Jvalhenson

Assuming you have a fair sized dog Coyotes are really of very little to no concern. I have found dozens of deer with coyotes on them already with mine and he just runs them off. If it’s several coyotes already there sometimes they’ll hang around circling and barking at him but they keep a safe distance and once I get there they gone. Of course they are animals so you never know what they gonna do and if it’s a smaller dog I guess it may be a bit more of a concern but still minimal in my experiences

100% off leash. My current dog is a Catahoula and is the best I’ve personally ever seen. On confirmed hit deer over the last 8 years he is 82% successful recovery(meaning either he got the deer with no sign or had blood hair etc where deer was shot or ran.) there have been several others of course with no sign of a hit at all and he didn’t key on any scent so those are assumed to be clean misses. Anyways he is 9 years old now so I am starting to think about the next one now. I’d like to get one started to go with him in his elderly years while he can still go.

On leash is fine for a dead deer and in woods you can at least somewhat travel through easily but when it’s alive and the woods are jungle thick leash is a no go. Dog has to be able to really go and in many case run the deer down and bay it just cannot do that on leash on to many live deer. With today’s gps track and train collars a leash really serves no purpose anymore IMO.

Generally I put him on the deer then just wait and watch the gps and see what he does. Often he will got take the deer across roads creeks etc and end up treed on a dead one or baying a live on hundreds of yards from the shot but only a few yards from another road or trail can drive down.

The biggest issues I ran into off leash was on smaller properties or close to property lines having him following a track onto another property. In these situations hopefully permission can be obtained to go get the deer but if not no choice but to tone him back. Ideally on property where that is a likely event it’s best to have permission set up ahead of time and now when I see a situation that I think it is likely I will require an attempt be made to get permission before turning him loose. I can tone him back but it is just better overall to have all that ahead of time and avoid any conflict with him being where he isn’t welcome. I will still turn him loose if they can’t get permission but they will know that if he gets to the line I will be stopping him there and not let him cross.

As far as concerns of injury, being ran over etc…..the collar really helps with the road issues. Stop him at the road and get him back. Then go around to the road and start him back right there going on across it. Injury from fighting a wounded deer or just whatever random in the woods thing might happen I mean it’s always a risk. Anything you do anything there is risk and all dog men know that anytime they turn their dog loose it very well might be the last time but that said it’s a pretty small risk and the dog is absolutely having a blast doing what they love to do.

My wife’s every day carry is the .380 lcp and mine is the 380 lcp max. The lcp 2 and the max both have better sights and a better trigger than the lcp so if you went with ruger I suggest the 2 or the max. The lcp and lcp 2 are both 7 shots while the max is 11 and only slightly bigger def not noticeable. So for me the max is by far the choice. Would have gotten the wife the max as well but it nor the 2 were available yet only the lcp. They shoot straight and fit in any pocket without ever knowing they there. Some will say they aren’t accurate enough but I can put every bullet in a cake plate from 15 steps which is all those guns are made for.

Another vote for:
Hoof and hound

But I use the nexguard spectra. Does heartworms, gut worms, mights, ticks and fleas. My blood trail dog stays outside(Catahoula) got covered in fleas from a stray that came by. Wound up all in the yard couldn’t walk outside without getting covered. 2 weeks after the first pill and they were completely gone. Haven’t seen one since. They will still get ticks on them at times but when you find the tick it will be dead unless it hasn’t bitten them yet.

Didn’t say I hunt or fish 5 days a week…..I said we eat deer and fish 5 days a week. But I do hunt or fish +-120 days a year. Teacher so the board loves me ha. But it’s pretty close on the hunting part. Thanksgiving break we hunt ever day except Thurs. Christmas break every day but Christmas Eve and day. Weekends of course and lots of after work hunts. This year will get to hunt the whole week of Mardi Gras to the 15th. And yes one of the places we hunt the most is 5 min from the house so I take at least one of the kids almost every day after work. If I let them shoot every deer we saw we have 300 deer killed by now but try to stay at least somewhat selective on shooting grown solo does and decent rack bucks for the areas we are in. Yesterday evening with my 8 year old we saw 19 deer in 2 hours but he wanted to wait for a better rack buck for his “10th deer” (lifetime not this year killed his first one the day before he turned 6). Was mostly smaller does with yearlings and several spikes/cowhorns so not what he was looking for. The fishing in the evenings has kinda taken a hit since the kids have gotten and into baseball football etc so most evenings in spring and start of the school year is spent at the ball fields instead of on the boat but still get a trip or 2 after work most weeks and again weekends of course.

Almost time to turn attention to the turkeys too though! Unfortunately not near as many of those around here so I’m lucky if I get 3 a year usually only get 2

Just a couple chest freezers but they don’t last all that long. Of those we’ve already eaten prob 4+ of them. Won’t come anywhere near making it through the year with those. Last year we killed 24 for my house and that was exactly what we needed finished those off early December and started on this years deer but we eat deer and fish every day. Do not buy any meat at all. We will run out about august if they don’t kill a few more.

Got the wife one new in 2011. It has been a great vehicle. She drove it until late 2022 putting 185,000 miles on it. Kids got bigger and more activities etc so got a Tahoe last year and gave the traverse to my mom. She drives it every day over 200k on it now and still running great. Very little repairs needed. Had to replace water pump at around 150k and an idler pulley I think it was around 115k. That’s all I recall ever having to do to it.

I have searched high and low and have not found any at least not in the federal cartridge. Maybe some new old stock just bullets for reloading but as far as the cartridge have found zero. Between us Shot them in .243, .270, 30/06 and 7mm mag all had to switch. 243 wnd 270 they went to the regular federal vital shock soft point. 30/06 went to core locs. 7mm mag went to Norma whitetail but still have a few left of the BTSP to finish off.

Federal Premium 150 gr Vital Shok Sierra Gameking BTSP (sight in at 100 yards and expect 3.3" drop at 200 yards)

This is what I have shot for over 20 years and LOVE them……however…..they were recently discontinued as I believe Sierra stopped making that bullet so the cartridge went too. I am down to my last rack of them then making the switch to Norma Whitetail. I’ve shot some of them already and really like their performance so far

They are great bows but as said have a bit of a different “feel” to em vs other recurves. Also as said your question sounds like maybe you don’t have much recurve experience. If that is the case I suggest going with a good cheaper bow but not necessarily cheap bow. I am currently shooting a Bear super Kodiak I got new last year. Still not cheap but half the price of a BW. I think I paid $550 or so for it. Slightly cheaper but still a great bow is the bear Kodiak hunter which is what my dad shoots. These are both 1 piece bows which I prefer to the takedowns. Just a personal preference. Anyways if you are looking at recurves for the first time or haven’t very much there is nothing wrong with starting with a more affordable bow and learning it first then moving up when ready. Be warned though once you start with traditional archery you might decide to throw your compound bow in the ditch but don’t think it’s gonna be something you just do occasionally and are proficient. It takes a lot of practice and very good consistant form to really shoot well beyond about 15 yards. 20,30,40+ yards is very possible with traditional gear but takes a of commitment.

All that said if you have been shooting for a while and are just ready to move up then absolutely a BW is as good as it gets