Pygmy

When Tiffany isn't hunting with me I fart a lot.

Jaeger...I stated my disapproval because the scope is a large variable NOT just the fact that it is a scope. I hate large heavy variables on hunting rifles..A high quality fixed 2.5 or 3X would be much more desirable for Lanny's style of hunting and would have a minimal effect on the handling characteristics. Not to mention the fact that a big variable just plain LOOKS stupid on a woods rifle. My opinion only... <<grin>>....That rifle just CRIES for a Leupy fixed 3X, or at most a 1.5 x 4 x20mm variable. Peep sights are cool too. I have used one for years on my old TC Hawken. He may very well have cut the casing off and hammered it in. I also think that boring out a hole and gluing the case head in would be less likely to damage the stock.

It looks like it would be easy enough to do with the proper boring bit and some glue. Keep in mind that it might negatively affect the resale value of the gun, however.. I don't approve of Shane's scope, but since he has killed many more 200+ pound whitetail bucks than I have ever seen ( I have never laid eyes on a 200 lb dressed whitetail) I guess I will let it slide....<<grin>>....

Yeah, the early squirrels have some warbles (bot fly larvae)... Last year 1 or 2 out of 6 squirrels had them. Disgusting little things, but they come off with the skin..They don't affect the meat, as far as I can see.

Tiffany and I just sit there and make googly eyes at each other....

Sweeeeeet !! Nice pictures of a super trip... I was wondering about those blue colored walleyes !

I gave my daughter the opportunity to get involved in shooting and hunting, but all she ever wanted to do was "girly stuff"...<<sigh>>....

When I freeze a rabbit I use a sharpie to label the Ziploc WUN WABBIT + the date....Heheheheheh... SCWEWY WABBITS !.....Heheheheheh....

Paula Darlin', freezing in water prevents freezer burn, which is basically just drying out of the meat. Freezer burn makes the meat dry and less palatable and gives it an "off" taste. As Lawdwaz said, I freeze all my rabbit, squirrel and fish filets in ziplocs in water and they are still nearly as good as fresh when I thaw them. I still try to use them within a year. Vacuum sealing might work just as well, but I don't have a vacuum sealer. Uncle Nicky...I have tried #4 shot and although it kills well, each individual pellet drags more hair into the shot wound for my liking. I have had good luck killing them with sixes.

In early season I use a shotgun, for two reasons...#1 , with all the foliage on, it's tough enough to get a clean shot with a scattergun, much less a rifle, and in early season the squirrels are in the dense treetops actively working nuts, and they don't hold still very often. # 2, in early season one of my goals is to pack a few ziplocs full of squirrel parts in the freezer, and the shotgun is very efficient for that..I often take a limit of squirrels (6) with 6 or 7 shells. I have two shotguns I use most often for squirrels, a 1936 vintage Winchester model 12 in 16 gauge choked full, and a Belgian Browning Light 20 choked modified. Due to the tight chokes I try to avoid close shots so as not to put too much shot in the eatin' meat, but if the squirrels are in the high treetops, as they often are, these guns pop 'em out of the tallest trees with authority. In both guns I use the cheapest promo low brass loads I can find, usually 1 ounce in the 16 and 7/8 oz. in the twenty. I prefer #6 shot. After I have a few squirrels packed away in the freezer, I switch to a rifle. # 1 is my Ruger 10/22 that I bought new at Nichols Discount in 1973. I have a Burris compact fixed 4X scope and use Remington Standard velocity Target long rifle ammo. # 2 is a NEA single shot in 17 Mach II. I use ELEY ammo and bought enough so that if I die when I'm supposed to, I'll have a lifetime supply. The scope, which is worth more than the rifle, is a Leupold M8 fixed 4X. It is a very accurate rig. I like it after the leaves fall and I have more long range shot opportunities. It shoots " minute of squirrel head" out to 100 yards.

I used to enjoy chasing bushy tail myself...Unfortunately, I can't remember why I was chasing them. In my old age I'd better stick to squirrels

Squirrel season opens September 1... I plan to get out in the next few days and check out my favorite hickory grove. I still have a few in my freezer from last year ( disjointed and frozen in water) that I need to use up. I have five thawing today, and plan to make a squirrel fricassee this afternoon.

Things have really greened up here with the rain the last couple of weeks.. The Mermaid is nagging me to mow the lawn again.....

I'll hold you to that...Remember, I have WITNESSES....<<grin>>....

That was from a couple of days ago on Keuka...My partner and I cleaned 44 nice perch, 2 rockies, two sunfish, one bullhead and a smallmouth.. I have been eating fresh perch on a regular basis, so I froze my share of the perch filets in water for another day. Fishing has been very good this year on Keuka for perch, panfish and bass...

Two bullhead filets, two smallmouth filets, two rock bass filets, two large sunfish filets...Dusted with House Autry Seafood Breader and fried in grapeseed oil.... Steamed buttered rice and steamed broccoli.... BEER......

I grew up in the 50s and 60s reading and admiring the works of Jack O'Connor... Because of that, RIFLE means bolt action and wood stock, preferably with a good quality fixed 4X scope... All of my centerfire rifles are bolt action with wood stocks except of course my M1 Garand, which is not really a hunting rifle, but a military battle rifle that I sometimes take hunting. I never warmed up to pump guns, with the exception of the Model 12 Winchester, which I love. Other than that my shotguns are semi autos , over/unders and side/sides...

Nice pictures TF...The blackberries make me drool... I LOVE them !

I have loaded all of my centerfire hunting ammo for over 30 years. I have shot deer, antelope, caribou and moose with a number of jacketed lead bullets, and although some expanded more rapidly than others ( notably the Nosler ballistic tip) I never had anything that I would regard as a bullet failure. Perhaps 15 years ago I decided to give Barnes X type bullets a try in my 7mm08 I was very impressed with both the accuracy and the performance on game, and since I have gone to Barnes bullets for all of my hunting loads in my 7mm08, .280 Rem and 9.3 x 62. In my 7mm08 I load the 120 Barnes TTSX with RL-15, for a MV of around 3000fps. In my .280 I load the 140 Barnes TTSX with RL-22 for a MV of about 3000fps. In the 9.3 I load the 250 Barnes TSX for a MV of around 2500 fps. I use Winchester large rifle primers for all of my hunting loads. These bullets nearly always exit . They kill game as quickly as any bullet I have ever used and they don't seem to cause as much bloodshot and mangled meat as some other bullets. Between the 3 rifles I have shot perhaps 20 -25 deer with them, as a conservative estimate.

I used a Baker a couple of times, no hand climber just hugging the tree. About the third time I used it I was on my way up and unloaded it when I was perhaps six feet off the ground. It was a JARRING experience when I hit the ground. Glad I wasn't up any higher when it happened. I never used it again..Today it's solid ladder stands for me. I haven't used a hang on in at least 15 years.

The only ethnic group I have issues with are Greek Vaseline Salesmen... IN PARTICULAR, the one that my ex wife ran off with...

Shucks, some girls are just a little bit on the SHY side.... A few of the girls I went to school with never got pregnant until they were 15 or 16...

I have seen pictures of your wife, Elmo, and I agree that she is much more interesting than you...

Happy Birthday, Good Buddy !

For a "first gun" a shotgun is a good idea...Everybody oughta have a shotgun. For a "first rifle", I'd recommend a standard sized entry level bolt action like a Ruger American, Savage Axis, or something similar. I won't give my advice on scopes because nobody ever takes it anyway...<<smile>>..... JUST DON'T GET AN OVERSIZED, OVERPOWERED, OVER WEIGHT MONSTROSITY, which seems to be the trend... OOPS....Just couldn't HELP myself...<<sigh>>....