Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire August 2014 SW Gathering at Armijo Springs near Quemado, NM

Thanks, Rick! We really appreciate this!

Yes, THANK YOU! Rick.

Thanks Rick!

THANKS FOR THIS STICKY - MUCH APPRECIATED.

OK - just a brief repeat of the announcement: The dates for this excellent summer gathering have been set for August 15-17, 2014.

The area near the campground has a more open look due to some recent forest thinning - an "urban interface project" if you can conjure "urban" way out here (only the USFS). In addition to reduction of forest fire issues, the thinning should give us enhanced conditions for shoots within short reach of the camp.

So - those planning to participate can indicate same here and get on the eventual PM final planning list.

If you have ideas for interesting shoots and other activities, please post them here.

Questions about location, etc. - this is the place.

Dave (Paladin) was just here for a very satisfying (for me) visit � nicely longer than just a "drive by" drop-in-bust-out fellowship.

He and his partners just got "Snuffy's" � the restaurant-bar-bait-shop-boat-rental out by the lake � open for business.

Another "let's do it" for our summer rendezvous!

I am already looking for ticket prices.

Scott - this is good - really good.

Maddy and I met Paladin at Snuffy's this evening - very nice visit as well. He noted his good time with Ken a bit earlier in the day.

Now that's cool, guess we can call David 'little snuffy' now,,,

Kent

Hmmmm. Might have to come early or stay late and do some fishing. I hope that it is a good and profit filled venture for a really good guy. miles

Miles, the fishing has been good so far, notwithstanding the recent gale force winds. Plenty 'o trout thus far.

The lake also contains muskie - large muskie, as in 40" - 58". We ate some last year grilled over coals. I painted them with melted butter with salt & pepper. Talk about good, it was slap the dog and spit in the fire good, almost like eating lobster. But you need to watch out for these things -



Micro chip implants. I bit one in half that was in the flesh of the muskie. The G&F was at the lake yesterday and I was going to ask them about the implants but they were out in the boat so didn't get to speak to them.

Paul tells me you missed getting blown away and I am certainly glad to hear that.

David

WOW David!!!!! Just think if you was to swaller one of them trackin' implants and G&F got to follering you all around the place!!!! You might have made the 6 o' clock news!!!!

I've only seen pictures of a Muskie... Never seen one in real life!

Those in Q lake are "Tiger Muskies" - hybrids planted here by G&F a few years ago in an effort to control some big goldfish/carp that some idiots dumped in a trout lake. It seems to have worked with the goldfish, but A LOT of rainbow trout got gobbled up along the way.

The muskies are fun and exhibit typical characteristics, but can't reproduce so eventually will be gone. Some are getting fairly big. Keepers must be over 40" and I think the limit is one per day.

If planning to fish in August, know that the trout tend to get mushy/less tasty as the lake warms all summer - best eating catch seems to be from now through June. Don't know how much the warming affects the muskies - haven't tried to taste a late summer muskie so far.

Catching up the calendar this morning and found that I have an unavoidable conflict for that weekend. I really hate it--I had invited my younger daughter and her two kids to join us, so now I have to cancel that, as well.

I hate this, but I cannot ditch my prior commitment. I'm sure that you will all get along fine without me.

Ben

Sorry to read this, Ben.

Have not yet known you to be wrong, but you missed on that one - we won't quite get along fine without you.

Sadly, because of nervousness about gambling on July rains, we have a later date that definitely excludes some of our favorite guys � and guarantees, according to compa�ero CCCC, that the muskies in the lake probably won't be at their best as grub.

Druther have you than muskies anyway, Ben!






(FWIW, I predict plenty of rain in July. What are the odds? An ancient yarn tells us of two brothers who went into business as weather-forecasters. "It's gonna rain tomorrow," one'd say. "No, it ain't," the other'd say. They never missed.)

Maybe the downer experience of again having a closed forest in July was not worth the concern of our core planning group. Could anyone on the Campfire identify a July weekend that would any better accommodate the schedules of all persons planning to participate? And, do we know yet the schedules of those unknowns?

In a perfect world - - -

well, in a perfect world all schedules always will fit together, we won't be inclined to carp about decisions made by those who step forward, take responsibility and do their best - and warm water Muskies will taste great.

I'll sure miss you in August Ben, and am looking forward to experiencing your smiling countenance sometime soon.

Paul, even with the prospect of Ben and Ed not being able to attend, you had to set a date. You did ask for input into what dates people could not come. I figure any date picked would have made somebody miss. Cheer up, I plan to be there. miles

How far ahead (maximum, minimum) can each of us plan for attending a special event?

Some want to chisel a date in stone for next year � others want to wait to see what they can handle within a coming week or two.

I once proposed a hiking trip in Montana for myself and three or four of my buddies in Akron. All wanted to come out, but they all wanted to wait until just a couple of weeks before they decided when they could come out.

Some of our commitments had to be set as early as late winter or early spring, but they all wanted to wait until midsummer to even start thinking about setting a date.

So my hike was solo and short.

sorry to see Ben,and Ed, wont be with us, both add a great deal to our campfire, am sure we will all meet again somewhere,I for one am looking forward to seeing old friends and making new friends, i'll be there GOD WILLING. RIO7

Thanks Miles and Blue - good to hear from you. Sure am looking forward to seeing you two long-distance troopers and the rest of this great gang - maybe some participants will travel even farther. These events just seem to get better and better, but sure will miss Ed and Ben.