Thoughts on the Opener
So here it is, two days to the season opener for archery in Kentucky. I haven’t got my gear prepped. I’m still not practicing with my bow the way I should be. I’m just not into it yet. I’m getting away this weekend for some hiking and to visit some in-laws. Why? For years, I hunted only Ohio, and the opening of bow season was and is the first weekend in October. That is what I lived for. That is what drove me. That is what still drives me. Like the bucks, my neck does not swell until the leaves … More . . .
My Confession.
I am a cervid serial killer. I plot and plan my next victim all Winter long. I stalk them thoughout the Summer. Just seeing them gives me a thrill. Then, when the Fall comes, I go out and shoot them. I disembowel my victims. I take trophies, I feast on their flesh. I take pictures and hang them on my wall, to help remind me of my past episodes. When I can, I get together with like-minded cervid serial killers, and we boast of our past episodes and plot and plan future forays. I frequent websites and chatrooms that service … More . . .
Rude, Rusty Surpises in your Smokepole.
A lot of smokepole people have been getting rude surprises after switching to plastic sabots. The sabot has been leaving a plastic residue. The residue is promoting rust. The best thing I’ve found for plastic residue removal is Ed’s Red. It’s basically equal parts kerosene, automatic transmission fluid, acetone, and mineral spirits. This works good on just about any barrel, but it is especially good on shotgun and muzzleloader barrels with plastic residue. The recipe is everywhere on the web, I think the best page for discussion of Ed’s Red is Fr. Frog’s web pages. If you’re interested, and can’t … More . . .
What is my "goto" gun for Deer?
Somebody over at 24hourcampfire was asking the question: What is your goto gun for deer? Mine? I’ve been stretching my horizons over the past few years, experimenting with different pieces. I hunt both sides of the Ohio River; Ohio is a shotgun-only state and Kentucky is pretty wide-open for rifle restrictions. If I had to pick a rifle for a 200-yard shot, it’d be the Winchester bolt in 30-06. If I was going to one of my stands in KY, it would be the Savage 99 in 308. My back-up gun for most trips to KY is the Remington 742 … More . . .
A Newbies Plea for Help
From jackel235 over on kentuckyhunting.com: Help WITH GETTING FIRST DEER ——————————————————————————– Hi all i new to the forms Well my problem is i been hunting 2 years now and still have not got a deer I love to eat it and only way to eat it is to kill it well thats the problem i don’t know what i ‘m suppose to look for in woods for a good spot no clear spots all hills and woods. I don’t know when i am in a good spot for 5 days i hunted the same spot and no deer ever man … More . . .
In praise of Slugs
I am forever surprising folks when I say that if I intend on hunting from one of my bow stands, my ultimate preferred venison machine is a Remington 1100 in 12 GA with cheap 2 3/4 Reminginton Sluggers. Inside 75 yards, there is no need for anything else. If I want a bit more range, I’ve now got a Mossberg 500 with a rifled barrel and I shoot either Brenneke 3inchers or Remington Copper Solids. The latter go through the same hole at 50 yards, but the 1100 is what I started with 20 years ago, and I know I … More . . .
How smart are Deer?
How smart are deer? Deer can do a pretty good job of figuring out the big things in life, like where to go find food, water, shelter. They know the difference between a predator that wants to eat them and one that does not. I frequently stop the car and roll down the window and talk to deer beside the road. They just stand and watch me. This is different from turkeys, which will flee from a human at 500 yards. Little things escape them. I had a doe wind me the other day. It was one of those 20-30 … More . . .
Shamanic Guide: Take no load for granted
Never take a load for granted. This weekend was proof of that. I had two rifles out this weekend. These were slam-dunk no-brainers, that I had been putting off in lieu of some tougher loading projects. The fault was mine—these were problems I should have been discovering in June, not September. The first was the Savage 99 in 308 Win. It’s the one I’ve been talking about recently. The other was the Marlin 30-30. See Ode to a 30-30 I thought it was going to be a quick exercise. Fire a few rounds out of each, prove the rifles were … More . . .
Shamanic Guide — Scent Elimination
Baking soda. I get a 50 lb bag. It lasts me a couple of years. I take all my hunting clothes and wash them in baking soda. It does a passable job on dirt, and a fantastic job on scent. It’s also cheap. First I run the washer empty to get rid of all the scent left in the tub. I then wash all my thermal shirts, jeans– all the stuff that might come in contact with my body first. After a full cycle with two handfuls of baking soda, I run a rinse with a handful of soda. I … More . . .
Do you need Premium Bullets?
I’ve killed 250 lb deer and I’ve seen 300 lb deer killed in the Greater Ohio Valley within 100 miles of Cincinnati. None required a premium bullet. The are awesome to look at, but that size difference is deceiving. You have to remember that the key dimension in a deer in this discussion is the width of the chest. That dimension changes very little as the weight changes. The girth of a 157 pounder and a 340 pounder differs by only 10 inches. That’s using the chart over at whitetail.com. Assume that’s a circle and use trig to figure out … More . . .
I hunt not to kill, I kill to have hunted.
Does anyone else remember Highmaster over at Shooters.com? Gosh how I miss him. I had the utmost respect for that guy. I honestly didn’t care if he was everything he said he was; he expressed an ideal so well. It was funny; he and I had very different views on things like competition, but I really enjoyed our time together. I got to thinking about Highmaster as I was finishing off my coffee and slowly coming to at the loading bench. A quote was running around in my head. It’s probably an Aldo Leopold or that of some other great … More . . .
Don’t Say My Kid Can’t Shoot . . .
Faulty Towers is the first of two 150-year-old barns that lie between the house and our new hunting blind. It got its name from the partially collapsed north wall, giving it a rather jaunty if not wholly eccentric look. Over the past couple of years, We have modified the walls to provide several blinds. Two overlook a pasture slowly being consumed by young cedars, a prime bedding area. Another overlooks a tree line, and if you are brave enough to sit under the collapsed roof, you have a protected view of a massive white oak, and all the paths leading … More . . .
The Jagende Hütte
On Labor Day 2003 I was in the barn, priming sheets of plywood for the soffits on the house. It was pouring rain out and after I got the priming done, I realized I still had vast amount of time to kill, and the rain was showing no sign of letting up. At that point I realized I was leaning on the remains of a 5’X5’ plywood packing crate I’d snatched from work 4 years ago—a hunting blind I’d never built. I started priming and painting and by the time I left the farm that weekend, I had the crate … More . . .
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