Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting How the hell .......

Pigs and coyotes with some exotics when I can find a good deal. A lot of habitat improvement the next month or so. We got a lot of trash hardwood trees such as sweet gum and bitter pecan that don't produce mast so I'm trying to cut a bunch of those to give some little clearings and hopefully some new growths mostly natural regen with some planting of oak and a few fruit trees

Depends what you are getting done, but you ought to be able to get around. A walking stick might help keep you from tweaking things, and I would recommend a knee brace to keep you from hyper-extension or twisting and injuring colateral ligaments (inner and outer of knee) or cruciate ligaments (the inside of the middle of the knee ones people usually tear or sever). I had one after the first surgery and that kept me going the 9 years more before the replacement. I used it all last fall and into winter sports this winter. I plan to use it this fall, too. I don't want to mess up the repair. It pays to protect it a bit for a while, expecially while training and trying to get your conditioning back. You don't want to go have a repair repaired.

Ten years ago I had arthroscopic surgery on an already really bad knee on July 3, and by the October 1 opener I was fine to elk hunt, but the quads were still a bit weak. I did pack out elk, though. I was just careful and used a walking stick as protection. Last year in late April got that same knee replaced. That was after having both hips replaced the year before. By July I was scouting at 9,000+ feet in my elk area - using a protective brace. By the elk opener I was doing very well and didn't have much trouble. But again, the leg was not quite as strong as the other. In the bad wet slippery crap, I was definitely using a walking stick for protection and a little extra help on the uphill. Mind you this knee had needed replacing for about 19 years. I can now do a lot of stuff I had not been able to for years. That does not mean the new knee made me 20 again. Good luck with the knee.

BTW, DonFischer, mine makes a sort of muffled pop kind of sound/sensation when I step up like on a stair. Just asked the Doc about it on the anniversary check. It comes from a little sort of bubble of the synovium slipping out from under the kneecap and popping back in. The synovium is the capsule around the knee joint itself where the fluid that lubricates the joint is contained. I guess it is not uncommon to have a little fluid filled tissue bubble kind of squish off to the side and pop back in. Mine does it as I flex the outer quad just before I step up. Doesn't hurt. He said it is not uncommon after the drastic surgery like a replacement, and nothing to worry about. That much carving on a knee and the resulting scarring and rearrangement of stuff is bound to change things a bit.

Heck deer season really does not start until after I go elk hunting, so that is a lot of time to fill between now and November. This year I am taking a year off from repair and rehab, so more time to play outside of work hours. Scout elk, hunt the wily trout, photography, hike, bike, whatever the weather allows. Just spent a weekend in Yellowstone seeking out grizzlies to watch, as well as whatever other wildlife was around. There is always plenty to do, especially when you take a trip and come home through flooding. Got to get the garden in, need to check the river, man what am I doing typing (except waiting on something baking to be done).

The easy explanation is coyotes. Dunno. Haven't shot one since I stopped hunting in PA in the early 90s. We never used to shoot them until the first of July so as not to leave orphans. Lots around here, but not any place to hunt them.

Actually, I like to watch them in the woods getting their dens ready for winter. They make trip after trip with mouthfuls of leaves to pad their pad.

Until deer season time is divided between work around home three days a week, and fishing, shooting , scouting for deer and elk. Three days for those with one day to relax and plan projects, fishing trips. After deer and elk season it's coyote and cat season. It's a viscous cycle but I do my best!!

Sounds like heaven to me.

Fishing. Not as much, since I stopped running charters, but still a lot of fishing.

Always something to go catch comfortably, year 'round, down here, but during hunting season, I don't fish nearly as often. With the end of deer season, that changes a little. With the end of turkey season, it goes to all fishing which works well because by late April/early May, everything that was chewing in the winter is still chewing, plus everything else that breathes through gills. I'll be in the boat and on the beach for the next several months, except for the 6 weeks of June and early July doing the college prospect baseball circuit with my oldest.

In between there's a thing called "work", range time with the kids plus a new to me .308 to work up a couple loads in, and a new hunting tract to continue scouting and prepping for the Fall.

I'll manage.

I have a visit to my Father for a week than off to Idaho where I have a few projects to complete. Also camp, fish and scout about. If I am lucky I will draw a moose tag. Here there is the old Mach 1 that is receiving all new upgraded suspension and steering parts. I am about a week away from being retired for a year and have not been bored yet.

For the time being, I've got plenty to do to keep me busy. My boat's got some minor issues that require a little shade tree mechanic work. I've got a new AR 15 I'm still sighting in. 'Son's coming up from Indiana in June and we're going up to Pine City shooting with a bunch of his buddies. Week of vacation over the 4th of July. A crossbow to get dialed in before archery season. Lots of honey-do stuff around the yard. Some reloading equipment to get up and running. Deer season can't possibly come fast enough, but there's always stuff to do in the mean time. Have a great summer guys.

Got a rifle build going. Been doing 1911 mods and shooting pistols on rainy days. Shooting sporting clays and 5-stand. Checking trail cams, fishing, turkey hunting (about over now), then there's the unending search for the "better load" in certain rifles...

Then there's work, work and work. Also taking care of the farm, wife projects, and the rest that must be done between the 'fun stuff'.

work