The Rokslide Social Distancing for Hope Thread

robby denning

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Feb 25, 2012
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SE Idaho
Hey all,

The ol’ man’s tired of the hopelessness and fear that’s infiltrated this forum.

My state’s on “lockdown” too but I wanna make sure people know I’m also not hiding behind the powdered milk in the basement with a loaded shotgun guarding the toilet paper with the kids.

Ya, my own father’s 70 with heart disease, and we’ve isolated him to his house. We’re gonna follow the guidelines as much as possible and I’m not saying you should violate yours, but let’s also not lay down and die here.

Rokslide is the original “social distancing” crowd, so I want this thread to be a place to show and talk about what you’re doing to get ready for what we do: hunting and all things related.

First, my job is pretty much at half time right now, and I hate to admit it, it feels good.

I’ve prepared for something like this for years by staying out of debt and can float a while without paychecks. I hope you can too. If you can’t, I’m sorry, and it’s no time to go in debt, so look for cheaper ops, phone a friend, have a garage sale, whatever it takes. Even then, I still think there is something for you on this thread.

And remember, tough times are what friends are for, so look for hunt ops with friends that can float you for while. And if you can help someone, do it. I’ve already got my hand out to a few people so they know they’ll get though this. You should too.

So after some thoughts and prayers, I’m still preparing for the future that I’m pretty sure will come.

First, I’m still applying for hunts pretty much like normal. I’m not risking money I can’t afford to lose, and you shouldn’t either. Like I said in my book, you should try to hunt as close to home as possible as logistically you’re more efficient. And if funds are (or are gonna be) tight, it’s just plain cheaper.

So I’m maximizing those ops, but since I don’t have any control over the western states’ draw sequence, I still have to put in apps now. So I’ve aimed for a fewer longer shots this year but kinda hoping I’ll just be home hunting, BUT if I draw something great, I’m going.

If the “government” shuts it all down and I encounter the national guard on my way to Colorado, oh well, what’s a few preference points? And as some wise men on Rokslide have said “I can make more money but I can’t make more time.”

Also, now that I’m working a few less hours, I getta spend some more time with the family. I got home early enough to grab the kids and scout out a local lake. Surprisingly the ice is coming off and the fish are packed against the shore. Sophie said “Dad! I wanna go fishing!”

In our state, we can be outdoors with people we live with and/or 6 feet from those we don’t, as long as it’s not a “public gathering” so by this time tomorrow night, I hope to show you guys a bucket of fish that we’ll be frying up in the dutch ovens this weekend.

So please support this thread with what you’re able to do to get in the outdoors during this time, (even if it’s building a shed in the backyard like @Justin Crossley) or what you’re planning for 2020 hunts.

NO NEGATIVE SOCIAL SHAMING either (there’s already threads for that stuff).

And if all my optimism is wrong, and the the zombies do show up while I’m in the backyard shooting my bow, I guess I’ll die a happy man to the sounds of the kid’s shotgun blasts ringing in my ears.


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S.Clancy

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Montana
I've been gettin after it. Will report back Sunday night after a pack in shed hunting trip.
 

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Joined
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Messages
3,615
Thanks Robby for the positive vibes. We have been quarantine for close to 2 weeks. This was suppose to be spring break from school , we had vacation plans that fell through but I still kept my Vacation time off.

Turkeys popping off here in Cali so we began with Jr last weekend . We hunt public and its kinda tough but we had Toms just out of reach this past weekend for my daughter. So fun spending a day and a half in the blind , she called most of the time and got very close. Ill be bow hunting them this coming weekend.

We’ve had family painting nights , game nights and all sorts of fun. Not listening to the media has been the best thing for us to calm our nerves. Keep your heads up Roksliders we will come back stronger than ever.
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She got it done !!!!
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wilydawg

Lil-Rokslider
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Dec 27, 2018
Messages
296
Location
UT
I'm with you Robby! No doom and gloom at my place. Doing our part on social distancing and enjoying family time. Been out in the shop getting the boat set for the season, have a couple of fishing trips planned in the next month.

Lots of hunts in the works this year!

My son and I drew our early season turkey tags, so we'll be doing that next month. We're both dedicated hunters so we'll be getting after mule deer in October. I'm in with 23 points for a Utah LE elk tag with a good shot of drawing.

Have a whitetail hunt in Canada in November and a Canadian black bear hunt booked for the first week of June (keeping fingers crossed on this one!) And a muzzleloader whitetail hunt in January in Iowa.

So yeah, my life will either end in a sea of brass in the apocalypse (haha) or I'm in for a pretty good year!
 

ljalberta

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Dec 7, 2015
Messages
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Great thread. I should have snapped some pictures, but I tried a new lake for ice fishing last week. We'll still have plenty of hardwater here for awhile. In about a month, I'll transition to a basement renovation, then spring river fishing and bear scouting.

My wife and I had a trip planned for June and July to Chile, Argentina, Peru, and Ecuador. Still hoping we'll be able to make it, but have already made some great local summer contingency plans should international leisure travel not be an option come June.
 
Joined
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The epidemiologist that released the first report with Ll the death-doom and gloom numbers, released a second report, as his first report dis not take into account the shutdown... the new numbers look significantly better.

As for me, it is still working from home and Zoom meetings. But this weekend I think I will hike into my local honey hole and do a little more camp work. I mean, there is nothing like a laser level tent pad and more cut firewood than you could possibly use.
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
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Ah. . . Positivity is infectious!

Here in Nebraska corona virus count is low yet but precautions have me on a rotating shift. 1 week at home (work from home), 1 week in the office. Luckily I'm entering the slow down time of year and don't have tons to do. So. . .

Drew out and made plans for 2 concrete pours in the back yard for once things warm up a bit more. (Pad for a shed and a sidewalk to.the garage). Talked to a few land owners and committed my kids and I to cutting some cedar trees since they aren't in school, and will also utilize the benefit of the hunting permission gained in order to shoot some turkeys in a few weeks.

Overall, one week in and I'm more rested than I've been in months, house is cleaner, and I'm caught up on commitments! If it wasn't for the whole world wide pandemic, 2020 would be shaping up as a pretty great year!
 

jfs82

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Jan 13, 2019
Messages
865
Heading to visit a buddy out in the middle of nowhere, getting the four year old out of our damn apartment. It's supposed to rain/snow while Im there...Buuuut... It's also loaded with turkey there. I may not be able to ditch everyone to hunt but I sure as hell can scout areas to come back to alone next weekend.

Also just set up a shore fishing pole and gonna see if I can stock up on surf perch and rockfish a few mornings.

And in two weeks, a quick camping trip with my boy, my bro and his 2 boys, gonna run a handful of crawfish traps while watching the kids go wild. Do some mushrooming too.
 

HRH2K

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Oct 25, 2019
Messages
53
Location
Montana
I’ve been working on getting back in to shape, and starting to plan out hunts for this fall here in MT. Acquired a new backpack that I’m trying to get a feel for. This weekend I think I might scout for turkeys, hunt coyotes, make jerky, reload and shoot.
 

Brendan

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Aug 27, 2013
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Massachusetts
I'm still working at home, so don't have as much time as I'd like, but:

Getting outside, walks in the woods with the dog. Mountain Biking. Fishing some small ponds and lakes near home that get overlooked.

Working at home? Great time to take a deer shoulder or a bunch of shanks out of the freezer and do day-long braises or slow cooks on the grill / smokers.

Not as fun, but time for a good spring cleanup at the house. Lawn work, cleaning up leaves and beds around the house, plant some grass, get the gardens ready.

If I'm ambitious, break out the welder and try and repair my gas grill that's starting to rust out in areas (Side note - Gas will be disconnected ;) )

Plenty of inside stuff too, but will leave that for another thread....
 
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handwerk

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Jun 14, 2013
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N.E. Mn. / Mt.
Good idea Robby,
My wife is a teacher and will be home for the foreseeable future. I have some commissions to work on in my woodworking shop which is at home but the folk school I teach at is shut down, we'll get by with more spare time. Luckily we live in a pretty remote area on 40 acres so we'll spend lots of time outdoors and not be around people at all.
My two boys live in Montana and are doing well, my daughter and her husband are stuck in philly but hopping to get out of there soon.
So more spare time means reading, shooting and reloading, fat biking and once our 2 feet of snow melts I'll be looking for sheds. Can't wait to get back to our MT. cabin
Lots to look forward to.
 

4rcgoat

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Joined
Dec 12, 2015
Messages
1,191
Location
wyoming
Working like mad up here,no " shelter in place" yet.........business as usual for me,archery range was a ghost town,gym in the basement,family is doing good,cant ask for anything more at this point. Looking to be ready for some spot and stalk archery spring bear in just over a month. Hope everyone gets through this ok,see you all on the flip side eeh.
 

jdmaxwell

WKR
Joined
Mar 8, 2014
Messages
778
Wife and I been laid off and for couple more weeks looks like.
We been training lots to hopefully still go on Idaho Frank Church wilderness Spring bear hunt coming up.
Lots hiking, lifting, and bit of shed hunting.
 

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