wolc123

I finally finished up the new platform stand in the small cherry tree over at my parents place today. I also got to help them out with a little yard work and eat lunch with them. Ma made my favorite (stuffed cabbage). When I got home, I put up the platform for the second one, in abog polar tree. That one is replacing an old ladder stand that was not very comfortable and lacked a good rest. The 3 ft high wall/rest/safety rail is sided with barnwood. I picked up a comfy swivel office chair for the one over at my parents, and I need to find another for the one at home.

Did you find one yet Larry ? If not, I have a spare that I would be willing to trade for a scale:

Why did you boil AND power wash the scull mounts ? I just skin the raw heads, and then power wash, with no boil. The best thing about that is, it keeps all the mess and smell out of the house (makes for a happier wife). I put on a rain suit and do it outside, on a concrete pad. It hasn't been a problem during deer season, since "global warming" set in hard about 15 years ago. Within 24 hours, every last bit of scattered eyeball, brains, and lips is cleaned up by birds and vermin. The only cleanup I do is rinsing off the rain suit. The job takes about 45 minutes, start to finish, with a 3100 psi power washer. Also, by not using any heat, the sculls retain a more natural white look, without applying any bleach. Boiling tends to turn them an ugly yellow, requiring bleach or a camo dip, etc. I prefer the "natural" look over any of that nonsense.

Running shots are something I would prefer not to employ, however I have not always had the luxury of avoiding them completely. As others have mentioned, the real key to making them is lots of practice. Safety of others is also a big concern (know your target and what is beyond). The last one I took was on a big, late-season doe, about 5 years ago. That shot struck about 4 inches forward of the hair that I intended to hit, breaking the doe's neck and dropping her dead on the spot. What made that shot somewhat difficult, is that I had to time it, for when the doe reached a clear shooting lane. I was up about 10 feet in a stand, and about 40 yards away on flat ground. That made the shot extremely safe. The main reason I took that shot was that I really needed the meat. I had taken just one deer prior that season (a buck with my crossbow), and I had a wife and two kids at home with big appetites. I made the shot, but almost lost a foot to frostbite. I got a good soaker in the cold December ditch water, while crossing it to recover the carcass. That year, I had practiced thousands of moving target shots pre-season. That was before the current ammunition crisis, but even then, I was not one who "wasted" real ammo on practice. All of that "moving target" practice was with my adult-stocked Daisy red Ryder bb gun. This season, I will be far less likely to take a running shot at a deer. I haven't had much time to practice and one kid will be off to college. The other will be working at our town's pizza joint (sadly now under new ownership). I wont need nearly as much venison and should have much more luxury of "picking and choosing" my shots. Some of you sit up on your high horses and criticize others for taking "un-ethical" shots. Good for you. One day you will get what's coming to you. Until then, I will keep eating good, and I prefer wild red meat taken the way I choose.

I spent: $ 1.25 = 1/2 gallon of gasoline, plus about 45 minutes of my time.

I picked up 5 deer tags (regular buck, bow/ML either/or, bow/ML antlerless, and 2 wmu 9F dmp's) at Lockport Walmart this afternoon. It was the first time that the girl had printed up any licences or tags but she did real good. She even figured out how to take a donation for the venison coalition program. That was the first time in 3 years of trying that someone has been able to figure that out. Either they made it easier this year or it takes a computer savy rookie to do it. I will go back there for 2 more 9F dmp's in the second draw, and see if they finally have the bugs worked out of the venison coalition donation thing. The first 2 dmps cost $ 10, but the second 2 are free. I will gladly donate another $ 10 for those, if they can figure out how to take it. It has been a few years since I have been able to fill more than one dmp tag, but the Holiday ML season might simplify that a bit this year.

I put in two small (1/4 acre) plots of radish turnip mix on Saturday. I only used about half the seed that I had, because I didnt have enough leftover fertilizer (triple 15 from spring corn planting) to go heavier with the seeding. I always get the best production from turnips when I seed lightly and fertilize heavy. Radishes are new to me. I have also only seen good deer usage of turnip greens after a hard frost. It will be interesting to see if those radishes get the deer using those plots before that happens. I plan on putting in a couple larger (1-1/2 acre) wheat/white clover plots after September 1. If I can score some free leftover soybeans, I will add some of that to the mix.

Things might be looking up on my corner of 9F. My wife ran into a bachelor group of 6 or 7, right near the road on the back side of my block, on her way home from the grocery store yesterday. She took some pictures and these two looked like pics of the litter. The others looked like smaller 8's and 6's. The one on the left looks like a shooter, but I would also settle for the one on the right.

3.3

Flying was ok before 9/11/01 but has sucked since. 3 of the 4 I had to do this March were not too bad, with lots of open seats on the planes and quick service in the airports, thanks to low volume because of the pandemic. I am sure things are probably back to crazy full again on all flights and long security lines, etc.. Certainly not much fun, but better than driving long distances. If you stretch your water and snack, you can go without a mask for almost the whole flight.

I have not heard of any deaths from the vaccine but I have heard of hundreds of thousands from Covid-19. To me that makes getting the vaccine a combination of simple math and common sense.

Thanks to an abundance of coyotes and corresponding absence of coons, we should have all the sweetcorn we can eat from now thru October 1 or so. The coyotes do a very good job eradicating the female and juvenile coons, but have some trouble with the big males. One of those is all I have caught so far in my traps, and he only got an ear or two before stumbling into a dog-proof trap baited with cat food.

Looks like you got some good ones to go for this year. I have multiple good prospects at my folks place, on the opposite corner of 9F, and at in-laws up in 6C/6F. Here on my corner of 9F, not so hot. I did see a big red coyote out back while I was planting turnips Thursday afternoon. At least they are keeping the coons out of my sweetcorn. Just one big male coon in a trap so far. It dont seem to matter how deep I burry them. The yotes always exhume them within a week.

I have tried that the last 3 years but the folks printing the tags at Walmart never have a clue how to do it. Sooner or later one of them might figure it out, and I will keep trying, otherwise it goes into the collection plate at church. They never struggle with accepting donations.

Looks good.

Prayers sent for your mom.

That adds about an inch to the chest girth.

I am hoping for (3) average-sized deer this year. We are down to our last one in the freezer now, so it should be completely tapped out by early ML season up north. A big buck, button buck, or bear would be a nice bonus, but I would be very thankfully for just the three average-sized deer. That would give our family enough meat to survive for another year.

I saw a blue Ford 1/2 ton with a for sale sign on it, parked on Tonawanda creek road in Amherst just east of Orbit, on the drive to work this morning.

My Adirondack hunting accommodations are a lot more comfortable these days:

Prior to my in-laws building thier Adirondack retirement home, they used to rent a small , "off the grid" cottage on a remote lake for a couple long weekends each fall. One always fell on opening weekend of rifle or ML season. I had the camper to my self back then, while everyone else was in the cottage. The first one I had did not have a thermostat on the furnas so I was always too hot or too cold in the mornings unless I guessed right on what setting to adjust the heater to. My wife didnt care for that old beat up camper (besides the furnas issue, few of the windows worked, and the interior was rough). That prompted me to upgrade to my current one which is a little rough on the outside but like new inside. All the windows work well and it has a thermostat on the heater. It is real nice when I have it all to myself, and better yet when it is just me and my wife. It dont work so well with our two teenage daughters added to the mix, hense the tent for me now. That was much better last week, since I sprung for a big cot.

I have one but hardly ever use it.

How many psi is your pressure washer? I can skip the pot and simmer with the 3100 psi one that I use. I have done about a dozen with it and they all came out pretty good. None has any detectable smell but I do leave them out in the barn a while after I finish just in case one ever does. I usually skin the head first with a sharp knife, then put on a rain suit (it is messy) and pressure wash on a concrete pad. That takes about a half hour to do a thorough job. Birds and vermin always have all the mess cleaned up by the following day.