airedale

What some here do not seem to be able to comprehend it is the "BOARD OWNER" not the members who dictates it's rules, it is apparent he decided that there is going to be a place on this board for politics like it or not. What the heck is the big deal here, do not go to the politics section if you do not like it! Al

Genesee Mohican I hunted wild pheasants when I was a young fellow with Beagles also and like yours their voices changed when running a pheasant, I knew what they were on and I had to run and keep with them until the flush. The good old days!! Al

I like the Leupold 2x7 for my big game rifles, for me it has it all, eye relief, enough power, compact size and light weight with a generous field of view and best of all total reliability. Al

At one time there were several manufacturers producing swing over mounts, if I remember right they available mostly for Remingtons and Winchesters. I think if I was to go with both open sights and a scope I would give the detachable rings a shot and wring them out good before I used them for a serious hunt. I do have a cheap set of detachable rings that I used to mount a scope on a pellet rifle and they seem to work fairly well. On a hard kicking rifle I don't know, maybe the high end Kimbers or Leupolds hold up well. Al

I am not a fan of see throughs because of their height, that being said they do work. For the most part they are a carry over from the days when rifle scopes did not have the reliability that good quality scopes have today. There was always doubt in the minds of many that a scope could fail and the see through mount would save the day. Scope failure is a possibility that I witnessed first hand on a moose hunt years ago. A fellow in our party was using a Remington 742 30/06 with a Weaver scope mounted with a regular set of rings and base. A nice bull Moose came out of the brush trotting right at this guy and when he pulled up to shoot his scope was fogged severely enough he could not see through it. He was quick thinker, he took out his jack knife and unscrewed the scope from it's base in time to use the open sights and kill that nice bull. Myself and a couple of others in our party saw the whole thing play out from several hundred yards away. A good quality scope like a Leupold mounted correctly has a very small chance of failing unless the gun was dropped hard on some rocks. So maybe on a hunt of a lifetime I would not blame someone for having some sort sighting of backup. Personally I mount my scopes low and gamble that they do not fail me, so far so good. Al

Nice photos and some great memories, for me there are not too many activities more enjoyable than hunting pheasants. Al

I have been running a hunting dog message board-forum myself for 11 years, I have rules and they are permanently posted at the top of the board's home page for all to read, in fact the first thing I do with every new member is to make sure they read the rules so there are no surprises. If you can live by the rules fine if not and you try to test me you will not be around for long. The owner of this board allows for politics to be discussed on his board, that is his call and I will respect that. Personally I do not have any problem passing over any post that I don't care for and to make an argument that you are compelled to read them and reply to them is baloney. If one is compelled to read what they deem to be unsavory posts and you make a reply be civil and stay away from personal attacks because that is when the crap starts hitting the fan. I also have the info below posted in my rule section ============================================== The following is considered to be the general universal rules of message board "Etiquette". The topic of Message Boards and their proper use comes up on a regular basis. Here are some tips to make sure you have a more enjoyable, constructive experience: Being a member to a private message board is a "Privilege" not a right. Review the "Charter" or rules for the message board and abide by them. If you don't like the rules, search out another board that is more in line with what you feel is appropriate or are willing to abide by. It is the right of the owner of the message board to dictate terms of use. If you don't like them, rather than ruin the experience for all the other participants, find another message board or start up your own. Most rules are common sense and in place to ensure an enjoyable constructive experience for all members. What about my right to "free speech" to say whatever I want where ever I want? Use of any site or message board is not a right! To participate, you will be asked to follow a few simple rules. The "freedom of speech" guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution that folks so willingly throw around many times to justify their poor behavior, only protects you from governmental intervention in your right to express yourself -- it does not give you free reign to use computer resources, paid for by others, against the wishes of their owner. Again, if you don't like the rules, search out another board that is more in line with what you feel is tolerable. Stay on topic and discuss issues only relative to the thread in question. A thread is the term used for a ongoing conversation based on a particular subject. Feel free to change the subject to something more apropos if the thread goes off in another direction or start an entirely new thread. When you do so be sure to change the SUBJECT: field to clearly reflect the revised topic so the other members are aware of the change in direction from the original thread. If new to the message board, "lurk" for awhile to get a feel for the community and personalities of the regulars before you post. You will be participating in an established community and don't want to just bust in and blurt out your opinions, demands or questions before getting a good idea for the feel of the group. Then, in your first post, a short intro about you before you comment is recommended and helps you start to become part of that community. Never give out personal information or specifics to your location on message boards. This information can then be farmed by troublemakers. Keep in mind there will always be differences of opinion. Try to remain objective and not personalize issues if at all possible. You can disagree with others by being firm and expressing your opinion with clarity without resorting to name calling, slurs or innuendos just to make your point. Posters that behave in that manner are generally those whose opinions are weak or not based in any truth or facts and are viewed as such. Don't fall for trolls. Trolls are folks who will post rude comments just to get a rise out of everyone on the board. Ignoring folks who do this simply halts their efforts to disrupt the board and get them the attention they seek. Move on to more constructive conversations. Be sure to down edit, or remove any part of the post you are replying to that is no longer necessary to the ongoing conversation. This includes anything within the >>> that no longer applies, previous poster's signature files and any header information. By down editing, you will show your command of the technology in which you are participating, while doing your part to keep the conversation focused and easy to read by the other members. These efforts will be greatly appreciated by your fellow members. Always review your post(s) before you click send/post. Make sure they express the appropriate tone you want to relay. If you are joking, add a ;-). Use emoticons to reflect the seriousness or lack thereof of your comments. Most forums provide you with standard emoticons so you can do just that. "I didn't mean it that way..." doesn't apply online - people will take your words at their face value! If you type it, you'd better mean it and be willing to accept the repercussions that can possibly ensue. Also be sure to check your spelling and grammar to do your best to make sure you are viewed as someone who made it out of the 6th grade. If conversations get out of hand and others resort to personal insults or innuendo because of your comments, try not to take it too personally - they don't know you. When you feel you need to defend yourself, do so politely based on your opinion not personal digs. Always take the high road and you will be respected by the other members of the forum. By keeping the above in mind you'll have a more informed and enjoyable time!

Just about every dog forum will have threads pertaining to dog food with plenty of opinions on who makes the best. For me it comes down to the quality of ingredients and a company with a long track record. I don't think the dog food companies are under very stringent standards when it comes to what the makeup of their feed is. Some use dusty dirty grains and chicken guts, beaks and feet along with other filthy meat byproducts to boost the protein levels and some even import crap from China to put in their feed. That is why you see recalls and lawsuits from owner's dogs getting sick and even dying from some of the stuff out there being sold. I like Purina, Regular Dog Chow and Puppy Chow along with High Pro & Pro Plan are my main stays. Over the many years of using this brand I have only good things to say about them. They have a long proven track record. Their ingredients are top notch, they have a food blend that will cover any type of dog needs, the price is reasonable. Last but not least Purina throws big time support into the hunting-sporting dog community something a lot of dog food companies shy away from in this overly politically correct world influenced more and more by moron groups like PETA and HSUS! Al

I like making Jerky myself, instead of slicing my meat I grind everything. You can make jerky out of any lean meat including chicken and turkey. Once your meat is ground I put in a seasoning-curing mixture that gives the flavor and helps with preserving the jerky. There are a lot of different flavors to try and most are very good. The seasoning can be purchased at most outdoor stores like Dicks, Gander mountain or Bass Pro. To make the jerky strips I use a jerky gun which is similar to a heavy duty caulking gun, it has different tip that produce flat strips or round ones something like a Slim Jim. Last year I purchased a good quality dehydrator of the Excalibur brand it is way ahead of the old cheap round one I used previously and if you are a big jerky eater that Excalibur is the way to go. I find the ground meat method every bit as tasty but much easy to chew and eat. Al

I say they all should head north where the zombies would freeze solid! I do not think the dead would be doing too much walking with the temps we had around here last night.! Al

Hey Pygmy I hear you, glad to have lived in the period that I did, the future from my point of view looks pretty bleak. Al

I have hunted grouse with and without dogs, I just enjoy hunting with dogs better, I also find dogs more likable than most people. One thing I do know the more time that is spent in the woods regardless of the game you are after the more educated you will become about everything if you are observant. Al

I read something about them some time back and from what I saw it sounded pretty good as long as it works as advertised, a little pricey. I would say the best part is the simplicity in setting it up. I have an old "Pact" that works real well but is kind of a pain to set up with the wires and tripod. For me the main selling point of the Pact was that the actual chronograph sits on the bench, the only thing that would be damaged by an accidental miss would be the sky screens. I really like the newer XP1 model Pact, I know quite few shooters with the all in ones like the "Chrony" and they are happy with them. Al

About 65 yards. Al

Instead of holding the case with my fingers I anneal my cases by setting them up in a shallow pan with about an inch or so of water, I then use a torch to heat the necks up and tip them over and quench them in the water. Al

Like Pygmy said it is the natural evolution of a case that has been loaded several times and at it's life's end, the split neck is usually what shows up because that is where the most work hardening stress occurs. Al

I use a tumbler for cleaning my cases most of the time, with really dirty or tarnished cases I use Tarnex first. Al

Pretty steep country you were hunting, that is my idea of a fun day! Thanks for sharing, Al

Hey Pygmy that is one of the great things about reloading, a person that takes up reloading does not have to spend a fortune obtaining fancy sophisticated technical equipment to produce top notch ammo that will equal anything the high dollar equipment produces. Al

Today with a computer and the internet finding out information about reloading is pretty easy. "You Tube" has videos on just about every manufacturer's piece of reloading equipment that is made from the past and present along with pretty good instructions on how it is setup and used. Wish I had access and information like that when I got started. Al

I was basically self taught, I had nobody to show me the ropes when I got started in fact back in those days I don't think I even knew of anyone that reloaded. No doubt hands on experience would have been the best way to go had it been possible. I bought three different loading manuals and read them cover to cover before I made my first equipment purchase from the old Parker Distributors outfit that was in New Rochelle. I still have that equipment and still use it today even though it is just about 50 yrs old now, when you buy good quality stuff it lasts. Over the years I have added quite a bit of equipment for the loading room and just picked up another new press a few months ago, for me it has been never ending but I love it. Al

When I was a kid me and my friends would actually spend winter days outside playing in the snow. Snow forts and snowball battles were the order of the day. There is nothing like a pair of wool mittens to keep your hands warm, I can remember many times during those snow ball wars actually wringing my mittens out they were so sopped with water but my hands never got cold. Al

MrGroundog, if you are on the fence you do not have to go hog wild and spend a lot of money to get your feet wet in reloading. The Lee handloader is still being manufactured and along with one of their powder measuring scoop sets could get someone started cheap but still have the ability to load decent ammo. Lee also make a small press that sells for about $30, it would use conventional loading dies. I have one of those that I actually got for free for buying a Lee loading manual and use it along with a Lee universal depriming die exclusively for depriming all my cases. While it is on the light end of the press spectrum one could load good ammo with it with no problem. If the reloading bug takes hold the sky is the limit and you can go hog wild on equipment that gives you plenty of speed and convenience. Al

I still have my old Woolrich red and black plaid Pennsylvania tuxedo, wool is tough to beat for cold weather especially in wet snowy conditions as it will retain heat even when wet. It's main downside is it is heavy but when I was young the little extra weight did not come into play. Many times I would be laying in the snow in pretty cold winter conditions under evergreens with no problem staying warm waiting for my Beagle to bring around a Snow Shoe Hare to the gun. As for visibility I always wear a blaze orange hat. Al

Back when I started it was all about saving money which equated into a lot more shooting. It was also pretty easy to better and improve the performance that was offered by the factory loadings, that still holds true for the most part today. I have a few not so popular chamberings where it is hard to obtain factory ammo so without reloading I would be screwed. Al