Making my humble return.

[429421Cowboy]

I am back guys! I've been missing you guys for a long while and finally decided I needed to come back to the site that has always given me so much. I left quietly and quickly a few years back because of a horrible experience on a different forum causing me to give it up for awhile, and needing to focus more time on graduating college. Since then I: became a 3rd generation firefighter in the same department as my father and grandfather, gotten engaged(to Miss K of course), graduated Montana State University with a degree in rangeland ecology, took a full time job with the range management company I worked for during college, gotten married this June, acquired a handful more interesting firearms, and now continue to split my time between work here in Bozeman and back up north at the ranch. Most of the spring/summer/fall is spent working 11 on/3 off shifts in Nevada, Utah, Montana and other parts of the west helping ranchers and counting grass. Unfortunately my reloading has fallen off greatly, as has my shooting due to the amount of travel I do now allowing me just enough time to be with my wife and load enough to practice a little and hunt with. Luckily I do get a good bit of time off during hunting season so spend chasing critters with the wife now. Anyways, I am excited to be back and get caught up with everyone!

[ShooterAZ]

Congratulations on all of your accomplishments, and welcome back!

[square butte]

Glad to see you are back. Sounds like you have come a fur piece with everything. Great to have Montana folks here and sharing stories. I miss it, as i used to live in the Flathead

[lightman]

Welcome back and congratulations on all of the accomplishments. Life has caused most of us to take a break from our hobbies at one time or another. I have no doubt that you will get back into them.

[Don Purcell]

Man, you are a firebrand and remind me of a joke I heard. Guy is talking to his buddy and says "Just got home yesterday after two weeks on the road". Buddy says "What's the first thing you did when you got home?" "I made passionate love to my wife." "Well, I figured that so what's the second thing you did?". "I put down my suitcases!!!".

[lightman]

Man, you are a firebrand and remind me of a joke I heard. Guy is talking to his buddy and says "Just got home yesterday after two weeks on the road". Buddy says "What's the first thing you did when you got home?" "I made passionate love to my wife." "Well, I figured that so what's the second thing you did?". "I put down my suitcases!!!".

Thats what Dad said when he came home after getting out of the army! I think he used the word "kissed", but otherwise the same story.

[Messy bear]

Welcome back!

[MT Gianni]

Welcome back from the Jefferson Valley.

[472x1B/A]

Welcome back. Have been wondering what you were up to for the last few years.

[429421Cowboy]

Thank you all for the welcome back, I have truly missed every one of you and it is great to see familiar faces. It has been a rough and tumble few years, but we have hung tight. Katelyn is in a rough place with her health, but with God's grace we're getting through it. I have a rifle project I'm working on right now that has given me a new spark in shooting again, even with apartment/city living making tinkering and reloading difficult.

[Down South]

Welcome back. Congrats on all you have accomplished. It takes time and hard work to do the things you mentioned.

[Idaho Mule]

Good to hear from you again, I wondered what had happened. Glad to hear you and bride are doing well and look forward to hearing more from you. As for internet experts, well, just ignore them and keep on doing your own thing. JW

[quilbilly]

Welcome back! If you can ever make it to NCBS, I would love to hear more about your experiences "counting grass" in Nevada and beyond. As an old (very old) fish biologist, I find botanists to be a fountain of knowledge on the relationship between fish and plants (i.e.. wild onions and brook trout or red cedar and coho salmon).

[RED BEAR]

welcome back.

[Traffer]

Your return is our gain, sir. Welcome back!

[woodbutcher]

:drinks: Outstanding Sir.Welcome home.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[Traffer]

Welcome back! If you can ever make it to NCBS, I would love to hear more about your experiences "counting grass" in Nevada and beyond. As an old (very old) fish biologist, I find botanists to be a fountain of knowledge on the relationship between fish and plants (i.e.. wild onions and brook trout or red cedar and coho salmon).

And now I know who can answer my botany and fish biology questions.:grin:

[429421Cowboy]

Welcome back! If you can ever make it to NCBS, I would love to hear more about your experiences "counting grass" in Nevada and beyond. As an old (very old) fish biologist, I find botanists to be a fountain of knowledge on the relationship between fish and plants (i.e.. wild onions and brook trout or red cedar and coho salmon).

I was looking through old posts about NCBS yesterday and decided that if there is any way in heck or high river I can make it this year I am going to try and be there this year! I spend the majority of my time in Nevada around the Winnemucca area, so I am hoping I'll already be down there during the shoot!

[Wolfer]

I too am glad to see you back.

[osteodoc08]

Welcome Back!

On your travels, if there is any down time, a small press like the BPM press, would work out great.

Congrats on Miss K and graduation and gainful employment. Learn how to invest and do it now and wisely.

[Bzcraig]

I'd say you've had the adventure of a lifetime while you were away. Welcome back.

[429421Cowboy]

It certainly seems like it has been a lifetime! I can't tell you guys how glad I am to be back and find that things haven't changed a bit, still familiar faces and same great attitude. Having to adjust a bit to the powder coated world and trying to figure out where I fit in on that angle since it all came about after I left!

We are blessed to have healthcare at both of our jobs, and that I get retirement benefits (matched up to 3%) and have been able to start saving up. It adds up quick when I'm clocking 85-90hr a week in the summertime and they are also kicking some in!

[waksupi]

Welcome back!