airedale

About Hunting, Opinions from the past “I do not hunt for the joy of killing but for the joy of living, and the inexpressible pleasure of mingling my life however briefly, with that of a wild creature that I respect, admire and value.” John Madson ================================================ “Go afield with a good attitude, with respect for the forest and fields in which you walk. Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience. It will cleanse your soul and make you a better person.” Fred Bear ========================================= “It has always seemed to me that any man is a better man for being a hunter. This sport confers a certain constant alertness, and develops a certain ruggedness of character….Moreover, it allies us to the pioneer past. In a deep sense, this great land of ours was won for us by hunters.” Archibald Rutledge ============================================== “If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the gods must clearly smile on hunting.” Aristotle ======================================== “In a civilized and cultivated country wild animals only continue to exist at all when preserved by sportsmen. the excellent people who protest against all hunting, and consider sportsmen as enemies of wild life, are ignorant of the fact that in reality the genuine sportsman is by all odds the most important factor in keeping the larger and more valuable wild creatures from total extermination.” Teddy Roosevelt =============================================== “The real archer when he goes afield enters a land of subtle delight. The dew glistens on the leaves, the thrush sings in the bush, the soft wind blows, and all nature welcomes him as she has the hunter since the world began. With the bow in his hand, his arrows softly rustling in the quiver, a horn at his back, and a hound at his heels, what more can a man want in life?” Saxton Pope ==================================================

So Gymnastics, Fencing, Track and Field, Boxing, Swimming-Diving, Wrestling, Weight Lifting, Archery, Trap and Skeet, Target shooting Rifle-Pistol, Skiing, Skating, Bobsleding, Luge, Mixed Martial Arts, Motor Sports Racing are not and should not be considered a sport by definition because of no "Ball" being involved?? As long as I can remember and in all the both old and newer literature written about this subject, Hunting, Fishing and Trapping have always been considered outdoor sports and the folks that participate in them labeled as "Sportsmen" . No need for any PC changes as far as I am concerned I will stick with and defend Hunting and the other outdoor sports as actually being a sport by definition balls or no balls. Al

I have been around long enough to have actually shot those old Winchester gallery guns at an actually shooting gallery. Sylvan Beach amusement park had a gallery many years ago. I believe they used model 90s 06s and 62s. I do not believe there is a more fun plinking rifle than those old exposed hammer Winchester pumps. Around 10 0r 12 years ago Taurus made a modern copy of the 62 in stainless steel and I picked one up, Rossi also makes a modern copy. I use my Taurus all the time. Congratulations on receiving your granddad's heirloom rifle, take it out and shoot it and have fun with it. Al My Taurus 62 reproduction on the right

The wife purchased a small battery operated refrigerator Ozone deodorizer to replace the Arm & Hammer box of baking soda. it was not expensive at around 25.00. Anyhow I remember last fall it was mentioned that there were dedicated gear bags that used ozone generators to deodorize hunting clothes and hunting gear. I believe for those who may be looking into that sort of thing a reasonably priced setup could be made with one of these refrigerator models and a cheap Walmart large plastic tote with a good fitting cover. There are all kinds of those refrigerator ozone deodorizers for sale on Amazon and none are very expensive. Al

It is a tough call, you really have to ask yourself how much use will you actually get out of that kind of big investment. There is no doubt that a lot of hard work can be accomplished with one as I have owned several tractors in my life and they have been tremendously helpful for me getting work done on the small farm property that I own. I went whole hog a few years ago and purchased my dream tractor and it will be paid for in full in just a few more months and while the payments were long and high it is one of the few payments I have had that I did not mind because of all the hard work this tractor has done on a constant basis. Land clearing, pulling a dump wagon, maintaining my 3/4 mile of driveway, stump digging, wood cutting, log skidding, snow removal both plowing and blowing, and mowing both rough and finish. I will be in the woods this spring cutting and clearing trails. So for me the usefulness and work was there and I have to say that tractor was probably the best piece of equipment and investment I have ever made. By the way there can be a big savings on implements buying good used stuff. Al My New TYM Tractor right after it was delivered and still shiney like a new penny, TYM makes several Mahindra models.

No excuse for deliberately releasing dogs on property without getting permission that being said one has to remember and understand Coyotes and Dogs can not read posted signs. More often than not these chases can end up going many miles from where they start crossing many many property lines. I know if a chase does happen to go through my property bottom line the Coyotes and Dogs are just briefly streaking through causing little if any real problems. Actually I like listening to the Hounds and as long as gun safety is observed it does not bother me. Al

I use an old Midway Sportsman vise that I got years ago, it was manufactured by the same outfit that made your Gun Butler, Tipton. It is a bit different in look and design to yours but it does perform many of the same functions. I have got a ton of use out of mine for any kind of gun work where the gun has to be held securely. Anyone that works on their firearms will be well served by having one of these types of helpers, you made a good purchase and I am sure you will find that it will become very useful. Al

One night I was Coon hunting and my dog struck a track on the edge of a corn field and took the track into a large woods. She took the track in so deep that I could no longer hear her. Not worried because I used radio tracking collars and standing under a huge oak tree on the edge of a large swamp I took the receiver and directional antenna out of the game bag of the coat I was wearing and and with my compass got a good strong signal due straight north. So I put everything back into my game bad and with compass in hand went directly north and after going a half mile or so I could hear my dog treeing off in the distance. So I get to the dog, spot the coon and shoot it out of the tree and was going to put it in the game bag on my coat but first was going to remove my telemetry receiver and now find that it is not in the game bag, it must of fell out somewhere on that last 3/4 of a mile jaunt through the swamp to the treed Coon. That receiver cost me about $600 and that was 30 years ago, a lot of money for me and I was sick about losing it. So I was pretty whipped by that time and decided to go home and rest up then come back the next day and see if by chance I could maybe find the receiver. This was not going to be easy because everything looks a whole lot different in the daylight. First thing in the morning I was back to those woods with a plan of trying to retrace my steps to where that coon treed. First thing was to go to the edge of the big swamp and then find that big oak that I stood under when I took the directional reading. So I find the swamp first and then find the big oak where I got my directional reading and with my compass in hand I start walking straight north slowly and scanning every square inch of ground. I was going through a lot of water and thinking to myself even if I do find the receiver it will probably be under water and ruined. Just as I come to the other side of the swamp only a hundred yards or so from where the Coon had treed there sits the receiver high and dry on a hummock clump of grass surrounded by water, I got to say somebody up there liked me on that day as I was lucky as heck to say the least. Al

Fishers do kill and eat Porcupines, as a long time hunter that uses dogs I have had more incidents with Porkys than I care to remember and several like the poor dog below. Keeping Porcupine numbers in check makes the Fisher a friend to me and my hunting dogs, I would like to see more of them.

It is a rare rifle that has accuracy fine enough to actually utilize 1/4 minute scope adjustments so unless I was into competition target shooting I would not be overly concerned with the friction adjustments at a half minute on a Leupold scope mounted on a big game sporter rifle. I have several older Leupold scopes that have both 1/2 minute adjustments and are friction dials. Some were their best varmint scopes of the day mounted on very accurate varmint rifles and I have absolutely no problems zeroing them in to the point of aim and holding zero shot after shot after shot. Once I settle on a load that gives me the accuracy and the ballistics I am looking for I sight in for the longest range I figure to be shooting that particular rifle and leave things right there. I then either memorize the ballistic performance of that load or tape a small ballistics cheat sheet to the stock to use until it is memorized. Below is a ballistics cheat sheet for a 270 firing a 130 gr bullet sighted to hit dead on at 250 yds. As you can see on a Deer size animal a typical heart lung shot can be taken with no problem out to 300 yds, holding just below the top of the back will be good to 400 yds no problem as long as the range is doped accurately. Bottom line I would not worry at all about mounting and using that Leupold Rifleman on a sporter for deer hunting Al

As a long time breeder of hunting-companion dogs I know what you are going through as I have experienced the same thing many times and it is never easy. It is a matter of fact when having a dog that their lives are comparatively short and they are gone too soon, there is not much anyone can say that will make you feel better. As the old saying goes time is the best healer. My personal opinion is to jump right back in and get yourself a new pup, there is no replacing Jenny, like people all dogs are unique and one of a kind but a new pup can go a long way into getting on with things and easing the pain. Al

The Colt Sharps falling block made in the 1970s, would love to own one. Al

My wife is from Redfield and lived there until a young adult, she will tell you the first thing that comes to her mind when she thinks of her childhood living up there is the non stop day after day shoveling of snow in the winter. Al

I have never owned a Taurus handgun so I can not say one way or the other if they are worth owning. I do own two Taurus 22 rimfire rifles, a model 62 and a model 63, both are stainless steel copies of the old Winchester designs with the same model designation. I have nothing but good to say about both of these guns. I have put several thousand rounds through them and they pretty much function flawlessly and are accurate for the class they are in, have had zero repair issues. I have done a few things to suit my taste, both stocks were spruced up with a Tru Oil finish and the 62 had it's sights changed out. They are actually two of my favorite firearms and I use them a lot especially that gallery style pump model 62. Al

Can't help myself, I am a Slut. An old guy, not in the best of shape, was working out in the local gym. Looking around, he spotted a beautiful sweet young babe. He asked the trainer who was helping a client nearby, hey coach, "What machine in here should I use to impress that cute, sweet young thing over there?" The trainer looked him up and down slowly and carefully, and then said, "I would try the ATM in the lobby".

I just purchased an old school vintage Browning Explorer 1 on ebay, I setup and sold these Brownings when I worked in a sporting goods store back in the late 70s to late 80s. I always liked them but owned and shot a Jennings back then. Don't know how much hunting I will do with it but I do have a back yard range and shoot my old Bear recurve quite a bit for fun and will be doing the same with this classic Browning. Al

Syracuse got only a dusting of snow from that storm, bare ground there most of the winter. Any struggling they are having is because of their administration not snow.

This is what we call a snow storm around these parts about 20 miles north of me. Syracuse weatherman Jim Teske took a ride up there to see it for himself.

The last dozen years or so I have been getting a flu shot and have not had a case of the flu. Last year's flu shot early on was said not to be effective against the strain going around so I passed and don't you know I caught the flu and was sicker than a dog. It is recommended that old goats like me get the shot and this year there was no screwing around, I got mine early and so far so good. Al

There are three things I look for when putting a scope on a slug gun. First off because of the relatively short range slug guns are used I want a scope with as big of field of view as possible. The lower the power the more field of view there is so I personally prefer a 2.5X, a 3X or a 1X4 variable which is plenty of magnification for typical slug ranges. Also because of hefty recoil I like a scope with long eye relief. You do not want a scope that has to be close to your eye when sighting through it with a heavy recoiling gun. Back when I worked in the gun shop the number one destroyer of scopes was a slug gun's heavy recoil, cheap scopes and slug guns do not go together well, buy the very best quality scope you can afford. My current slug gun wears a Leupold 3X. Al

The Mossberg 500 is a classic pump shotgun that has been around many years with a proven reliable solid track record. The bird barrel slug barrel combo was probably the number one seller for slug shotguns in the gunshop I worked in back in the late 70s and 80s. No rifled barrels back then, the slug barrels were smooth open choked bores with adjustable open sights, they were drilled and tapped for a weaver scope base on the receiver for anyone wanting to mount a scope. The cantilever system will work much better when switching back and forth between your two barrels. Don't know a thing about the scope that came with your new Mossberg but you are right about looking to change it out if it is an el cheapo. The recoil from a shotgun firing slugs is pretty hard on a scope so you want to have one of good quality and plenty of eye relief. Congratulations and good luck hunting with your new outfit. Al

There was an outfit out of Wyoming a few years back reproducing the old Marlin Ballard single shot rifles in many custom configurations and chamberings. I contacted them about chambering this model with a shorter and lighter contour barrel in a rimfire 22 mag and they said they would, just send them the money. I was a little light in the wallet at the time and had to decline. The company folded a few years ago so even if I win the lottery I am screwed. Al

I hear you dbhunter, when I was a young guy raising a family the new guns were not very easy for me to come by. In fact for many years I had to work two jobs to support my gun loving habit and it has taken me well over fifty years to acquire what I have. Al

Today's project my 22 LR Winchester 52B target rifle, technically not a single shot I use what is called a single shot adapter but it will function fine with a regular five shot magazine, she is called the fly swatter. This rifle will put good ammo in the same hole at 25 yards and do almost as well at 50 yards. Because my vision ain't what it once was I took off the Redfield Olympic target sights and mounted an older Redfield 3200 20X target scope and now I can pick off flies on my 25 yard target consistently and do pretty well at 50 yards. The trigger needs to be worked on and set with a little more weight of pull as it is a virtual hair trigger and the gun can be slam fired so that is today's project. Al

Mine is a 22 LR over a 410, when I carry this gun afield I have shells in my pocket to handle most small game situations, high powered 22 shells like velocitors, 3 inch 410 shotshell along with a few Brenneke slugs and so far so good. I would love to get an old side button model with 22 mag on top and 20 ga on the bottom for the times I am going to seriously call varmints. Al