RangerClay

Ok, actually the process is very simple. For modest $10-15 investment at a home brew shop you would be all set. Even though it's illegal to make spirits in America, it's not illegal for me to sell the supplies neccessary to make spirits. We sell stills all the time. Our shop is near Fort Drum and many southern soldiers like to make what they are used to drinking at home. One thing that many of our spirits makers do, and this may interest you, is make shine, cut it down, add flavorings and wa-la you have your own homemade whiskey. I've had customers bring in some really great rye and bourbon. Most people make their own stills and Youtube is full of videos but here is a popular model we sell. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAsFjJqoJwM If you ever want to give wine or beer making a try. Give me a shout.

10.5" beard, 1 inch spurs, 22 pounds

Congrats! Great story!

Congrats! Two birds is dang good with our low population.

Looks like a great product and I like that its American made. One thing that struck me funny, you have four different models but they all have the same price. Very odd, usually the higher up models have a higher up price.

DON'T get down on yourself!! I have had tons of people come into the shop with the same story as you. Lets work together and get the next batch to come out perfect. Believe it or not, we will swap out a few things and it will be very easy. To start with, since its been over a week I would be hesitant to add another yeast. You have had time, especially in the heat we have had, for bacteria to grow and give off flavors. I would dump it and start over. Did you add any potasium metabisulfate or camden tablets before you added the yeast? What town do you live in? I will find a nearby home brew shop for you so you can get the correct yeasts.

No not really. It will get your alcohol content up around 18% if your brix (brix is sugar content) is high enough but that's as far as it goes. Most home brew shops have what is called Turbo Yeast and that is what you use for distillation. Remember that distilling your own is illegal (wink wink ) EC1118 is a very hearty, great all purpose yeast that helps struggling wines to below 0 brix. It's higher alcohol capability allows you to continue fermentation in the bottle and make sparkling wines. Technically its a champagne yeast. Red Star makes one just like it called Champagne Yeast.

On opening day we will set up in the dark. After that....whenever we get there. Funny thing, I've called in just as many (if not more) birds at 9-10am as I have at first light. If you know where your birds will be at any moment during the day or where they are going to, you can set-up ahead of them. All you have to do is wait for them to pass by.

I see that this is 10 days old but I thought I'd pop in. I make a lot of wine and work part time at a wine making shop in Watertown. CulverCreek has it pretty much covered. Get a hydrometer and a test jar, it is your most important piece of equipment. You will need them to determine how much sugar you have before fermentation and how much alcohol you will have when its done. Also be sure to use wine yeast. So many use bread yeast and that will limit what you can make. I recommend Lalvin EC1118. PM me if you have any further questions. I really enjoy teaching others how to make wine.

I took dendrology in high school. This would be MUCH easier if I had leaves to look at. From what you describle, it may be a sweet gum. But I like sycamore better.

Awesome!!! Congratulations!

I took my 12 year old daughter out for her very first hunt saturday. We were hunting in 7M near Hamilton. The weather was very cool and windy. Preliminary scouting showed no birds in the fields as we were drove around for a couple days. I have to laugh at myself. I spent daaaaaaays getting my daugher prepped. Shopping for youth camo (which is very hard to find this time of year btw), practicing with the shotgun, learning different commands, turkey calling, tick spray, good boots, you name it I waaaas ready! Or so I thought.......... About 45 minutes into the hunt we had a gobble and he was coming in. I sat my daughter down, made sure she was comfortable and I sat right down behind her. I started calling and after a couple minutes I heard a wimper. Then a few moments later the words, "Dad I don't feel good". Then came, "Dad, I'm gonna throw up". Now I know she didn't eat well, no one can eat at 4:30 in the morning. So I told her to relax and breath, it will go away. Then came words my daughter never says, "I want to go home". At this point I was stumped but I did not want her upset. So we backed out so not to wise up the gobbler. Come to find out after questioning, she told me that she was shaking all over and her stomach was upset. Aha!!! Dr. Daddy has made his diagnoses. What you have babygirl is a severe case of buck/turkey fever. Made me smile. I was so prepped for everything but I didn't teach her how to handle a severe dumpage of adrenaline. It rushed over her so fast, she got sick. After some more breakfast we spent the rest of the morning just walking the woods together. She managed to talk to a bird on her own but chose not to shoot it. Next weekend I'm going to take her out again but she can sit beside me and together we will call in a bird that either one of us can shoot. All in all, we walked two large pieces of property and saw or heard only 3 birds. 2 toms and 1 hen.

I enjoyed the video but I was really hoping to see some footage from the turkey cam.

Oh I do!!! And I have been paying with dues, donations, and purchases of signs & stickers.

The part that kills me is cutting off a chunk of history. I have a 1943 M1 Garand, and even though its historical, it has a bayonet lug. I don't want to register and I don't want to take a saw to it either. The thought of becoming an outlaw disgusts me.

Does an M1 garand have to be registered? It's serial numer dates it 1943

I don't think it's mink. Pine martin or fisher. I'm leaning to fisher.

Nooooo

Texas was nice but too hot and they don't have good beer. I simply fell in love with southern cooking/cajun in Alabama. But Hurricanes scare me to death. Ohio is too flat for me. I really enjoyed western North Carolina's countryside. I would looooove to live in Green Bay Wisconsin that would be my first choice. That or Northern Missouri. But in the end I will probably live where my kids move to.

I would bet that the $10 fee you saw is the fee we are going to be charged for our ammo background checks after the election.

How old is old school? I've killed deer with my 1866 Winchester. I have a T/C Renegade that is my favorite gun to hunt with.

Well done!

OH I am all over that!! Looking forward to it. Great video!

Saw my first strutting tom this morning on the way to work.

Nice sheds!