For me it's near the end of the year sitting in my deer blind at the farm. Ill either have a Remington 700 270 win or marlin 30-30 in my reach as I sit and wait for the perps to approach the corn field

For me its the highest feeling I've ever felt! Sitting in the timber with nothing bothering me, no madness, nobody else bugging me ect. Just me and happiness and a gun hoping to put some good meat in the freezer.

That feeling is awesome and feels great to escape from the city madness, I wouldn't change it for the world. Btw I've been deer hunting for a few years but got my first last year.

All I can say is the only way I could think my happy place would be better was if I had my brother along side enjoying the exsperience with me. Hopefully that happens this year!

How about you?

Could'nt agree with you more. This too is my special time/place.
In a tree stand just at the break of dawn anticipating a nice buck
to make his appearance. It is the moment for me. My favorite time of year.


chuck

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They hold no Quarter

Outstanding Chuck! In the end it's the simple things in life if you ask me.

I started deer hunting three years ago. I only gun hunt here in Kansas, don't have a bow yet. I got a black powder last year but couldn't get out for the season due to work.

If I could hunt for a living I'd be one happy man!

It use to be on my motorcycle riding with friends through some curvy mountain roads but since most of them have quit riding and the others can't find the time to I don't get to do that any more.
So I guess now it's the time when I'm alone in my shed tooling some leather and listening to the radio. Singing along or thinking about life while making something with my hands out of part of a dead cow.
I have come to realize one thing, Mother was right (as always) time is flying by.

That tree is getting crowded, but I am right there with you guys.

My happy time is when they loosen the straps on my white jacket for a few hours each day

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SOS USA

Anywhere my wife is where I am blessed to be with her... been married for sixteen years and we've spent time apart (sometimes months at a time) over the years due to professional commitments.

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NICK-SWCA-NRA BENEFACTOR LIFE

Walking with Pugsters at the park.

Not sure how to explain it exactly, but its like taking a time out from adult life... just me and my dog. I am reminded that there's a world of living creatures that have more important things on their mind than the stock market. To watch a momma with her ducklings... a turtle coming up for air... I find these things quite relaxing and helpful in keeping perspective. As for Pugsters... I think it's her happy place too.








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Camping with my wife in the state forest (read that to mean no facilities and campsites 1/2 mile or more apart) in the mountains surrounded by forests with deer, turkeys, bear, coyote, beaver, and a nearby cranberry bog. My wife and I found the place about 27 years ago BC ( before children) and have continued going there since. The boys both loved it, but they're 24 and 20 right now and kind of busy with their own lives. One time my wife found herself between a mother black bear and her cub; she was walking up the dirt road that runs through the place when the cub ran across the road in front of her. She heard the mother running down hill towards her, following the cub, squonking as she ran towards her but not in view yet. My wife jumped behind a tree and the bear ran on past, and wow did her adrenaline start pumping; her pupils were absolutely huge when she came back to the campsite. I kind of knew exactly what she meant since I was the only one in the campsite the last time a bear came into it and we had a little bit of a stare-fest until it walked off. Always took my 586, never knowing whether to worry more about the wildlife or the local yayhoos; have only pulled it one time. End of the day, towards midnight, sitting in front of the fire, kids fast asleep, starting to drift off myself when right on the backside of the camper a coyote howled. Long and loud. I came to fully alert and now on the offense , hairs on the back of my neck standing up. cold creepy feeling starting right away. I wasn't sure if it was a coyote or some pervert trying to sound like one to scare us. Pulled my revolver and was ready to use it in either case but it disappeared; never got to see what it was, so I'm figuring it was a coyote since it escaped so quickly and quietly. Yeah, that's my happy place, whenever I'm having trouble sleeping or just to relax for a minute, that's where I go.

About any type of hunting is my happy place and a deer blind at sunrise is about the best of all of them as what may come out any second is still an unknown.
I do have a stand of pines in the back of my place I sometimes go to sit and think. It's one of the most peaceful places I have ever seen.

At a nearby lake where I go each morning for a two mile walk or in my back yard shooting at steel targets I have in several locations.

McDonalds

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Memory of Randy Freas-Rimfired

Years ago this was my happy place



But now I'm happy rightchere among people with common interests.

This is my sit down and relax place.

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Eccentric old coot

Key West, watching the sun come up over the ocean

good memories

little gunshop on derby street in pekin illinois that i visit twice a month that is my happy place.

On the water- out of sight of land, at night. You've never really felt your place in the universe until you gaze upon the heavens in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico with no moon and a clear night. It is especially good when you are on the helm sheeted in on a close reach feeling the boat under your feet-no sounds except the boat speaking to you.

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Forum consigliere

The rules keep changing the older you get. Way back it also was hunting and fishing for me. Is`nt now. Sometimes it was solitude. I actualy had a lot of that on my job. For awhile it was flying. No medical now. Many years it was motorcycle rideing. Dont have one now as it wouldnt be practical for my wife.
Iggy beat me to saying its right here chatting with the crew, at least time wise. Now our quad and hitting the trails is.
One constant since a boy has been always rideing, flying, or driveing whatever moves. Probley since I have always been lazy but always liked to be going somewhere and I can do that sitting down. Its a common everyday ritchal for us to drive for lunch sometimes a 150 mile round trip!

With my wife at the red rockers at the marina on Hilton Head Island, the boat dock at Hilton Head Harbor at night, Pinckney Island at one of the ponds, the top of Roan Mountain, the board walk at Coligny on Hilton Head Island, pulling the camper along the interstate on the way to anywhere, sitting under the awning of the camper with my wife and girls, or just curled up anywhere with all four of us together. Fantail deck on the Jewel of the Seas in the Gulf of Mexico. I could keep going. I have found I have many Happy Places, and for that I'm thankful.

The Highlander

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I hope I copied that right

Spending a crisp October afternoon in the coastal marshes of Cameron Parish (the Four-Mile Square area of Johnson's Bayou to be exact), brushing duck blinds in anticipation of opening day of duck season
(down here, usually the first Saturday in November) -- it is like being in another world, no artificial noise (no cars, lawn mowers, etc) -- just the sound of the breeze rippling through the roseaux cane, the sun sparkling off the water, roseate spoonbills feeding in the shallows,
and flocks of ducks crossing over from time to time -- the smell of the marsh and fresh cut roseaux cane (what we use to camoflage the blinds), taking 20 minutes to eat a sandwich and drink a beer in the afternoon sunlight, then the trip back to the boat landing down a long canal with the Gatortail surface drive motor throwing out a long roostertail of water, my American water spaniel "Ruger" standing on the prow of the boat like a sailing vessel figurehead, scanning for coots that often fly out as we near them, and the finale, the sound of the surf on the Gulf of Mexico as we arrive at the boat landing -- there is only a blacktop coastal road (La Hwy 82) between our boat landing and the beaches of the Gulf -- so our marshes are the last place can linger before the trip to Mexico and Central America.

My other favorite would be sitting on a ricefield levee on a mid-September morning, opening day of teal season, listening to teal whistling overhead in the pre-dawn just before shooting time, with my hunting buddies, watching the first tendrils of sunlight filter thru the eastern sky -- and on the ride back to the lodge, stopping for boudin and a chat with other teal hunters at the Quik-Stop in Welsh.

It's the deer stand for me too. Nothing else comes close. I've taken literally hundreds of deer in my life,but the thrill is still there,even though I seldom shoot anymore.
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

I just got back from my happy place, floating on my bass boat with rubber worms and a half dozen shiners. Would be a little happier had I caught anything but it's so peaceful on the lake it's an awesome way to relax.

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sticks-n-stones&hollowpoints

Feralmerril is right; it DOES keep changing as you get older. Here lately, the porcelain throne is a pretty happy place for me; it seems like just yesterday that I was perfectly content to blast down the highway in a hot car listening to Van Halen.

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MARK

As one an "old fart" I shouldn't say this:

Behind the wheel of my '65 stingray with top off, listening to the tires and engine howl; just driving with no place to go just enjoying the ride. IMHO this is the meaning of freedom.

I forgot the throne. It definetly is a place I always am happy to get to. In fact, I have to plan my trips, meals and distance in between daily. That is what I mean by the rules change the older you get!

Haven't found my happy place yet...

Right here in my front yard...

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Rick, W0FG
CTR2 68-72

Going down the road with that big twin rumbling. Very relaxing. So is birding along a marsh in fall when it's turned a little cooler and the transients are coming through. Winter along the Mississippi River watching the bald eagles hunt and preen in the sun.

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James L. "Jim" Rhiner

My happy place is in the woods... really any woods... alone and awash in my own thoughts. I have the rich blessing of having my own woods, really the responsibility, as steward, to oversee them while in my possession. The ability to listen, to feel nature around me, to feel the sun on me, or a breeze in my face, to smell the changes in the seasons. To sense God's creation coming to life as the sun rises... or to listen to ever growing evening sounds as the sun sets. To see a great owl come flying silently through the deep woods in the dusk. To sit quietly and watch a coyote break cover right beside me... or hear the call of a Tom in the woods. To watch Mallards breaking in to land on the pond... or see the fish break the surface feeding on spring insects. To nest between the cover of two cedar trees along a deer trail and fall asleep... only to wake up by the sounds of does as they tiptoe by through the leaves... or the songs of the coyotes late in the evening in the spring. To watch the leaves turn in the autumn... walking along a trail in a gentle breeze when a tree drops its leaves all at once... the leaves cascading down all around like a gentle rain. The warmth of a camp fire on a crisp fall night... the smell of fresh coffee heating on the edge of the fire... the Milky Way shining on a clear dark night.... or a full moon on a cloudless night - casting moon shadows through the timber. I could go on and on... only in the woods, alone, solitary, am l fully in control of my senses... and only there can l feel what our forefathers felt... complete freedom.

"This is my Father's world,
And to my listening ears,
All nature sings and round me rings,
The music of the spheres."

Blessings,
Hog

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Isaiah 55:8-9
Phil. 4:13

Saddle up and come along.

But know, She's up hill all the way. Clean to the top of the world...



Su Amigo,
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

...out checking my 11 trailcams in logging country. Over 100 thousand acreas of timber w/in walking distance of my front door.

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On the seat of my Harley Davidson Electra Glide. On a two lane road knowing where I came from but not knowing where I'm going. Many many times I have been there.

The fewer people that know about it, the better...

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FBINA, 204th Session

Happy places (in no particular order after #1)

1. Anywhere with my wife of 37 years (she just reached across and stroked my arm for no apparent reason)

2. Being with my son or daughter and taking pleasure in the people that they have become.

3. Laughing and teasing my seven year old granddaughter

4. Holding my 2 month old granddaughter and marveling at the miracle of life.

5. Ditto on number 4 with my 3 week old granddaughter (I know I'm being piggy)

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"What does this button do..."

My Happy Place is in the southern parts of Holland. Every thirth weekend of august they held a Westernweekend at a place called Horst. The local gunclub is called Davy Crockett. I visit that place from 1980. The weekend is visit by about 300 other people from Holland, Belgium, Germany and even a lost American is wondering around.

The weekend starts on thursday. I am always very early to set up my tent and welcome the others. Horst is at night not spoiled with a lot of surounding lights like a big city. So for me is it great under the stars at night with friends, a beer or a whiskey and a fire have a good time and talk with equal minds.

On day time we shoot with all kind of westernguns from the period of the trapper flintlock till cartridge firearms from the early neightienhundred.

Aldo it is static shooting on a paper target om a distance of 25 for handguns or 50 meter for rifles we have great pleasure in it.

On the range I am the taking care of the safety and run the match.

The friendship on those weekends are great. we let the stress of our normal life and job behind us and treassure the illusion of being in the "Old West" Ofcourse everyone is dressed in the period style.

I am looking very much foreward to the next event. I wouldend miss it.

We will expect lots of pics from Horst!
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

Got a hideaway out in the sagebrush that in reality is a pistol and 300 yard plus range where the deer and the antelope play and the Bighorns are off on the horizon. Most of the time the only noise is the wind. Must have been what the whole state was like 150 years ago when Jim Bridger was here.

On more active days driving the Bighorns and its twisties is a fine place to be with the Spyder. There's one downhill hairpin turn that I keep trying to work up the right approach to; after about four years I think I've just about got it down.

I'm convinced that God shoots and likes fast cars.

Thanks, Lord.

Summer trips up to Wyoming and out of the heat of Arizona. Visiting with my folks, Prairie dog shooting with my brother, camping in the Bighorn Mountains, maybe catching the rodeo. I really appreciate the things I took for granted as a kid.

I hope this link will work.
But these pics are made last year. You see pics of the preparation to the weekend and from the weekend.
https://picasaweb.google.com/1000572...at=directlink#

It takes some time to loade the pic's.

Our Queen size bed after all kids are alseep and the alarm on...

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Jorge

I'd have to say in the deer blind as well. For me it just sets everything in perspective. Getting away from the hustle and bustle, back to nature and relaxing in the calm and quiet. Particularly love in in the snow.

......moon

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NRA Life Member

The Misty Fjord National Monument, a 1/2 day away from my door by boat. Truly a wilderness paradise for hunting & fishing.

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Mid October, sitting on the couch watching college football for 12 hours on a Saturday.

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OGCA Member.

Top down cruising with my wife on a twisty two lane road.

The topside of my horse, Salty, just moseying down a forest trail.

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2 Blessed 2B Stressed

Anywhere in the New Mexico backcountry I can take me and my remuda, alone under the sun and stars.

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Have guns...will shoot'em.

It has always been here. Ft Walton Beach, Bayou in front, deck I built below, live oak canopy above, wife on one-side and my octogenarian parents on the other.
(but it is even better when I'm alone.)
I feel I could set there for years.

Any of my many hunting spots...this old loggin trail is a favorite.

Definitely the deer stand like so many people have said......nothing like hiking up to my favorite stand with my bow in my hand.....waiting on daylight and whatever it might bring......

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM