Rev Ev

Jim @ Buck Stops Here Taxidermy, he's in NT on Townline Rd

Welcome, I spent about half my life down south so I feel like a transplant too. You won't find any Chikfila or Bojangles up here though. Or sweet tea.

Im thinking of going but it would be friday as i have to work Saturday.

Phade when you going?

I always go fishing on my birthday, so go have some fun doing what you like!

When I was in NC I had one and would comb the beaches. 80% was just loose change or junk. I never found anything of value. I would also go to city parks that would let you. Most cool places you would want to go, battlefields or historical places were either prohibited or you needed a permit. I would definitely try old homestead and work my way in concentric circles out from the house and try obvious pathways, like from front door to outhouse. I ended up pawning my detector after a summer of finding nothing. Probably could have stayed with it but it just didn't hold my interest. Maybe if I had a better quality one it would have been easier to find stuff.

Been out a handful of times now and they just will not decoy. I've found that less calling his best, sometimes I don't even do any feeding clucks. Saw the first migratory flock yesterday, multiple V's prob around 100+ birds. I did see two mallards that were so big I thought they were snow geese while they were silhouetted. I know its the most difficult season for them, but not even a shot makes sitting out there very cold.

I didn't have one in my collection yet and I really like birds. It was only about a month and a half late, after an already projected year completion. But the guy did a really nice job. He didn't call me before he did it, but I would have liked an open bill instead of the closed. I have a band that needs to go on his foot. I really like him cupping, looks like he did just before...

Just FYI, Field and Stream had a topic on this a while back. Here's the link. http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/mans-best-friend/2013/02/strangest-thing-you-ever-found-field

Down in Tennessee I would often come up on a shine still. Most of them where old and obviously not been used in some time. One I found was operational, but nothing was brewing at the time. I just backed off it and went the other way. I also found an old cemetery that most of the names and dates had warn off. The latest date I could find was 1812. The graves where all sunk in, a good foot or more. That was kind of creepy, I didn't know where to step. There were also like three markers for babies all within a year of each other. Several times I have found old foundations. But what I have found most creepy are daffodils. They aren't native to North America which means someone had to put them there. It always seems "Blair Witch" esque to find them in the middle of the woods by themselves. Still, I'll stop and pick one for my wife. Her favorite flower. I have yet to find anything that's really cool.

whats the distance from the hook to ground?

Setup and at the Range: I wasn't sure if the factory put the barrel on or if the guy who I ordered it from was playing with it before hand and since the barrel can come off, I wanted to make sure that it was one tight. I watched the video that it came with twice just to see how it worked. Loosen 2 bolts and the locking gear on top and thats it. The tool that it comes with makes it dummy proof: it has a gear in there that clicks loudly when you reach the correct torque, just keeping tightening till you hear it. After taking it off and on three times I felt very comfortable with it. I put some rings on the weaver base and a 50mm, 6-24x varmint scope on top and a 9 inch bipod. With everything on there, it seems a bit heavy, but just a bit. Actual feel dry firing in my living room was very smooth. Next I took it to the an indoor 50 yd range. I was honestly a bit nervous shooting this rifle for its first time, I kept praying if it blows up let me go quick. After bore sighting by taking the bolt out and getting it close enough, it only took five shots to get me keyholing it at 50 yards. After the two three round groups, I was very happy with how my new rifle was shooting. Everything was covered by a quarter. The trigger was a bit heavy for my tastes, but I didn't adjust it yet. the screw to adjust the trigger is under the bolt and is also dummy proof it won't let you turn too far one way or another. Satisfied that it would shoot where I aimed, I let my wife shoot. Now she is not an outdoorswoman and merely placates me by coming to the range. I told her to hold her breath halfway out and just squeeze the trigger. Well, she out shot me by putting three shoots that all touched. I did notice that the safety is too far froward for my thumb to reach comfortably which means I have to take my finger out of the trigger guard to take it off, something I don't like. The magazine is not the easiest thing to load, but not difficult. Those with a speed loader on an AR-15 will be impatient with it. The spacing in the free floating barrel seems quite large, but is not enormous. Nothing rattles on the gun; its all very tight. Recoil was more than an AR-15, but that is to be expected with a bolt action vs gas semi. The bottle did seem to come up a little to easy, maybe if you bumped it it would come up. That I really don't like. I will be field testing it next on some coyote hunts. If you have any questions or want a specific picture, let me know.

wow. i think i need to change my pants now. i laughed so hard.

I like it. adds a little flair than the other ones out there.

I'd be interested in helping. I have a few kids I am talking with who are thinking of going.

They started flying about 7:30, but wont decoy or even do a passby. Saw several focks, prob all local though. Going out again ttomorrow evening.

I've been sitting in my layout for an hour yet and not heard or seen a bird. I have been hearing a Turkey gobble. Odd. Very. I've heard it about half a down times so I think I'm not dreaming. I know I'm.not because is be being tornado ed by Canada's. Anyway I hope they start flying soon.

Initial Impressions out of the box: This rifle seems to handle differently than the ones in the stores. That could be because I am the first one since the factory to touch it, but it just seems tighter and sturdier. One of the turn offs in the store was that the stock felt cheap. Everything about the stock feels much better. The recoil pad looks like it might just need tightening but I can peel up the bottom of it and I don't like that. The bolt was greased and slid into the receiver with no problems. A couple of dry fires tells me that the trigger is prob set on the upper end of 5 lbs, so I'll lower it a bit. I'm not sure it the barrel is on tight enough that I could shoot it out of the box, but I am going to take it off so Ic an learn how anyway. On top of the receiver is two weaver style mounts for the scope. I'll be putting on an older one until I save the bucks to put on a nice one. I'll add some pictures later tonight, but overall my impressions are pretty favorable. It looks a lot better in person than online. FYI: I haven't found hardly any "normal, joe schmo" reviews so I thought I might do one on here for anyone who wanted to read it. Also, I got it in .223.

I have to say I agree with G-Man. It seems like a bottomless pit to raise birds that won't repopulate the area. I would much rather favor habtiat improvement and closing the season until they regain stability. I have no problem with shooting birds on preserves, but I don't know if that's the best thing for the DEC to do.

I ended up ordering on in .223. Cost me $600 and will be here in a few days. IDKY but everyone in Buffalo area said it would take at least 30 days to get one if, if then. I drove down to southern tier to an independent dealer who said it would be in by end of week. I'll post some pics and thoughts when I get it, in case anyone else was thinking of it. I looked all over the web and only found a couple of reviews from guys that weren't paid or endorsed. I really like the idea of the modular gun and if it shoots good, I'll want to get a .270 for big game.

Since it doesn't look like I will be getting a black gun anytime soon for too many reasons, I thought about expanding my search for a new varmint/small game/rodent gun. I'm probably buying a TC Dimension ( I like the platform, not the looks) so there are several calibers to choose from. I will be targeting anything from coyotes and pigs to groundhogs. I'm leaning towards 22-250 or .223, but willing to listen to any thoughts. I'm looking for thoughts on what will do the job on most of these animals, but not so much "pink mist". And just to stay on topic, I'm really only looking for caliber comments not so much on "this gun is best". Looking forward to hearing some thoughts.

I think its just so many more people in the past several years have been using trail cams and posting the results. And then with social media, things get spread so quickly. Who knows where this one was taken, but 10 years ago we probably would never had heard of it. When I was a kid, someone in Montana near us shot a piebald and for the longest time I thought it was the only one that existed.

While on the topic, does anyone know a guide who has all the dekes in the finger lakes area?

Just forr fun, the wife and I went down there for the big ceremony in Punxsatawney. When we got there at 4:30 am it was 1 degree. By the time they had the ceremony at 7:30, it was just 8. Kind of a one and done experience. but now I can say I've seen the groundhog!

I was given a liftime membership several years ago, I think it cost like $250 then. Honestly, I don't think it's worth it. The product testing has been more a gimmick than anything. I've gotten some lures and plastics to use, but nothing was ever over $5. The magazine that comes with it is not good at all, thin and not good at all. In-Fisherman (which I don't read anymore) is a much better magazine, for comparison. Plus, the amount of spam I get from them is enormous. And the "free trial" stuff they send and if you like then you buy, i think I get 4-5 things a year from them. After having to pay $20 for a calendar, I told them never to ship me any more of those items again. IDKY you would join, but if you are just looking for fishing info or mags, try In-Fisherman, OL, F&S, they have just as good info.