Daveboone

Tough to say, the bird is a way out, but in profile I am thinking loon...body isnt as bright as a merganser and I dont see the black on its back. This time of year they migrate, and we see them for a week or two on Oneida too. They like seclusion, and avoid boat traffic, etc. Lows Lake is a great spot, nearby Lake Lila too, although they are pretty common throughout the ADKS. Thier call carries a long way, so it sometimes makes it seem there are more around than there are.

Cornell has been very active in bringing back a blight resistant American Chestnut. They are awaiting approval for its dispersal. Occasionally a blight resistant tree is found...one that has survived x many years. My sister has one on her property, and on several occaisions Cornell has come down to gather seeds/samples from it. As well, out west there are several sources for trees that have never blighted...including Dunstans. I have planted about 10 on my property, and hope to see fruit this year.

I have been a very long term Cabelas customer, both on line and in their retail stores. Their customer service used to be the best imaginable. Bass pro wasn't horrible, but Cabelas still was much more responsive. Cabelas was known for having generally better quality clothes, if not all hunting then certainly their casual /street wear. Their hunting/ reloading department is a fraction of what it was. The last few times I went to a Cabelas store, the merchandising was thinner with fewer selections, and much of it was Bass pro brand (we do generally go the same time of year). Cabelas is simply no longer as much fun to visit as it used to be. What I used to buy at Cabelas I do NOT now buy at Bass Pro. They don't carry what I want. I am sure that in the foreseeable future, all Cabelas locations will simply be a Bass Pro shop.

None I am crying over, if I sold them I needed to usually to finance another better or more needed gun. That said, I do wish I still had my Mini 14. I only paid about 220.oo for it when Service Merchandise went out of business. Traded it towards...something. If I still had it I probably still wouldnt hardly ever shoot it. the other ones I wish I still had, funny enough are also all Rugers. First, probably my stainless convertible Single Six .22, then in no particular order a 2 3/4 " stainless Security Six .357 mag., my highly personalized Super Blackhawk .44 mag, and my also "personalized" .357 Blackhawk.

His early days pre presidency in the Dakotas are just quickly mentioned, havent gotten to his post White House years and Africa yet.

We started watching it, and quickly realized that there was nothing worthwhile to see. On the other hand, "The Roosevelts" on PBS is outstanding. It explores the Roosevelt family from their origins highlighting Theodore, Eleanor and Franklin Delano. I am very well read on Theodore, and was surprised with the content and historical views on him. Damn few other families have had such far reaching affects on American life and history...if any.

Boy, I sure miss the days long gone where we would go out to an old gravel pit /whatever, and spend the afternoon plinking with the .22s, making cans dance, busting clay birds into smaller and smaller pieces, trying to set off lady finger firecrackers with a direct hit, etc. That and long days waiting out woodchucks and sniping red squirrels is where I learned to shoot.

Most I go to around me (Oneida Lake, Cayuga State Park, Sampson State park, etc) are all no charge at this time of year anyway, usually dont start charging until around the beginning of may.

But does anyone smelt anymore? do we still have smelt runs or are they a thing of the past with changing ecology? I understand folks on Lake Champlain used to fish through the ice for them too.

I have been CC for forty years...from 6" bbl Smith N frames to J frame Chief specials, full size military 9mm double stackers to PPK knockoffs. The gun you are most likely to have on you is the easiest and quickest to grab and safely, unobtrusively yet accessibly carry. My CZ75s and Berettas both had 15 round magazines...dang slim chance of needing a refill, but as I got more confident I am happy with fewer rounds with quality ammo and magazines that I know wont fail me. extra magazine, extra baggage. If I think I am going into combat, I am not going. Someone else wants to carry a mag, have at it. I don't mind.

Back in the eighties I used to go...a lot of fun, as long as I don't have to work the next day. Are there still good smelt runs in the fingerlakes? Ontario?

When I used to small game a lot and break clay, there was no such thing as enough...now I probably have a thousand rounds of misc. shotgun rounds ...otherwise a couple boxes would hold me fine, along with a box of 00 buck for bumps in the night.... .22s, some guys get out and shoot weekly, and go through a ton....myself, I love to plink, but don't have much chance anymore...still have probably 1000, 1250 rounds. Rifles, my main hunting arms that get regular use I keep on hand two hundred rounds or so. I shoot them several times a season, and reload for them all. Handguns....Carry guns and the carry ammo for them, usually a hundred rounds or so loaded (again, I reload for everything). I reload target stuff only once a year, and at that time will crank out several hundred rounds.

When concealed carry? Probably never. My philosophy is that reloads complicate concealed carry, and that I should be proficient enough to solve my problems with the first load...I keep reloads in my car/ hotel room when traveling.

We decided to start a garden this year. We have half heartedly in the past, but have a difficult time keeping up with it. This year I am going to make some raised beds to help us out. I hope to get some beds for peas started this week, along with starting some cuke and tomato seeds. We aren't doing very much....couple types of tomatoes, cukes, peas, radished and carrots. I need to track down a few yards of topsoil though .

I love this time of year for birds. Grouse are real active and often close to the road and acting foolish for mating. Woodcock are migrating, and frequently seen. They are one of my favorite birds...so goofy looking but beautiful, and I love the drunken way they fly with their "chirchirchir". I am willing to bet the pheasant Lawdwaz saw was a realease, probably made it through the winter at a feeder. Back in the seventies we saw wild ones in our yard and nearby woods/fallow farmland a lot, when there was a lot more favorable habitat. I miss them.