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Post by M4Madness on Jan 4, 2020 9:03:02 GMT -5
Hey, everyone! I hope you've all been well. I did the unheard of -- I essentially skipped two deer seasons, as well as putting my online presence on hiatus.
I went through a very rough patch in early 2018, losing my mother to cancer, divorcing my wife of 23 years, 350 acres that I virtually had sole hunting access to for 20+ years sold, and all of the other farms I hunted were heavily timbered. I was site staff on the world's largest firearms forum (AR15.com), and I just walked away from it and every other forum that I frequented.
The extent of my hunting the 2018 and 2019 seasons was to go out one evening each firearms season after work in my work clothes and harvest a single doe for the freezer. Both hunts were over in less than a half hour, and I was done for that year. No bowhunting, no rut.
All that said, things are changing for me. I started hiking seriously on Labor Day weekend and have logged over 200 miles of trails since that time, spending a great deal of time in the forests that I so love. I'll be 52 years old in a couple of weeks, and I feel that I'm in the best shape I've ever been. My wife and I have reconciled and are doing well, and I'm returning to church. I negotiated with a Rural King manager and got an awesome price on five 21' ladder stands over Christmas break, and have big plans for the 2020-21 deer season. I'm going to improve the conditions on a 250-acre farm that needs a little attention after all the timbering. I may even build a box blind tower and attempt my first food plot ever.
It's good to be back...
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Post by greghopper on Jan 4, 2020 9:11:32 GMT -5
Good to see your still kicking....thought maybe a stone saw got yeah! Ha
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Post by M4Madness on Jan 4, 2020 9:26:03 GMT -5
Good to see your still kicking....thought maybe a stone saw got yeah! Ha I'm still sawing away -- lots of big buildings going up around the country. The Metz Carillon Tower is being rebuilt in Bloomington, and I'm anxious to see my work standing tall. I've still got the '69 Mustang, and have done lots to it since you last saw it in Plainfield. I swapped out the auto transmission for a modern 5-speed manual, threw in a "posi" 4.11:1 Ford 9-inch rear, added all new performance coil and leaf springs along with Koni shocks, installed a complete computerized speedometer, tach, and gauge cluster. The interior panels and dash have all been refurbished. It now has new Torque Thrust wheels and sports Mickey Thompson tires all around. I'm looking forward to getting it back in the road this Spring.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on Jan 4, 2020 10:30:54 GMT -5
Welcome back.. You still have that purple Jeep? Been a while since I've spotted it.
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Post by M4Madness on Jan 4, 2020 11:06:10 GMT -5
Welcome back.. You still have that purple Jeep? Been a while since I've spotted it. Yep, still drive it back and forth to work daily. I haven't passed your truck on Hwy. 54 either.
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Post by deadeer on Jan 4, 2020 11:10:09 GMT -5
Glad you made it thru rough times. Life has a way to test what we're made of!
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 4, 2020 13:09:51 GMT -5
Hey, everyone! I hope you've all been well. I did the unheard of -- I essentially skipped two deer seasons, as well as putting my online presence on hiatus. I went through a very rough patch in early 2018, losing my mother to cancer, divorcing my wife of 23 years, 350 acres that I virtually had sole hunting access to for 20+ years sold, and all of the other farms I hunted were heavily timbered. I was site staff on the world's largest firearms forum (AR15.com), and I just walked away from it and every other forum that I frequented. The extent of my hunting the 2018 and 2019 seasons was to go out one evening each firearms season after work in my work clothes and harvest a single doe for the freezer. Both hunts were over in less than a half hour, and I was done for that year. No bowhunting, no rut. All that said, things are changing for me. I started hiking seriously on Labor Day weekend and have logged over 200 miles of trails since that time, spending a great deal of time in the forests that I so love. I'll be 52 years old in a couple of weeks, and I feel that I'm in the best shape I've ever been. My wife and I have reconciled and are doing well, and I'm returning to church. I negotiated with a Rural King manager and got an awesome price on five 21' ladder stands over Christmas break, and have big plans for the 2020-21 deer season. I'm going to improve the conditions on a 250-acre farm that needs a little attention after all the timbering. I may even build a box blind tower and attempt my first food plot ever. It's good to be back... Sounds like God's had much to discuss with you and your heart. Welcome back friend and prayer your wife and life continue on a path blessed.
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Post by schall53 on Jan 4, 2020 14:02:41 GMT -5
Welcome back, glad to see things are turning around for you.
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Post by Woody Williams on Jan 4, 2020 15:05:36 GMT -5
Glad to see you back!
It has been awhile
Looking forward to your posts!
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Post by M4Madness on Jan 4, 2020 16:48:47 GMT -5
Thanks, guys! I'm ready to get back back in the deer saddle. I'm amazed that I pretty much sat out two seasons, but at least the bucks will all be two years older when I get back into the woods this fall. LOL! My 2018 deer: My 2019 deer: I rounded up all the parts to build a .300 AAC Blackout AR-15 pistol for a treestand gun, and had them Cerakoted. I got them back last week and assembled it. Talk about planning a season ahead. LOL!
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Post by Huntnfreak on Jan 5, 2020 20:01:32 GMT -5
Hey, everyone! I hope you've all been well. I did the unheard of -- I essentially skipped two deer seasons, as well as putting my online presence on hiatus. I went through a very rough patch in early 2018, losing my mother to cancer, divorcing my wife of 23 years, 350 acres that I virtually had sole hunting access to for 20+ years sold, and all of the other farms I hunted were heavily timbered. I was site staff on the world's largest firearms forum (AR15.com), and I just walked away from it and every other forum that I frequented. The extent of my hunting the 2018 and 2019 seasons was to go out one evening each firearms season after work in my work clothes and harvest a single doe for the freezer. Both hunts were over in less than a half hour, and I was done for that year. No bowhunting, no rut. All that said, things are changing for me. I started hiking seriously on Labor Day weekend and have logged over 200 miles of trails since that time, spending a great deal of time in the forests that I so love. I'll be 52 years old in a couple of weeks, and I feel that I'm in the best shape I've ever been. My wife and I have reconciled and are doing well, and I'm returning to church. I negotiated with a Rural King manager and got an awesome price on five 21' ladder stands over Christmas break, and have big plans for the 2020-21 deer season. I'm going to improve the conditions on a 250-acre farm that needs a little attention after all the timbering. I may even build a box blind tower and attempt my first food plot ever. It's good to be back... Welcome back!! I’ve always enjoyed reading about your adventures! Glad to hear things are looking up!!
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Post by M4Madness on Jan 5, 2020 20:10:11 GMT -5
Welcome back!! I’ve always enjoyed reading about your adventures! Glad to hear things are looking up!! Thank you. I'm hoping to get back into the deer game full force this year -- my four deer a year average suffered tremendously with only two in the last two seasons combined. I'll be six in the hole right out of the gate this October 1. LOL! I did get out and enjoy the great outdoors today (on the last day of the season), so that's something. But it wasn't to hunt -- I drove an hour south and hiked 10.4 miles around Tucker Lake. It was a nice sunny day, with the mercury sitting at 48 degrees when I got back to the vehicle.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2020 20:25:43 GMT -5
I don't know you, but sorry for the difficult things you went through. How we carry ourselves through difficult times tells us a lot about our character. Very glad you were able to reconcile with your wife, and even more glad to hear you're back in church. Church doesn't save you, but church is about the best place a saved guy can be. Congratulations on how blessed you are.
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Post by M4Madness on Jan 5, 2020 20:33:34 GMT -5
Thank you, Greg, and it's very nice to make your acquaintance. Yes, I may have failed God a lot in my life, but I've never given up on Him. I've always known what He expected of me, even when I ignored Him and did what I wanted.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2020 20:47:17 GMT -5
Thank you, Greg, and it's very nice to make your acquaintance. Yes, I may have failed God a lot in my life, but I've never given up on Him. I've always known what He expected of me, even when I ignored Him and did what I wanted. We've all failed the Lord, but He shows us much grace, and loves us still. Thank God for that, because like Paul, I am chief among sinners, and what I love, I do not do, but what I hate, that I do. Oh wretched man that I am. But thank God for His mercy and grace.
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Post by welder on Jan 5, 2020 21:23:53 GMT -5
Thank you, Greg, and it's very nice to make your acquaintance. Yes, I may have failed God a lot in my life, but I've never given up on Him. I've always known what He expected of me, even when I ignored Him and did what I wanted. We've all failed the Lord, but He shows us much grace, and loves us still. Thank God for that, because like Paul, I am chief among sinners, and what I love, I do not do, but what I hate, that I do. Oh wretched man that I am. But thank God for His mercy and grace. Agree 100%. Excellent post!
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Post by duff on Jan 6, 2020 5:24:11 GMT -5
Welcome back.
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Post by M4Madness on Jan 6, 2020 6:19:45 GMT -5
Thanks, Duff. We've still not met in person even though we live within a few miles of each other (lol), yet I've met your wife a couple of times at hikes she was on with Teena. I hope you've had some good hunting.
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Post by genesis273 on Jan 6, 2020 9:57:16 GMT -5
Welcome back! I'm glad to hear your time away wasn't idle. Sounds like you have spent some time rebuilding yourself, your relationship with your wife and God. I wish you the best in your future! Although life handed you some broken eggs, you did the best thing you could and made a darn good omelette!
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Post by M4Madness on Jan 6, 2020 10:17:11 GMT -5
Thank you!
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