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Did You know - outdoor edition

Started by WV Sawmiller, December 21, 2020, 11:03:46 PM

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Walnut Beast

By the end of the year you wouldn't recognize the same buck deer of the weight they lost from the first and second rut from chasing and hunting the does to do their job breeding

WV Sawmiller

   Did you know a 50 lb nylon feed sack with about 2 gallons of sawdust with the end tied tightly against the sawdust makes a very handy and effective rest for your rifle the next time you go to the range or need to sight it in before a big hunt. I know lots of people use sand but sawdust is readily available for many of us. I guess you could use an old pillowcase or maybe a plastic garbage bag if you don't have a feed sack.

   Maybe I can get my wife to sew the end shut with the sawdust inside and make 3-4 out of each sack and market them at flea markets and gun shows.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

KEC

The bag of sawdust has an attractive price, but I really like my lead sled rest. It really holds the gun steady, you burn up less ammo and it takes a lot of recoil off your shoulder

WV Sawmiller

   I know either will work but I actually find the sawdust is easier to form around my rifle make it lay dead stable.

This should be obvious to anyone who has ever sighted in a scope but did you know a scope has adjustments for up and down (Elevation) and left and right (Windage). To adjust from a known distance and a very steady rest, you shoot a target, normally 2-3 rounds, and find the center of the group then remove the cover to the adjustments and use a thin coin (like a dime or penny) a screwdriver or the rim of a bullet to turn the adjustment in the bezel. The rings are marked showing which direction moving them will move the bullet and will make click every time they are moved one notch. Most big game rifle scopes indicate they move the strike of the bullet 1/4" at 100 yards so if the center of your group is 2" left and 3" low at 100 yards you would start by moving the windage adjustment 8 clicks towards the arrow to the right and 12 clicks up. Fire another test group and verify the point of aim is now the point of impact. Adjust again if necessary. If sighting in at 200 yards use half the number of adjustments, at 50 yards, double them.

Be sure to verify the direction and intensity of the wind before making adjustments. At a shooting range there is normally a flag flying that indicates the wind direction and intensity. If no flag you can use the waving grass or leaves or smoke to estimate the wind direction and force. Head and tail winds pretty much have a negligible effect on the bullet in flight. Winds from 45 degrees have half the effect of direct crosswinds.

Remember when you have your rifle scope zeroed to hit correctly remember that zero is only for that style and weight of bullet from that manufacturer so using a heavier, lighter different bullet shape or even a different manufacturer will probably strike the target slightly to significantly different so be sure to sight in your rifle using the round you hunt with. If for some reason you will be using different bullet types zero for the most common round you will be using then test fire a few of the other rounds to know how/where they hit and make adjustments in your aiming point in the field if you have to use them.

Even temperature and humidity can affect the bullets path but unless you are a military sniper it is probably not going to make a difference to you.

 Remember to only take shots at ranges and conditions you are comfortable and confident about.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Hilltop366

Here is what I use to do.

I take one shot at bullseye then put rifle in a padded vise and re-aim at bullseye and carefully adjust scope cross hairs to bullet hole. Take a second shot to confirm results. 

Now the scope is aimed were the bullet goes.




WV Sawmiller

   Yep, that is a quick and easy way to do it. Just be sure to use the same round you will be using for hunting.

    A bore sighter is light device that you can use to initially get the scope sighted to hit a target then you can fine tune it using actual ammo and the descriptions/procedures previously identified. They can save you using a lot of expensive ammo at the start.

    When handloading ammo you start with a known and fixed amount of gunpowder and add and reduce the amount of powder a few grains at a time checking the bullets performance. More or less powder will tighten or loosen the strike of the group.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Hilltop366

The scope thing reminded me of the time I was at our backwoods camp with a couple of friends/co-owners.

One guy brought a .22 with a scope to do a bit of plinking with. So after a couple of meals it was time to do the dishes, some how we came up with the plan to target shoot one shot each and the winner did't have to do dishes. We nailed a cedar shingle on a tree and drew a bullseye on it then I got the first shot, as i picked up the rifle and put a shell in it I bumped the scope with my thumb and noticed that the scope would move a tiny bit to the right on the rear mount so not saying anything I bumped it back to the left and took my shot hitting the dot on the shingle then bumped the scope to the right and passed on, neither of the other guys could hit the shingle and were saying there must be something wrong so I said maybe you guys are just really bad so I put another shell in the .22 and bumped the scope back and shot again. They said see you missed too, I said I don't think so, lets go look. On closer inspection you could see were my two shots overlapped about ΒΌ of the bullet. No dishes for me that night but later in the evening the subject came up and I got to laughing and confessed what had happened.

WV Sawmiller

   Did you know a good scope pulls in a lot of light allowing you to see clearly in low light conditions and make ethical shots you otherwise could not? I used to hunt squirrels and rabbits with my little Ruger 10/22 rifle with a 2.5 power weaver scope on it during the day but would take it off to go hunt coons at night thinking I could not be able to see them in the scope in the dark. Dumb move! I finally took it one light with the scope still mounted and found it was much, much easier to spot the one orange eye of a wary coon up in the tree and if I could spot it I could hit it. A smart coon will hide one eye in many cases and one eye was often all you could see. I immediately found the low power scope made finding that eye so much easier. After that first trip I I never took my scope off again.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

WV Sawmiller

   Did you know that different species of rattlesnakes in America are credited with having distinctly different personalities? A pygmy rattlesnake is supposed to be among the most ill-tempered with a western diamond or sidewinder the next most ornery. A canebrake/timber rattler and eastern diamondback, while much larger and scary critters to encounter unexpectedly, are much more likely to lay quietly when you step beside them if they do not feel threatened or to just issue a severe warning even though they are well within striking distance. 
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Texas Ranger

I have killed several canebrake/timber rattler and eastern diamondback with a cruise stick on the job.  Normally I would not, but when they are really close or moving towards me I feel the need to terminate.  They are more docile, but, big ones can kill.  Had a doc friend that would take any recent kill for dinner.  I suspected that guy.
The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

Ljohnsaw

When I was in my teens, we went canoeing/fishing on a remote reservoir.  There was a low rock dam and a stone overflow/outlet works about 30' from the dam in the water.  The outlet was a cube with the top about 20" above the water.  There were 3 or 4 copper heads sunning themselves on top of the outlet and many more on the dam.  Kind of wondered how they got up there.  As we approached to get a better look, the ones on the outlet jumped off into the water and started swimming towards us.  :o We paddled away pretty quickly!  Our canoe sat lower than the outlet!
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

WV Sawmiller

   Over Spring break 1989 (March or April I guess) my then 11 y/o son and I met my dad at Old Town Fla for a week of fishing on the Suwannee River. It was very memorable as my son and dad had never spent that much time together before and became very close for the rest of Dad's life. Dad taught him the art of the Big Windy and telling tall tails. Mostly they just ganged up on me. It was Dad's last fishing trip as later that year they found he had throat cancer and removed his larynx and he was scared to get out on the water with that open stoma in his throat.

Anyway, one day after running our catfish lines we were fishing for bream and such with cane poles and rod and reel. The fish were not biting and it was a warm sunny day so we decided to go up to where the railroad crossed the river and see about shooting snakes that liked to hang out in the rocks there. The water was deep and swift there and made a fast eddy. We rode under the trestle looking in the rocks for snakes but did not see any. There were high limestone banks and one point stuck out with a chunk of limestone about 3' in diameter and 4-5 feet out in the river. As we passed it I stood up and looked on the rock and I saw a couple feet of a cottonmouth but did not see the head. The eddy pushed me past before I could get a shot with my .22 Saturday night special filled with rat shot. I made another circle and spotted the snake but while following the body looking for the head it crossed over a 2nd snake which followed over a 3rd and 4th snake. I made another circle standing on the bench seat and just fired as quickly as I could with the double action pistol into the bodies of the snakes and 7-8 30" cottonmouths just erupted off that rock into the water below right beside the boat. One came up swimming 4-5 feet away so I pointed the pistol at him not knowing if I even had a round left in the chamber. I shot and it made a wedge shape that started about a foot wide and opened up to about 3' with the snake's head in the middle. I don't know how many of the #12 shot hit him but he rolled up and slowly sunk to the bottom. I did not see any of the others and don't know if the shot in the bodies of the other snakes killed any or if they just irritated them and the next fisherman coming by had to deal with them.

 I had heard of wads of snakes in a big ball but this is the closest I have ever actually seen to such and they were all young snakes about 30" long.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

caveman

I used to think about the wads of moccasins when we used to wade fish some of the lakes here, especially when we were in the cattails.  Sometimes we would wade through the deep cattails flipping a Texas rigged worm for bass.  Thankfully, I never bumped into a mass of them while wading.
Caveman

WV Sawmiller

   Did you know a field expedient walking staff makes walking up and down steep, slippery hills much easier and safer when hunting or hiking? A 5' stick works fine. If you don't see one handy at the start of your journey just pull out your Leatherman or Gerber handy tool, select the saw blade and make one by cutting a handy small tree. If you are selecting  dead stick test it to make sure it is plenty stout. 

   When walking uphill you can use it as an anchor to help pull yourself up or brace yourself if you start to slide. On the downhill portions, which are typically where you are more likely to loose your balance and fall, you can brace yourself before stepping down and getting overbalanced.

   If you are stalk hunting with a pair/set of shooting sticks they may double as a walking staff.

    When you get older or are injured with a sore hoof or broken ribs ::) a walking staff can be a life-saver to help keep from from sliding off a slick, narrow deer trail on the way to your shooting blind.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

KEC

There are some hornbeam growing out back, AKA blue beech or musclewood. I've thought about how a small one would make a neat looking cane/walking stick.

WV Sawmiller

   Yeah, I can see where an ironwood would make a neat walking staff. A real popular staff is made from a small tree that had a grape vine growing tightly around it leaving the circular indentions. The guy who does my Lictenberg engraving for me sells a lot of cut off bamboo at his flea market booth. From the number I see walking around the market with them it must be a very good seller.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Magicman

I have not hunted without a walking/shooting staff for many years.  My favorite is a no longer available Stoney Point Pole Cat monopod which has a "Y" at the top and quick adjustable length.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

doc henderson

It is a tradition in out troop for the dad to make a walking stick to be given to the young man at his eagle ceremony.  In keeping with the times, I have helped a few dads, and made some for boys with dads not involved with scouts (single Mom).  the symbol is a staff to guide the way.  like the "spare the rod, spoil the child".  the rod can be a punishment (whip) or a guide (shepherd guiding flocks).



 
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

Walnut Beast

Quote from: Magicman on November 27, 2022, 09:39:43 PM
I have not hunted without a walking/shooting staff for many years.  My favorite is a no longer available Stoney Point Pole Cat monopod which has a "Y" at the top and quick adjustable length.
Here you go. This company is popular. 
https://www.boghunt.com/pods/monopods/adrenaline-monopod/1100480.html#gclid=Cj0KCQiA1ZGcBhCoARIsAGQ0kkpP9LBexM47SHJRx7e3XEQSplZOCEVzT8RNGs7t15nq7hsfMjJyz6caAh8TEALw_wcB&start=1

Walnut Beast


Magicman

Quote from: Walnut Beast on November 28, 2022, 03:03:50 AMHere you go.
Nope, I looked at that and it's not the same as my Stoney Point.  Mine is twist lock.

(Your long link is blowing the page.)
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

jb616

I have walking sticks made from the internal rods of a Saguaro Cactus after they die and open up.   Strong and light. I was going to cut a section, post a picture, and see if anyone could guess what kind of "wood" it was. 

WV Sawmiller

    Did you know that if you own or have permanent access to a piece of hunting property one of the best investments you may make is to build a permanent deer blind/shooting house if possible. The most important consideration about a shooting house is the proper location and safety. You need to place it such that you can see and shoot safely in the areas you know or reasonably can expect the game to travel. Keep in mind whether you will be shooting a high powered rifle, a shotgun with slugs or shot, a bow or crossbow.

 The design, locations, sizes and style of shooting windows will be affected - shooting with a rifle may allow you to build and use a very small window placed at chest level when seated or standing while a bow or crossbow typically requires a bigger and often lower window.

 Will you want to keep the window closed to retain heat in very cold conditions? If not a simple opening may be adequate while if you want to hunt with closed windows you need to be able to open them discretely and quietly. When using a rifle to shoot game 75-100 yards away this may not be a problem but shooting a bow at a deer 10 yards away makes this more challenging. If you plan to use a propane heater keep proper ventilation and fire safety in mind.

 Elevation is your friend both to allow you to see game further and prevent them from seeing or hearing you as easily. I have one shooting house built on the side of a steep slope and another up on poles such that the bottom is about 8' above the ground. Be sure the ladder, steps or ramp is carefully designed and built with safety in mind. Swinging the doors inward may help keep you from scaring away a big buck you had not seen before an still give you a shot at him.

 How many people will be hunting in it at one time? If just one person you may be happy with a 5' square building. I have a 6X6 blind that is okay for 2 people. I have a 6X8 that I feel is too big. I like to be able to sit in the corners where I cannot be seen and drop down and stand at the back as needed to shoot.

 Building and using a shooting house with your kids and grandkids can provide great memories. A well built shooting house should easily last 20+ years with decent maintenance. It is sort of like building a play house or fort for adults. You can use scrap lumber that you can't sell but is fit for this purpose. I use treated lumber/bracing for the floor and accept I can replace the siding as needed. You need good roofing whether metal or shingles so you don't have to re-do them very often, if ever. Sound proof the the floor as much a possible using carpeting or rubber mats but keep it simple to maintain. In some circles hunters will argue over who has the ugliest shooting house (think of Steve Martin in "The Jerk").

   Add a couple of rough shelves, nail a short 2X4 between the studs to place your coffee cup, calls, rattling antlers, spare ammo, etc. Hammer or screw in a bunch of long nails or screws to hang coats, slingshots bows, gun racks, etc on. Drill a hole and run a hose with a homemade funnel down into a gravel filled pit for a urinal if you are so inclined. Keep some heavy plastic or metal cans or old military ammo boxes to store TP, hunting regs, snacks, and any gear you may want to leave overnight or long term so the mice, chipmunks and such can't get into it. Keep a cheap dollar store broom and dustpan in a corner or across a couple of pegs to sweep out any blown in leaves and such. Keep a sharpie in your box and write on the walls the date and kill info on every trophy taken including the name or initials of the hunter. Hang up the spent round your grandson killed his first or biggest deer with. It is a great trip down memory lane when the kids are sitting in the blind they helped Grandpa build and hunt out of.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

WV Sawmiller

   I am surprised this topic did not generate more comments and suggestions. I was hoping for a few pictures of people's prize shooting houses. I remember on Duck Dynasty where they took an old camper or such and put it up on metal posts for their high class duck blind. I have even heard of flatland touristers who lack proper elevation I guess who have made them on trailers so they could tow/haul them around to different spots. ;) My son and his best friend just finished a Cadillac model that is about 8' square, rubber flooring, a couple old wheel chair to sit and roll around from window to window and they have already killed several bucks out of it last week. He had me saw the siding 1/2" thick, one live edge and we used a lap siding design and took some short left over pieces and used as shakes to close the gaps between the roof and the last board on the walls. (He used some to patch big knotholes as it was not high quality RO/WO he had for logs). They used an old metal shop door and I ripped a 16' long 2X12 into 2X6 plywood joists or such I'd salvaged from a drift pile on the lake to make a ramp instead of steps and the owner does not have great balance so my son joked with him that it was "Handicap accessible". The used cheap roll roofing and I predict they will have to replace it in a very few years.

  I have seen some very Redneck shooting houses. All you really need it a good post or rock footers and a sturdy floor frame, decent wall framing and a good roof. The siding on many used to be plywood back when it was cheaper than gold but it could be B&B lumber, lap siding, tar paper, old metal roofing (tends to get a little noisy) or even just camo netting. You can be as simple or a fancy as your budget allows and as long as it provides a safe dry and hopefully out of the wind place to hide where the deer will be crossing it will provide great times and memories for you and even better for the kids and grandkids. I go sit in mine for hours at a time and read books and periodically check out the windows. (No telling how many deer have walked past without me ever seeing them when I was at a good part on my book).
 
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

WV Sawmiller

 

 
Here is my favorite spot. Built in place on the edge of a wide bench on the fork/point between two deep draws. Bottom is 8' above the ground. Built on locust poles cut in the area. 6X6 building with 8X8 roof with shingles - with a leak ::) so I need to either add another row of shingles but I am inclined to add 3 sheets of 8'6" X 3' metal roofing with 4-5 1X4 nailers underneath. The windows are probably too big and they are wide and low because I use it a lot for bow hunting. If/When I get a crossbow I may close them in some more. The ladder butts up to and is lag screwed to a small landing there at the door and I almost cut off the excess length which would have a very bad mistake as they are critical to hold on to when entering and leaving the shooting house. Siding is Norway Spruce a neighbor sawed for me before I ever thought of buying a mill. I see I have taken 13 deer from it since I built it about half with a bow.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

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