Hunting and the Howling Winds

At the top of my to do list is always the word "HUNT".  It's too easy to get caught up in projects and laziness and forget the biggest reason we're up here. I've been sighting in rifles, sitting in stands, checking cameras, and delivering corn. For the record, nothing yet. We have about 5 deer coming through the upper stand, though not on a schedule. As many as 11 turkey at a time at the lower stand. I just haven't managed to be at the right place at the right time.

It's a dark and fuzzy photo, but this guy has a decent rack on him.  

The turkey vids are pretty funny - it's like a damn stampede.  These guys come charging in, trying to beat each other out for the corn.

They're all scratching and digging around - I wish the trail cam videos had sound.







We've had the wind just blasting the cabin for the last few days. At the bottom of the hill, the South end of our property, it's calmer and warmer (when chilly).  But our beautiful view comes with a price. Fortunately it's 70 degrees today, and will be warm over the next week.


The rain barrel is almost empty, could definitely use more water.  But we'll get by either way.

Mini projects, and working my way down the list

Haven't exactly been knocking out the projects over the last few days.  With time spent in stands, and trying hard not to start anything I can't finish, I've been picking away at the edges.

Traded away the old diesel generator, I have no idea how to fire it up anyway. That left me with more space in the shed, and I patched the holes used for hoses and exhaust.


Cleaned and swept the shed and decided to get serious about getting the rat out of our lives. He ceased being cute and cuddly when he started crapping on everything.

Sorry for the graphic pic, but I wanted to show the winning combination. I wrapped the "trigger" with fabric and slathered it with peanut butter. Last time he just ate the peanut butter off the trigger without tripping the trap. Then used a lag bolt to fasten the trap to the floor. This made him have to gnaw and pull on the fabric - and die. Pretty good sized bugger too - at least twice as big as any squirrel I've seen in Oklahoma.

Tried again at fishing (not even sure what that thing is).  Used a yoyo on a tree and tried jugging the other side.  I think our smallest hooks are too big for the fish we have.

Cracked open a fresh tin of 54r...


...changed oil in the Raider...

Finished dragging the rotten old battery box away from the house - and the many years of rotten old leaves and sticks...

...it took all night and every drop of used motor oil, but burned all of that stuff to nothing.

Neighbor Mike went crazy with a hand ratchet and took down 30 more sections of fence.  That's 450 sheet metal screws - Thanks Mike!

I hauled it up the hill and sorted it into "clean pieces to use on the roof" and "cruddy pieces to use for skirting".

All neatly stacked on the North side of the house (where the wind shouldn't send it flying like a bunch of giant razor blades).

...and of course, ROCKED THE HOUSE!
(that's funny you see because there are actual ROCKS along the skirting around the house.  Get it?  Oh, never mind. sigh)

Cold days coming

I guess we'll find out soon if all the winter preparations will pay off. The cabin has been holding heat much better over the last few days - but it's been pretty warm.

Sniping from roof tops

I just don't seem to have any luck sitting in a stand and waiting for deer and turkey to wander through. I feel like I should be waiving a flag or something because I'm so visible. Any noise, any movement, any scent - and you're sitting in a tree doing nothing.

Years ago I said that hunting is not very sporting, because shooting an animal is too easy. I would definitely retract that statement now. While shooting a critter may be less "fair" than say "knifing" it, the knowledge, hard work, and talent that go into being ready to take that shot at the moment the shot is there are very real.

I say that as a guy who has been living in a hunter's paradise for over two months. I have more game animals, varmints, and predators here than anyone could hope for.

I have managed to bag exactly ZERO of the ridiculously abundant wildlife running around me every day. No, I haven't hunted every day, not even close to it. But the result is ZERO.

Anyway...  today I tried to site the night vision scope on the PSL - but it's still not close enough to the target to use for game. Too bad, because I can see GREAT with it. But I'm not going to chase away all my deer by throwing bullets all over the place.

The AR is dead on, and I managed to hit the target with open sites putting Ania (my Polish sweetheart) to work for the first time.

Permanent "heebie jeebies"

The sun came out this morning, and I'd guess we got up over 70 degrees. A nice day, and good for the solar power system. This gave bloom to 478 b'zillion LADY BUGS saturating the sunny spots on the outside of the house.

Since lady bugs are pretty much the only thing here that don't bite, sting, poison, or really contaminate in any way, you tell yourself to ignore them. But as they crawl on your neck, land on your eyeball, and crash directly into your ear-hole like a damaged viper coming in to the Galactica - you can't help but to shoo, shush, and swat them away.

I've been back in the house now for over an hour and the heebie jeebies will NOT go away. Would Sherri think I'm nuts if I ask her to smack the hell out of me with the fly swatter?

UPDATE:  Sooo...  ladybugs bloom so they can DIE!
This pic is from the next morning:

You only turn 238 once

Today is the Marine Corps birthday.

I was looking to see if the Sgt Major had issued a statement, and found it odd that I was finding stuff that says "happy birthday Marines" and such.

I don't remember "happy" being a part of it.  All Corps occasions (in my mind) are solemn remembrances.  Even our song is The Marine Corps Hymn. It's not an anthem or a marching tune.

My days in the Corps will not be written in history books. They will not be more than footnotes in dusty files, long since shredded to protect the chain of command.

But we will be part of the collective memories of Marines on days like today.  As I remember my time,  and Marines past and present, I know that even I will be part of that reverence held for our Brothers who came before and since.

Misc Smaller Projects

Though equally important, and often steps on the way to bigger projects, these are some of the other items getting checked off the list...

Sherri installed window kits on all of the interior frames. We've used these for years in Colorado, and they're great for reducing the cold air coming in around the windows. 

Assembled and fired the chainsaw for use on future projects. 

Plugged a big hole in the bathroom ceiling. 

It's ugly, but it's warm. 

Learning to drive offload. 

Replacing water filters. 

Trying to sell the old fridge, hot water heater, and the diesel generator. One down, two to go.