Never thought I would say this, but I was talking with a friend of mine's wife, both are accountants. Was telling them about website issues I was having. She said to ask chat gpt. The daggum thing walked me through every step of every process I needed to do. Now I'm building my own website with the help of it. Doesn't look like I will have to pay anyone to do it and thank God too. Having a Niche business like I have and trying to articulate the terminology to someone who has no clue what I'm talking about is not only a nightmare in itself, but you get mixed results in the end at best. In my opinion, this app is going to kill a lot of consulting jobs but it sure did make my day brighter. If you need a good accountant, contact Walt4dun on here he'll fix you up.

I know I sound like a broken record, but I keep telling y’all….I use it for everything, like, daily.

Yeah, I wonder about this AI stuff. Strange world we live in.

Walt's better half does too. I still feel like my name is now on a list or somethin though. The way I feel about it after what I experienced today, there is nothing online you can't accomplish. Blows my mind literally.

My exact feelings. I don't trust it at all. We've all watched Terminator. If it saves me possibly tens of thousands then I'm gonna use it. It damn sure helped me out bigly today.

I was talking with our youngest son who has one semester left at University Alabama for his ADN to BSN program and was asking what info he thought it was gathering with this newest Facebook trend, "Roast My Picture" where you upload a photo and then it gives back a description of everything in it (people, clothes, background, etc). He said it is likely just training to be better and I voiced my issue with how they used to run papers that had been written for an assignment through something to see if it had been totally plagiarized, and he said that UA actually offers a course on how to use the program better and that the college teachers encourage students to use it.

I feel like there is no point in giving a written assignment if AI is going to do the work. And, I am probably in the minority, but I feel like it is just another cog in the "dumbing of society" wheel.

Maybe it is because I come from a family of writers. One of my maternal aunts is a published author of numerous romance novels and my maternal grandmother used to be a reporter for a newspaper. I just hate the idea of AI taking over writing things that people used to be able to make money doing.

Chat GPT or Grok3

I use them both and they are awesome. As you use them for information, you learn how to set parameters on how the AI searches and gathers the information. It is amazing how accurate and useful the information you can receive in less than a minute with no web searching.

Another added benefit to using these programs: Bible Study!! I tell it to only use a certain bible edition to answer the questions I pose and it gives me the answers without getting input from anything except the bible I specify. It totally takes human bias/religious perspectives out of the equation and only tells me what is written in the bible with all verses it has used and why. You can then dive deeper by asking questions about the responses it presented.

AI is a huge game changer for just about everything.

My daughter is a high school English teacher. She said all the kids are using it to write their assignments but with most she can tell if they have used it or not. When a student that normally just skates by grade wise and they can’t tell you what a certain word is or pronounce it on a paper they just turned its pretty obvious they used AI. She said the school system actually has a program they can run it through to tell also if it’s been used. I agree Huntress just more Dumbing of society for the most part to me.

That’s a pretty valid take, especially since the only reason AI is able to generate arts (pictures, poems, stories, scripts, music, etc) is because its owners sort of shadily fed it copyrighted works and trained it off them. Every bit of art that it generates is a culmination of millions of artists work.

How does it do driving in a little mud?

Here’s one I asked ChatGPT this morning about my fly rod setup….I could have googled and sorted through various posts, but it did the work for me and gave me a clear concise answers. That's essentially all it is at this point....it researches [topic] online, but it searches pretty much the entire innerwebs in literally a couple of seconds. It then analyzes and compiles that data into easy to understand instructions in a conversational format. It's not truly "thinking for itself"...it's just doing an enormous amount of computing and analyzation at lightning fast speeds.

Question:

I’m throwing bream and bass poppers on a 6wt fly rod. Floating line is 5wt/6wt line and I’m using a 6-7’ section of 8# mono for the leader/tippet. With smaller poppers it works fine, but with bigger poppers, I struggle to cast. The bait ends up piling up at the end of the floating line instead of fully unrolling. What should I do?


Answer:

You’re right on the edge of a solid setup, and your gear choices make sense—but big poppers are a different beast. When they’re piling up at the end of the cast, that’s usually a sign that your leader isn’t transferring energy well enough to turn them over. Here are a few things you can tweak to get better turnover with those bigger bugs:

1. Shorten and/or Stiffen the Leader

Your 6–7’ of 8 lb mono is probably too limp and long to turn over larger, more wind-resistant poppers. Try:
• Shortening the leader to 4.5–5.5 feet.
• Stepping up to 10–12 lb mono or even switching to a short tapered leader designed for bass.
• Or build your own leader with a butt section (like 2–3 ft of 20–30 lb mono), then a 12–18” mid-section (12–15 lb), and finish with 12–18” of 10 lb tippet.

2. Overline the Rod

You’re using a line rated for 5/6, but a true 6 wt or even a heavy 6 (like a bass bug taper) will help load your rod better and punch those poppers out with authority.

3. Use a Shorter, More Aggressive Taper Fly Line

Look for a bass bug or warmwater taper line—they’re designed to throw bulky flies. These lines have a shorter, heavier front taper that helps turn over big stuff more easily.

4. Check Your Casting Stroke

Big poppers require a slightly slower, more deliberate casting stroke with a wider loop to accommodate their air resistance. Try:
• Open up your loop a bit.
• Smooth acceleration to a hard stop on the forward cast.
• Let the backcast fully straighten out before your forward stroke.

TL;DR Fix:
• Switch to 5’ of 12 lb mono.
• Use a true 6 wt or bass bug taper line.
• Slow down and open your loop.

Let me know what size/brand poppers you’re throwing, and I can tailor the advice even more if needed.

Careful: AI is on the verge of becoming sentient and will then decide whether it allows humans to live. Don’t give any of the AI companies any more than they already have.

Like my Ol Daddy said when he got his first smartphone…….”who puts all this stuff in there”

How do I hunt a giant buck?

Hunting a giant buck can be a thrilling and challenging experience, but it requires a blend of preparation, strategy, patience, and respect for nature. Here’s a general guide to help you prepare for hunting a giant buck:

1. Understand Your Area & The Deer
Know the terrain: Study the land where you’ll be hunting. Look for areas where deer are most likely to be, such as thick bedding areas, feeding zones (like agricultural fields), and travel corridors between them.

Scouting: Spend time scouting before the season starts. Use trail cameras to monitor deer movement, and learn about their habits during different times of the day.

Understand the buck's behavior: Giant bucks tend to be more cautious and elusive. They have learned to avoid human presence, especially during daylight hours. They may also be more active during the rut (breeding season), so pay attention to that.

2. Timing
Season: Hunting during the rut is typically the best time for encountering mature bucks because they are more active and less cautious. The pre-rut and post-rut can also offer good opportunities.

Time of day: Bucks are most active during early morning and late evening. During the rut, you might see them moving at any time of day, but the early and late hours are still prime.

3. Choose the Right Gear
Rifle/Bow: Choose your weapon based on the terrain and hunting style. A high-caliber rifle with good range is ideal for open fields, while a bow might be better for thick, wooded areas where shots are closer.

Optics: A good pair of binoculars or a spotting scope can help you identify deer from a distance.

Clothing: Dress in layers for comfort and warmth, but ensure that your clothing blends into the environment to avoid being spotted by the deer. Camouflage is key, especially during hunting season when deer are alert to any disturbances.

4. Hunting Stands & Blinds
Tree Stands: Set up tree stands in areas with high deer traffic or near feeding areas. Make sure your stand is in a spot that allows for clear shots at likely deer paths.

Ground Blinds: If hunting from the ground, using a blind can help conceal your movements. Place it near known deer trails or bedding areas.

Entry & Exit: Minimize your scent and noise when entering or exiting your stand. Try to use the wind to your advantage to keep your scent from blowing towards the deer.

5. Scent Control
Wind direction: Deer have an incredible sense of smell. Always hunt with the wind in your face or at your side, so your scent is not carried towards the deer.

Scent-blocking gear: Use scent-blocking clothes, sprays, and field wipes to reduce your human scent. Wash your hunting clothes in scent-free detergent and store them in a scent-free bag.

Cover scents: Some hunters use natural cover scents like doe estrous or acorn scent to mask human odor or attract bucks.

6. Patience & Stealth
Be quiet and still: Once you are in your stand or blind, stay as still and quiet as possible. Bucks can hear slight noises from a long distance, and the slightest movement can alert them.

Don’t rush your shot: Wait for the perfect shot angle. A giant buck can be very cautious, so don’t take a shot unless you're confident it’s a clean, ethical shot.

7. Tracking and Shot Placement
Shot placement: Aim for the vital areas—behind the front shoulder for a clean, quick kill. If using a bow, make sure to aim for the heart or lungs for a humane kill.

Tracking a hit deer: If you make a good shot, track the deer carefully. Look for blood signs, and give the animal some time to expire. Don’t rush the tracking process, as it may push the deer further away.

8. Learn from the Experience
Adapt your tactics: If you don’t get the buck the first time, reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Did the deer respond to your calls? Did you make too much noise when entering your stand? By analyzing each hunt, you can improve for the next one.

Patience: A giant buck may not be taken immediately. They are smart, elusive animals, and it might take multiple hunts before you get a shot.

9. Respect the Animal
Ethical hunting: Always strive to take ethical shots and respect the wildlife you're pursuing. Ensure the shot is humane and the buck is used in a respectful manner after the kill.

Stay safe: Always follow safety rules—wear a harness in tree stands, double-check your firearm, and keep a clear line of sight when shooting.

Bonus Tip: Use Calls & Lures
Grunt calls: A buck grunt call can imitate the sound of a buck during the rut, potentially attracting a large buck to your area.

Doe bleats: Doe estrous scent or bleat calls can also attract bucks, especially during the rut when they're looking for mates.

Rattling antlers: This technique mimics two bucks fighting and can sometimes draw in a dominant buck to assert his territory.

Hunting a giant buck is about building knowledge, staying patient, and continuously improving your tactics. It can take time, but the reward of bagging that trophy buck makes it all worth it. Happy hunting!