Poll By Request Fav. Winter Sports

[Andrea Larabee]

What's your favorite winter sport

[Joel Merrill]

Hunting

Joel

[David Cash]

There are a couple I'd like to try, namely crosscountry skiing and snowshoeing (sp). One that I've had a brief taste of that is really fun is doglsedding. My brother had a brief fling at it when we were young, and the brief ride I took alone on his sled was really a pleasant experience. Standing on the runners, leaves the feeling that you're really moving fast. Which in one sense is true; although, next to a car it isn't. The other thing that was fascinating was the silence. I wouldn't enjoy caring for that many dogs year round, but otherwise, it would really be a fun sport.

But for all that, I voted for curling up by the fireplace with a book.

David Cash

[Brad Mercer]

Hunting

Joel

Oops, yes, that was a major oversight. ;-)

I'll never forget the mornings I've spent sitting in a stupid tree before daylight with my toes freezing off, wondering whether that's a bobcat in the tree with me or just funny shadows of branches, hoping desperately that a deer will wander across my path at some point during the day to make it all worth while. It never turned out that way for me, but I'll never forget the time I thought surely it was about to.

For 30 minutes near the end of the hunting day something that sounded as big as a moose was thrashing around in the woods just outside my clearing, and apparently moving slowly toward me. I spent several minutes changing positions in excruciatingly slow motion so as not to make any noise and frighten it away, certain that it would show up before I was in position and I'd lose my shot. But if only I could get into position in time, and it would just keep coming, it would all be worthwhile, because this sucker must be a 16-point trophy buck from the racket it was making. I'd be the talk of the male half of the family for the rest of my life.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the noise maker waddled into view: a fat little armadillo just nosing around in the dry leaves and underbrush looking for bugs or whatever. It had to be one of the most frustrating, disappointing moments in my life at the end of that 10 or 12 hours in a tree.

Brad

[Joel Merrill]

Oops, yes, that was a major oversight. ;-)

I'll never forget the mornings I've spent sitting in a stupid tree before daylight with my toes freezing off, wondering whether that's a bobcat in the tree with me or just funny shadows of branches, hoping desperately that a deer will wander across my path at some point during the day to make it all worth while. It never turned out that way for me, but I'll never forget the time I thought surely it was about to.

For 30 minutes near the end of the hunting day something that sounded as big as a moose was thrashing around in the woods just outside my clearing, and apparently moving slowly toward me. I spent several minutes changing positions in excruciatingly slow motion so as not to make any noise and frighten it away, certain that it would show up before I was in position and I'd lose my shot. But if only I could get into position in time, and it would just keep coming, it would all be worthwhile, because this sucker must be a 16-point trophy buck from the racket it was making. I'd be the talk of the male half of the family for the rest of my life.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the noise maker waddled into view: a fat little armadillo just nosing around in the dry leaves and underbrush looking for bugs or whatever. It had to be one of the most frustrating, disappointing moments in my life at the end of that 10 or 12 hours in a tree.

Brad
Believe it or not, I've never hunted deer. I'd like to sometime. I get all the venison I want given to me. I like pheasant and rabbit hunting the best. I used to hunt squirrel but the meat isn't worth the effort it takes to skin them and I don't shoot it anything I'm not going to eat. Well, I do like to shoot starlings and I wouldn't eat one of them.

I've never had the coordination or skill to play any ball games very well. I don't like football. I like to watch basketball but I'm not very good at it. I'm fair at soft ball and volleyball. I haven't played much soccer but I liked it when I did play it. I'm too old to run like that now.

I like to hunt and fish and they are a sport too. In fact I pride myself in being more sporting about it than many hunters. I see so many hunters take crazy shots that are both dangerous and wasteful because they wound and lose a lot of game. I think it takes more skill to track your game and hold your shot until you know you can make a clean one shot kill. If my family were starving, it might be different. But you can't hunt like you are starving and call that a sport.

I've took some macho football player type guys out pheasant hunting and wore them out. I remember wondering if one guy was going to make it back. Tromping for several miles through a foot of snow, over plowed fields and up and down hills with an 8 pound shotgun will separate the men from the wimps. The guys usually over dress. Instead of dressing in layers, they will wear a heavy parka that is good for 40 below when it is in the mid 20's.

My dad used to ice fish a lot when we lived in Spooner Wisconsin. In this part of Iowa it doesn't very often stay cold long enough to make the ice safe for ice fishing.

Joel

[Diane Likens]

It's not just Aussies who go to the beach --- we in Florida are likely to do so,too, though we won't be nearly as warm.

Oh, how I miss snow!

[Andrea Larabee]

It's not just Aussies who go to the beach --- we in Florida are likely to do so,too, though we won't be nearly as warm.

Oh, how I miss snow!

Diane, I made the poll for Jim F. and tried to make the poll exactly as his post was written. I was a west coast girl and loved watching the surfers out there surfing on Christmas Day. It's much fun having perfect 70 degree weather in the winter.

[Jim Franklin]

Thanks Andrea for creating and posting my suggestion. I think there have been some interesting responses. It used to be figure skating for me so much that it is hard for me to this day to watch figure skating contest on the tube and not regret that our family did not have the financial ability to provide lessons in the art and skill of figure skating. At my current age and physical status I voted for the book before the fireplace option.

I should have included snowmobiling.

[Roland Hearn]

Well this is where Brad is finding the hardest time to adjust, what do you actually call the seasons of the year in a country where everything is backwards. Andrea I just love the fact that you tried to include me in the chooses, that is so validating. Of course, here's the problem: Cricket is a summer sport not a winter sport it just happens to be summer here when it is winter there so it sounds like it is a winter sport because we are talking about cricket in the winter. So I have to work out are you asking me what is my favorite sport December - February in which case "cricket" certainly is the answer. If the question is what is my favorite sport in the winter it would have to be "other" because it would be Rugby League football.

[Roland Hearn]

I didn't see Jim's original post about this issue so I probably should thank Jim too for thinking broadly to make sure I felt included in the survey - thanks Jim.

[Hal Kreps]

Snowmobile