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As previously mentioned, it was a fantastic day to be in the woods. Very slight but consistent breeze, wet but not too cold. I couldn't believe how quiet it was. Made my way to a bench overlooking an oak flat this morning. Stateland. Fresh sign everywhere and even a couple freshened up scrapes. Unfortunately the only deer I saw all day was in the dark on the car ride to hunt lol. I usually only hit this spot during the late season. Hadn't been there since this time last year. Some changes happening there. New resident beaver(s). I think he was a little overconfident on this one lol. And something I'd never seen before, a triple trunk cherry tree. And the trunks were all very straight. Interesting I thought. Planning one more hunt on 1.1 if the weather is decent. We'll see.

It is that time of year for me, "tinker time". Around twenty years ago I purchased a CZ 527 223 at the Syracuse gun show. It is a beautiful rifle that has a great trigger and drives tacks but the one thing that bugged me was it's bolt handle. The design made it impossible to mount a scope low, the handle when lifted and pulled back would hit the rear of the scope, the scope had to be mounted with high rings which worked but had my head off the stock. So I came across an outfit called Glades Armory and they produced an aftermarket handle for the 527 of the tactical design with the length and bend to clear low mounted scopes. I sent for one and changed out the stock handle with their tactical handle and "bingo" problem solved and the 4.5x14 Burris Timberline sits where it belongs. The handle works great but I was up in the air on the look, as time went by I came to really like this tactical style a lot. So much so that I changed out the handles on my two rimfire CZs, a 455 and a 452 even though their bolts cleared the scopes. They are a great option for a CZ owner, I like them better. Al

I was just the slightest bit relieved that no deer showed up today. I’d prefer not to have to fire up my deer fridge in late December to properly age a carcass. The forecast is showing no more 50’s in the forecast after today. It looks like good, skin-on hanging weather, in our insulated garage, for the rest of the Holiday season.

There is more than one reason to build your own ammo.

Yeah I've been just going to PA, or shipping it to buddies house in PA. One thing I have noticed, is the shelves are full of ammo now in NY so I'm not the only one.

We usually take at least one out of state road trip a year. I’ve got plenty of deer ammo now, but I’m planning on stocking up my .22 rimfire and .410 shotgun ammo supplies, down in southern PA, next summer. The further you get from the NY border, the better deals you can find.

I love the Woolrich outfit. My grandfather (on my mom’s side) was a pretty small guy. His old one fit me ok, until I outgrew it in my later teens. For 40 some years, I have been struggling with various other modern material bibs and jackets. All of them were bad, compared to the old Woolrich. I didn’t realize just how bad that modern stuff was, until I tried out this one that my wife got me from a friend of hers from work, whose father had recently passed away. Besides no longer fitting me, my grandpas old Woolrich stuff was very well used, when I inherited it. This “new” one seems to have been hardly used and it fits me just right (size 50 jacket while grandpas old one is a 40). All the button holes in grandpas were badly worn and most of the pockets had holes in them. I still have grandpas old one and maybe, if our daughters ever have boys, I’ll give it to one of them. It’s also a little moth-chewed along the lower edges of the jacket. I cut the sleeves off of another old one that my wife had found for me at an antique store (about size 45). It was a little too tight on the arms for me, but now works ok, as a vest. I used that wool vest, under my modern-material outer jackets, when it was rainy out. I’ll get her to patch the lower edge of grandpas old one, with that cutoff sleeve material from it(which I saved), if any grandkids ever want to wear it. She could probably also sew up the worn out button holes and holey pockets while she is at it. I grabbed that big knife today because it was new and stainless. I’m sure I’ll be missing my Shrade Sharpfinger and its little notched “belly opener”, if I need to gut one with it. As big as it is, it’s still lighter to carry than my other stainless Gerber hunting knife. I’ll probably change out to that one for the rest of the rainy days this week. I don’t like its heft, but it has a waterproof nylon sheath, and a belly opener notch.

Nice morning for the special Holiday hunt. Just can't ask for any better weather conditions for the hunter. The deer are acting like October's in the air.

shedding in PA