Thanks for the support Ogz - your check is in the mail!
Seriously folks, I would like to take a step back to let you all know that I do not have a hidden agenda to make money off Iowa's deer herd.
I co-own land with my brother in Iowa, which had been my dream since childhood. Togeher, we are spending a small fortune of our own money to manage this land for whitetails. We have a hunting club with other members who contribute to the budget as well. And we try to offset costs as much as possible with cost share programs, CRP payments, rent on the tillable ground and occasional package hunts.
My uncle Bob is fond of saying that the deer herd on our land gets better treatment than our kids (only partially true!)
My brother, his family, and I are now closer than ever as a result of this. Because of this land and this common bond, we now share more time together than we did when I lived in Iowa!
I make every effort to invite our other relatives & friends whenever I am back in Iowa so that they can also share in our land. In fact, following the death of my father to cancer in January of 2007, we established a youth doe hunt as a tribute to him.
We conducted "Willie's First Annual Youth Doe Hunt" during January of 2008. We had 8 kids and their parents participate and they killed 6 does I believe (I will try to attach a picture). The 2nd annual hunt was 2 months ago when my cousin's daughter harvested her first deer (I will also try to attach this picture). During this same hunt, I had one of the best times on stand ever when I guided my nephew Tanner for a doe. He became sooo excited when a doe appeared! He didn't pull the trigger, but I'm sure he will now be an avid deer hunter for life!
For me, it is about the resource - Iowa's great deer herd, and my selfish passions for... spending time on my own land, spending time with family and friends, and hunting big whitetails. Is it wrong for me to want to have the ability to do this every year?
BTW, the personal attacks are fine. They don't hurt my feelings whatsoever and I even find some humor in most of them. But don't expect me to waste time responding because I don't have time to waste.
Mick