Holy Exploding Methane, Supercow!

Flatulent cows start fire at German dairy farm - police
"One cow was treated for burns, a police spokesman added."

That's is called medium rare in Texas! I guess that this farmer never herd of the udderly fantastic methane collector depicted here. Yes, this is actually a real contraption for the collection of bovine methane. Looks like this one is ready pop and needs to be changed or vented or whatever. How would, Methane Expeller, sound on your resume? Well, back to our story.

We found our ace reporter, Milky (can you say Twin Pines?),

who was on the scene in a mooo-ment and was fortunate enough to get a nice photo of one of the cows out standing in its field. What a blast! The cow was supposedly named Crepitating Clara by the farmer. Paul Boomer and Lord Windesmear also attested to the unusual cow capabilities as they happened to be in the area after performing in one of the international contests, The Battle at Thunderblow, which is sponsored by Trillblow Records. They were both very interested in the cow's diet and seemed unconcerned with the possible flammable side effects.

Milky was able to interview the farmer, Fanny Flatulence, who seemed very excited to meet us.

She keeps the cows on a strict diet of beans and habanero peppers. She claims that it keeps the cows udders warm in the winter for easier milking. "Don't even think about using this milk to quench that spicy food you just ate!" she laughingly exclaimed. The blast is blamed on the replacement of a defective exhaust gas fan with a new unit that was not explosion-proof.

(I must admit that this was lost to the draft file for a while so it is a bit tardy.)

Fast & Furious

No, not the cars.

Gun from botched 'Fast and Furious' operation turns up after Mexican resort shootout
"Fast and Furious was a 2006-2011 ATF operation in which the agency allowed hundreds of guns to be sold to Mexican drug traffickers in hopes the weapons would lead them to cartel leaders."

Why do news sources, including Fox, repeat the government propaganda? This wasn't a botched sting operation. The intent of tracking guns to the cartel was cover story for the actual intent. There was no path forward to track anything so what do you think the actual reason for the program was? I do not for a minute believe that the agents involved were stupid enough to not realize that the plan was absent a way to capture any bad guys and retrieve the guns.

Many believe that the operation was to develop misinformation leading to the suppression of 2nd Amendment rights. The people that spouted this rational were first labeled a tin hat folks. The tin foil boys are looking pretty sane compared to the government responses.

How were they going to track anything? Follow the trail of dead people? Damned callused way to get out your propaganda. The only agents harassed were the whistle blowers. The ones that kept their mouths shut were moved and promoted. These actions well define that it was authorized from higher up the food chain. Shameful.

Let me fix that headline for you.....
Gun From Government's Exposed Deadly 'Fast and Furious' Propaganda Operation Turns Up After Mexican Resort Shootout.

Color Run

Daughter #1 flew back in to visit for the holidays. While making her plans, she asked if I would go to a 5K color run with her. I replied that would be great but that I would walk not run. My old knees wouldn't like that running stuff. The run was a "fun run" out at the fairgrounds to raise money for the Special Olympics. We had a great time. It did seem odd being at the fairgrounds for something other than a gun show! I am practicing at coming up to speed for the technology available in the 20th century so here is a selfie after the 5K. 

(Yes, I do understand how the century relates to the actual date. It is supposed to be a joke. Laughing would be appropriate now.) The bandanna did not keep all of the powder out of my mouth as I had orange on my teeth. Fun times for a good cause!

Happy New Year!

I would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year.

Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual. - Mark Twain

Forest Service Declares War on RV & Campers During Hunter Season - Updated

Update

It would appear that there was enough public outcry that the FS decided that they needed to "clarify" their position. Game & Fish believes that the confusion has been resolved.

The letter from Regional Forester Cal Joyner dated November 26 to Arizona Game and Fish Director Larry Voyles regarding AZGFD's concerns

A release by Coconino National Forest Supervisor Earl Stewart and Kaibab National Forest Supervisor Mike Williams on the Forest Service website dated December 9;

A letter dated December 9 from Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell to Senator John McCain, addressing the senator’s concerns

I can't say that my opinion of the two departments has changed. The FS just got called out on their publication and decided to backtrack.


Original Post

Forest Service Camping - 72 Hour Rule

Warning to Arizona hunters camping on the Coconino, Kaibab and Prescott National Forests

On August 16, 2013, the Coconino National Forest issued a press release entitled “Parking trailers in forests prohibited during hunting season.” The press release is specific to the Coconino, Kaibab, and Prescott National Forests, and is directed exclusively at hunters and recreationists who leave their trailers and/or motor homes unattended on the forest for more than 72 hours. These sportsmen may be subject to enforcement action, including citations or impoundment of vehicles, trailers and/or motor homes. The release specifically states, If trailers are left unattended for more than 72 hours, the Forest Service considers them abandoned property and may remove them from the forest. Violators can also be cited for this action.

See the whole article from AZ Game & Fish, link above, who are very opposed to this tactic along with the Sheriff's Departments.

You know where this is heading since most of the Forest Service is a 9-5 operation. You leave the trailer prior to daybreak to hunt and don't return until after sundown. Do this 3 days running, the FS comes by about midday for three days and then steals your camp claiming is was abandoned. Notice that they included impoundment of vehicles.

This is actually very anti-hunting. It must really chap their hides that some of the people come out a couple of days before season to grab a decent place to put the RV, return to town and then come back to camp for the hunt season. They are still legal within the 14 day limit. I imagine some candy-a**ed people have complained because they did not get there first. I don't have an RV and I could care less if the people with them do this. I have been known to go a couple of days early with my tent to do just the same. I am surprised that the FS hasn't included tents and vehicles the same way. If you are going to be a thief then you might as well go all the way. This has nothing to do with preservation but everything to do with revenue enhancement and restrictive control.

See the AZ G&F site for the contact information of the various FS employees so that you may vent your displeasure. The FS don't want you out there shooting, hunting or any other multiple use activity. They would love to get rid of the ranchers too. Only tree huggers allowed but you have to form a ring without touching the tree as a bit of bark may become dislodged. Don't step on the grass and quit breathing out that CO2!

Perhaps I am just lucky, but I have yet to meet a Game & Fish Officer who was anything but polite. Most have been willing to talk about good places to hunt or what the fish are hitting on. I am not new to this as I have been hunting, hiking, camping, four wheeling and backpacking for almost 50 years (yes, I am getting kind of old) and have met dozens of G&F Officers

On the other hand I am probably unlucky in that I have yet to meet a FS employee who wasn't an unfriendly bureaucrat with inflated opinions of their importance.  I am biased by my experiences and think that the FS has become run by a bunch of tree hugging, anti-ranching, anti-hunting, anti-camping college grads with inflated opinions of themselves and their mission to keep the unwashed masses out of "their" forests.  Feel free to disagree.


                     

Too Warm

It is a little warm for the season right now. But that is just my opinion as I think that it should be a little chilly for Christmas time. Guess I will just have to go get an ice cream cone.

So that is how soft serve is made. Perhaps I will pass on the ice cream!

Merry Christmas!

We are off to the "Hallelujah" service tonight. Our daughters starting calling it this when they were little because there is a lot of singing and a little sermon on Christmas Eve. Daughter #1 is home for college break so we will exchange gifts tomorrow. We already exchanged gifts with Daughter #2 and her Marine before Thanksgiving as he deployed then to Okinawa for the next three years. I would like to wish all a very merry Christmas and may God bless!

Deja Vu Thanksgiving

It was like we had gone back in time to BC. This is what we refer to as "Before Children". Daughter #1 stayed in Texas and daughter #2 along with her Marine are in Okinawa. We decided to go back to our old ways and skip the turkey. Turkey for two has a nice sound to it but results in leftovers forever. There is only so much dark meat and I am no fan of the dry white meat on a turkey. We had our old standby which is Cornish game hens. I will need to get a new rotisserie motor so that I can do the birds on the barbecue again. It was very nice day even though it was a bit quieter than the previous couple of decades.

I carefully perused all the adds that came in the 5 pound newspaper in preparation of my usual Black Friday shopping excursion. It was a nice day and I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.

My usual excursion on the dreaded Black Friday is Sportsman's Warehouse and Ace Hardware. That's it as I would not go within a couple of miles of any mall. Most of the day was spent preparing my list and gathering things for the upcoming elk hunt. No, there will be no guide. I seem to be done with considering using a guide. My first guided event was a disaster (My Elk Hunt Sucked) and the next one was actually pleasant (Big Game Outfitters) but neither produced a shot. My odds seem to be better without "help". We shall see.

I was drawn for a cow hunt just north of Flagstaff in December. I am an experienced cold weather camper and backpacker as I used to do both ages ago in Michigan. I have all the gear including a nice heater for the tent. It is not as much fun to camp by yourself. I was pondering the wisdom of camping by myself in a place that can dump exceptional amounts of snow in a short time. At the of end of my careful considerations that took all of about 30 seconds, I rented a motel room in Flagstaff. One area that I shot an elk is about 15 minutes from the motel and another I would like to go to will take about 35 minutes. I will still take a small tent, sleeping pad, and my good bag in case I get stuck for some reason. Otherwise it will be a hot shower and a regular bed at night.

This reminds me of when I used to go deer hunting with Dad in Mio, Michigan. Dad did not like to camp. I believe the words were, "I saw enough camping in WWII." We would stay in town and drive about 15 minutes in the morning to where we would hunt. There are some good memories of those trips!

New Giant Predator!

Siats meekerorum: New Giant Dinosaur

“This dinosaur was a colossal predator second only to the great Tyrannosaurus rex and perhaps Acrocanthosaurus in the American fossil record,” said Dr Lindsay Zanno from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and the Field Museum of Natural History, the lead author on the paper published in the journal Nature Communications.

An artist’s reconstruction of Siats meekerorum previously mistakenly identified as Godzilla. Image credit: Ima Lyon.

The Park Service Will Never be Viewed the Same

Report: Armed rangers forced senior-citizen tourists to stay inside their hotel during Yellowstone visit because of shutdown

Grand Canyon Cites People For Entering Closed Park

The National Park Service and its Rangers have been viewed as stewards of the parks and helpful to public. Guess what boys and girls? You have managed to take that reputation and grind into the mud in a very short period of time. Rangers, do you take an oath to the constitution or to be a political toady? Don't bother to try to explain as your actions speak much clearer than noises that will emanate from your mouths. People are already hearing the various excuses that start off with the infamous, "We are only following orders." Good luck with that excuse as it hasn't worked well in the past. You haven't shot anyone yet but, given the enthusiasm with which some of the officer are conducting their "duties", I am now sure that some officers would relish the opportunity.

I can understand (maybe) the need to shut down some sensitive areas like some access to the Petrified Forest but the Grand Canyon. Are you afraid that someone is going to steal the Grand Canyon? You can't hike on a trail that existed before this area was designated as park?

The populace now deems you as untrustworthy. It appears that your oaths were just lies.  The politically driven actions of the Park Service have alienated so many people that your reputation is soiled with no hope of recovery. Some officers are only now worrying that their reputations will be damaged. News flash - it's too late as your reputations are permanently damaged. No one will ever look at you the same way again. It is a shame to see an organization that at one time was so well regarded descend into infamy as yet another armed political overlord organization. It appears that you managed something that I would have bet money was not possible - a lower ranking in public opinion polls than the IRS. Perhaps that is the way you have always been but were just good at hiding it. Sad.

Man Uses Spear

A man saves his girlfriend from cougar attack with a spear.

I like this guy's gumption. This also gives me a thought. Perhaps we should petition AZ Game & Fish to put up a new season. I would call this the Tarzan hunt. Weapons would be limited to a grass rope, knife and spear. These were the weapons used by Tarzan in the earlier books written by Edgar Rice Burroughs in the Tarzan Series. I think that we could call this the Tarzan Tag and no drawing would be required. The tag would be available over-the-counter and with one tag you could hunt any large game species - bear, mountain lion, elk, deer, or javalina during the proper time of year. One animal per tag please.

I envision a new line of products for sale; spears, knives (large), grass ropes, loin cloths, body camo paint, special tree stands designed to give you a boost, and camo mats. The extra boost from the tree stand would be handy when leaping out of tree onto the back of your intended prey. It would give you added range. The camo mats would be padding for that occasional miss to provide for a softer landing. I think more about soft landings as I get older.

They already make camo tarps so you would be all set if your preference is ground concealment as opposed to perching in a tree like a little birdy.

There would be nothing quite like lassoing a bear first thing in the morning!

Tarzan, as presented in the novels, was not the nice caring person presented in the movies and TV shows. He was fairly brutal and had no second thoughts about killing if he deemed it necessary. You might even say that he was an adrenalin junky.

“I do not understand exactly what you mean by fear," said Tarzan. "Like lions, fear is a different thing in different men, but to me the only pleasure in the hunt is the knowledge that the hunted thing has power to harm me as much as I have to harm him. If I went out with a couple of rifles and a gun bearer, and twenty or thirty beaters, to hunt a lion, I should not feel that the lion had much chance, and so the pleasure of the hunt would be lessened in proportion to the increased safety which I felt."

"Then I am to take it that Monsieur Tarzan would prefer to go naked into the jungle, armed only with a jackknife, to kill the king of beasts," laughed the other good naturedly, but with the merest touch of sarcasm in his tone.

"And a piece of rope," added Tarzan.”
― Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes    

Come On, Say What You Really Think

Judge Jeanine speaks up. I had not seen her speak before as I am not a viewer of Fox News. If there was any fence riding here, I missed it.

My Kind of Council Member

"UK city council member reportedly claims to have fathered an alien child"

"Simon Parkes claims he has had experiences with aliens since birth, and his "real mother" is a 9-foot green alien with eight fingers, the Northern Echo reports."

Sadly enough, there was no description of the wife (Cat Queen) or daughter (Zarka). I believe that we have had more than one politician that believed in or thought that they had seen UFOs but the UK gets the best ones. Convince me that the locals don't elect him for the entertainment factor. Reminds me of a song ....

Nine foot two, she's a doll, 
she played college basketball.
Has anybody seen my gal?
Cauliflower ear, guzzles beer,
She can eat most half a steer.
Has anybody seen my gal?
Now if you run into an nine foot two
All covered with hair,
Don't be surprised, it's not your eyes,
Her mother was a grizzly bear.
What the heck, she's a wreck,
She played tackle for Georgia Tech.
Has anybody seen my gal?

We could use a lot more politicians like this one. It would be a refreshing change from the current lot.

There Was a Wedding!!

My Father's Day present was a beautiful wedding. Daughter #2 tied the knot with her Marine. I will post some decent pictures when I get some from the people we hired. The one below is just from my crappy phone. Everything went as planned! It must be a first. Everyone seemed to have a great time and we are tired. The kids are off to Disney for their Honeymoon.

I had written a short speech/toast for just prior to dinner. I started to pretend to roast our daughter and would occasionally glance at my better half.....
"I remember when she was but a tike and was playing in the backyard cactus…. oh, wrong story? How about the time at Big Lake that….not that one either? How about the time with the hamster and the toilet plunger….. OK, OK. I am only kidding, all of the above incidents never happened, as far as you know."

There never was any incident involving a hamster and a toilet plunger, that I know of, but it got a squeal out of the bride and laughter from the rest. People were asking about the hamster for the rest of the evening. She made a beautiful bride!

Send the insects on ahead to take the fight out of them. Fly! Fly! Fly!

I had picked up this comic about February last year. Seems appropriate right about now in more ways than just the single topic of Obamacare.

I am in no way making a statement that Pres. O. actually ordered the IRS to target conservative groups. I believe that it was implicitly understood that it was part of their job descriptions. All those meetings between the IRS and the Pres. were just about golf and stuff. It was purely coincidental. Nothing to see here, move on.

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.