DaveS

Does anyone have any experience with this rifle? I'm looking to get my daughter one of these as an "entry level" bolt action. I have no interest at all in "Savage" or "Remington". I've narrowed my choices down to "Mossberg 100 ATR" and the "Marlin XS7", 7mm/08 in either.

I have a single shot in 7mm/08 that I handload for. It's my Daughters and I'd like to get me one in bolt action.

Does anyone have any experience with Marlin "Bolt Action" rifles, specificaly the XS7? I am looking at them for a "bang-around" hunting rifle. Any personal experience with these rifles would be appreciated.

Good luck!

Bobcats, Coyotes and foxes do put a dent in the Rabbit population. The one animal that does more harm to rabbits is, well, the family cat. House cats are devistating to the rabbit population. You can go out and hunt you a few. There is more there than you think!

A combo Hunting/Fishing license, Hunter safety card (depending on your age), WMA Small Game permit if hunting a WMA.

Will probably be hitting your neck of the woods one day next week. There is a couple of good areas over at the WMA we like to hunt.

I got out this morning with two of the dogs for a little rabbit work out. Ole Roddy and Yoda jumped and run 4 rabbits. This ole' crusty me missed all 4. Dang.....you should have seen the "dirty looks" I got from the dogs......"All that dang work and you missed?"......had a really great time. Ole' Roddy is suffering from dehydration and exhaustion, but coming back around OK. I'm going to keep my eye on him. We lost one of our best "jump" dogs to cancer a couple of weeks ago. We miss her, she was AWESOME!

I'm looking at building a couple of elevated shooting house's overlooking our fields and food plots. These will be mainly for the kids to use during the youth hunts and archery season with crossbow. I am looking for the houses to be 8-10 foot off the ground and be 6 foot wide, 6 foot long and 61/2 foot tall. Any ideas or sujestions?

The only pigs that ever got aggressive with me were sows. The one with "little" piglets I let go. The one with weanie pigs...oh she tasted sooooo goooood!!!

Looks like ya'll had alot of fun..What a beautiful daughter 101!

30-30 is good. It can be used for deer, bear, beer and hogs....

Did I mention I LOVE hunting with my Flintlock Rifle?

Last year I ran into a couple hunters here who drove out here from Greene County to deer hunt. During our conversation, I asked why come here to hunt deer? Ya'll should have more bigger and better deer out there. He said "no". Thier deer were small and not as numerous. He sujested it may be due to our bean and corn fields here. Can't plant that stuff in the mountains I guess. That may be why our area of the state has such a liberal deer season compared to other parts of the state. We also have "too many" deer here, they're not obtaining the sizes they need to get. That's why I like shooting "scrubs" so the few big boys we have can pass their genes on into the herd. I.E.: I shot a spike buck this year as he tried mounting a doe. He had gray on his face and neck. His age was estimated to be 3-31/2 year old. I did not want his genes spreading! The wildlife folks around here are doing more work and spending more money working with NON-GAME species such as hogs, that deer are kinda taking a back seat right now. Let TWRA/TWRF farm "super deer" (deer the size of our Northern Species) and trap and release the fawns/yearlings into the wild. They need to STOP wasting so much money on pork and invest in VENISON! For the purposes mentioned, I'm for Deer Farming, and not in favor of "high fence" hunting.

Since I like my hogs "up close and personal" (no bar jokes please), I use Rossi Lever action in .44 Mag and at times a .357 Mag. Most everytime I go up and check my property on the 4 wheeler, one of these is always on the bike. .35 remington is a good choice and so is .45/70 if you're into self mutilization! My favorite though is my .357 Mag

Disease is what they are afraid of. In my opinion, wild deer cannot be treated effectively for diseases or the prevention there of. Domestically bred/reared deer can and could be effectively treated and rendered diesease free, and done so with very little human contact. They can be certified disease free and release in areas in need of more/bigger/better deer. East Tennessee kinda comes to mind. The current deer "gene pool" in most parts of Tennessee rivals that of most species of Rabbit! The TWRA doesn't want to loose their control on "Deer".....plain and simple!

We're not doing real well on our bait either. Picking up some good white bass and a few cats though, away from the steam plant.

That's the one. I think that TWRA is afraid to loose thier monopoly on deer management...

I found out from talking to one of our officers, that it is actually more for the farming of trophy deer to be sold to "high fence, pay as you shoot" farms. Officers claim now that deer farming would destroy decades of restoration efforts and be a conservationists nightmare! Maybe they could develop a "super" deer, to replace the millions of scrawny ones we have now!

The question was; would you be "For" or "Against" and why?

Recent talk within the TWRF, is the possability of "Deer Farming" in Tennessee. This would be for the commercial production of Venison. Would you be "For" or "Against" it, and why? I would be for it, if it was controlled properly (deer health/USDA inspected) and not "OVER REGULATED" by the TWRA! I think it would allow people access to healthy Venison, who may otherwise not be able to get it. Private deer farms could provide trophy class animals/breeding stock for release in WMA's and Refuges. I think the positives outway the negatives!

I fish the steam plant nearly year round. If it's bait your after (as dictated in your post), leave the boat at home, stand on the bank about halfway between the bridge and spillway, and catch ALL the Skipjack you want. Throw a cast net and get your threadfin shad with. A boat is not needed....

Can't talk about it..... Let's just say, I'm not allowed to chase Turkeys with her SUV anymore. It sadens me.....

I do everything within my power to deal with the "T" word. I HATE them things! I've chased them out of my food plots a time or two while on the four wheeler. Even got after them once in the ole lady's Expedition. Won't never do that again! (don't ask why, I swear I don't know how that cedar tree ran out in front of me)... We are getting ready to plow and disc within a couple of weeks if we can get it to stop raining long enough. Going to put the fertilizer down and plant the turnip soon. Blackeyed Peas coming in May! Be damned those Turkeys!

You hit the nail on the head...and you're welcome!