All this doom and gloom, what with Demoncrats, ISIS, dead oil tycoons, and cancer is getting me down. I’ve got a cousin and a cousin’s husband both with cancer. Both of them younger than me and likely better human beings, sometimes the cookie crumbles in a schitty fashion.

So how’s about a thread about the good stuff, the stuff that keeps us getting up and out of bed in the morning or anticipating the weekend. No sad schit allowed.

I’ll go first. I just bought my first ever brand spanking new pickup. Big red bastard just the way I wanted it. It was hard to write the check but damn it’s nice not worrying if it’s going to make it to work or on a hunting trip. Been two weeks and we’ve already loaded it up with catfish and cleaned a pile of doves on the tailgate.

Dove season is rolling along. Pretty slow and birds are scattered and few. But sitting on a bucket in the weeds with my sidekick and his BB gun beats sitting at home and watching the debil TV. We even managed a 15 bird limit the other night, just the two of us. My average sucks but shells are cheap and I’m still over 60%.

Momma is under control health wise for now. They’ve finally got a good combo of super expensive drugs that seems pretty good at keeping her on pretty steady ground. We even get her out in the dingweeds with us once in a while to help us goof off.

Me and the boy have probably caught close to 500 pounds of catfish this spring and summer, all on rod and reel. Thank goodness I don’t let him talk me into cleaning all of them. And it’s not over yet, we tied into a dolphin the other night that got in the rocks and broke us off. Friday nights are drive thru pizza and then off to the lake to fish under the lantern until we get too sleepy. We’ll keep it up for another month or so probably, then it’ll be time to get serious about deer and elk.

Went on a big arrowhead expedition last weekend and walked my butt off, for one stinking broke point. Still a good time with my dad and uncles and the boy got another Indian rock for his collection. Coolest find of the day for me though was when we went to look one last stretch before we headed back. I still didn’t find any points but I did find a cool old soda pop bottle. It’s a Hutch bottle from The El Reno Bottling Works, El Reno OT. The OT is for Oklahoma Territory so it’s from 1889-1907. Not a crack, chip, or bruise on it and it still has the stopped inside. I’ll have to take a picture tomorrow and post it up.

I’m CO bound again come end of October for 3rd rifle and camp with uncles and cousins and of course my 87 year old Grandad. Grandad probably bought his last tag last year but we don’t care, we’re just glad to have him along to tell stories about the old days and supervise the cooking. Maybe I can have a repeat of last year and kill a bull again, we’ve just about eaten the last one up.

I know sometimes life seems like it’s all suck. Then I have to step back, crack a cold High Life, and look at the bright side for a minute. So whatcha got to add from the good life?

Go to the Mint and play a game of pool with Richard boy once in a while.


Went shooting with the kids on out home range yesterday.


Spend more time with my kids and family than most anyone I know.


Couldn't get no better.

Good on both of you.

You two are livin' the life for sure.

Kid, keep it up with that boy hunting and fishin'. Good likelihood of him turning out just fine. Hope "momma" continues to improve.

Jim. You about as lucky as a man can be. Get to spend days at work with the family.

Me, I got to spend the day with my lovely wife. Driving 160 miles to the retinal doc. Getting poked in the back of the hand and injected with fluorescent die, having bright lights flashed in my eyeballs so they can take pics (I'm so light sensitive they actually cause pain, I get numbing drops to help). Then after the doc looks at the pics I get to have a needle inserted into my eye and "medicine" injected. And told to come back in 5 weeks and do it again.

The good news, because we went to the big city, we got to have beef and lamb schwarma for me and falafel for my wife. And have a really nice drive through the beautiful forest of the Southern Cascades.

Geno

Couple weeks back drove cross country with my 22 year old daughter on her move back home from Minn.

SD Badlands Nationals Park
Rushmore
Sturgis/Motorcycle Museum
Devils Tower
Casper Wyoming National Historic Trails Center
Park City Utah Olympic Park

Momma and I did a better job at parenting than I thought.

I talked my daughter out of adopting a cat from the animal shelter.

Life is good.

Did you get her a pony yet?

Or just some Taylor Swift swag.

Geno

Geeze.....It would only have been a 600 mile round trip detour to come visit.....

Jim Honestly I was thinking about taking the high route through Montana but Daughter had to be back here for her new job in four days.

Ill get to the High Line eventually. After that trip Ive been seduced by flyover country.

Badlands

This is the Greek Food cooking kid.

Nice pictures!

I'd love to see those Badlands.

Always enjoyed the Painted Desert down in AZ and SoCal has some smaller versions too.

Perhaps when I come back in the next life I'll be deposited near enough to that part of the country.

Geno

PS, cute kid too. Wishing her the best in that new job.

Dang your post made me feel good, Kid!

Made me think about all the good stuff in my life. Great family including 5 grandkids. Good friends to sip a little bourbon with and shoot a little pool.

Heading out to Wyoming for antelope next week with some of those friends and my son.

All good.

Jim, you mentioned shooting pool at the Mint. Would that be the one in Belgrade? Shot a game or three there back a long time ago..

Oh yeah also Checked out the

Corn Palace and Wall Drug

Got this purple .22 I get to go shoot with my daughter all the time...

Well, my wife of 19yrs just asked for a divorce.. she will get half my retirement.. she wants me out of the house by next Thursday.. yeah the good life... give me a ph ucking break more like the chitty life..

will be on the island this weekend hitting the surf.

Almost 1 year since I retired at the ripe old age of 47. Only getting better! Where does the time go?? Shooting,fishing hunting,volunteering,planting food plots, hitting gym...…. only wished I could have retired sooner. Life is very good!!

I figure every day I'm able to wake up, get up, and go about doing whatever I want, has been a good day. I cannot complain, life is good.

On a side note, about the Badlands and Rushmore......loved that trip and would like to go back. Beautiful country out that way.

You've done well to retire that early. I'll be cracking rocks until I'm in my late 60s.

Going bear hunting today. Got some buddies coming over this weekend to salmon fish from as far away as Hawaii. We'll be smoking a bear hind quarter and some fresh tuna on the Traeger and having some spirits. Should be a good time.

Oh the Good Life! Fellows dont let the Bad stuff get you down! it will get better! I went thru bad health in 2012-13 almost lost my left leg, then because of it lost my job, Know one would hire me, went thru most of my Life savings, had to sell the Gun Collection! got on Social Security, things were looking up then last year the wife wanted a Divorce! best thing that could have happened, My Health is pretty good now, I guess Im happy now dating, had a Great dinner last night with a Pretty gal my age! going Kayaking with her today! be sitting in a blind on Sunday hoping to watch my old buddy shoot his 1st Bear! Thanks for the pics guys , keep getting them little one out doors!

Jim shooting pool is a proper skill every young man needs to have, good on you. And working with family can be tough at times but is a great thing, I got to work alongside my dad welding for a couple years and it was great. Of course there’s always some fence needing fixed, cows needing messed with, or something else going on out at the ranch that will have all us guys together, good stuff.

Fatcity, excellent trip friend! My dad rode to Alaska with me when I moved up and it was the best trip of my life. Sounds like you’ve raised a wonderful young lady.

Geno, hope your eyes get better my man. Sometimes it’s tough to find the good when you got stuff like that going on. I’m not sure what Schwarma is but it must be amazing stuff, probably a decided shortage of it for me to try here in SW OK.

Ducksanddogs old buddy, glad that purple gun is getting a workout. I hope to see headless sprucehen pics sometime.

Roger, what kind of fish do you catch in the surf there? I’ve wanted to do that for a long time and someday I will. Almost loaded up the rods and headed to Corpus a couple years ago to catch Social D and then hit the surf but work got in the way. Someday.

79s, sorry about your lady man. I don’t have any experience in that arena but I hear it gets better with time. I’d take you dove hunting or something if you were closer.

Saddlering, glad yer leg didn’t fall off man. Have fun kayaking with your lady friend and on the bear hunt. I’ve been threatening to buy a kayak for a couple years now to replace my old float tube for bass fishing. Maybe next spring I’ll pull the trigger.

“Friggen Awesome” Great attitude, great story, and great pictures! I hope the that the “great” life continues!

We’re also blessed with many things. The most recent, yesterday, we got a bit over 1” of rain.....sometimes it’s the little things. I know that for many that doesn’t seem like much....but for us, it’s huge! That brings us just short of 10” for the year. If this continues, we’ll have our second 10”+ year over the last 20 years....and 2nd. in a row! memtb

Congrats on the new truck, good luck to you and your family!

we catch reds, specks, spanish mackerel, pompano,whiting and the occasional kingfish or tarpon and sharks some big ones.we'll be paddling out shark baits this weekend.

went to that concert.

Congrats on the truck!

What engine you have in that Bad Boy?

There are so many meet worthy people here from the fire that my regret is that ill never be able to visit with and hunt with you all.. To make a list would be unfair, but when i think across a picture re of the US multiple people spring to mind from every area. Corner to corner.

The personal experiece and commradeship is a treasurecand life enriching.

There is way to much negativity brought to the campfire to raise its toxicity level to unreadable.

I commend the kid for a positive post. Id like to see more. Lets post less frustration.

Make sure and race out looking for another wife . . . . . . .

Which career field were you in or did you own a business ?

TheKid ,

Nice truck - be careful Red vehicles get more tickets than any other color .

Best to you and family with you'll's health and everything else .

Roger ,
That looks like a good place to try some kite fishing - always wanted to try that .

Nice job of screwing-up a great thread! You could start you own about the “chatty life”. memtb

Daughter shooting my 45.

First centerfire shots for her.

Son cleaning a crab apple, other son getting ready to catch a ball.

I recently got to watch my boy take down his first doves. He got 5 in all. He started the day with a .410 and ended the day with my 20 gauge SxS. He got to fussing about the limited range of the .410, and grabbed the 20 gauge on his own. Fun day for both of us!

1000 words !

Great pics and stories from all of you.

I got to watch my oldest take his first doves with a .410 on Labor Day, as well as my first retrieves for my German Wirehair (all totaled about 30 plus birds). That was a great day. Last weekend we went tubing down the New River with the family, then camping. This weekend it's a blast and cast for teal and old drum on the Pamlico, hoping to put my son on his first duck and surprise him with a new 11-87 20 gauge for his 7th birthday which is next week. Been living the good life as of late....God has blessed me more than I deserve.

Nice pic Big Dude

That chair looks like it could use some rustoleum.

Winter approaches, and the red suit and socks alone wont do after what 8" of snow

Good post.

Superb, 99

I wont get to meet you and your sweetpea, thats a bummer.

Got out for a little fall stream fishing in Montana with one of my all time favorite fishing partners. First time in 4 years we were able to fish together and we had a ball...

Roger that BillA & back atcha !!

Hope rhe link works

https://vikv.net/watch/gettysburg-1993/

The kind of thread I like! I just cut up some Iowa apples for a pie my wife is baking. Maybe the weather will warm up enough for me to drag her out fishing today.

Good thread ,these are the best of the campfire!

I just returned from a few days stay with the wife at a resort on lake Coer d' Alene Id. While I was there I went to Spokane and purchased a side X side. In the spring I am going to Podunk Utah and am going to ride around Tikkanut's desert..... woohoo.

Great pics guys and great thread Kid. Get a snake dog to run with that boy, please.

I had a good evening shooting though the hunting was a little slow. Got 12 (on the left) and lost 2 with one box of 20 ga 7.5s with the IC auto 5 ltwt.
Made me feel better after missing so many whitewings on the Rio Grande 2 wks ago.


mobil gas station closest to me

Trucks got the 6.2 gasser in it RBB. I don’t pull a backhoe around for a living so I save the diesels for the tractors. So far it’s been incredible, it’s fairly plain with rubber floors and no Mac screen or anything. But it does have power windows and locks, cruise, locking diff, and a spray in liner, makes my old 02 F350 seem like driving an old wheat truck!

Nice shooting on the doves Jag. I always think I’m pretty schit hot after pheasant shooting where I rarely miss a rooster on a flush. Dove season always takes care of that and humbled me a little! I’m liking the LT 20, have kinda been wanting one myself. I have been doing decent work on them with a 20 bore AL48, kinda like an aluminum A5. Broke out my black vent rib IC Twelvette yesterday evening, first time I’ve hunted it since I rebuilt the ejector that was worn so much as to be unreliable. It functioned perfectly and will be going north for pheasants along with it’s grey plain barrel Mod choked brother this December.

Good you got the 6.2, Kid.

I may have to go with a 12 next time on W Wings. I had several strong high flyers coast down and over the Rio to Mexico.

Ol Mike. I did 25 years of Federal Law Enforcement. Was NOT easy but was WELL worth it. Just got done sighting in a new 280 Remington. Also I was blessed with a very hard working wife. Celebrated 24 years together in March. She actually likes to work, the challenge, fulfilment. I knew I had a good woman. What makes it sweeter is we earned everything. We both took out loans to pay for our degrees.

This is what I live for and my beautiful bride

Well it just keeps getting better, she also wants my chocolate lab. Ph uck I can’t catch a break..

Great you guys had great goin' home road trip. Fat, seeing that picture of you two at Bonneville is awesome. They'll be starting they're runs there damn soon. That place is something when the big boys get going. Great pictures. As mentioned in another post here somewhere, I'll be in Bridgeport looking for deer next week. Life is good!

well change of plan, only going surf fishing sat. only. my other buddy wants me to run offshore sunday to fish for wahoo, dorado and amberjack.

Sounds like a plan to me Roger. I love to fish but offshore fishing is the best.

Wyo, good looking bunch of kids, you guys are blessed.
I saw in the ethanol thread you have a flathead, mind telling me about it? My Great Gramps has a 50 model Ford two door with a flathead when I was a kid, someday I want to get one for myself.

ONe too many deployments ??

kwg

They were running something out there when we passed by you could hear them and I was watching the staging area through binos Was going to head out to see what was going on but by that day we just wanted to sprint for home.

Very nice, Kid!

Sorry you got hit with this,

#1 I wouldn't leave.

#2 I'd tell her no on the dog.

Just because she wants the stuff doesn't mean she'll get it.

Same equipment package as my F350.

Rubber mats, tilt, cruise, electric windows/locks, and mine even has vinyl seats, and no screen.

I added satellite radio and a Garmin GPS WAY cheaper than I could have gotten it as an option.

Funny thing about my pickup... I get way more compliments on it, than I ever did when I drove a fancy, loaded up pickup...

Just a work truck.

Now that's what I'm talking about! Keeping it simple and straightforward. 'tis a beautiful thing.

Deer season opens saturday.
My ball sack swelling is going down.
Still cant wear a pair of pants yet, belt line right across the incision line still healing
Might try a evening hunt on saturday in a sleeper spot I know in area 23, 300 yards off a main road everyone zips by doing 50 mph.

You need the Argo like fatfugg jiggle tiddy boys.

Naw dont need an 8 wheeler
Hahaha!!
Gawd knows it is "required" for jiggle billies..
Lol!!!
I think if I drop something worthy in their I will just go up to jordan springs road and get someone ta help me.

Or call the hunting shack.

Its good.

10-4 .
Your wife work for the feds or state ?
Just curious .

I will be 79 the 10th of October.

I woke up alive this morning, felt like a winner already.

Seeds ticks in your incision

Oh Gawd 😩😩

Stop being such a debbie downer man.
Say something righteous and hopeful for a change
man!!!

Stop being a Moriarty trying to shoot down my little red balloon.
LOL!!!

It's hard dude

I live in a world of shît

I'm trying ringo

You two are a hoot.

Our trip to NW Ontario so far has been cold, and now wet, but we are cozy now, and dry, the wood burner is getting some heat going, and we have the Braves, and Phillies on the tube.

I was 9 for 12 tonight. Big guy had to BB a couple that he didn’t think were quite dead enough . And momma went 4 for a whole bunch but had fun doing it. upload picture and get url

Fun Times, right there!

I like your 1ton RBB. I was disappointed that the discontinued Caribou brown for 2019, the brown color they offer now just looked like it had been driven down a gravel road for 100k without a wash job.

As for the rubber floor and that kind of stuff. I’ve had several guys ask “how’d you get a truck like that?” Seems like everyone has a King Ranch or Platinum these days and trucks like ours are a rarity outside of fleets. I think lots of guys would like one but most dealers don’t stock them so they just take what’s on the lot.

I have to deal with this:


And this:


but get to come home to this:

perfect. never need to hose one off again.....

Bear-B-Q at Fireballs house this weekend!

Good stuff

Double tapping


LOL!!!

Congrats!

Good job!

Can you believe it? Bear-on-demand! Ask and ye shall receive. Pure luck.

Maybe.

But you did your part! Good for you!

How big you think the skull is???

Ranger you should escape from there at least long enough to bring that little gal out to catch some fish with us. I’d love to tie her into one of these.

Huntsman, don’t think the thought didn’t cross my mind. Truth be told the red one will probably look about like that in a few months.

Fireballs, congrats on the bear. I miss hunting them at times but don’t miss the tannery bill every year. You mentioned tuna earlier, got any pics of them? Albacore I assume? Cousin’s husband caught a 200lb whatever kinda tuna they have out in the gulf of Mehico last month, took hours to land, he said it was like it never got tired.

Renegade, yeah he’s gotten pretty big on BBing stuff lately. He had to BB this rattler the other day. fallout 2 goris

Gawd dammm!!!!
That kid is hardcore!!!!

Did you assshoot that thar bar?

Hang tough. It sure sounds like it's got to get better.

We need pics.

If I had I wouldn'ta had enough winch cable ta reach him in the canyon he dove off inta.

No idea. I dropped it off at the taxi today and will get it back in a month or two. (skull cleaning only) It's an older bear but not real big.

Five miles of cable wouldn't be enough? 😄

I was wishing for an Uberlanche today let me tall ya. Why them sunsabitches gotta run downhill ever damn time?

I got to watch my oldest son take his first elk last week , right in front of my eyes. Also saw he and his little brother give a hug when we parted company 1200 miles from home. Got dust in my eyes I guess

The Kid's kid and I agree, rattlers can never be too dead.

Nice thread Kid, very nice. And thanks to all for sharing your family with the rest of us. Really good to see kids with fish, guns, game and dogs.

Ironic considering how much time you and a few other deflave groupies spent running down Fireball and his wife. Maybe the time spent making fun of someone else’s relationship would be better spent focusing on your own?

Not only did Fireball just shoot a nice bear but he’s still married too. Crazy how fast the tables turn sometimes. 😉

You don't have time for keyboards, you're supposed to hold that ice bag firmly on the injured "area" of your buddy.

No pics but canning, smoking, and vacuum packing about 70lbs of tuna loins from a trip out of Depoe Bay yesterday (Wed).

Nice! Were you handlining or rod and reel? How many fish did you get?

Who is getting the trailer?

Fats you're the winner of this thread...well done

Aces:



Rod and reel on a charter. Troll until we had a hit or hookup, stop the boat and cast spoons or jigs, with some just floating a dead drift anchovy on a hook. We brought home 48 loins and will smoke the bellies.

Thanks! She is all for it. Maybe after getting two transmissions repaired and get caught up on some other bills. I must confess, I could use a lesson on fishing that good as well. In the meantime, we will continue to do fish and hike and occasionally camp. Life is good!

Early evening clouds trying to cover the sun and stop the mourning dove traffic yesterday had a touch of rainbow.

multi hosting

Thanks but you can't ever beat a Kid and his BB gun glamming for the camera shooting rattlesnakes.

I really GEEKED out at the Motorcycle museum in Sturgis. Spent money on knives, holsters, caps and teeshirts left over from the Rally the week before.

Nice. That’s pretty much the routine up here too. I have friends that have fished Depoe bay and other Oregon ports and they said a lot of the charters down there hand line the fish.

Nice job on the fish. 👍. Did Cookie get any pictures?

Sorry, but no pics. She's a bit hesitant to take her high end gear into a corrosive environment.

Headed out on a photo mission in a few days. Hopefully, elk, bighorn, deer, and black bear.

Have a good one,

k never mind

Kid,

Still lovin't the pics and stories.

RE: the eye issue, as I posted in PartsMan's thread, it's a first world issue. I can still see some, the trips to the retina doc are a bit of an inconvenience, but we have a more than capable vehicle, insurance to pay most of it, and we get to eat at restaurants we don't have in our little burg.

I could complain about a lot of things today, but I won't.

and thanks for the reminder about dusty trucks. Mine needs its yearly washing, it didn't get one last year and it's a nice green color, not dusty brown.

sse, we're all winners here, at least those with a good attitude and some remaining health. But Fats and the Kid are doing a good job of showing us their good lives.

Geno

I just booked tickets to go on a bucket list hunting trip next spring. Hogs in Texas.
And booked 2 days of Tuna fishing in Wa. next fall to. another bucket list item.
I'm excited.
I'm still chasing Chrome on the Kenai river every weekend so I guess I don't have much of anything to complain about.
Last year I decided it way past time to buy experiences and not more "stuff"

It can't rain forever here! The wood stove feels great, supper was good, and it might clear off tomorrow.

358, What boat did you book out of Washington? Are you going out of Westport?

Have fun and good luck. 👍

Good deal on making the bucket list happen 358. Hope you kill a hunnerd pigs and catch a pile of tunas.

Wabi I know the rain stinks when you’re trying to do important stuff like walleye fish. But at least you’re at your cabin and not stuck at work trying to make a living out in the slop.

Me and my partner in crime headed out this evening with a rifle and binocular. Kinda looking for deer, maybe going to shoot a pig or 3, but mainly just getting out. Big rain last night and nice temps today even if it was pretty muggy. Saw 10 does, one nice buck, a coyote, 4 cow elk, and a covey of bobwhites, about a hundred bullfrogs from itty bitty to nuclear mutant size too. Pretty good evening even if we didn’t shoot anything.

That’s one lucky boy to have a dad like you and a lucky dad to have such a wonderful partner in crime. Keep up the good work and keep posting these positive and uplifting posts.

What state are you living in, Kid? I mean, besides bliss.

We live in SW Oklahoma Jag.

Many know my family's story but with God's grace and my trust in him I am blessed. I have good enough health I can help my friends and neighbors and have a loving family. My zeal for hunting has been curbed but I do get out. Life is great!

This is the company we're going with.. They came highly recommended by a couple of river guides my buddy uses.
http://www.washingtontunacharters.com/index.html

You done GOOD!

Those are the guys I’d have recommended. They’re great, have great equipment and it doesn’t take 2 days to get to the fishing grounds and back.

You will have a great time and you’ll only be limited by what the 29’ Defiance can hold which is still more tuna than you’ll know what to do with.

Being that you’re an Alaskan I’m sure that you’re capable of processing your own fish but in case you don’t want to you can trade loins for canned or smoked fish at Merinos Seafoods but you’ll only get a fraction of the amount. We’ll bring an outdoor turkey fryer and can our own on the beach or in the parking lot. Bring your canning supplies and go crazy. Drink something cold and sit back reliving your adventures while you’re pint jars get up to time and pressure.

If you have any questions or if I can be of any help to you please don’t hesitate to ask. 👍

Since we can't really count on an earthquake, and trading for Hong Kong is out of the question...., how about a Chinese Lantern Party in California??

South Texas brush country has miles of areas too thick to penetrate with almost every bush, plant, tree covered in thorns. Many areas not hit by fire have brush trunks too thick to crawl through much less sneak up a deer in..

upload image jpg

No worries Sir. California is taking care of itself. Soon it will collapse from within.