Enigma

Note the toasted exhaust valve and scoring on the cam surfaces. She wasn't going to last much longer.

I thought last year we'd burned an exhaust valve so I pulled the cylinder head. Turns out the cam and the cam bearings were scored pretty bad as well. Sent it to a guy in Oregon who's sole business is cylinder head and valve train repair on vintage bikes. He cleaned up the valves and recut the valve seats, installed new oil seals and cleaned up the cam bearings. Very happy with the work he did. Very nice guy as well.

Purchased some new parts as well. A NOS speedometer. Very cool for being 40+yrs old. Aftermarket speedometer cable. New front signal lights. Two wire with running lights. New key. OEM reflectors. OEM carburetor boots/holders. OEM air filter. The new battery I bought last year wouldn't take a charge this year. Even though it was one month outta warranty the nice lady at the store gave me a new one at no charge. And still scrounging what I can off the donor bike I got with the deal.

Picked up some new tools over the winter. JIS screwdriver set Low pressure air guage New torque wrench New cordless driver. The last one I bought was 20yrs ago. It was time. Found a small little vice in the back of the garage. Comes in handy at times.

Updates . . . Turkey season came and went. Took a youth hunter out for a day and then went by myself two more times. Was into birds both times but no dice. The drive to hunt them is fading fast. Killed a bunch over the years and just don't have it in me to go by myself anymore. Rather go with a newbie or a friend. Much more exciting at this point to watch someone else kill one. So I got back to working on the KZ.

Handling the invasive species problem. Redneck style. https://x.com/LibertyCappy/status/1794012728551485608

Agreed lol.

I've seen the pics, now I've seen one in person. My #1 hunting buddy picked one up for an upcoming bear hunt in Manitoba. Idk about the looks of it personally. It sure doesn't look "classic" lol. But he really likes it and that's all that matters I guess. Say's it's a really thumper and he can't wait to put his suppressor on it when he gets back. Some friends like ugly guns. Some friends like ugly women. I guess they both have their place haha.

My condolences for you and your friend's family. May he RIP. Cherish the good times.

Updates? Pics of the flock? How are they all doing?

Took a walk today. Looking for a spot for Wednesday. Not a lot of turkey sign but had a bucket and a small spade with me. Gathered up about 2/3 of a 5 gallon bucket. Gave half of them away to a friend. Sauted in olive oil on toasted bruschetta with eggs for breakfast tomorrow. A breakfast fit for a king imho.

When you're not really into it but someone mentioned snacks.

Was out yesterday with a 12yo young lady, the daughter of a friend. Her father was with us. Plenty of gobbling on the roost. They flew down into the field as expected, gobbling and strutting on the ground. It was a great show. Unfortunately they stayed just out of range from the blind. A couple of hens were leading two longbeards and no amount of my mediocre calling could convince them to commit lol. We hung out in the blind for the next couple hours but no takers. Got on the road early this morning to meet them at a different farm. Got a call about half way into my ride from her father saying she wanted to sleep in today. No big deal. Turned around and came home. A good day yesterday but the turkeys were just being, well, turkeys. Looking forward to next week.

https://www.bitchute.com/video/jJEzA9otXb4b/

I guess if I'd been run over by a snowmobile (verified) and clubbed in the head a couple times (speculation) I'd be a little bit out of it too. I've got no problem hunting wolves or any other game legally. But what's the sense in dragging out the killing process and demeaning your quarry for shits, giggles and stroking your ego on social media? Some people lead shallow lives.

And for what it's worth, a recent example of the white trash that my original post was referring to. https://cowboystatedaily.com/2024/04/06/smiling-man-poses-with-wyoming-wolf-muzzle-taped-shortly-before-it-was-killed/ Ok. End of rant lol. I'll get off my soapbox. Got it off my chest for awhile anyway. Thanks for all the comments. Be safe, be smart and by all means, if you see some azzhat screwing up the show while hunting/fishing, kindly remind them their actions are a reflection on all of us. Our future depends on it.

One thing I've realized over the years is that when you ask permission to hunt private land more times than not it's a "committee" decision to gain/maintain access. Husband and wife both need to be onboard. Other times it's another issue that's unexpected that you don't anticipate. Hunted a place for years that was owned by a widow. We had unfettered access to her property. We were always respectful. She was like family. Her husband used to hunt. She loved seeing us come around in the fall to hunt deer. I mean she'd have coffee and sandwiches for us when we got back to the truck! Always glad to see us etc. We always visited off season to check on her, help her out etc. (I'm sure she was lonely). We showed up two years ago and knock on the door to let her know we were there. She tells us "No, sorry, no more." Turns out her 20yo niece had dropped out of college and moved in with her. The niece was and anti. Game over. It is what it is I guess.

The property has recently (last three years or so) been posted up tight. No cameras that they've mentioned though. Not sure but I doubt it. Successful or not I usually call people or stop by after the season and say "Thanks again!" Most of the time the response is "Oh, we didn't even know you were here." I also thought their remark was strange. Hence my post. But I know this. People and attitudes can change over time. Sometimes they have a legitimate reason, sometimes it's an outside influence, sometimes just a whim. And no, he wasn't joking unfortunately.

@steve863 I understand where you're coming from. That being said I did a poor job explaining the situation and left out details relevant to my post. Sometimes I really suck at that lol. In fact I wasn't denied permission to hunt there. I can still come and go and hunt on that property as I please. I still have a very good relationship with the landowners as our friendship goes beyond hunting. They don't hunt and were quite indifferent to folks hunting there in the past. But unfortunately, in the last few years they've had multiple issues with hunters trespassing, causing property damage and even harrassment. They run beef cattle and have horses and have become concerned with their own safety and the safety of their livestock. If you know farmers in any depth they take the security of their stock very seriously. And, if you know horse people, it doesn't take much to set them off if they feel their horses are being threatened or could be in danger. I understand those concerns, alot of "hunters" don't or choose to ignore them. The point I was trying to make is I had to play psychologist for a couple hours trying to explain that not all of us outdoor people are like that. That there are people in our cohort that still do appreciate and respect the opportunity to do what we do while on other people's property. I was really ticked having to play apologist for the actions of the slobs they've had prior interactions with. Getting really tired of making excuses and taking the blame for the crappy behavior of people who profess to be "sportsmen". And to be honest, my viewpoint is skewed and jaded somewhat by the fact that in this day and age very few people seem to take personal responsibility for their actions and many have a massive and unwarranted case of self entitlement. For reference, I've owned hunting land in the past. I've also leased and paid for hunting rights in the past. Both presented challenges with respect to a quality experience afield. I should also add I still have access to several private properties to hunt on. I understand the responsibilities to keep that going. I also understand the current and continually changing state of aquiring access to hunt. I unapologetically state that the situation sucks. I know it's the reality of today but have a hard time reconciling it. I guess I'm turning into a curmudgeon lol. My apologies for the long winded explanation. Just very frustrated having to constantly explain and defend my intentions when the actions of others make it more and more difficult. I know it's how the game is played now. Just not interested in making excuses any longer for the guilt by association.

Getting damn sick of them. Rant to follow. Stopped by an old place today, the old family farm. Checking on hunting turkeys there this year. Hunted there for years since I was a kid. Always had good relations with the new folks. I worked with the guy who owns it. Hunted there many times since they've been there. Always asked if it was ok. "I don't know, I'll have to talk to the wife" he says. "I think it'll be ok, just don't shoot the horses." What the flying f@#k? I know the difference between a fricking horse and a turkey. I would be be hunting a mile from the barn and on the other side of the road. Always low key. And they're concerned about the damn horses. I understand their concerns but c'mon man! Pisses me off time and time again that I have to make amends for the fricking slobs that call themselves hunters and f@#k it up for the rest of us by trespassing, spray and pray and being dicksheads. Pissing off landowners and making us all look cromagnion. Damn tired of all the losers dragging my opportunities down. I hunt 95% stateland now just so I don't have to deal with this crap. Every year I more and more despise being associated with these lowlifes that give honest people a bad name. Don't shit where you eat. Not complicated.

Took a short ride this morning looking for birds. Not the best day to go but I had the time. Spotted a few hens on some old stomping grounds but man o' man do things change fast in the world of agriculture. Hit up one of my prime areas from a few years ago and it was completely different. Every square inch is now maximized for ag production. The small dairy farmer that used to spread manure with his JD4020 and beater box spreader leased his land to a larger farm. Those folks don't screw around when doing field work. We're losing alot of prime turkey habitat to modern ag practices but it is what it is. Just gotta find the survivors.

Best of luck to you and your daughter! I've been fortunate over the years to be able to take a few new hunters out and help them get their first turkey. Young and old. In all honesty I could care less if I ever shot another one. To see the look on some newby's face when they crush one is the best!

Who's going? What's your plan? I've got prospects that are coming down to hunt. I need to start looking for birds.

Miserable stuff. I see a picture and I start to scratch. '92 Baton Rouge, LA. I was shooting 3d in the back yard. Couple arrows went under the neighbors fence. Jumped the fence and came back. Ended up having to get a benadryl shot and 5 days of prednisone. '97 I set up an early season hang-on in PA on public. There was a sumac vine on the othe other side I didn't notice. Sweating like crazy when I got it up, I took my t-shirt off and spread it around. My eye's swelled shut and it's no fun having it on your manhood. 48hrs in the hospital. Went back two weeks later and someone had stolen my setup. Poor b@st@rd. I fear nothing in the woods but that stuff. It's evil.

An interesting article about his time as head of the DEC. Checks all the boxes for a NYS government employee. DEI and climate change are his priorities. Wondering who the next commisioner will be. More of the same I suspect. https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/departing-n-y-environmental-commissioner-18695521.php