It is hard to resist that first time when you have a deer almost in range and you know you have never made the shot in practice, but you think, "I can do it if I am just lucky and what a great story it will be to tell." Hopefully you miss. Sometimes you stick the deer in an odd body part and it hobbles off to tell all his friends and your neighbors what a fool you are. Not that it has ever happened to me.

Practice shooting at a little paper plate, the type they serve cake on at kids parties.

Practice in the same conditions, clothes, location, and angle that you are going to try to really shoot a deer from.

It sounds simple, but I asked a trainer at the gym what I could do to improve my vertical jump in an effort to try to duck the basketball one more time. It has been 13 years. The trainer looked at me and said, "remember when you were 15 and you tried to dunk every day until you couldn't jump anymore? There is no better way to practice that to go out and try to dunk over and over and over. Funny, I haven't once "tried" to dunk because I know I can't. What strange logic we develop as we get older.

Practice the shot you intend to take.

I do not have one - yet. Why, cell phone signal issue. Wireless internet access issue. Charge per photo sent over cell network can get very expensive quickly. If money is not an object and at least someone can "reset" when/if necessary, here are the companies that I have talked to who seemed like they new what they were talking about:

Tommy, tommy@granderiver.net I see him at the Texas Deer Association shows and at the 4H Shogun Shooting Sports competition in San Antonio. They have very high quality equipment and operate an internet hosting company in South Texas.

I just met these guys this summer for the first time at the Texas Wildlife Association banquet, their name was www.timekeeperssecurity.com and they had an equally impressive solution with a strong security background.

Hmm, as soon as I get them from John (and my friend Catherine has some too) I'll let you know. You wouldn't think it'd be difficult, but...there's been a lot going on around here ya know. ;)

I'll get them up with a story in journals soooon, promise! 

"observing and evaluating whitetails" by Richards and Brothers is the first thing to read in my opinion

David,  what a profound statement.  That is the best and most accurate categorization of these nut jobs I have ever heard.

Former champ leads field with 5-fish slam after

Day 2 of the IGFA Inshore World Championship

Needs two fish for second slam in prestigious tournament of champions

ISLAMORADA, In-the-Florida-Keys, U.S.A.  –  Joe “Pepe” Lopez, Coral Gables, Fla. the 2006 winner of the IGFA Inshore World Championship, became the leading angler after two days by catching and releasing all five tournament species to complete his first slam towards again reigning in the grand champion title.            

The International Game Fish Association’s celebrated catch-and-release tournament, nicknamed the “super bowl of inshore fishing,” features 32 anglers from around the world stalking Florida Bay waters for bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook and redfish.

The three-day eighth annual IGFA IWC concludes on Wednesday, July 2.

Adding to his Day 1 total of two redfish and a snook both on bait, Lopez on Tuesday, guided by Capt. Bruce Stagg, Islamorda, caught and released one permit, two tarpon and three bonefish, all on bait to round out his scoreboard leading slam. “He needs a permit and a snook to complete his second slam,” said IGFA IWC tournament director Mike Myatt.

That’s what defending champion Robert Collins, of Naples, and Islamorada, Fla., is hoping for as well.  Collins, who Monday had a 300 point day on two species (two redfish and a snook) had a better day Tuesday catching-and-releasing two tarpon on artificial, one permit on crab and three redfish all on bait. He’s the only other angler with four species for a 925 point total. 

“I’m hoping to get doubles on Wednesday of the remaining species we need to pull together two slams,” said Collins, who was guided by Capt. Steve Friedman, Islamorada. Collins also won the this tournament in 2005 added, “I think with this deep field of competitors it will take at least two slams, maybe three to win the grand champion title.”

Also in contention is Greg Zaepfel, Williamsville, New York, who was “on fire”  with Tavernier guide Capt..Steve Thomas, releasing three permit, three snook and three redfish on a variety of baits and artificial lures.  Zaepfel, who won the Redbone @ Large Greater Niagara Bass-eye Celebrity Challenge in Buffalo last year to qualify said ”they were in the right places at the right times.” 

“Yesterday I was looking for permit but never found them, but today we were looking for redfish and snook, but also found the permit.”  Zaepfel who didn’t catch a fish Monday now has 975 points on the triple catches of the three species.  

Mark Cooper, Aurora, Colo., widened his lead to three species in the fly division catching a redfish and a tarpon to add to his three snook on fly Monday.  The former NFL lineman for the Denver Broncos and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was guided Tuesday by Capt. Eric Herstedt, Homestead, Fla.

After releasing three snook and three redfish for 600 points Monday, first day leader John Timura, Islamorda stumbled in his goal of two slams, catching a single permit Tuesday. 

The 32 anglers gained entry winning one of over 55 fly and light tackle IGFA tournaments during 2007 held in eight countries around the world representing nearly 3,000 anglers on four continents, vying to be in the “tournament of champions.”  Of the champions, 15 are first time invitees including anglers from Sweden, Uganda, Africa and Darwin, Australia.

The anglers fish with a different guide each of the three days based on a drawing the opening night. Myatt, said, “The rotating guide and angler format relieves the ‘home field’ advantage to a degree and lends itself to maximizing not only the angler’s strengths, but also the guide’s.”

The anglers are vying for timepieces in the prestige tournament. The four major award categories include: Grand Champion (the angler who accumulates the most points for all five targeted species); and first places in the fly, artificial lure and bait casting divisions. Trophies and merchandise for second and third place divisional winners as well as to the top three guides. The point value of the fish is determined by species and the angler’s fishing preference. 

The daily results of the IGFA IWC along with photos of the previous day’s round is being posted each morning on the IGFA’s home page at igfa.org.

Sponsors this year include Mercury Outboards,  Bacardi, Costa Del Mar, G. Loomis, Hook and Tackle, Islamorada Fish Co., Islander Resort, King Sailfish Mounts, Rapala, Shimano, Stiffy Push Poles, 3M Scientific Anglers, Reel Life Art by Pasta, World Wide Sportsman, Zane Grey Lounge, KD & G Sea Life Masterpieces, Redbone Gallery, Image Graphics 2000, Momoi, Diamond Illusion and  Daiichi.

The Islander Resort is the tournament headquarters, while fishing and daily scorekeeping takes place from the World Wide Sportsman marina. Both are located near mile marker 82.

The International Game Fish Association is a not-for-profit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule making and record keeping.  It was founded in 1939 and has members in over 125 countries. The association welcomes visitors to their 60,000 square foot IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum in Dania Beach, Florida. The IGFA web site is igfa.org.

For further information, contact Ms. Hartman at the IGFA, 300 Gulf Stream Way, Dania Beach, Florida 33004; (954) 927-2628; Fax (954) 924-4299; Email: DHartman@igfa.org.