Live from Mississippi.
- Thread starter Jackalope
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Got the oldest in the blind this morning. We hunted yesterday evening and didn't see anything. The rut must have kicked off here because the feeder activity has been exceptionally low the past three days. Pretty much all the bucks have disappeared and the does are off schedule and sporadic. Somethings got them stirred up. But we're here and he's excited. No issues getting him up this morning. All in all its a win no matter what happens.
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Man gentlemen. Where does time go. I have been so busy this spring / summer it's been nuts. I haven't been arpund much and need to fix that but I've been just head down trying to get everything done. We've been here 5 years and I just now feel like I can catch my breath.
I'll give yall some of the fun highlights. In the late spring we took the boys to FL on a little vacation. I had one goal in mind as it's been a bucket list item of mine. Swim with wild manatees, and not on some crappy guided tour with 30 other jackasses. Actual wild manatees. We hit a few springs along the way and had a fantastic time. At one stop along the road I went down through the woods on uncle posteds place to check a spring, sure as hell there were manatees. From there I found a couple in a neighborhood on the canal that would rent their kayaks to us. The next morning we hopped in the kayaks and paddled the 1/2 mile to the spring. We all hopped in the water with snorkle gear and got to watch them do their thing.
I'll give yall some of the fun highlights. In the late spring we took the boys to FL on a little vacation. I had one goal in mind as it's been a bucket list item of mine. Swim with wild manatees, and not on some crappy guided tour with 30 other jackasses. Actual wild manatees. We hit a few springs along the way and had a fantastic time. At one stop along the road I went down through the woods on uncle posteds place to check a spring, sure as hell there were manatees. From there I found a couple in a neighborhood on the canal that would rent their kayaks to us. The next morning we hopped in the kayaks and paddled the 1/2 mile to the spring. We all hopped in the water with snorkle gear and got to watch them do their thing.
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I also bought an offshore boat. 26 foot glacier bay cat boat with twin 150 yamahas. Nicky and I went down to FL and hauled it back with his truck, I got to meet a friend of his that used to work for him who now lives in Tampa. We stayed at his buddies house and headed back after hooking up the boat. There's good people everywhere in this world. I absolutely love this sucker. Plenty of room for those inshore days of just taking the family to the island, but also a fully capable blue water boat. Lots of good memories are going to be made on this sucker.
That baby is clean!! Really nice boat!!
My wife will be reading this thread she loves the Manatees
Thanks for taking the time to share your adventures
My wife will be reading this thread she loves the Manatees
Thanks for taking the time to share your adventures
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Last week was alligator season here in the sip and I drew tags. A buddy and I headed out to cruise the bayous. We tried at night and during the day a couple times. Alligator hunting isn't like any "hunting" I've ever done before. It's more work than anything. 
lots of stuff, launching the boat in obscure places and miles and miles of cruising. But you can't really enjoy the ride and scenery because you're always trying to spot a head in the water. But sometimes I reminded myself to slow down and enjoy the scenery.
We saw probably 30+ small ones and finally came across one of good size. I estimated him to be about 9 foot before throwing the hook at him. It's not like the commercial guys on TV, we can't bait them with limb lines and hooks. We have to snag them on a big rod with a hook, get a rope on them, and we're only allowed to dispatch with a knife, bang stick, or 410 with 7.5 shot or smaller. You can't even have a gun in the boat, no CCW or anything. This is to prevent people from shooting at them in open water and losing them.
So We come around the corner and find a good one swimming across the bayou. We chased him for a bit with the trolling motor and I hooked him on the third cast. Now just because I hooked him isn't a lock because the hook doesn't penetrate their tough skin, if you give any slack it just falls off. And sometimes they will reach back and pull it off themselves. So he drug that little 14 foot Jon boat around for a while and I was finally able to get him up enough where my buddy got a harpoon in him. Now his goose is cooked.
Prior to the hunt last year I made some 45 colt bang stick tips from pipe and a few other materials. Basically a 45 colt out of a 3 inch barrel. Should have roughly the power of a 45 colt snubby. Well I banged this sucker a couple inches off and hit his skull. It stuck right in the top and didn't even penetrate the brain cavity. The round was actually sticking up higher than his skin. It stunned him long enough that I was able to give him the ole knife swizzle between his cervical vertibra. He ended up being right at 7 feet. So about 15 years old.
lots of stuff, launching the boat in obscure places and miles and miles of cruising. But you can't really enjoy the ride and scenery because you're always trying to spot a head in the water. But sometimes I reminded myself to slow down and enjoy the scenery. We saw probably 30+ small ones and finally came across one of good size. I estimated him to be about 9 foot before throwing the hook at him. It's not like the commercial guys on TV, we can't bait them with limb lines and hooks. We have to snag them on a big rod with a hook, get a rope on them, and we're only allowed to dispatch with a knife, bang stick, or 410 with 7.5 shot or smaller. You can't even have a gun in the boat, no CCW or anything. This is to prevent people from shooting at them in open water and losing them.
So We come around the corner and find a good one swimming across the bayou. We chased him for a bit with the trolling motor and I hooked him on the third cast. Now just because I hooked him isn't a lock because the hook doesn't penetrate their tough skin, if you give any slack it just falls off. And sometimes they will reach back and pull it off themselves. So he drug that little 14 foot Jon boat around for a while and I was finally able to get him up enough where my buddy got a harpoon in him. Now his goose is cooked.
Prior to the hunt last year I made some 45 colt bang stick tips from pipe and a few other materials. Basically a 45 colt out of a 3 inch barrel. Should have roughly the power of a 45 colt snubby. Well I banged this sucker a couple inches off and hit his skull. It stuck right in the top and didn't even penetrate the brain cavity. The round was actually sticking up higher than his skin. It stunned him long enough that I was able to give him the ole knife swizzle between his cervical vertibra. He ended up being right at 7 feet. So about 15 years old.
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If she wants to go see them I've got the spot and lead on kayaks. Be forewarned though that water is COLD at the head of the spring. Completely worth it though. I've been fortunate in life to swim with some amazing creatures. From giant sea turtles in Roatan, a huge pod of wild spinner dolphins in Kona HI, huge manta rays in Bonaire, and now Manatees in FL. The only thing left on my list are whales. I want to be in the water and watch a pod of blue whales. F sharks though, I have zero desire to be around those idiots. I see enough of them fishing and prefer to give them a leadache.