AHHHHHH The life of a Cowboy!

[dusty texian]

It aint all fun Pard. This is how I spent the last wk. Fixin Hog and Bear damage . Thinkin on startin a Dude Ranch . The kind that let's them come out and live the life of a Cowboy!!!!! ,,,,,,Dusty

[dusty texian]

And more fun! Me and Baby Brother strainin a Gut,,,,Dusty

[Blair]

Dusty,

Go bust um up.
Anyway you can!
My best,
Blair

[Major 2]

Hog damage... been there 

enjoyed the BBQ 

[dusty texian]

You got that right Major2 .  Hog's they are tasty! and Destructive. I can shoot them on sight any time anyway any how. But my hand's are tied on the Bear's. State boy's say they are PROTECTED. As long as the feeder feed's or the trough has water,All is well,But let one run out and they will show their Disgust Right Quick,,,,,,,Dusty

[Blair]

Dusty,

Bear's are heavily protected as an endangered species here in FL. too.

A week ago woman was attacked by a bear in her own yard. As a result of the attack Fish & Game went in had to put down 7 bear's in that community. 7 Endangered species in one community?
As it turns out, some of the neighbors, were feeding the bear's.
I makes you wonder?
My best,
Blair

[dusty texian]

Chance of rain down on the border.  Thank God! We need it bad! Checking water tank's on the Muleshoe ranch,,,,,,Dusty  PS the rattlers are out Amigo. Shot a biggun just before the pic. layin around the trough.

[dusty texian]

Movin right along!,,,,,Dusty

[Blair]

Dusty,

Here in FL. we have a number of State Wildlife managed areas that allow hunting. Some are shotgun only areas.
There is a check station, manned by F&W Rangers going in and especially coming out with any possible game/kills.

One evening a friend of mine and I were coming out and the Ranger wanted to do his normal check. We had nothing to declare. So I started asking the Ranger some questions about what he had to inspect that day (not much game came out) and specific to Pig Hunting on State Managed Property.

He told me the pig had to be 19 inches at the shoulder to be legal.
I started laughing!
The Ranger looked at me in a rather funny way?
So I asked him what Wildlife manager came up with this magical 19 inch number?
Is the hunter expected to carry a tape measure with him? Then ask the piggy to hold still while a measurement was taken,,,, before the hunter could shot?

The Ranger was a knowing and reasonable man (as they should be). He said he was known to dislocate a shoulder on occasion to  make the pig legal.
We then both laughed at such a silly ruling as this.

A good many years ago F&W put Alligator's on the endangered species listing at the request of the wildlife researchers that couldn't find very many while riding their Airboats.
The old time "Swamper's" tried telling these wildlife researchers  there was no! such thing a shortage of Gators.
If they wanted an accurate count of Gator populations, the wildlife researcher people had to get off their damn noisy airboats.

When the State finally removed the ban on Gator hunting.... one could kill 10 gators on one license each year.
So, what happened? The Fed. Government and State couldn't collect any taxes for hunting Gator's.
My best,
Blair

[dusty texian]

Kinda makes you wonder. Thank goodness for the folk with common sense. It kinda make's up for the book worm expert's. Lot's of land owners have been the stewart's of thier land for many generation's, and most know what is best for the land and game that lives there. I do understand most of the game managment folk are trying to do what they think is best. The Smart ones don't shut out the oldtimers ! They listen and learn . Then we all benefit. Sounds like the one that came up with the 19" rule should do a little listening himself. The rule on my places for pig hunting is shoot any you can! If you dont want the meat someone else will. We will never shoot them out. I am beginning to think we will not even be able to keep up.The Muleshoe ranch down on the border never had wild hog in the past. Now they are becoming more and more common.The Lucky 11 in Central Tx. has way to many. And the Divide ranch up in the Panhandle is covered up in wild hog. One of my old neighbors made me laugh a while back, he said when we was kid's we couldt keep hog's alive in this country! Now we cant Kill em off.Times are changin,Amigo,,,,,,Dusty

[Blair]

Not sure where this story belongs. Perhaps in period hunting topic?
If the Mods what to change it... it is ok by me.
Dusty, I hope you don't mind me posting it here.

A couple of friends of mine and myself did the Canadian Spring black bear hunt , back in about 1979. (great fun, but no bear)
After a lot of communication with the Canadian Authorities, we felt we had all the info we need to be able to come into Canada to do all of this legally and be able to get back into the US.
One subject that kept coming up time and time again was the issue of "NO! bear bait" being allowed.
OK.
But nobody could or would tell us what the Canadian Authorities considered "Bear Bait"!

When in Canada, I finally got a Game official to tell us what "they" considered Bear bait.

Salt cured and smoked Pork side meat, like Bacon, fat back, slab pork, and so on...
It seems the Bears could smell this cooking from miles away and would come running. (In the back country, It might make me come running too).

I don't know about the rest of you that have camped for days at a time, cooking food, fish or game, that you are getting, over an open fire... but, pork side meat in one forum or another, is almost a necessity.

Most fresh game and fish don't have enough fat in them to cook/fry their own skin.
Bears and wild pigs do.
It causes me to wonder why such a ruling came up?
My best,
Blair

[Major 2]

Dusty your indulgence  it's your thread....

Blair,  I never had Bear Meat,
I've heard of bear fat was used by Indians (indigenous peoples of the Americas) for many applications.
I've heard of Bear meat fried in bear fat, seems that is something I should add to my bucket list.

Now, Bacon fried in the pan on a cool, crisp, camp morning is something akin to HEAVEN 
And for wild pig one should savor everything but the oink !

[dusty texian]

Dont Mind! Heck Blair I enjoy them stories ole Pard. Just wish we had a tailgate to sit on while telling them. Major2 ,I doubt I will see it, but if ever the State of Texas gives the green light on Black Bear ,we will get to try some of that Bear meat and fat. I know for a fact that the Black Bear on my place are corn fed! Cause if a feeder goes empty they turn it over and beat the He,,,, out of it. I run around 20, auto spin feeders with corn and milo yr. around for all game . The Bear and Hog are the biggest problem makers. Glad to see the Bear making a comback. The hog is another story, like eating them and hunting them ,just to many of em. ,,,,,Dusty

[dusty texian]

A day at the office. Windmill repair.,,,,,Dusty

[Major 2]

I saw a piece on the internet , where Texas is green lighting feeding Feral Pig to the Homeless.  

http://abcnews.go.com/US/texas-county-feed-feral-hogs-homeless/story?id=23457485

[jimbobborg]

If you need any help with the eradication of swine on your ranch, I'm sure you'll have volunteers forming a line from there to here!  And with the way some of these boys shoot, stick 'em in a blind and let them do what they do best.

[Mean Bob Mean]

I am always looking for an excuse to shoot my rifle . . .

[dusty texian]

If I do get a hunt like that together in the future. I will sure post it here first for my Pards ,,,,,Dusty

[Major 2]

This is a friend of mine, Paul Morrison AKA Swamp Owl.
Making a living as a Guide , Alligator Wrestler, Seminole Indian, Native American Indian, Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation
and reenacting. He has taken wild hog with that bow.

[dusty texian]

Look's like a very interesting fellow . I never had the pleasure of meeting him,but would bet he is brave . Just by the fact that he lives life as He choose. Lucky to have a friend like that Magor2,,,,,,Dusty