I'm afraid the recent rash of off-topic posts in the Big Game Hunting Forum has gotten the "BEST" of me. I now, fully acknowledge the inherent flaws in my earlier thinking on this subject and offer this humble but most earnest prayer:

"Mike375 ... if you're still out there please come back!"

How long has it been since Mike375 has been here?

I think we should replace the Bowhunting forum with the, now hugely popular "Best-Of" forum. What are there, a total of 5 posts on the bowhunting forum? Best-of is pretty fun for everyone, eh?

Amen, Nickudu

------------------
Wendell Reich
Hunter's Quest International

Nickudu,

The best of series has become a diversion , of sorts, for me at least, due to the lack of really interesting topics. When we do get a really good topic, we end up with a number of mean spirited folks whose opinion is the ONLY valid opinion. The reason I hang out at the Africa forum is to pick up as much knowledge as possible to make educated decisions on my own plans for an African hunt. The upcoming season is my fortieth in the gamefields of N.A. and with that comes an honest 40 years of experience not one year's experience forty times. I would never force my opinions on anyone but that is becoming the norm here. I'm not crazy about the off-topic posts but under the circumstances, at least on the BG forum, it appears they're the only game in town. The people in "the best of" are sharing knowledge, however insignifigant to some, and none of it is hostile; amazing huh! Nick, I hope things improve and, in time, I believe they will. I always enjoy your posts and hope you keep them up.

Joe

Ovis,
As usual, I fully agree with you and I most certainly understand the need for diversion.
To a fault, perhaps, I try to envision our Forum from the perspective of the newcomer, the curious, the Anti-Hunter ... and, looking over recent weeks in the Big Game Hunting section ... what impression would the uninitiated come away with? I just don't like it, plain and simple. Don't get me wrong now, Joe, I'm no prude and I like to play as much as the next guy. I am, however, highly cognizant of the fact that many of those who peruse our threads are formulating their opinions as to what kind of people we are.

"I am, however, highly cognizant of the fact that many of those who peruse our threads are formulating their opinions as to what kind of people we are."

Oh no!

Nickudu,

I agree with you ,once again, that there are people forming opinions and we should be policing ourselves. Sad part is there are some(majority recently) that don't care how we're perceived. Of couse, they'll be the one's wondering where it went once it's gone and they'll still not have a clue as to why.

It's snowing here tonight. Another diversion is taking my heeler out and getting the wood in for the night, so I'd better get at it. Good to hear from you guy.

Joe

Nickudu,

Prude? C'mon guy(:

Did I say that? I'm on autopilot tonight ...
just spittin' out the thoughts without pickin' the words ... you know how it is.
Take care, Joe

Kickudu: why are you consciencious of what newbies (or whoever) think of us, or you? If this is how we are, we can't help it; we can't deny our personalities just to maintain professionalism for the mere possibility that some wise-ass anti-hunter might be peeking around...who the hell cares? What's to be compromised if they see that on top of that fact that we kill animals, we joke around a bit on the side? I don't see why everything has to be so, cut-to-the-chase with some of you...this isn't a job, it's a passtime, it's leisure, or fun. Nobody's forcing you to look at or endure the "best-of" posts. If you don't like it, why do you recognize it and waste your energy on it? Nobody's keeping you from talking about the ever-so-serious advent of BIG GAME HUNTING.

JAG,
If you have to ask that question I think it best we just let it go. Take care.

Jagermeister,

To some of us, Big Game Hunting is THAT serious; it's our life. Foolish? Maybe.
We just don't hunt a couple of weeks and call it good. In the my post above, I mentioned meanspirited replys. This is a Big Game Forum. I participated in a couple of the "Best Of" threads but as they have gotten out of hand to some I've decided not to participate further. Considering the short, ill mannered attitudes in many of the posts on this forum, I'll probably not participate with those posters either, not that anyone would care how I feel one way or another. Considering the costs involved with the wonderful sport we enjoy, it would seem to me that everyone should have good manners; they're free. So now I'll leave the last word to you or whomever. Choose it wisely.

Well, I get the last word, eh?

Okay...I understand where you're coming from, and I agree that the Best-0fs went wildly crazy, covering every topic on earth, but when someone has something to say about big game hunting, they will post. I don't think the best-ofs set the big-game action too far back. my question though, was mainly about Nikudu worrying about what visitors to this site might think of us if they read the best-ofs. My queston was really, who cares? or WHY do you care? you can't change an anti, nor can they change us (our beliefs), so if some anti comes on here and reads a bit, what's gonna happen? what are they going to do...? sure they might think less of us, but why do we care? who cares how horrible they think we are? That's all I'm wondering. Now, you get the last say.

To some of us hunting is so much more than just a sport or past time. It is our heritage, and our legacy to be pasted on to our children and grand children. It is our very deep love of the sport and the sportmen we grew up with that feuls our innermost fires to long for the camp fire and comradery. To those of us who feel this way This web sight is a place we can come talk to each other in the off season and commune with others of like interests. It is an exstention of our love for hunting, and the great out doors. It is our chance to put away the toils of the day and fellowship with like minded friends!

I to like to talk about many different things, but I try to keep it in the right forum. It is a common curtisy. That is something lacking more and more these days, and not just here!

Be Blessed all of you X-Ring

------------------
Praise the Lord, and pass the ammunition!

If your living like there is no HELL, you better be right!

X,

I assure you, I'm not trying to reduce hunting to a mere passtime; it truely is a reason to live for most of us. Joking around on this site, though, is more a passtime though, than a necessity (it is though, very addictive).

i agree with you on the common courtesy issue though. i personally never post something where it does not belong, like anything about afrika here on this one, and maybe i am perpetuating the uncourteous behavior by being entertained by some of the off-topic stuff..?

I found some of the "Best of" threads quite fun and interesting.

I love a cigar in the right atmosphere on the evening after a nice hunt. With a nice meal, great wine, coffee and a lovely cognac and cigar. Fantastic.

And cigars are for the ladies as well. I bought a few for my staff once and those that tried them loved them (no Clinton jokes please!).

I didn't visit the "Best of Strip Clubs" because I thought it a bit off, but when I did I saw 98% of the posts were taking the "micky" out of the subject, I was disappointed at not jumping in earlier.

And it was amusing to see that at one points the two highest posted subjects were "Best of" "Beer" and "Strip clubs". Some things never change.

Don't be so serious! Hunting is meant to be fun. And when I hunt with friends, jokes and fun are always part of it.

Good (and fun) hunting

Nitro

When you are in your hunting camps do you only talk about hunting? The hunt is only a part of the experience. in our camp you might end up covering a number of subjects
does staying with the topic of only big game that important as long as we get back to the subject of hunting ?

Guys,
I'm as guilty of going off on spontaneous tangents as anyone here and I'll likely do so again tomorrow, next week .. or whenever the mood strikes me. In hunting camp, I have a good time too. I do, however, endeavor to make some distinction between what I say in the middle of nowhere and what I say on the "WWW"! Our rights to hunt should not be taken lightly. There are those who would take them away ... for all time. Sure, go ahead and have a good time. I'm all for it. That said, if you think the posting of blatant Thread titles, covering such topics as beer, booze and strip clubs is all just harmless fun, I beg to differ.

Call me antagonistic, but I hate to leave things up in the air.

Nikudu, you keep insisting that you enjoy the fun and games as much as the next guy, btu when it comes down to it, you don't.

I think you once said of yourself, that you're "no prude" but it simply isn't so. if you don't think bier, booze, or stripclubs are harmless fun, than you must consider them harmFUL fun, no? In which case, i think you are a prude, and do NOT enjoy the fun as much as "the next guy."

I'm not personally into stripclubs, as i have no interest there, but i'm not against it, and indeed do think of it as harmless leisure. We're not talking about alcoholism, and there's nothing wrong with throwning recommendations for bier or liquor; it's all part of enjoying life. It truly is harmless. Further on the stripclubs issue, if we're so insecure that some harmless sexual innuendos are upsetting us, then we have a problem.

Jag,
You are missing the point. "MY" feelings are not the issue here but the stereo-typing of hunters, generally. If you read back, you'll see that my concern is how we are perceived, or misperceived, by those perusing our site looking only to justify their negative opinions about us, as individuals, along with sporthunting, generally. Yes, we have the right to discuss any and all things, but, in this environment, are we not playing into the hands of our detractors by doing so?

Nik,

I see what you mean. I do think, however, that the antis are a much more socially disreputable group than the hunters, being historically much more violent and so forth; in that regard I don't think they'll gain much ground with their position, bringing our savageness and barbarism to the table with hopes to expose us for the beasts we are for the ultimate purpose of banning hunting globally.

Anyway, no offense to you. Take care.