taste just as good (sorry if there is a pigeon racer in the crowd).
• Have you heard of the dove tree? Some swear by it but I will end this post with my best tip!
• Bag Limit for North Zone:  15 White Wing, Mourning, or White Tipped in the aggregate; to include no more than 2 White Tipped.  I have never seen/shot/killed a white tipped dove! 
• If you get a banded dove, don't for get to report it with the USGS or call 1-800-327-BAND

TIP:

• Buy 3 mojos and place them in a triangle shaped pattern about 4 feet apart with each dove looking at the center of the triangle.  It resembles how the dove land when going into a food source.  Also it helps get the attention of dove that are a distance away in different directions.  

DOVE SPECIES:

Eurasian Dove

SHOOT EM!

No Closed Season & No Limit!

Inca Dove

Mostly in South Texas

DO NOT SHOOT!

Mourning Dove

SHOOT EM!

White Wing

SHOOT EM!

White Tipped Dove

SHOOT EM! 

But Only 2/Day!

Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon

SHOOT EM!

No Closed Season & No Limit!

Hunter's Extravaganza Review

• This is my first time going and let me say... I will go back next year for sure! It was awesome! I saw so many new things and took care of a lot of our bow hunting clothes shopping while we were there.
• Of course, we grabbed a a couple cold ones before we started walking, which I couldn't believe they served there, but felt very patriotic after purchasing a large and thinking - I'm having a cold beer in the middle of a hunting show with guns everywhere... I love Texas!
• My wife and I saw a couple people we knew who had booths, The Little's from 9 Bar Ranch here in Decatur, Jeff Thomason from Predator Pursuit, and Michael Stark from S3 Deer Stands.

• We will have a booth next year to promote the new site!  Along with my friend and guide buddy, Jason Craig with DTK Waterfowl and Dark Timber Kennels (we are splitting a booth). 
• Since the site is finally being redone with the forum and all we have the opportunity to sell ad spaces and try and get the name out there for people to visit the site more... every little bit helps and everyone loves a free koozie!
• If you're going to Hunter's Extravaganza and are thinking of buying an ATV or Side by Side... don't go, you will buy one!
• Has anyone ever heard of Hartcraft Exchange? So far, I'm really impressed with there broadheads!  We bought a Master Pak which included six ferrules and locking collars, twelve Trophy I blades, twelve Trophy II blades, twelve Thumper blades, twelve Lil Thumper blades, nine Lopper blades, two X-Tends, and one 9v 3LED flashlight. Here is a pic of the broadheads!

• Not only are they interchangeable with the blades, but the ferrules are extremely sharp and if they are damaged in any way, they will replace them at no charge! I can not wait to try the Lopper blades and try and cut off a turkey head because they are just plain scary looking! We will probably be doing a review on these as well!
• I came across a duck call company that I have been following for quite some time on Facebook called Toxic Calls.  They are from Idaho and have an awesome design on there calls, but are a little different then most.  Of course, I couldn't help but try one and then ultimately, make the purchase of a pink double read for my collection!
• We also purchased a new set of small Nikon Binocs, my wife some Scent Lok clothing and boots, a blood trail flashlight, and above all (drum roll please)....a Pico De Gallo Maker!  You may be wondering why on earth they were selling them at a Hunter's Extravaganza Event, but let me tell you, they made a killing.  Since we have had it for the last 2 days we have already made pico de gallo, ground up sausage, beat eggs, chopped veggies, and made more hot sauce.  It is one of the most awesome things I have ever owned and I could not even begin to tell you what it is called, but it cost us $35. EDIT: I googled "Pico De Gallo Maker" and found it... the Kitchen Plus 3000!

• They had a Rattlesnake Pit!  It made me a little nervous seeing a bunch of rattlesnakes, especially when the guys running it have there coolers, tables, and food all sitting in the pit with them walking around it like it's no big deal.  My kids would have loved it, but the boy probably would have tried to stick his fingers into the fence...

• There were also plenty of booths rented by outfitters, and some of them were most impressive!  9 Bar's was probably one of my favorites, there were nice tables, displays, and mounts...even had a couple from my Taxi, Johnny at Rut Country! My wife even asked them if she could shoot a Moose with her bow at there place... she really wants to Moose hunt for some reason.
• If all else fails and you don't find anything you would like to buy, there are always stickers and free koozies everywhere to be found!
• I was a little dissapointed I didn't get to see Operation Game Thief's Wall of Shame!  They took it to San Antonio and Houston, but for some reason left us here in North Texas out.
• I also never made it to check out the Deer Competition, and I even had a friend who had entered his 10 point from last year... turns out he got 2nd place in Division III for archery and missed 1st by 1/4 of an inch!  They went by net score and his was 159 5/8 Gross with a net score of 145 2/8... the man who won had a gross score of 149 2/8 but won with a net of 145 4/8. Brian Loper, you still had a beast of a buck with 2nd Place, Congrats Bud (He was also there as part of the Prostaff of Cinnamon Creek Archery)!

• I can not wait till next year to see what all is new and hope to help this site get up and going a little more after the remodel, which shouldn't be but about another month or so... Let's do this!

Peace Out... I'm gone!

Texas Trophy Hunters in Fort Worth, Texas!

North Texas to Colorado

Some of the younger Chapman kids from Decatur took off to Colorado to do some fishing... They have caught a couple Trout (the bigger) and Brownies (the smaller) and even came 2 inches from catching a state record Brownie.  I've never been river fishing, but this is making me think it may be time to give it a try...

Cameron Hanes

There are some people that inspire us and really get us going when it comes to working out and hunting... so it was really neat when Cameron Hanes posted what I sent to him about my wife!

I Have No Idea

Does it look like she pulled it just a little too much? Cause I have never seen anything like this...

Hell of a shot if you ask me!

It will stay there as a reminder to never shoot with the dog in the kennel!

Not A Good Way To Start The Weekend!

CREDIT:  Taylor Everett of Bridgeport, Texas rescued this little guys this morning and got him back on track!

Post About Ducks!

• Duck season does start at the same time as rifle season, so I thought a little duck info might not hurt anything...
• New waterfowl calls of 2013! Thanks to the Ducks Unlimited News Letter.
• And as I was looking through the 2013 new waterfowl calls from the link above, I saw these guys, Paleo River... now I don't know how they sound,but I sure would like to get one of their whistles, they are very nice looking!
• And of course DU has listed the new waterfowl guns of 2013, but I never thought an over and under would ever be on the list!
• And here is a complete 2013 Waterfowl Gear Guide you can look at that includes everything.
• And you might as well drill a well near your ponds here in North Texas because they are drying up fast!

Before & After Picture

I mentioned in a post earlier this week or last week that I was having a new string put on my wife's bow and also having it "dipped".  Well, here is the "After" shot of what all was done to the bow to make it this awesome.

1. I took the bow on the left to Hank Morrow at Pyro Custom Bowstrings in Rhome, Texas to have a new black and pink string put on it to give the bow a little feminine look.
2. While I was there he mentioned TexasHG.com (Texas Hydrographics), which is right next door to him, about having the riser dipped in carbon fiber.  There are a lot of choices of designs to have dipped, even AR-15's, which range from solid colors to zombie designs with skulls and a lot of different shades of camo.
3. It took a little time, but was well worth it and was like having a complete service done to the bow by just taking it to one place.  
4. The string cost $125, but also includes the break down of the bow (Which is how it has to be sent to Texas Hydrographics or is an extra $50 charge by them).  The dipping of the riser was $75, which I couldn't be happier about!  I believe he does a complete bow (riser & limbs) for $175, but am not too sure.  Below are a couple of more pics.

Things On My Mind!

• I don't think about it enough, but the drought here in North Texas is getting bad!
• For a lot of farmers, ranchers, hunters, and lake residents, it has affected them probably the most. TPWD has an article about agencies asking for Texans to share with them how the drought has affected there lives, along with pictures.  Feel free to send them in. 
• And there are 28 new game wardens going out into the field here in Texas.  And one of them just happens to be from my hometown of Bridgeport, Texas.
• And yes, the picture above is from my house where my wife decided we should hang our bows. Yep, I'm a love dovey kind of guy I guess!?!
• It sure is slow posting these days, hopefully it will pick back up and the other person who owns half of this website will start posting some things soon.
• I figured out my GoPro... you have to charge the WiFi Remote while it is turned on.
• 2 Canvasbacks...seriously?  Waterfowlers need to read this... they are calling it another Liberal season!

Things On My Mind!

• It has happened!!! Jon Gabrio with Apex Advertising is starting to work on the reformation of this website to top notch!  It will have a Forum, the blogs, photo gallery, and we will have merchandise! Check out Apex's website and see some other things they have done.
• We will also be looking for some Forum Moderators as well as some hunting bloggers and hunting video enthusiasts, but we will keep you updated on that soon, but feel free to send me an e-mail if you are interested or have some ideas.
• The wife's bow is done... and it is awesome! Once I pick it up I will post some before and after pictures. Now it is time for some new sights...
• Today is going to be a work day! Not the 9 to 5 kind of work day, but after work we are heading to the lease with a ladder, chainsaw, rope, and tree stand!  I'm kind of nervous.
• Wife woke up Saturday morning and the first words out of her mouth were "Is my bow ready?". Are we as men supposed to just know these things when we wake up in the morning? Cause I get asked these things quite a bit and always have to answer "I'm not sure, but I will let you know if I hear something." and that ends the conversation.
• I didn't know that if you are trying to capture a snake of the side of a road on a right of way you have to have a reptile and amphibian stamp (bottom of page) on your hunting license... it's $10.
• I'm curious to see what new rules and regulations there are this year for waterfowl season. Something almost always changes. Last year, we could kill our limit in bluebills, but the year before I think we could only kill 2, and if you weren't careful, a bluebill looks a lot like a ringneck. DUCK ID IS IMPORTANT!
• I've never hunted big water for ducks! Ever!
• Ladies, ladies, ladies... October 5th is Ladies Day Out at participating Cabelas and hopefully Fort Worth is a part of it.  "The outdoor industry is all about the ladies these days, including major outdoor retailer Cabela's. To celebrate the rapidly growing number of women pursuing the outdoors and shooting sports, some Cabela's stores are hosting Ladies Day Out on October 5. The event promotes women's outdoor apparel, camping gear, personal firearms and other equipment geared towards women. Classes taught by local experts will be offered free of charge. The first 100 women to check in at the retail store on Saturday will receive a commemorative gift, and all women can enjoy the shopping discounts and refreshments."
• When is Men's Day at Cabelas? Everyday maybe?
• You think that bird in the picture was having a rough day?

Walk it off buddy, it'll buff out!

All About Archery!

• Best Archery Targets of 2013!
• 10 Great Compound Bows under $700
• I should probably just direct you to www.BowHuntingMag.com - That is where I'm getting most of these articles!
• I really need one of these cases, actually, any case would do at this point!
• New Best Bows of 2013! Field & Stream
• Thanks to Cinnamon Creek Ranch in Roanoke, we have a list of Archery Shooting Events here in Texas if anyone is interested... my wife is ready, she won't stop griping at me saying "Where's my Bow?" or "Is it ready yet?" or "Why did you take my bow?" or even "I'm going to hide your bow because mine isn't here and it's just not fair that you get to shoot yours and I don't get to shoot mine!" <--- she might not have said that last quote, but I have a feeling its coming next.
• And I had to add this article from Field & Stream, it cracks me up just reading the headline.
• I've posted this before and it may be a good buy. Pre-loaded scent arrow tips and a tip that shoots a bullet! Sounds crazy, but Rac-Em-Bac has come up with something that is very unique!
• And to ends things on a crazy note... If you ever attempt to shoot an apple off someones head, watch this before being at the end where the apple sits. Russia's Got Talent!
• One awesome bow hunter HERE and I love his videos! Even bought my wife and I a shirt!

Things On My Mind!

• No news is good news right... not on this website!
• There sure are alot of giveaways on Facebook.  I can say they actually do give things away and it is not a scam because I have won 2 things.  I have just noticed how many more people are actually participating in these hunting surprise giveaways making it almost impossible to win... I'm really beat down by this, I like to win, but don't we all!
• Got the GoPro in!  The wifi remote will not charge at all and it is really frustrating. I think I'm going to send it back to GoPro and have them send another one. From what I understand there are a lot of remotes doing this and should be recalled...not a good!
• Hunter's Extravaganza is coming up August 16-18 at Will Rogers Center in Fort Worth - write that down!
• I just bought another one of these for my wife, she really wants to be in a tree and not a ground blind, which is perfectly fine by me... if you are a bow hunter and like to hang from a tree and don't have one, you are really missing out!  
• She is more excited about bow hunting this year then I am!  Her bow is in the shop and I'm a little nervous she might try and hide mine so I can't shoot it... she's a little jealous! I'm going to get her on a hog here in the next couple of weeks just to get her feet wet!
• Here are some new broadheads I just purchased that are a fairly new product.  Toxic Broadheads. They look pretty intense and think I may shoot video of my wife killing a hog with them so we can get a good look at the entry wound, which is supposed to be massive compared to other broadheads. Video comparison here!
• If you shoot a fixed blade, here is a great article and video of about 14 different fixed blades and how the do against sheet metal. The new Toxic blades did very well.  Fixed Blades vs. Sheet Metal
• Ducks Unlimited Banquet - Saturday - Decatur Civic Center - 6:30 p.m. - Write that down!
• Get it...