Whew!

I think that I have finally rested up from the Memorial Day weekend. We moved daughter #1 to San Angelo, Texas as she will be attending grad school there. Friday we loaded up her things into the van, trailer and her car. Saturday was a drive across the wastelands of southern New Mexico and West Texas. The wastelands are sparsely interrupted by places selling fireworks, pottery (something to do with the fireworks when bored), novel t-shirts, and other assorted nick-nacks. All these places look about the same and only vary in their state of deterioration. The one on the Continental Divide is special in its dilapidation. I wasn't sure if anyone could walk across the wooden floor without breaking through. I expect that falling through would be bad as it is probably where they raise all the snakes that are put in clear acrylic.

I had rented a U-Haul trailer, one way of course, in order to be able to take all of our darling's valuables. The winds were somewhere between awesome and spectacular. I was not able to drive the single axle trailer over 70 MPH as it would whip around like a leach out of water at any substantial gust of wind. Before you ask - yes, it was balanced correctly. It was almost impossible to read the painted text on the trailer in my rear view mirror with all the wagging back and forth. I think it said something about a 55 MPH limit. I have made this run before in about 10.5 hours. It was more like 12.5 hours this time. We finally arrived safely despite the best efforts of the winds, semis and RVs. My hands and back were already cramped and tired from my death grip on the steering wheel. I think that the van seat has a permanent pucker mark on it.

We went over to the apartment complex Sunday to sign final papers and get the keys to the apartment. This is when we found out that the unit was on the second floor instead of the first floor. There were two different reactions to this news. My daughter says that this is great as she won't have to listen to the elephants upstairs. We have always called the noise generated by people above you as the elephants upstairs. I believe that nomenclature came up when we were staying at a hotel that was also hosting a block of rooms for a soccer tournament. I am getting off topic. My response was more to the tune of, oh crap, now we have to tote all this stuff upstairs. See, two different responses to the same news. Both reasonable responses however mine was not greeted with enthusiasm. I was told to be nice as daughter #1 had to live there and I didn't. Sheeesh! Here I thought that this was a perfect time to complain as I didn't have to live there. She could always apologize for the cranky old man after I left. It might be good to have it known that your father was a cranky old so-and-so to provide for bargaining position in the future.

We successfully unloaded everything. Since I was not totally collapsed in a heap, the trailer was returned and we went to Lowes and bought some more stuff to haul up the stairs. The organizing frenzy was well underway. I was looking for a chair to sit in and pretend that I was immobilized and deaf for a while. It was a good thing that I brought a chair for myself. There is no problem in being immobile as I have a lot of practice in deer hunting. Pretending to be deaf is an acquired skill from years of practice when I am being informed of the chores that remain unfinished.

Monday brought on another shopping spree as we would not want to run out of things to tote up the stairs. Good thing that I got rid of the trailer as some other large items were being considered. I would go out with the measuring tape and return to announce that it wouldn't fit. I guess that you will have to order it and have it delivered. We drove back across the wastelands on Tuesday with winds that were actually spectacular. I was thankful that I didn't have the trailer.

I will now continue to assist in shopping and whatnot until Fathers Day. This is when daughter #2 gets married. She is getting married to a fine young man who is a Marine. I am sure that I will have some fine postings about this glorious event later on. It has been and still is a busy stretch!

 I walked by the reloading bench the other day and was sure that it called out to me. The gun safe definitely called to me and asked why haven't you been shooting? Soon, soon.

The Shoe Tire

My brother and I used to watch the Red Green Show and get some serious laughs. It is a Canadian show that does require some local perspective to understand all of the nuances. We were originally from Michigan and not too far from the border so we were acquainted with many Canadians. Shoot puck, drink beer, eh? The Handyman Corner is one of my favorite segments of the show. Enjoy.



 

College Grad!

Congrats to daughter #1 who has just graduated from NAU in Exercise Science. She has a 4.0 GPA and is an Honors student. Woohoo! Can you say Summa Cum Laude? I knew you could. She gets all this intelligence and sense of humor, of course, from my side of the family. I believe that she gets her goods looks and stubborn streak from her mother.

We will have a two week break and then move her to San Angelo to attend Angelo State University. You know, the good ASU. You may go ahead and complain if you are at/from Arizona State University. The graduate program starts in June for her next goal which is a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She claims that the DPT stand for "dirt poor technician". I doubt that "poor" part will hold up long as PT's do well.

In all seriousness, congratulations. You worked hard for those grades and deserve them.

She doesn't want much personal information up on websites (smart girl) so here is a picture of a tire print where her car was frozen in place up at Flagstaff. It took a bit of hot water to free the car. You probably won't have that problem in San Angelo, Texas!

Gun people don’t trust anti-gun people because .............

Good article by Barry Snell that covers the many deceits of the Gun Control groups. Pop on over and read the many reasons articulated.

"We want the crime and killings to stop as much as you do, so to my fellow citizens who are anti-gun I say: So long as you deny our humanity, so long as you malign our dignity, intelligence and wisdom, so long as you seek to shade us under a cloud of evil that we do not partake in or support, so long as you tell us that because we own guns we are terrible people, you will prove yourselves absolutely right in that we won’t come to the table to talk with you."

Squirrels & Stupidity

It is not the squirrels that are stupid.......
Would-be squirrel-killer injured after taping cartridge to BB gun

Not feeling that the BB gun was powerful enough, he taped a .40 cal round to the end. The round fragmented sending the genius to the hospital. He is also a prohibited person and received a "sworn complaint". The sworn complaint was in lieu of arrest due to his being in the hospital. Otherwise, I expect that he would have been taking a different ride.

I will give this a one Flaming Squirrel rating!

  I think that the earlier post:
Do You Smell Fur Burning, still takes the top prize.

Do You Smell Fur Burning? - Update

Person torching squirrel fur starts apartment fire

I must be lacking some advanced culinary techniques in squirrel preparation. We always skinned the tree rats prior to cooking for our evening meal. I had never heard about using a propane torch to burn the fur off first. I wonder if you clean them before the propane fur treatment or just wait for them to pop? I believe that this falls into the category of, "What a maroon!"

Update.........
Since being posted, there have come to "light'" other misadventures involving squirrels which leads me to starting the "Flaming Squirrel" rating system. This will consist of a rating from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest (dumbest?) rating. I will place this as being the current champ with a rating of 4 "Flaming Squirrels".

So much for Flake

16 Republicans who voted to proceed on the Senate gun control:
Alexander
Ayotte
Burr
Chambliss
Coburn
Collins
Corker
Flake
Graham
Heller
Hoeven
Isakson
Kirk
McCain
Toomey
Wicker

So much for liking that Flake guy. Let's see how he votes as it goes forward.
I expected no less from McCain. I would love to see a strong constitutionalist run against him. The odds of that happening are.............

Senator Flake's Response

I have been contacting my senators and congress critters about gun control and such. Always be polite! Below is Senator Jeff Flake's response. It is not known if this is a canned response but it is a fairly good one. I am starting to like him more but we will see where his votes carry him.

"Thank you for contacting me about gun control legislation.

In the wake of the tragic December 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, there has been a surge in the introduction of congressional legislation attempting to address gun violence. A ban on assault weapons, restrictions on ammunition and magazines, and increased background check requirements have all been proposed.

As you may know, I support the Second Amendment, and I do not believe our society needs more laws restricting gun ownership. What we really need is to do a better job of keeping guns out of the hands of those who should not have them, while ensuring that those who break existing laws are fully prosecuted.

To that end, I do not support universal background checks, which would be extremely costly, create further delays for those eligible to buy guns, and apply to private transfers between family members, friends, neighbors, and even firearms passed down through wills. I do support making the existing background check system more effective in order to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. For example, many states and federal agencies are not providing the required disqualifying records of individuals barred from buying guns to the federal National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which checks the names and records of would-be gun buyers to determine if they may possess a firearm. For this reason, I am an original cosponsor of S. 480, the NICS Reporting Improvement Act of 2013, which would require states and federal agencies to report individuals involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital, those incompetent to stand trial in a criminal case, and those found not guilty by reason of insanity – among others – to NICS. S. 480 was introduced by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on March 6, 2013. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, where it is awaiting further action.

Thank you again for contacting me. Please do not hesitate to do so again in the future. I also encourage you to visit my website, which may be found at flake.senate.gov."

Elk Hunting - Again!

Surprise, surprise! I have been drawn for elk again. This time I have a cow hunt in 7E. I put in for a premier spot (can you say - low odds?) for bull for my first pick and a high odds cow hunt on the second choice. I realize that I did not do a report on my last hunt that utilized an outfitter. I will modify this post later with details from the hunt in November. This outfitter was pleasant to be with. We had good shelter, food and company. There were some bull elk but we did not get to drop the hammer on anything. I will explain the rest later, but for now........woooohoooo!!!!

Unintended or Intended Consequences?

"Illegal Border Crossings Double, Border Becomes Less Secure as Beltway Gets Close to Deal on Immigration Reform"

Every time that our elected officials talk about "comprehensive" immigration reform, the result is a new wave of illegal aliens. My stance has always been that the federal government must perform one of its primary tasks of defending our borders before we talk about anything else. I must see that there are real results as I will take no politician's word. Nappy's claiming that the border is secure is not proof of anything but a willingness to lie.

There are places that I no longer hunt along the border. The reasons vary for me to abandon these areas. Some are so overrun that the game has left the area (Calabasas). Other areas are flat out dangerous to be in (Ruby, Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge). My better half basically has asked me please to not hunt certain areas. She doesn't sleep well and constantly worries if I am camping there. These are the same places we used to go together to camp for a weekend in the Santa Rita Mountains for fun.

I always talk to the Border Patrol agents. They ask if I have seen any illegals and I ask if they have seen any deer. The officers used to tell us to stay away from the Ruby area as it was the drug runners corridor. Sound advice as it is rugged and dangerous territory. We now see various areas with warning signs saying to stay out as it is too dangerous. Do any of you from the government really expect us to believe you when you say it is secure? We are being warned off of our own land!

There was a time (1980s) when the drug runners were armed and the coyotes running people were not. This has faded to all being armed. If you stayed out of the way of the drug runners, you were pretty safe. You are now allowed to carry a firearm while archery hunting in Arizona due to this danger. I personally know people who have been shot at by smugglers/runners only for being in the area and seeing the bad guys.

Our government officials have failed us miserably. Do you ever wonder what else is coming across the border aside from the Mexicans? I hope that the general populace never has to pay with loss of life and property on a grand scale due to this government failure.

All the Border Patrol agents that I have met afield have been courteous and professional. This catch and release program must be so frustrating for them. My hat is off to the BP agents trying to do their jobs with both hands tied behind their back.

Aye, Aye Captain .......Spork

HATE cleric Abu Hamza is set to be fitted with a SPOON to replace his famous hook, it was revealed last night.

"Hamza, who lost his hand and an eye in an explosion in Afghanistan, has been fuming since he was stripped of his metal hook by US jail staff because it was a security risk.
His lawyers say he is unable to use toilets properly and can’t turn taps on or off."

Hold it. Aren't you supposed to use your left hand for bathroom chores, not your right hand hook spork? Don't these people know that a spoon can be dangerous. It could be sharpened up. Anyone remember that old Chex Quest game? It was actually rather fun. When you were out of ammo for everything else, there was always the spoon!

Who's to Blame

Obama: I Didn't Cancel W.H. Tours, Secret Service and Congress to Blame

Oh, come on. You know that there must be some way that you could blame President Bush for this. You have managed on so many other topics that were not related to him. What a (another) bald face lie. The Secret Service just takes care of business as directed and does not schedule events. What does Congress have to do with White House scheduling? At least go back to blaming Bush as the delusional base loves it.

It is disturbing that the mind set of the tax & spend crowd along with the bureaucrats always have to find the most painful and highly advertised way to cut the budget. Wow, you had to cut a little over 2% and you are going to make a huge show of cutting everything but waste. I imagine that it should not be such a surprise as these people truly believe that this money belongs to them. They even come right out and say that this is the governments money. Cutting anything, even including cutting increases to spending, is viewed by them as theft. You stole my money, therefore you must be punished.

We see only a few of the "Upstart" representatives objecting. These are the people that are branded as Tea Party, Libertarians, and wacko birds. I like the term wacko birds. It reminds of when the children were little and had some fierce name calling such as poopy head. Good grief, do we actually elect these people? I am looking for the flush button but fear that one was never installed properly. Perhaps there could be another consideration to ridding ourselves of career politicians. Can you say, "Term Limits?" I knew you could. We might have a chance of getting that passed. There is no chance that we can rely on the dumbed downed and dependent voters to do anything but look for the best handout.

Renaissance Festival

Daughter #1 was the festival a couple of weeks ago. She enjoys the events and seems to go depending on her school schedule at NAU. The archery game was looking for some action and challenged her to play for five dollars. If you could put up five straight bulls eyes with five arrows then you would win fifty dollars. She had informed them that they didn’t want her to play. I believe they assumed that meant the she didn’t want to play. The normal hawking harassment ensued but she was keeping her ground. They finally wanted her to shoot one arrow for free. She said, “OK, how do you hold the bow?”

Keep in mind that this young lady surprised the heck out of me the first time she shot. She wanted to go with daughter #2 and me to the archery range. We must have been talking about what fun we had and she decided she wanted to join in. We went down to the caveman warehouse to have a look at bows. She did not want any of those things with wheels and pulleys so we selected a stick bow for her to try. We stepped the range in the back and went through a few basics of stance, grip, etc. She shot a bull’s eye on the second shot and proceeded to keep doing it while announcing that this was easy. It turns out that she seems to be a pretty natural shooter. She shoots well!

I asked, “So you really asked them how to hold the bow?” I guess that she must have been paying attention when some of us were talking about hustling up games in past years. She shot her free arrow about a foot low and to the right on purpose. She definitely was paying attention when we were talking about hustling. She said, “Dad, the target was only about 5 meters away!” Now the guys running the range went into full sale mode to convince her to pay the five dollars. She “reluctantly” agreed and proceeded to place the next five straight into the black. The fellows seemed surprised and then asked why she didn’t want to play. She let them know that she did not say that. She had told them that, “You don’t want me to play.” She merrily collected her loot and went off to spend at the fair for other items.

I wonder if her picture is under the counter at the archery setup with a note to not challenge? That’s my girl!

A New Gun Rights Friend?

VP Biden, "You’ve had no better friend over the last 35 years than me".

Really? I am surprised that we never noticed it in the past. This statement is from the administration's attack dog on gun control.

That rain running down the back of your neck is just warm because of global warming!

Happiness is a Warm Gun (Not!)

Woman 'shot' and wounded as she cooks a snack after bullets left in her OVEN explode

I would love to hear the "rational" explanation for storing a magazine in the oven.
I like to keep my bullets warm because...........fill in the blank.

Illegal Amnesty

Here we go again. I say, once again, that I am opposed to any talks until the border is secure. Once we have secured the borders then we come move forward with the rest of the topics. The follow up topics should be about a naturalization path, not amnesty. Illegal behavior should not be rewarded with amnesty. Rewarding bad behavior begets more bad behavior.

Not before a secure border is in place will I believe that any of our politicians are anything but pontificating baboons. My apologies to the baboons for comparing them to politicians. It is just a mental image that I would like to see most politicians spanked until their buttocks are as red as a baboons.

Fun Day at the Range

Come on, sing along. You know you want to.

Oh, give me a home where liberals groan,
Where the riflemen and pistoleros play,
Where often is heard an encouraging word
And the ammo keeps going downrange.

(Chorus)
Home, home on the range
Where the targets are neatly displayed.
Where often is heard an encouraging word
And weapons are freely exchanged.

Where the wind is so calm, the ammo is free,
And the targets they reset themselves,
That I not give up second amendment rights
For the promise of security.

Chorus)
Home, home on the range
Where the targets are neatly displayed.
Where often is heard an encouraging word
And weapons are freely exchanged.

I am frequently told by my children that I am either primeval or weird. Pick a day for which it might be true but don't pick payday as they get more polite when there is a possibility of money being involved. My wife just shakes her head and smiles as this behavior is expected.

The 2013 Southern/Central Arizona Blogshoot was a lot of fun, again! This was organized, I think,  by Exurban Kevin and The Smallest Minority. Thanks to everyone who showed up. We had a fine time exchanging weapons, ammo, advice and stories. Exurban Kevin has a fairly complete list of attendees in the comments so I won't repeat here.

I have two disappointments from my time on the range. The first is that I did not bring more 44Mag ammo. The Henry Big Boy was bigger hit than I had thought it would be. It is a sweet shooter. The other item that I need to correct the next time is that I had to leave too early and missed out on meeting a couple more bloggers.

My two Bernardelli Model 80 pistols were finally fired. The 22 needs a new extractor spring and the 380 has a light primer strike (firing pin or main spring). Otherwise, they functioned just fine.I will have to keep and eye on Numrich for parts. Another weapon that I had collected but not fired was a CZ 52 (Tokerov). It sure is LOUD even for a pistol. I had some problems with it that all cleared up with an ammo change. I also had a chance to fire that old H&R 999 Sportsman. This shot well but does have a weak mainspring for a light hammer strike. This is the revolver with the pin on the hammer so I do not know of another good reason for a light strike as the hammer looks clean.

I had also brought my old 44Mag SBH that has been cut down to 4 5/8" and guncoated. The modification I made to the front sight seemed to hold up and worked just fine. I needed to get this checked out again as this is the one I typically carry when archery hunting. One just never knows when he will be attacked by some wild beast while taking the bow for a walk.

Thanks to everyone for the fine time!

Needs vs. Rights

Robert Avrech wrote an article after the LA riots. The article has been reposted.

Jew Without a Gun

Read it!

Gun Control

Not a short read but very much worth your time.

An opinion on gun control

While your there, check out some of Larry Correia books. If you haven't read the Monster Hunter International series, you are missing out on some great reads. The other novels are also fun.

H&R 999 Sportsman

I neglected to mention that while I was at the September gun show a Harrington and Richardson Sportsman was spotted. I like these 9 shot top break 22 revolvers.


I couldn't bring it home right away as it was just transferred in to the dealer. Turns out that it could be delivered to me about a week and a half later. Works for me. This has a better trigger pull than the other small HR 22 I have.



 I believe the little one was dubbed, "The definition of a bad trigger." It is still pretty accurate after you compensate for the trigger.

I Get Tired of Being Beat Up

I was at Pima Pistol this last Sunday as it is time to sight in some of the rifles that have had scope changes. I have a muzzle load deer hunt in mid November and an Elk hunt in early December. It was mentioned previously that scopes had been shifted around. There was a bit of time in gathering all the stuff for 3 calibers but I still made it to the range in the mid-morning. The target was set up at 25 yards on the 100 yard rifle range. The plan was to get all three rifles set about a half inch low at 25 and then move out to the 100 yard line for final adjustments. I have typically always shot from sand bags.

The 50 cal muzzle loader was fun, slow but fun. I like the new Leupold UltimateSlam 3-9x40mm with the Sabot Ballistics Reticle.

The 30-06 was nice. That is first time it has had a decent scope on it. The previous optic was a Bushnell Sportview 3x9. This is really an entry level scope but has been fog free for about 20 years. The Rem 700 has always shot well but now it was clear and easier. I had taken the scope from the 300 Win Mag, which was an older Leupold Vari-X II 4x12 Adjustable Objective, and sent it to the factory for the CDS dial to be installed on elevation prior to going on the Remington.

The Ruger 77 RS in 300 Win Mag has always been less than pleasurable to shoot from a bench. What an understatement! This thing beats you up. It will bruise you through a Past recoil pad. I had picked up a new Leupold VX-3 4.5x14x40mm CDS. Nice scope.The session started with 150 gr bullets as I have a bunch of them and they don't kick as bad. This is all relative as it still is not pleasant. After dragging the pattern over to the correct spot, I switched to the Barnes 165 gr TTSX. The 165 gr is what I have picked for elk this year so the CDS dail is tuned to it. I was a starting to flinch and decided to quit for the day.

I am going this weekend to finalize at 100 yard but .........enough is enough. Hopefully, one of these Lead Sled Plus units will make sighting in more enjoyable. I went over to the Sportsmans Warehouse and bought one.

Anyone have good/bad experiences with these? I will post back up my thoughts after the range trip.

I Actually Won Something!

The Masonic lodge located in Payson, Sy Harrison Lodge No. 70, held a fundraising raffle with three weapons as prizes. The weapons were a CZ Mallard O/U 12ga shotgun, a Remington 1911 R1, and a Henry Big Boy 44Mag. First place had pick of the weapons, second place had next choice, and third place got the remaining weapon. I had purchased a raffle ticket at one of the state events. My thanks to the Brothers of the Payson Lodge for organizing the raffle and getting out there selling tickets.

I received a call Wednesday that I was the third ticket drawn but did not know what I would receive yet as the other two had not made their choices. A call came Friday that I had won the Henry! Being the patient person that I am, I jumped in the vehicle Saturday and drove to the Old Town Pawn Shop in Payson to pick up my loot. The winners needed to go to the pawn shop, with their winning ticket, to fill out the paper work.

Sweet! I was actually hoping for the Henry but figured that others did too. Now I will have dust off my Tombstone Stetson, western boots, and dress up like a cowboy! Since I don't have a horse, perhaps my wife can find a couple of coconut shell to make clopping noises while I prance around the backyard!

BAG Day 2012

Update - I was at the gun show this last weekend and what did I find? That Bernardelli Model 80 in 22LR. The price was right and it is now mine. My wife queried, "Isn't that the one I liked?" Sure is sweetie!

I was roaming the gun show yesterday. What else is more important on BAG Day? I enjoy roaming around and looking at all the goodies.What did I spy but an old Bernardelli Model 80 in quite good shape. I used to have one of these in 22LR but I traded it off for Ruger Single Six Convertible in stainless. I wish I had kept the Bernardelli. That Single Six never shot 22 mags worth a darn. It was OK with the LRs but that was it. I hardly used it as I had actually bought it for the 22 mag.

I later found out that it was also not a good trade for another reason. My wife really liked it and she shot it well. I traded off that Single Six for a Walther P22. A couple of years ago, I purchased an Old Model Single Six Convertible from one of my lodge brothers. This one shot both the LR and mag quite nicely. Too bad the New Model couldn't match it. So the Bernardelli became another one of those I regretted selling.

Now back to the gun show. The Bernardelli I was looking at was a .380 caliber. That model was produced in 22LR, .32 and .380. I don't think they ever bothered with a .25. I liked it, I bought it, so there! I am curious to get this one to the range and see if it shoots as well as the 22 did. The fixed barrel on these tends to make them pretty accurate. Looks like this.

I am still looking for the same in a 22 that is in good shape. I had seen another about a year or two ago in .32 and was interested. It was not in as good of shape and the vendor thought is was worth $400. I offered $200 and was informed that was the price and that they weren't budging. I wished them a nice day and suggested that they would have that pistol for some time. I saw them about a year ago again and was still there. I again offer $200 but was given the same line. I laughed and continued on. I saw it about six months ago and it was still tagged at $400. The vendor asked if was still interested. I reminded them that I had made offers twice and they surely remember what I offered. They said they had more into it than that. Your poor bargaining choice does not mean that I become your "sucker of the day". We will see if it still around in another year or so. The usual question can then be asked, "Aren't you tired of toting that around yet?"

First Ever Technical Support

Fishing at Parker and Crescent

My darlin' wife and I went fishing on July 1st at Parker Canyon Lake. The fishing was average, meaning that we caught a bunch of sunfish and kept a few of the larger ones. I always get a two pole stamp so that I can throw some bait in deeper water while playing with the sunfish. I ended up with one Rainbow Trout about 14" long fishing that way.

It was overcast and a bit cooler than normal making for a very enjoyable day. It had started to sprinkle about 1 PM and then commenced to rain a bit harder. We took the boat closer to the landing in case it got bad and proceeded to fish some more. There had been no thunder or lightning so we put on rain gear and continued fishing until............there was one large thunderclap directly overhead. We didn't hear any sizzle so figured it was atmospheric.

I must say that I have never seen my wife pull up the front anchor with such enthusiasm while very firmly and loudly proclaiming it was time to go! We motored over to the launch only to have it quit raining and clear up. That was fine as we had spent more time than originally planned so decided we would call it a day.

Daughter #2 was camping with her Marine (not aquatic - armed services) boyfriend and his family over the weekend in the mountains. She said it was camping but I never really considered an RV as camping. They went to Crescent Lake to fish and there was nary a nibble. I never bother fishing Crescent as it is very shallow and sometimes there is a full fish kill during the winter due to lack of oxygen. I checked and there had not been a fish kill this last winter. They probably were not holding their mouths correctly while fishing. They should have gone the extra three miles to Big Lake.

We were aware of their skunked status so we paused prior to cleaning our fish. We took a picture of trout and sent it along with a text message that said, "This is a trout." We wouldn't dream of rubbing it in....much! Hahahaha!

The baked trout and a few fried sunfish made a perfect dinner for two.

BTW, I need some Marine jokes that don't involve a monkey at the bar (already heard that one) or foul language.

Hell Freezes Over and a Pig Flies!

From the Arizona Daily Star: Our View: Obama's claim of executive privilege falls flat
"But in this case, it doesn't matter what motivates the Republicans. The documents must be released."

I had thought that when Executive Priveledge was claimed for "Fast & Furious" that this seemed like a bad idea. It has seemed that the DOJ's intent was to try to bury this story for some time. Silly questions go through your head like is this a legitimate use of Executive Priveledge, how does this keep it quiet, and what am I missing in the big picture?

I would imagine that it was thought to bury this in lawsuits until after the elections. It would appear that this move has brought about greater attention and may even go so far as to get the alphabet news to talk about what the government did here.

I never expected this article out of our local fish wrap as it has always been very strongly liberal to the point of being Leftist. Local refer to it as the Red Star instead of the Daily Star.

Now for those of you who don't know where to go for this fine shirt - click the link.

Atheist for President?

A majority of Americans say they'd vote for an atheist for President.
Would you vote for an avowed atheist for prez? I will raise a fuss here and say that I have my doubts that I would but I might. For discussions sake let's go further.

Is the oath of office binding when an atheist swears to uphold the Constitution? What would he be swearing to? The Presidential oath does allow one to say "affirm" instead of "swear". The exact reasons for this are not clear. Some believe this may be the case as some Christians take not swearing as literal in all ways, such as the Quakers. Some presidents have not used the bible for the oath. John Q. Adams took the oath on a book of law and Teddy Roosevelt used no book. Many of our current politicians could take a thousand oaths on a stack of good books without anything good coming of it. The book and Constitution mean nothing to them. It carries the same weight as their promises. At least you can still truthfully call them hypocrites.

Can an atheist follow moral law? I would suggest that an atheist can subscribe to moral law but for different reasons. A religious man may believe that moral law is a sacred or divine teaching while a man without religion may feel that "doing good" is beneficial. Some would suggest that when an atheist is following moral law that it is nothing more than a whim to be abandoned at will. I would propose that if a man has been upstanding his entire life that he he will attempt to continue do so for whatever his reasons may be.

It would seems that I have made more of a case for the defense of the atheist as the President or at least have not made any valid disqualifying points. I know some atheists that I would give my house key to and some so called Christians that I don't trust at all. The people that I distrust the most are politicians. It seems to be a prerequisite to cheat, wrong, and defraud anyone in your path. The louder a politician "avows" something, the more my senses tells me to follow the money. There are a few exceptions in the group of politicians but most are not trustworthy.

It would appear that my distrust is based more on the fervency of the claim than the subject.

A quote from one the movies I like seems appropriate.
Ten Bears: "It's sad that governments are chiefed by the double-tongues."

Collecting Relics

I must be a sucker for old things. Last year I bought a Springfield 1842 musket from a friend of a friend for $80. It probably wasn't even worth that much but it was still neat. It was sporterized and in poor shape. The modifications look to have taken place quite some time ago if the patina is any indication. The barrel is in poor shape so I will need to find out if I can ream out that .69 bore. Suggestions would be welcome. It appears that if I get the barrel smooth again along with a replacement nipple that I would be able to actually shoot this one as the rest of the weapon works.

Last week I just purchased a Czeck vZ 52 and a Russian Mosin Nagant 1942. Both of these are in good shape. The 52 looks quite clean while the Mosin looks like a servicable unit. These I picked up from a friend's son who needed some cash. I have no particular use for either but it seemed like a good deal so there you go!

I need to get to the range now as I need to sight in the new scope (2 CDS dials to work with) on my 300 Win Mag, sight in the modified VariX IIc (new CDS installed) on the 30-06, try out the Mosin, and see where the 52 shoots.

The 52 has two magazines and a fine old leather holster.  I wonder if the 7.62x25 is considered minor or major for a bowling pin shoot?

Color Blind

John Derbyshire worked for the National Review until he was fired for writing the following:

• Avoid concentrations of blacks not all known to you personally.
• Stay out of heavily black neighborhoods.
• If planning a trip to a beach or amusement park at some date, find out whether it is likely to be swamped with blacks on that date (neglect of that one got me the closest I have ever gotten to death by gunshot).
• Do not attend events likely to draw a lot of blacks.
• If you are at some public event at which the number of blacks suddenly swells, leave as quickly as possible.
• Do not settle in a district or municipality run by black politicians.
• Before voting for a black politician, scrutinize his/her character much more carefully than you would a white.
• Do not act the Good Samaritan to blacks in apparent distress, e.g., on the highway.
• If accosted by a strange black in the street, smile and say something polite but keep moving.

It was a poor idea, at best, for a writer to put this out. Can you say, “Career decision?” There are some very small glimmers of truths in the statements above but it need not be applied to just one group. I think that it is best to follow Primeval Papa’s rules.

• Avoid concentrations of people not all known to you personally, period. It could be a zombie horde and you would normally not be carrying enough ammunition.
• Stay out of any neighborhood where you stand out like a sore thumb. A stranger is bait regardless of color in some neighborhoods. Even though you may have adequate ammunition, baiting is illegal in most states.
• If planning a trip to a beach or amusement park at some date, find out whether it is likely to be swamped with any specialty group. Shriners are probably OK but watch out for water balloons and clowns.
• Do not attend events likely to draw a lot of single minded people unless you are part of that single minded group.
• If you are at some public event at which people suddenly swell, leave as quickly as possible. Sudden swelling can be a sign of disease and it might be contagious.
• Do not settle in a district or municipality run by politicians. They are the bane of your existence.
• Before voting for any politician, scrutinize his/her character much more carefully than you would a normal person.
• Do not act the Good Samaritan to anyone in apparent distress, e.g., on the highway. This is a standard setup for robbery or worse.
• If accosted by a stranger in the street, smile and say something polite but keep moving. I have never met anyone on the street who wanted to talk to me just to chat for a while.

Outstanding Honors

Congrats to daughter #1 for getting the Outstanding Honors Student award for the junior class of her college! She gets the award pencil.

They gave me a different pencil.

Fobus Holster

I have a Fobus SG21 paddle holster up for cheap if anyone is interested. This one is for the SIG220/225/226/228/229/245
WitnessP/PS
S&W 3913/3913TSW/4013/5906/6906/3919/CS9

I had picked it up for a friend but he doesn't like the Fobus.

Big Game Outfitters

I does appear that I will be using a guide for my elk hunt. I had given some advise from my last disastrous outing. I will recap my lessons learned with responses in green.

• Don't ever, ever, ever bother with a guide unless someone you know has used him. The rest falls under truth in advertising - not! This should not be a problem as I personally know some people who have used this guide. He comes highly recommended.
• Try the stalk when game is seen. It is better to get busted trying than to not try. I am still kicking myself for not trying. 6x5 antlers would look good next to the 5x4. Here me three times.
• I hate Suzuki Samurais.

No worries. This guide promised that there would be no Samurais. He said that they only use 4 wheel drive Smart Cars and sent me a photo! I am pretty sure he was teasing me.

 
• I did see some country I haven't been in before. I know where I want to be the first couple days of the hunting season if I can get drawn for 6A again. Different area so this does not apply. 7E looked like this the last time I was there.

• Bifocal glasses are a poor choice when trying to hike in the dark with a flashlight. You pretty much have to keep your head down to be able to see over the lower lens. Get another pair of glasses without the bifocal. I used to have a regular pair but neglected to do so with the last pair. It's not like your going to be reading much. You can take them off if you can't see the map well enough. Oh Yeah, time to order some glasses.

• I really like my Big Buddy heater with a 20 pound bottle as it lasted 5 days. I won't need it as I will be staying an a travel trailer with all the amenities of home!

Weeeee Doggies, I think that I recognize that house. I used to live in it or one just like it!

• Cut morons like this loose earlier. You can't get your money back anyways, so why make yourself miserable because you paid for it. Here me three times.

• Just because your paying someone doesn't mean that they actually know more than you do. A long conversation has taken place and I do not think this is a concern.

• Repeat this to yourself as necessary.

All kidding aside, I look forward to this trip as being fun and successful.

New Optics

Since "I've drawn again", I decided that it was time for another scope. Scopes were shifted around when I had been drawn for a black powder hunt a couple of years ago and picked up a second BP rifle. Fellow does need a backup. I took the Leopold 2x7 off my wife's Ranger Youth .243 and an old Redfield Wideview 4X off of my Dad's old Savage 340 30-30. The 2x7 went on the the new magnum class BP rifle and the 4X went on the older BP rifle.
I picked up a new Leupold VX3 4.5x14 for the 300 Win Mag that has the CDS adjustment and ordered a couple of the custom dials. One is tailored to the Barnes TTSX 165 gr 3150fps (elk/large game) and the other to the Barnes 130 gr TTSX 3500fps (dear/antelope).


I will move the old VariX IIc 4x12 to the 30-06 after it gets sent in to Leupold. The old VariX II can be modified to take the CDS adjustment on the elevation only. I think that I will set the new ring up for a 150 gr round. I would say that I have some range time coming up.


The 06 had Bushnell Sportview 3x9 that works but is just not as clear. That old Bushnell should probably go on the 30-30. Even though it isn't the best of scopes, it does retain the charge and works. I really don't have much use for the 30-30 but it shoots well. It was Dad's Michigan deer hunting rifle.


Now I need to do something with the .243. My better half has informed me that she will no longer go hunting. She was using it for deer. Fibromyalgia takes its toll. I am thinking that a full size stock should go on it and set it up as a varmint rifle.  Both Winchester and Ram-Line make a synthetic that will fit. A V-Max 58 gr pushing 3900fps ought to make a fun shooter. Now for that next scope!

I've Been Drawn Again!

(Sung to the tune of "On the Road Again")

I've been drawn again,
Just can't wait to go out huntin' again.
The life I love is hunting big game with my guns
And I can't wait to go out huntin' again.

I've been drawn again,
Huntin' elk places that I've never been.
Seein' things that I may never see again
And I can't wait to go and hunt elk again.

Go hunt elk again,
Like a ghost we go slide around the grass and trees
We're the quiet type,
Insisting the wind be blowin' in our face.

And our way
is huntin' elk again.
And I can't wait to go and hunt elk again
The life I love is hunting big game with my guns
And I can't wait to go and hunt elk again.
I've been drawn again,

And I can't wait to go and hunt elk again.
And I can't wait to go and hunt elk again.

OK - you get the idea that I really do like to hunt or as Kevin would say, "Take your weapon for a walk." I have been drawn for general BULL elk season in unit 7E.

I will be diligent to make this a better hunt that this one. Now back to happy thoughts.
I've been drawn again!

Crap Tea

Need something to chase down that crap sandwich you were handed? No problem have some crap tea!
It's only $200 for a cup of tea. It probably costs you less than that crap sandwich did.

I can hear the Jellystone bears now, "Hey Booboo, let's paint ourselves black and white. We can plant some tea and be millionaires!"

I really don't care which bear crapped in the field. You are welcome to all you want but I think I will pass.

Never get out of the boat!

22 Carnival cruise ship passengers robbed at gunpoint in Mexico

Animal rights group says drone shot down

They showed up to stop a live pigeon shoot and claim that as soon as they lauched everyone started to leave. Further information shows:

• It was a fundraising sporting clays shoot - not a live pigeon shoot.
• People were leaving because the fundraiser was over.
• It does appear that the drone could have been shot down but the video is too vague - probably bogus.

If the shooters did take it out - Hahahahahahaha! Good shooting!

Could This be your Next Hunting Vehicle?

Now that the gun rack is in, he is prepared. It is not likely that you could drive it anywhere but to the park to go chipmunk hunting as they have very little ground clearance. I don't know what else will fit inside. Don't forget the mileage limitation. Are there any recharging stations where you go to hunt? Maybe I could use one to go to DM or Tucson Trap & Skeet. Never mind all of those are outside of the electric range.
Perhaps I should make a Volt my next vehicle? Hahahahahahaha! Not a chance. How about one of these?

Now you're talking my language.

NHRA

Time for the NHRA Nationals at Firebird! I will post more pictures later but this one needed to get up. This is on the spoiler of BME's top fuel dragster.

Safety Share

We will have a safety share at the start of many meetings. My safety share for today is that today is Valentine's Day. If you haven't gotten anything for your sweetie yet that it is not too late. Valentine gifts are a good way to ensure health and well being! Don't believe me, just don't do anything and wait for the results.

Best Bang for the Buck

I am finally breaking down and seriously considering an AR15. I have heard that you should stick to the ABCs (Armalite, Bushmaster, Colt) and skip the rest of the brands. There must only be a zillion choices. I would like to stick to mil spec so that I could put that Beowulf upper on later or whatever. I don't have an immediate use for a 5.56 so would be happy with a 9mm for plinking. I don't have an immediate use for the .50 either but pig or wooly mammoth hunting does come to mind.  I might even go for 7.62x39 as then I could share ammo with my Yugo.

Assume that money is an object to be considered as apposed to the last post. I am open to suggestions.

My 5 Most Wanted - Today

I believe that Robb started it and I picked it up at Kevin's so here we go!I could go for either of these. Top is a Kentucky Long Rifle flintlock in 36 cal and the lower is a Sprinfield 1863 percussion in 58 cal. Both are rifled and yes I would shoot them regardless of collector status. Like they were never shot before anyways.

Next up would be an AA-12 and don't forget a large supply of the combat frag 12 rounds to keep zombie hordes in line.

I would like a Beowulf 50. Why, because it is a 50 and has a great name. Is any further reason needed?

How about a SABR with all three uppers, of course.

And last but not least the Calico M110.

The REAL response to the SOTU address

Well done!

And Now for Something Entirely Different

I believe that it is called a flutterblast.

Springfield XDm

A friend asked if I could store an XDm 9mm in my safe for a while. Apparently his stepson had an "accidental" discharge and Mom is pissed angry. I readily agreed but warned him that it comes with a fee. I will take it to the range and shoot it as I had never shot one of the XDs before..

I must be one of the few people in the shooting world that is not impressed. Reliable - yes but......
I shot a variety of ammo and mixed it up in the stack. It all went bang every time. I was set up at about 50 feet  so the distance was not extreme by any means. A consistent pattern was never found. It wasn't the usual correctable issue of being high right or low left (finger placement, heeling, etc) I was just scattered around the center at about a five inch radius. The weapons were switched to see if it was just me. The EAA was fine along with the SBH. I went back to the XD to more scattered shooting. An ammo change didn't make any difference.

I must say that I could shoot the PF9 better if I really took my time. I have difficulty with the PF9 due to its small size and horrendous trigger pull/length. There is an armalaser on my PF9. At 50 feet, the dot looks like a fly trying to find a place to land while pulling the trigger. Kevin refers to this type weapon as a "get off me gun" and I agree. Don't bother taking it to a shoot unless you just want to amuse the bystanders and keep the manufacturers of ammo components in business.

I found the XDm to be no more than another "get off me gun" and not as concealable as some others.

The only prescription is more cowbell !!!

"Demonstrators calling for the recall of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker learned there really is such a thing as too much cowbell."
Wouldn't you love to be in the courtroom for this one?

Beezow Doo-Doo Zopittybop-Bop-Bop arrested in Wis.

Arresting officer Bunny Foo Foo said that "I went Bop-Bop-Bop in a Zopitty and got Mr. Doo-Doo into the Beezow or was that hoosegow?"

So he legally changed his name to this moniker. I wonder what he went by as a nickname?

Merry Christmas!

The obligitory "Antlers Over the Treetop" by the Yooper, Hugoos DaMoose
Seriously - A very Merry Christmas to all.
For the other holiday partiers - A very happy holiday, kwanzaa, winter soltice, flying spaghetti monster day (celebrated by Pastafarians), winter-een-mas (video game geeks), wintersday (MMORPG guild wars), Kwansolhaneidmas (facebook), and my favorite - Hogswatch (Discworld)!

3 Nuns

THREE NUNS WERE ATTENDING A BASEBALL GAME.

THREE MEN WERE SITTING DIRECTLY BEHIND THEM.

BECAUSE THEIR HABITS WERE PARTIALLY BLOCKING THE VIEW, THE MEN DECIDED TO BADGER THE NUNS, HOPING THEY'D GET ANNOYED ENOUGH TO MOVE TO ANOTHER AREA.

IN A VERY LOUD VOICE, THE FIRST GUY SAID,
"I THINK I'M GOING TO MOVE TO UTAH . THERE ARE ONLY 100 NUNS LIVING THERE."

 THERE ARE ONLY 5O NUNS LIVING THERE."

THEN THE SECOND GUY SPOKE UP AND SAID LOUDLY,
"I WANT TO MOVE TO MONTANA .

THE THIRD GUY YELLED,
"I WANT TO GO TO IDAHO .. THERE ARE ONLY 25 NUNS LIVING THERE."

THE MOTHER SUPERIOR TURNED AROUND,
LOOKED AT THE MEN,
AND IN A VERY SWEET AND CALM VOICE SAID,

"WHY DON'T YOU GO TO HELL...THERE AREN'T ANY NUNS THERE."

Don't Let the Tea Party & the NRA Steal Carolyn's Seat!

I had already sent in and received one of the free bumper stickers (Fight Crime. Stop the NRA) for the collection. It has been pulled from the website with a different, milder one now available.
It is of note that her seat is being "stolen". I thought it was the voters who decided elections. Those stunts pulled by the NRA and all are really vicious when they try to convince our government to conform to the Constitution. Almost everything is here except for the accusation of being raaaacist!
Heck - we don't want to silence you or your campaign. You're doing great - keep it up! I need to go find out who the opposition is going to be so that I can donate.

	Don, New York is losing two Congressional seats next year, and we've just learned that the new district map will be released in a matter of weeks. We still don't know what the map will look like. But when it's released, the Tea Party and the NRA are going to look for any sign of weakness in our campaign so that they can run some Far-Right candidate who will live in their back pocket. That's why next Saturday's year-end federal campaign finance reporting deadline is the most important of my campaign. If we can show our strength now, we can stop the NRA's attacks before they start. We've set a $10,000 year-end deadline goal. Reaching this goal is essential to the success of our campaign, and I can't do it without you. Please contribute right this minute to make sure the Tea Party and the NRA know they can't steal this seat. Click here to contribute $5 or more to my campaign right now and fight back against the Tea Party Republicans. The Tea Party Republicans know I'll keep leading the fight for sensible gun laws, and they'll do everything they can to silence us. And with what I'm seeing in Washington right now, it's clear that the stunts they're trying to pull with our gun laws are just the tip of the iceberg. They will stop at nothing to satisfy their own egos, even if it means wrecking our economy and the country in the process. We can't fall short. This goal is our absolute last opportunity to show our strength before redistricting happens, so please click here to contribute today. I know I can count on you – fighting for gun laws that keep our families safe is too important for us to ever give up. Thank you, Carolyn