goosifer

Nice muzzleloader (I have the same one) and good call on the Blackhorn 209. @Jeremy K is a big fan of that powder, IIRC. If there is no primer, your firearm is not legally loaded.

I use little finger condoms instead of electrical tape. linky

The funny thing is, with medical costs the way they are, your medical insurance might actually get billed $6 million! Good luck on the surgery and rehab.

@Jeremy K Ever checked out https://twincityshootingclub.com/ on Oliver? I think it's just a 50 foot range for pistol and .22lr rifle, but can't beat the location.

oops. wrong thread. sorry

For hunting, I have been using the Walker's Silencer ear buds https://www.walkersgameear.com/silencer-in-the-ear-pair/ for 25NRR protection. I have been good about using them each time I go out this year. I have mixed feelings about them. I have a hard time keeping them in my ear canal, especially if I am wearing a neck muff to cover the back of my head. Each time I turn left to right, they catch on the neck muff and work loose. It also seems like even the smallest foam cover is too big to stay in my ear canal. When they are inserted, they do actually help me hear better, as well as protect my hearing when i fire. I got these a couple years ago, it looks like there are fancier versions out now, that are rechargeable, bluetooth, etc. There also appears to be ones that are custom molded for your ears. I should look into those, but not sure if they amplify sound, maybe just protect.

I double up with foam earplugs and then an electric ear muff that blocks out loud sounds but amplifies small sounds. The ones I have I got from Sportsman's Guide years ago. They are nothing special. That way can still be able to talk to others on the range. I am planning on shooting there starting in April. Maybe I will see you there sometime.

Nice deer, too!

I do. I run an ozone machine in a closed closet the night before. By morning, there is still some residual smell, but nothing to worry about. I don't think the ozone smell on your clothes would give you away, if that's what you are worried about. You might have a better sense of smell than I do.

At 2:45, I had a doe and two fawns cross the street in front me as I was driving home, two blocks from my house. My wife was kind enough to say, "Well, at least you saw some deer today." Sheesh. I guess they really are moving today. I got stuck doing small business Saturday shopping with her.

Yours have solid arms, right? And they still do a good job of sealing around the eye socket? I'm currently focusing (no pun intended) on the style that look more like swimming goggles with an elastic all the way around (no solid arms). They look like they seal better around the eye socket. After I try the 4 samples I ordered, I will send for some arm styles. As a bonus, they would look just slightly less dorky on me. We'll see (pun intended).

I found a place online that sells prescription goggles and safety glasses. https://opticsoutfitter.com/ They let you order four (clear) pairs to try them for fit. I will give them a try. As long as they fit and don't fog up, I will buy a pair.

I can vouch for these, too. They really make a difference taking the chill off. I started using them this season. Walmart sells packs of 7 pairs for$6, as well.

I can vouch for Baffin boots as well. I bought these two years ago. Mine come with a soft foam insert that molds to your foot. It's a bit of a snug fit, so if you get boots like that, may want to go up 1/2 size.

Have a great Birthday!

I've been having a lot of issues this season with my eyes tearing up from the wind. I wear glasses, so my glasses get all dirty/spotty, and it's a pain constantly having to dab at my eyes. Anyone have any suggestions for this issue? I think I will look into prescription googles. Anyone wear prescription goggles? Anyone know if there is such a thing as clear goggles that would fit over prescription glasses, like maybe the kind worn for skiing or snowboarding? Thanks.

You're aging yourself there, Tacks. Biz probably never heard of the guy.

OK, will do. Need to see if I will get them, though. Dick's cancelled my order for some reason. I reordered using my wife's credit card earlier this evening, and so far that order is not cancelled. I probably won't deploy the cams until the Spring. I bought 4 and will get 4 more with the MIR.

I just realized I was remembering the ice storm in 2006. I wasn't in Buffalo in 2000. Oops.

So, just to make sure I understand, hunting near (on?) a corn field the day after it's cut, is good/preferable? Or hunting nearby while it is being cut? What's your strategy?

Well, call me the Spypoint guinea pig, or the Spypoint glutton for punishment, but I bought 4 at Dick's, and will get 4 more free. That they have the solar panel was a factor for me. I called Spypoint and they confirmed one free camera for each camera purchased. You need to fill out one form for each freebie, and send a copy of the receipt for each freebie, but at least they can all go in the same envelope. Net net cost will be around $200 per camera after tax. At least I know their software and am comfortable with it, as I own one already. Deal details are here

From a moral, brand loyalty, and buy American perspective, I get what you're saying. But from a legal perspective, patents usually last no more than 20 years. So, if the sharpener was patented prior to 1999, it's likely that the patent is no longer in effect. So yes, it's a Chinese copy, it's probably not as well made as the original, but it's not necessarily thievery, in this particular case.

I bought the Wiebe Monarch for under $20. link It's like the Havalon. In fact, I field dressed my deer this year using only this knife. In the past, I used to use up to four different knives/tools (butt-out, saw, skinning knife and Gerber skin zipper), and I wanted to cut weight. BTW, the Havalon, Wiebe and Gerber disposable knives are really just folding scalpels. The hard part is figuring out what size the retention(?) hole is to fit the scalpel to the handle. I've been trying to figure that out, so I'd have other options for getting refills. If you happened to know someone that works at a vet, they might be able to help you figure out what size scalpel you'd need, hypothetically speaking.

You should try wearing a bigger bra.