Congress chipping away at our retirement annuity

[McDuck]

You are planning on hunting BEAR with a crossbow?


That really will just make him angry first, you know......

Note: Hunting large game that has sharp claws, with a cross-bow CAN be
successful. However, you better hope that you don't miss, and only wound him, cause that wouldn't be pretty....

I wish it was illegal to kill bears for sport.

 

[GUCHI]

No buy-outs this time around, huh? dang.

they don't need a buyout, with what they have proposed in having the HIGH 5, that will send a flood of feds running out the door. i don't agree with that ... i signed on for the high 3 some 31 yrs ago and now they want to change the rules of the game. we should be granfathered, but that won't fulfill the objectives and intentions of what THEY need to accomplish. burns me up!!!! if the govt offers you something you better believe its not in your best interest...:blink:

 

[Silverbird]

Early retirement with buyout? Surely you jest. When they did that at the Agency where I now reside, guess what happened? (this was during HW Bush administration)

1. An entire office full of Economist/project manager GS 12/10s left (well, all except 1, the Office Director - not a 12/10). Hilarious, unless you were running that office...
2. Almost the entire secretarial staff left (only the GS7 secretary for the AS stayed). After this mess, we no longer have secretaries (administrative staff only and they have to learn to do budgetting and the suchlike).
3. Most of the people ready to retire left, taking all of their experience with them. More than they expected took the buyout.
4. Buyout payments actually were really expensive for the Agency and reportedly instead of cost savings it resulted in additional cost.

 

[BULLonPARADE]

Steady check out the PSE TAC-15. Takes the crossbow to a different level; of course considering how you feel about centerfire rifles for hunting you may feel it offers too much performance. The same is true with traditional caplock and flintlock muzzle loaders verses inline, traditional "iron" sights or scopes and smokeless versus black powder.

I think if you do get into hunting you will likely change some of your preconceived notions.

 

[nasa1974]

I plan to retire next year. I will be at 42 years October 2012. If Congress passes the high 5 I will leave either September 30th or December 31st depending on when it would take effect. If I don't and retire with the high 5 I stand to loose about $175.00 a month.

 

[Elgallo]

The effect of this high 3 to 5 move seems to amount to appx. a 6% reduction on average.

 

[Steadygain]

I wish it was illegal to kill bears for sport.

I wish that anyone that would kill a 'Bear' or an 'Elk' for sport - would receive a guaranteed 3 to 5 years in prison - plus a huge FINE.

So let me emphasize once again: If I kill a bear - not only will I take its meat but I would also take its FUR to use.

I would NEVER - EVER kill a Bear or an Elk 'for sport' -- but would ONLY do it out of the highest reverence and respect and use everything I could use.

I have NEVER hunted 'to this day' because I detest the thought of killing for Sport. That is not what I would be doing - and I can't stress that enough. I am hunting for MEAT and if a Bear will also use its FUR.

I also would only use a Crossbow - and never a rifle - because if 'Hunting' is a good and controlled event - then I want it more 'Natural'.

Steady check out the PSE TAC-15. Takes the crossbow to a different level; of course considering how you feel about centerfire rifles for hunting you may feel it offers too much performance. The same is true with traditional caplock and flintlock muzzle loaders verses inline, traditional "iron" sights or scopes and smokeless versus black powder.

I think if you do get into hunting you will likely change some of your preconceived notions.

Thanks my friend -- I'll check it out.

I plan on using a higher end crossbow with the reddot or scope - as they are legal where I'd be hunting. The last thing I want to do is anger it or just hurt it. I'm totally out to KILL and to make that death happen as quickly as possible.

I'm not out there to take some picture or something like that. I'm out to cut it open and clean it out as fast as possible.

The only reason why I said 'Bear' and 'Elk' is because I totally respect either one and would wholly do it right.

 

[Steadygain]

Steady check out the PSE TAC-15.

Well for $1,000 less.....

I've got over 185 pounds pull - where this is 170 max
Anti dry fire
400 fps (or very close)
5 lb trigger pull

I'd probably 'need' a more standard crossbow for 'that season'.


Thanks though Much appreciated

 

[James48843]

I have NEVER hunted 'to this day' because I detest the thought of killing for Sport. That is not what I would be doing - and I can't stress that enough. I am hunting for MEAT and if a Bear will also use its FUR.

I also would only use a Crossbow - and never a rifle - because if 'Hunting' is a good and controlled event - then I want it more 'Natural'.

If you want to kill it "more natural", then why don't you just sneak up behind him, and hit him over the head with a rock? A cross-bow is man-made, but if you hit him over the head with a rock, what could be more "natural" than that?

 

[jpcavin]

You can always kill them with kindness, or scare them to death.:laugh:

 

[mick504]

I have been retired for 5 years now....under CSRS. The govt has talked about that for many years....even 15 years ago. I currently don't watch what's going on with retirement since I've done that already. I wouldn't jump the gun...panic and retire just because of the talk from 3 to 5 years; however if I knew for sure...that would be a different story. I did the 30 years at age 56 thing. I wouldn't doubt if that happened. I'm glad I was under CSRS; some others changed to FERS...and then had to work longer....not a good deal for me...Good Luck

 

[Steadygain]

If you want to kill it "more natural", then why don't you just sneak up behind him, and hit him over the head with a rock? A cross-bow is man-made, but if you hit him over the head with a rock, what could be more "natural" than that?

Jim,
I can't kill with a rifle - it's me - and I can't help it. There's too much baggage that goes with it and I can't even try because I know what will happen.

If it weren't for that I would way rather use a rifle - because the accuracy is unmatched and the kill would be immensely quicker.

I love the wilderness and if I move to this area it will be the fulfillment of everything GOD could possibly bless me with. The thrill of living with wildlife and seeing all the wildlife means way more to me than killing one.

My ultimate goal is to honor the area and keep it the most beautiful place on earth. The hunting season is wholly for that endeavor - so wildlife can have more quality of life and the region will remain a cherished marvel.

I'm not going in with the attitude to 'make a kill' - for the sake of finding a target and killing it. I'm going in with the deepest intention of being united with the wilderness and doing it in a way of genuine worship and respect. I highly value wildlife - and I would say especially the Bear and the Elk. So I will honor it - and use it in a way that displays the highest respect.

The 'bow' is the only option I have -- and with that the crossbow seems to offer the quickest kill (and the highest safety).

 

[nnuut]

To really respect wildlife you should make the kill as painless as possible if you can do that to a BIG Grizzly with a bow and arrow that's fine but I doubt it, those things are much tougher than you think and don't go down easily, and reloading isn't an option with it running toward you at 35 mph. It's also important to not waste the animal, meaning eat the meat, tan the hide and let nothing be wasted. View attachment 10628

 

[Steadygain]

To really respect wildlife you should make the kill as painless as possible if you can do that to a BIG Grizzly with a bow and arrow that's fine but I doubt it, those things are much tougher than you think and don't go down easily, and reloading isn't an option with it running toward you at 35 mph. It's also important to not waste the animal, meaning eat the meat, tan the hide and let nothing be wasted. View attachment 10628

Very well put Norm.

Thanks

 

[alevin]

You're right about grizzlies, nnuut. no grizzlies in PA. only black bears. 2 different animals. I know a guy (used to work with him(. went black bear hunting, ran into momma grizz with cubs. she attacked, he almost died. she did. neither would have died if he had played dead after first attack. but he kept moving. she attacked 2d time when he started moving after she thought he was dead. he lost rifle on first attack, she tossed him near rifle on second attack. he shot her, but his body will never be the same.

black bear-always fight back with everything you have if cant climb a tree, don't have bear spray or better weapon. grizz-rule of thumb-play dead if cant get away, 2 very different animals.

 

[nnuut]

Yeah Alevin I don't mess with Lions, Tigers and Bears even Black Bears. Can you imagine playing dead while a Bear is eating your leg?

 

[alevin]

nnuut, nobody should sit still if something eating your leg!!!! point is-blacks will often eat you, grizz usually more interested in eliminating threat, not looking at you as food. blacks are smaller, you can intimidate them if you fight back. nothing much wins a fistfight w/ a grizz. if grizz is more interestefd in removing threat, they will mive off once they think the threat is reliminated. As in everything biology, there are only rules of thumb when comes to animal behavior, always exceptions to the rules when comes down to individual animals-i can say that from my own work experience with critters..

and i also know someone who's ex-husband was stalked by a grizz he couldnt see in thick brush up in AK, he could hear something stalking him for several minutes, couldnt see it til it charged out of brush from a few feet away. he shot it dead. close call. any bear stalks you, they are looking at you as food.

 

[Steadygain]

Yeah Alevin I don't mess with Lions, Tigers and Bears even Black Bears. Can you imagine playing dead while a Bear is eating your leg?

Well this has taken a delightful kind of turn.

I don't mess with anything but the Lions, Tigers and Bears because I'm not going hunting just to hunt. I'll leave the rabbits and squirrels and groundhogs to the others.

If - and when - I go (and I'd have to say I'm seriously getting more and more excited about it) -- BUT -- I'm going for the Elk or Bear.

Somehow I think you underestimate their intelligence and perhaps their ability to 'connect with us'.

So -- in my thinking all I need to do -- is something to 'stun it' until I can fire the next arrow.

Like pull down my pants -- that would flip it out!!! :nuts:

I'll have Blue start doing duck walks --


Anyway -- I'll shoot hundreds of pictures in between hunting season.

 

[nnuut]

LIONS, TIGERS and BEARS. LIONS, TIGERS and BEARS. LIONS, TIGERS and BEARS!!!!!!!!!

 

[Buster]

Oh My!