Daveboone

We have somewhere around a thousand, but have to come up with some good software to help organize them. I will be happy to post more, thanks for the interest.

The silly warthog was almost an afterthought...I had it on my list, but didnt care if I shot a pig unless it was a really good one. We didnt see much all week, but the last evening we went for a stroll on my PHs concession, a beautiful piece of rolling land that rolledd own to the ocean shore. We stalked a few, but nothing of interest. It was at very last light Jono spotted this fellow and a friend against a hillside. After a frantic scramble and quick stalk as the light continued to fade, we caught up with it. It far exceeded my expectations, and I was very pleased when our taxidermist (Taxidermy Africa, a very well known and long established business) got even more excited than us over it, saying it was the best warthog he had seen in years. The hog is now my favorite trophy. We are going to have a euroean mount on a plaque withe the skull engraved.

The wife and I returned from our "five years in the making" trip to the Eastern Province of South Africa. It exceeded all our expectations, from the hospitality, beauty, food, game, and more. Eighteen hours of flying to get there, which was a bummer when you are not used to flying. We overnighted in Johannesburg, which allowed us to rest up for the final short leg to Port Elizabeth. We were met by our host/guide Jono McHugh, owner and operator of Kingsview Safari, who arranged all our stay and was our near constant companion for ten days. Our first half of the trip was spent at a private reserve where we were fed and treated like kings. Staying at the concession allowed us to hunt literally out the door, and we were able to view wild life from our porch ...wart hog, blue wildebeest, giraffes, zebra...all the African standards (no Big Five on the property though). I used Jono's .270 for all my hunting, and it proved up to the task for what I hoped for...impala, kudu (my big trophy), warthog, and the wife stated that if we go to Africa, she gets a zebra rug! It would take way to long to detail all our adventures, the great folks we met and unfortunately a way of life that is doomed to end likely over the next 1-2 generations, but it was a once in a life time hunt/trip/ adventure. We two were able to go (not including airfare) for considerably less to hunt my four initial species; I actually chose to take an Nyala also, than a Newfoundland Moose hunt for one costs. A few pics...

Be sure to shoot off a rest for best consistency, as you would for a rifle.

The wife had always wanted to go "on safari" animal watching. I have been reading books on Africa since ...I learned to read, and have long dreamed of Kudu.. We never thought it would be affordable. I was talking hunting with a guy at an auction a few years ago, who told me I would be very surprised how affordable it could be. I went home and did some googling and was amazed. Considering an inexpensive moose hunt (think maybe Newfoundland) was running around 6500 at the time, we found out that we could go to Sout AFrica for ten days, splitting our time between hunting and non hunting activities, all meals and accomodations, four game animals (Kudu, Zebra, Impala and wart hog) for less than my last moose hunt. Our expenses are day trip activities and air fare. South Africa is probably the most civilized and safest region for a hunt, with alot of non hunting activities to offer the wife. But of all things, she is hyped up to go surf fishing for sharks!

The wife and I leave on monday 4-18 for South AFrica for ten days. First time we have ever flown anywhere or been out of the country.

Absolutely a Fisher, Eaglemountainman...they are small before they get bigger. Pine martins much more slender in build and almost a reddish color, with much bigger ears. Also, they do not get as large as the fisher that is shown.

A lot more common than most folks think. Doom for stray cats in rural areas (which is ok by me).

No. State land at the hatchery, surrounded by private lands. The Oneida Nation is actively working to buy up as much of the Sylvan Beach end of the lake a they can...New casino on the lake, townhouses, etc. I am surprised this was the Mohawk branch, but then...the Mohawk nation originally was in the area from the Hudson through the (obvious enough) Mohawk River. That said, the hatchery still I dont think would have been in their original homeland, but would still have been within the confederacy.

.380s are addictive. I always laughed at the caliber until I inherieted a Browning 1922. It is a delight to shoot and easy to carry. More of a "pop" when it goes off than a "bang".

Dead on with this. I have a full size 1911 and love it, really only carry it when outdoors with heavy clothes. You need the right physical build to carry it concealed appropriatly. The sig 938 is based on the 1911 in function except for no grip safety. It is a fantastic high performance high quality compact 9mm well worth looking at for concealed carry.

Bigger is better...side note....sump discharge usually is not to be put into the sewer lines, as it then needs to be treated. Pump it to a street gutter/etc. I was politely but very firmly directed in this matter by our town. It is very easy for the sewer systems to get overwhelmed by storm water.

I love local history and am sure I would enjoy it, but will happily defer to someone who is more local to the area and can more directly relate to the history. I am way up north.

WTF? Why would anyone want to lift more than 12 oz

Okay, Mr Stupid here....are those natural occuring? whas' the story? ...and by natural occuring, no not naturally occuring like toadstools in my basement...... I have never heard of atlas stones.

Growing up in CNY the only Bald Eagle we saw was in movies or books. They were so rare you never expected to see one outside of Alaska. Even here in Onondaga County, (well, I can see Onondaga County from here across Oneida Lake) many folks are unaware of a phenomenon (phenomena?) over the past 10 years or so of dozens of bald eagles wintering over at the south end of Onondaga Lake, where it doesnt freeze due to the inflow from Ononodaga Creek and the Syracuse sewage treatment plant. Today we drove down to track them down, and from the Destiny Mall parking lot were able to see at least two dozen baldies perched in the trees over the lake, or cruising nearby. The pathway to the lake is closed off while they are there, but one huge adult was only about 100 yards away. The east end of Oneida Lake also holds a few until it freezes solid. They tend to be more approachable as the eagles are literally right in town which goes right up to the edge, as opposed to the end of ONondaga Lake, which is heavily wooded and across a set of railroad tracks, the area being off limits to closer approach when the eagles are present. Leaving the area we saw several more along Onondaga Lake park, and with some regularity we see them closer to home on road kill deer off Rt. 49 along the norths shore of Onondaga Lake. It may be a low scale thrill, but if you are in the area over the next few weeks while the Eagles still linger, it is worth checking out. We were taking some pics with our new camera, but dont know when I will have them...it is the wifes project to figure out downloading and editing them.

By itself it means absolutely nothing. Who gathered the information from what source? what was their agenda in supplying it? This is all really a dead horse. Even Trumps cronies are running from him for his inability to put this bs to rest. I am a lifetime Republican, and am embarassed that our parties leadership isnt being honest enough to bury this stinking skunk. And I wont answer/pay any attention to any further responses back to me on this.

Not really a collection, more of an accumulation. I pick up vintage knives when I can, nothing particularly fancy or expensive. Mainly from big names and historical outdoors companies, but also from local (NY manufacturers when I find them. Mainly Herters, some Marbles, Camillus, official Boy Scout knives and similar.

Not at all. The few bucks difference for the price of going to my camp/hunting rounds will not stop me. Prices around here are already starting to drop, possibly by fall they could be back to normal or close. Besides the Ukraine issue with Russia, now that Covid is almost a has-been, folks will be getting back into thier normal travel and vacation routines which will drive up prices over the summer anyway....the lack of travel over the past two years was the biggest reason for gas prices falling anyway.

Just a thought....Sounds like she needs quite a bit more practice shooting rifles with work on her technique. Any scoped .22 would do fine. Get the technique down for proper rifle holding and positioning. then any reasonable light recoil rifle shouldnt bother her any. She will probably have a nasty flinch to get over. With enough shooting, she will naturally start shooting with both eyes open anyway.

Hunting is about the first shot...not the last. Single shots, bolts, pumps, levers, generally all are more inexpensive than semi rifles, usually more rifle for the buck. Also, Semi rifles tend to be a bit more finicky, with reasonable limits on the size of the cartridge.

I think a huge percentage of pickups sit in driveways or are just a image commuting car, so electric is fine and logical. For anyone towing/ distance hauling or tips, basically anything other than just day to day commuting, we need at least a hybrid gas.

I had a patient that had taxidermied all thier yip dogs when they died. Freaked me out. Would you want your mother in law peering down at you? That said, I think the coyote is very cool. the stifffness of so many mounts takes away from the reality.

Last year was the first in over thirty years I didnt get a deer. I was bumming only because we love venison, but otherwise no big deal. I had a few opportunities to fill, but didnt. This year I will be a bit more hard core. I will have a doe permit to use along with my ML tag and regular season tag, That said, one deer is usually enough with some venision usually left in the freezer, but this year I would like two so we can have some sausage, etc. made.

Looks like it has been there a while. It is illegal to transport without a tag...as Chef said, call for a roadkill tag then you can legally move it. You can move it from one spot on your property to another. I doubt any public entity will touch it. There are generally way to many of them to worry about.