airedale

A coon hunt years ago me and my hunting partner go in to my treeing dogs and find them barking treed at the base of a huge 60 foot spruce tree. All the other trees around it were hardwoods with no leaves where any treed Coon could be easily spotted but those old Coons are smart and this Coon climbed up into the big spruce thick with branches and needles where he could not be seen. I shined the tree with my spotlight for about a half hour and finally saw one of the Coon's eye shine at the very top of the tree for a split second so I knew for sure he was up there but no part of him could be seen to take a shot. Now back in those days a good big prime Coon hide was bringing $50.00 so there was no way I was going to give this Coon a pass. When I was a young guy I could climb trees like a monkey so that was my plan, climb up to a place where I could see the coon for a good shot and take him out. Took my coat off and with my S&W K22 revolver in a shoulder holster and a 4 cell mag lite flashlight up the tree I went. The three was so thick with branches that it was pretty easy climbing but those thick branches also concealed the Coon from my view. I had to go right to the very top and when I was about 6 feet below the Coon I could see him well enough for a shot. Now this was a pretty tricky situation, I was sitting on a branch with my legs wrapped around the tree trunk, the mag light in my left hand and the S&W in my right hand. It was hard to be steady and I drew down on the Coon and squeezed off a shot. The instant the gun fired the Coon bailed and where does he land? right on my shoulders!! So here I am screaming like a woman with my legs wrapped around that tree beating the Hell out of the Coon with my Mag Lite. My hunting partner said it was a sight to behold, from the ground it looked like Darth Vader battling an unseen opponent with a light saber. Well I finally knocked that guy off of me and he fell to the ground where the dogs finished him off but that was pretty hairy deal for a while with that growling Coon breathing down my neck. The dumb chances one takes when they are young and foolish, potentially getting yourself killed for a lousy coon! Al

Back in my serious coon hunting days there was nothing more creepy than sitting alone in the middle of the night in the woods and having a pack of Coyotes let loose with their howling, makes the hair on your neck stand up. Many times they would hear my Hounds running a track and that would get them fired up and sometimes they would come in to the Hounds and try to make trouble. I would always have a good gritty Airedale running with the hounds so any trouble making Coyotes got more than they bargained for if they tried starting any crap and messing around with the dogs. Al

I did not live on a farm when I was a kid but I lived in farm country and just about every job and dime I earned was doing some sort of farm work for the local farmers. Carrying full buckets of milk to the milkhouse and pouring them into the milk cans and putting them in the cooler I earned a big 50 cents a night for a couple of hours work. Picked green and yellow wax beans along side black migrant workers, got 50 cents a bushel. Planted brussel's sprouts one year, they were first planted from seed then dug up by hand when they were about 10 inches tall where they were then put on a 4 row planter with 4 seats and 4 people feeding the planter's planting 4 arms. and replanted with wider spacing. Set up irrigation systems when growing several hundred acres of brussel's sprouts. They were harvested in the fall and first each stalk was de-leafed by hand and then a mechanized harvester would go down the rows and cut off the stalks and convey them up a chute and into large wooden crates. In later years the beans were were harvested mechanically , stood on back of the harvester and filled burlap bags, at the end of the rows were trucks that we would off load the bags on to. For the above jobs I got paid a flat $7 a day and was glad to get it. For hay it was always bails, a hot dusty job putting it up in the mow and stacking it. The farms tractors of the day and equipment in general was much smaller than what is seen in the field now, 50 or 60 hp tractors were what most farmers used back then. Al

Watched it live and personally I loved every second of it, nothing new here, Trump puts those jerks in their place and they have it coming to them. Al

Whatever breed you decide on make sure the lines are from hunting and not show, you want to look for a breeder that is actually hunting their dogs and breeds them based on their performance . The Brittany is a pointing breed and can be a great little bird dogs and also a wonderful pet. Springers and Labs are flushers for the most part but some Lab lines point. Wirehairs and Shorthairs from the right lines can be a more versatile breed in that they will also hunt fur like rabbits and coon. For straight upland bird hunting I like an English Setter from field lines, they are medium size and do not have the long flowing fur like an AKC show type. My favorite hunting breed is the Airedale Terrier, a versatile breed, I have had these Airedale dogs since I was a kid and when you get a good one they will hunt everything that walks crawls or flies. Al My old Tee Jay after a pretty fair day afield.

The New York Sportsman Expo coming up in Syracuse at the fairgrounds may be worth checking out. There are always plenty of outfitters from all around the country offering-booking hunts for all kinds of game and you can speak to them directly. Al http://www.newyorksportsmansexpo.com/

LOL, that sounds about right and while those prices were real good and are cheap by today's prices back then it was a whole lot of money for me. Al

I still have an old Parker catalog from back in that time period, I mail order purchased all my original Bair reloading equipment from Parker's and am still using that stuff today. Around 1969 a buddy and myself decided to do a day trip and go down to that store in person, we drove down to New Rochelle to the Parker Distributor retail store from the Rome area where I lived at the time. I was going on an Elk hunt in Colorado with my Dad and needed a rifle. I purchased a Sako Finnbear in 338 Winchester mag along with Sako rings, a Leupold 2X7 scope with a three inch dot reticle and ammo and a few other accessories. My friend bought a pile of reloading equipment and a scope, their prices could not be beat and it was well worth the trip and experience. Good memory! Al

In my younger days I was on snowshoes most of the winter hunting Snowshoe Hare with Beagles. I like the modified bearpaw style best for getting around in the woods, I found the trailer type to be too long in the thick stuff and the bearpaw type too wide with the modified being the best compromise for hunting. For the longest time I used wood frame rawhide laced snowshoes with neoprene bindings, they still make them today and they work perfectly fine. They do require being maintained with a waterproof coating time to time of poly or shellac to keep them in good condition. Those shoes were given to me by my father who had used them for years and they lasted me another 20 or so years before the lacing finally crapped out. So there is nothing wrong with a good set of the old fashioned wood and leather type as long as they are kept up. When I replaced the old shoes I went with the Atlas brand from Cabelas, they are the new type with an aluminum frame, neoprene center support and ratchet bindings. I have not used them nearly as much as the old wood-rawhide shoes but so far they have worked out fine. They are no better for actual use but the zero maintenance is a plus. Al

A fine looking rifle in the classic mold, nice wood. Al

The Buckmark rifle is not picky when it comes to ammo, while I would not classify it as a one hole tack driver it is plenty accurate for hunting, it's quick handling and it's 4-1/2 pound weight is the main reason I bought it. Like most 22 LRs it groups best with standard velocity ammo. My favorite 22 LR hunting ammo for Squirrels and plinking are the Winchester DynaPoints, it is standard velocity with a copper coating and a shallow hollow point, all my rifles and pistols group well with it. For bigger stuff like Woodchucks, Coons, Fox and even Coyotes I go with the high powered stuff, CCI Stingers and Velocitors are my favorites out to about 100 yards. This high velocity ammo does not group quite as well but it has more a lot more pop and enough accuracy to hit the kill zone easily on the larger Varmints. Al A well placed CCI Velocitor at 40 yards dropped this guy in his tracks.

It is called "Gun Nut Disease" once contracted it is almost impossible to cure, I have been afflicted by it for well over 50 years and it is worse than ever, I just keep getting nuttier! By the way the Buckmarks are great guns, I have one in the rifle version with the carbon fiber barrel, one of my favorites! Al

I hate to waste a good hide and will try to utilize any varmint kill I make if at all possible if the fur is good. I have several trapper friends that with a quick phone call will gladly take anything I do not want to mess around with as long as the hide is not damaged too bad and worth something. When the fur market is strong I will carry a small pocket skinning gambrel, hang it off a tree branch and skin the animal on the spot, that really lightens the load just carrying the hide when heading back to the truck. Skinning in the field was always done back in my coon hunting days where sometimes you can get a bunch. Only takes a few minutes time once you get the hang of it. Al

I have seen a lot of different ideas for shooting benches, some used folding fiberglass top utility tables and a chair, picnic tables work can well and then there are the purpose built both home made and factory built dedicated shooting benches. I do not care much for the portable stuff, it is made to be light for ease of moving which make them prone to movement, prefer something semi permanent solid and heavy. Like you already found out there are plenty of good plans on the internet and if you are handy with woodworking you can find and build something that will suit you. I built a bench out of treated lumber from plans Outdoor Life gun editor Jim Carmichael came up with a good 20 years ago and it has held up well in my little back lot 100 yard range. Detailed instructions are in a book he wrote called Do It Yourself Gunsmithing which can be bought used on Amazon for just a few bucks. I just refurbished it with a new larger top a couple of years ago and it is still going strong. Build it once right the first time is my motto. Al

This event was judged by three judges. Judge #3 was an inexperienced Chili taster named Frank, who was visiting from Springfield , IL . Frank: “Recently, I was honored to be selected as a judge at a chili cook-off. The original person called in sick at the last moment and I happened to be standing there at the judge’s table, asking for directions to the Coors Light truck, when the call came in. I was assured by the other two judges(Native Texans) that the chili wouldn’t be all that spicy; and, besides, they told me I could have free beer during the tasting, so I accepted and became Judge 3.” Here are the scorecard notes and comments from the event: CHILI # 1 – MIKE’S MANIAC MONSTER CHILI Judge # 1 — A little too heavy on the tomato. Amusing kick. Judge # 2 — Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild. Judge # 3 (Frank) — Holy crap, what the hell is this stuff? You could remove dried paint from your driveway. Took me two beers to put the flames out. I hope that’s the worst one. These Texans are crazy. CHILI # 2 – AUSTIN ‘S AFTERBURNER CHILI Judge # 1 — Smoky, with a hint of pork. Slight jalapeno tang. Judge # 2 — Exciting BBQ flavor, needs more peppers to be taken seriously. Judge # 3 — Keep this out of the reach of children. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to taste besides pain. I had to wave off two people who wanted to give me the Heimlich maneuver. They had to rush in more beer when they saw the look on my face. CHILI # 3 – FRED ‘S FAMOUS BURN DOWN THE BARN Judge # 1 — Excellent firehouse chili. Great kick. Judge # 2 — A bit salty, good use of peppers. Judge # 3 — Call the EPA. I’ve located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano. Everyone knows the routine by now. Get me more beer before I ignite. Barmaid pounded me on the back, now my backbone is in the front part of my chest. I’m getting shit-faced from all of the beer. CHILI # 4 – BUBBA’S BLACK MAGIC Judge # 1 — Black bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing. Judge # 2 — Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for fish or other mild foods, not much of a chili. Judge # 3 — I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to taste it. Is it possible to burn out taste buds? Sally, the beer maid, was standing behind me with fresh refills. This 300 lb. woman is starting to look HOT … just like this nuclear waste I’m eating! Is chili an aphrodisiac? CHILI # 5 – LISA’S LEGAL LIP REMOVER Judge # 1 — Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground, adding considerable kick. Very impressive. Judge # 2 — Chili using shredded beef, could use more tomato. Must admit the cayenne peppers make a strong statement. Judge # 3 — My ears are ringing, sweat is pouring off my forehead and I can no longer focus my eyes. I farted, and four people behind me needed paramedics. The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili had given me brain damage. Sally saved my tongue from bleeding by pouring beer directly on it from the pitcher. I wonder if I’m burning my lips off. It really ticks me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming. Screw them. CHILI # 6 – VERA ‘S VERY VEGETARIAN VARIETY Judge # 1 — Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spices and peppers. Judge # 2 — The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions, garlic. Superb Judge # 3 — My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulfuric flames. I crapped on myself when I farted, and I’m worried it will eat through the chair. No one seems inclined to stand behind me except that Sally. Can’t feel my lips anymore. I need to wipe my butt with a snow cone. CHILI # 7 – SUSAN’S SCREAMING SENSATION CHILI Judge # 1 — A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers. Judge # 2 — Ho hum, tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili peppers at the last moment. **I should take note that I am worried about Judge # 3. He appears to be a bit of distress as he is cursing uncontrollably. Judge # 3 — You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn’t feel a thing. I’ve lost sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants are full of lava to match my shirt. At least during the autopsy, they’ll know what killed me. I’ve decided to stop breathing it’s too painful. Screw it; I’m not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air, I’ll just suck it in through the 4-inch hole in my stomach. CHILI # 8 – BIG TOM ‘S TOENAIL CURLING CHILI Judge # 1 — The perfect ending, this is a nice blend chili. Not too bold but spicy enough to declare its existence. Judge # 2 — This final entry is a good, balanced chili. Neither mild nor hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge #3 farted, passed out, fell over and pulled the chili pot down on top of himself. Not sure if he’s going to make it. Poor feller, wonder how he’d have reacted to really hot chili? Judge # 3 – No Reply!

Coyotes are pretty easy to kill with a well placed shot, I have killed them with a 22 LR and 17 HMR, 50 pounds would be a big one. What I am getting to is an expanding type bullet for Deer hunting is not needed and they can demolish and ruin a good hide especially if you want to salvage it and make nice usable items. I think if I were to use a 308 I would be looking for ammo with very limited expanding properties, a Barnes solid copper should punch right through a Coyote with minimal hide damage and the same ammo will work great for Deer and other big game hunting. Another option is full metal cased bullets, the military uses them, they kill humans easily and shoot accurately, there would be no problem putting down a Coyote with them. The drawback with full metal jackets is they can under certain conditions ricochet more easily than an expanding type and travel far in open country so one has to be a bit more careful with the terrain on the other side of a target for safety. Al

I will say this I can see that brass frame model chambered in 47-70 rifle in my future. Al

Can not speak for the Mountain Rifle with any personal experience but my Dad had an early one with the wood stock and it was passed down to my brother. They had zero complaints and both took several deer with it. I liked their Mountain rifle a lot and would have purchased one had I not earlier made up a semi custom light sporter from a old Husqvarna in a 280 before the Mountain rifles came out. Like Pygmy I have taken quite a bit of big game with mine and like Pygmy if I was limited to own only one big game rifle it would be my light sporter Husqvarna 280 Remington with the Leupold 2X7 mounted on her. Al

Have a good one and stay light on the cake Al

BB gun, pellet guns, cartridge guns, no matter what a kid is taught to fire first thing on the agenda is everything about safety and having a good backstop no matter what shooting range one uses. That has to be taught and stressed right from the get-go! All guns can be safe if handled with respect and fired properly. Al

The Daisy Avanti is a good starter rifle to learn to shoot with especially in the house. It is a single shot with a receiver sight and it fires BBs very accurately at short range. Al

For serious deer or varmint hunting I like using a good pair of quality binoculars. But when I am small game-bird hunting or even sometimes when fishing I have and use a couple of good quality small monoculars. I carry one in a pocket to have just in case there is something far enough away or up high in a tree that I can not identify with the naked eye. While they do not get used often they have come in handy and did their job several times when needed without having to carry a set of regular binoculars. Al

I have an old Russian SKS military rifle that I have been playing around with and with the cheap ammo that is available for this thing I have been getting to do a lot of shooting and must say this is one fun rifle, totally reliable and reasonably accurate. The thing I could not stand is the garbage standard stock that comes on them, "CHEESY" is the one word that describes it best and it is way too short for me. My SKS what is called a refurb rifle meaning after being in service it was sent back to a Russian armory and any worn parts were replaced and the gun returned to new condition. Bottom line these refurbs no longer have matching serial numbers on all their parts so their collector value is limited and makes them good for personal customization. For me the el cheeso stock had to go, I decided on a Tapco laminated sporter stock based on reviews that it received from folks that tried them. Basically a drop in but there was a bit of minor fitting that had to be done. With the bayonet removed and the new stock on the old SKS looks modern and the stock feels and fits me great. Other than being overly heavy these SKS rifles are a panic. Al

I bought my first bow back in the late 60s, a Bear Super Kodiak recurve which I still have and shoot today. Back then any mechanical release was illegal to hunt with so I learned to shoot with a glove and have continued to do so. I have aso had through the years three different compound bows used a glove with those also. The three compounds have long since been sent down the road. Never really caught the Deer hunting bug with a bow, most of my bow hunting was and is for small game and I especially like bow fishing and shooting carp. Al Here is the old Bear Super Kodiak, just about 50 years old now but it can still lay them in there.

One only has to look at the primitive human cultures that still exist in this world today in wild places to know that hunting is in our genes and we descend from and are natural born predators. Hunting fills a primal urge and need that is still present to varying degrees in humans today. Humans are a lot like the hunting dog breeds they once bred to help them be successful hunters. Remove those breeds from the hunt for a few generations and their desire and ability begins to wane. Some hunting breeds taken over by the pet trade have lost almost all hunting ability and drive. Humans for the most part have suffered the same fate as they became removed from rural lifestyles and more urbanized they do not have to get their hands dirty for their sanitized food sources available at their nearest market. In a nutshell if a person is brought up in a hunting culture they are more apt to be involved, removed from such a culture over time most will quit participating. For me the natural born predator instinct and drive for the hunt still exists strong, a lot of it because of the way I was brought up which provided me opportunity. Al