First day home at 8 weeks.
Monday, September 28, 2015
New Pup
When I first set the date to retire I decided it was time to think about getting a bird dog pup. It has been many years since I had the time to train a pup and it would be a good way to help stay in shape. Though I once raised English Setters and still have a soft spot for them, the absolute best gun dog I ever had was a German Shorthair so that's the route I went. I initially picked my pup out at two weeks and picked him up this last Saturday. The breeder insists on only original German lines that have proven themselves in multiple versatile/ hunting disciplines. This also results in substantial bone and muscle. I had not known that black/roan Shorthairs existed but soon learned that they not only are acceptable, but are sought after in many circles in Canada and Europe. Since I'm sort of like the old cowboy when asked about his horse's papers replied, "Hell, I don't ride papers!", I don't hunt colors. More important to me is bloodlines and genetics. All of the breeder's dogs and pups are AKC registered and hip-tested...that works for me.
First day home at 8 weeks.
First day home at 8 weeks.
Saturday, September 26, 2015
SCHOOL HOUSE TURKEYS
Doug sent this along, he had trouble posting it.
My son sent me this. This is on the school grounds at Fort Ord. Ca.
Water, feed, nobody bothers them, and seldom over 80 degrees. They also
have deer on all the golf courses.
I never can seem to send attach pictures on the VHI blog. I kinda wanted to
post this as an answer to your post on “To Dang Hot and Dry to Hunt.”
Friday, September 25, 2015
TOO DANG HOT AND DRY TO HUNT
Bill and I got out today and tried to call some coyotes. Man it's hot and dry out where we hunt. We started calling about daylight near some private land with a little water on it. I did a interrogation howl and got an answer back not too far away. I played with him a little and the last time he howled it sounded a little like a challenge howl. I answered back with one and thought he might come looking for a fight. Never saw or heard from him again. I tried every trick in my book and nothing worked. He might have seen us coming in or setting up, or maybe he just wasn't interested. We saw a few tracks in that area but nothing real promising.
We went back to the truck and headed southeast. We hadn't gone 1/4 mile when Bill spotted something running across a field. We first thought it was a coyote but on closer look it was a bobcat, a big one. Bill's window was down and I blew a distress call from inside the truck and the cat stopped. He watched us until we drove away. Bobcat season doesn't open until October 15 but we plan to try him later.
We made a couple of more sets but saw no tracks, scat or other sign at either place. No ground squirrels or anything, it's just too dry. No water except on private ranches where we can't hunt. It was well into the 90's when we left about 10:00 am and we called it a day. We had a good morning anyway but I sure hope this drought ends soon. There won't be anything left to hunt if it doesn't.
Swamprat
We went back to the truck and headed southeast. We hadn't gone 1/4 mile when Bill spotted something running across a field. We first thought it was a coyote but on closer look it was a bobcat, a big one. Bill's window was down and I blew a distress call from inside the truck and the cat stopped. He watched us until we drove away. Bobcat season doesn't open until October 15 but we plan to try him later.
We made a couple of more sets but saw no tracks, scat or other sign at either place. No ground squirrels or anything, it's just too dry. No water except on private ranches where we can't hunt. It was well into the 90's when we left about 10:00 am and we called it a day. We had a good morning anyway but I sure hope this drought ends soon. There won't be anything left to hunt if it doesn't.
Swamprat
Sunday, September 20, 2015
HOUSE COYOTES
I have been getting up a little before daylight and sitting on the patio. We overlook the 5th green on a golf course. NO I don't play golf. Anyway I have been seeing a few coyotes on the golf course. Much to my neighbors (and maybe Sues) annoyance I have been playing with them with an old Pee Wee CrittRcall I had lying around. It's amazing what you can learn by just calling and watching. I have a few new tricks up my sleeve, but mostly I've learned that less is more. This morning I saw 5 coyotes, 3 in one bunch and 2 singles. Soft lip squeaks do wonders. I saw one that was about 400 yards out when I first saw him. I did a real soft squeak on the critter call. He stopped what he was doing and started looking my way. I waited and he started coming towards me. I kept quiet until he stopped. Then I squeaked a little more but with a cadence like the rabbit calls. He started coming again and I kept quiet and let him come. Every time he stopped I'd just give him a little squeal and stop. I had him within 20 yds of me......................sitting on my patio which is attatched to the house.
He knew something was off, but he kept coming.
The others acted similarly. They were all closer. I gave them a rabbit in distress and they all stopped and looked. Not for just a second either, those yotes stood there close to a minute, just frozen in place. One trotted away but the others came closer and stayed a while, trying to make up their minds.
Now granted these yotes haven't been hunted but I can't help but wonder if their actions were not kinda normal to what we could find in a place where we can hunt. This is how I used to call before the electronics. I killed coyotes then and think it will work now. I may still use my Foxpro but I think I will try using it like a mouth call. Less just might be more.
Swamprat
He knew something was off, but he kept coming.
The others acted similarly. They were all closer. I gave them a rabbit in distress and they all stopped and looked. Not for just a second either, those yotes stood there close to a minute, just frozen in place. One trotted away but the others came closer and stayed a while, trying to make up their minds.
Now granted these yotes haven't been hunted but I can't help but wonder if their actions were not kinda normal to what we could find in a place where we can hunt. This is how I used to call before the electronics. I killed coyotes then and think it will work now. I may still use my Foxpro but I think I will try using it like a mouth call. Less just might be more.
Swamprat
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Just a plain old 243
I finally went to the range today and shot the 243 with the new Vortex scope. First, I really like the scope. It is as clear as any I have ever looked through and the adjustable parallex really helps. I never owned one before. I bore sighted it at home. At our range we cant shoot at 25 yards, don't ask me but the powers that be have deemed it dangerous. So I set the first target up at 50 yards and was about an inch high and 1/2" left of the bullseye. I can't complain about that. I moved it out to 100 yards and very few shots later it was zeroed. The 1/4" clicks MOVE the point of impact 1/4" at 100 yards. I had it set at maximum (12x) power and it delivered just like they say it does. I am really impressed with the optics and mechanics of this scope. As far as I can tell from one time out with it, I would recommend it. But it's still early in the game.
The next thing I did was the load development with the 80 gr. Barnes TTSX bullets. I get good groups with the 85 gr. TSX with 38 gr. Varget, so I started there with the 80's.
Then I moved up to 38.5 gr. of Varget.
That was a little better but not what this rifle is capable of. Like I said I had a hard time finding load data on the powders I had. I wasn't sure how far I could go with the Varget so I stopped there. I found data using H-4350 on LoadData.com. It showed a minimum charge of 41.5 gr for 3159 fps and a max of 45.5 grains for 3398. I didn't start out at the bottom, I know I should have but this rifle is solid and I fudged a little. It usually shoots best at the higher end of velocities.
I should add here that from my observation (for what thats worth) Barnes Bullets are kinda finicky. A half a grain of powder can make a lot of difference with them. I haven't read this but I start out on the low end and move up 1/2 grain at a time. Somewhere in there you will find a "sweet spot" that shoots really well. A 1/2 grain either way will put you out of the ball park. So thats what I did. I didn't figure flyers in the group size. I am not the worlds greatest shot so some are 4 shot and some are 3 shot. That's why I load 4 rounds for each weight. So far it works for me.
I started at 43.0 grains of H-4350:
That's an honest 1" group.
43.5 grains:
44.0 grains.
44.5 grains
45.0 grains.
Sweet Spot. Folks that top hole is 2 shots, believe me. It's hard to show it in a picture but another guy at the range helped me verify that. I'll probably never do that again.
45.5 grains.
It opened up. Still not bad but you can see what I mean about the Barnes bullets. This has happened with every rifle I have used them on. Every time.
I still need to load some more and verify my results but I think I have found the right load for this rifle. It's just a Plain Jane Remington 700 ADL with a synthetic stock. I bought it at Walmart in Tyler, Texas years ago. They had it priced wrong I know, I asked if the price was right and the manager at the gun counter told me they didn't price items wrong, it had been checked and rechecked. It was almost $100 cheaper than one just like it in 270 Win. I don't remember what I payed for it, but I bought it. It has to be one of my favorites.
Swamprat
The next thing I did was the load development with the 80 gr. Barnes TTSX bullets. I get good groups with the 85 gr. TSX with 38 gr. Varget, so I started there with the 80's.
Then I moved up to 38.5 gr. of Varget.
That was a little better but not what this rifle is capable of. Like I said I had a hard time finding load data on the powders I had. I wasn't sure how far I could go with the Varget so I stopped there. I found data using H-4350 on LoadData.com. It showed a minimum charge of 41.5 gr for 3159 fps and a max of 45.5 grains for 3398. I didn't start out at the bottom, I know I should have but this rifle is solid and I fudged a little. It usually shoots best at the higher end of velocities.
I should add here that from my observation (for what thats worth) Barnes Bullets are kinda finicky. A half a grain of powder can make a lot of difference with them. I haven't read this but I start out on the low end and move up 1/2 grain at a time. Somewhere in there you will find a "sweet spot" that shoots really well. A 1/2 grain either way will put you out of the ball park. So thats what I did. I didn't figure flyers in the group size. I am not the worlds greatest shot so some are 4 shot and some are 3 shot. That's why I load 4 rounds for each weight. So far it works for me.
I started at 43.0 grains of H-4350:
That's an honest 1" group.
43.5 grains:
44.0 grains.
44.5 grains
45.0 grains.
Sweet Spot. Folks that top hole is 2 shots, believe me. It's hard to show it in a picture but another guy at the range helped me verify that. I'll probably never do that again.
45.5 grains.
It opened up. Still not bad but you can see what I mean about the Barnes bullets. This has happened with every rifle I have used them on. Every time.
I still need to load some more and verify my results but I think I have found the right load for this rifle. It's just a Plain Jane Remington 700 ADL with a synthetic stock. I bought it at Walmart in Tyler, Texas years ago. They had it priced wrong I know, I asked if the price was right and the manager at the gun counter told me they didn't price items wrong, it had been checked and rechecked. It was almost $100 cheaper than one just like it in 270 Win. I don't remember what I payed for it, but I bought it. It has to be one of my favorites.
Swamprat
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
www.loaddata.com/
I signed up to www.loaddata.com again yesterday and found some new loads for Barnes Bullets that are not in the Barnes Manual or the web site. I have used it before and had good luck. That's where I got the load I use for the 85 gr. Barnes TSX for my 243. I was looking for loads for the 80 gr. TTSX. I intend to try the same load I use for the 85 but wanted another choice. The problem with Barnes is that they don't offer info on the older powders most of us have on hand and powders are still hard to find. If you don't believe it try to find Hunter powder on line.
Over 90% of powders listed at Powder Valley are unavailable with no back order. The other sources are the same way. I wanted data on Varget, 4350, 4895 etc. None available but Load Data has loads from Handloader Magazine articles from way back to present. Plus from all the manufacturers load manuals. It costs $30 a year but I think it's worth it.
I started a links section at the bottom of the blog. I will ad to it as time goes on. If anyone has a site they want to ad, just email me. I'll giterdone.
Swamprat
Over 90% of powders listed at Powder Valley are unavailable with no back order. The other sources are the same way. I wanted data on Varget, 4350, 4895 etc. None available but Load Data has loads from Handloader Magazine articles from way back to present. Plus from all the manufacturers load manuals. It costs $30 a year but I think it's worth it.
I started a links section at the bottom of the blog. I will ad to it as time goes on. If anyone has a site they want to ad, just email me. I'll giterdone.
Swamprat
Monday, September 14, 2015
What about a back up hunting weapon.
Here is a guy that is lucky. Probably belongs on the 'Darwin' list. But glad he's alive though.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/man-in-serious-condition-after-attack-by-bear-in-Alaska/ar-AAeh9FN?li=BBieTUX
What should he have been carrying? I have a Ruger 41 Mag. single action. Being in California, the off the shelf all copper bullets aren't worth much. They fall apart as soon as they hit something hard.
But aside from that, I think that a good Barnes hand loaded bullet around 215 grain SWC would do the trick.
Now some of my friends are touting the 44 Mag. I personally think the the 41 Mag has a flatter trajectory, and more penetrating power than the 44, plus less kick.
Any comments out there?
Doug
Here is a guy that is lucky. Probably belongs on the 'Darwin' list. But glad he's alive though.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/man-in-serious-condition-after-attack-by-bear-in-Alaska/ar-AAeh9FN?li=BBieTUX
What should he have been carrying? I have a Ruger 41 Mag. single action. Being in California, the off the shelf all copper bullets aren't worth much. They fall apart as soon as they hit something hard.
But aside from that, I think that a good Barnes hand loaded bullet around 215 grain SWC would do the trick.
Now some of my friends are touting the 44 Mag. I personally think the the 41 Mag has a flatter trajectory, and more penetrating power than the 44, plus less kick.
Any comments out there?
Doug
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Forget Hell is right. And we are letting thousands, more in all the time. excuse me, not 'we' are letting them in, just B Husein O.
http://dailysignal.com/2015/09/10/a-timeline-of-73-islamist-terror-plots-since-911/?utm_source=heritagefoundation&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=saturday&mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRohvaXPZKXonjHpfsX57OkvWKOxlMI%2F0ER3fOvrPUfGjI4ATcNhMK%2BTFAwTG5toziV8R7jHKM1t0sEQWBHm
http://dailysignal.com/2015/09/10/a-timeline-of-73-islamist-terror-plots-since-911/?utm_source=heritagefoundation&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=saturday&mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRohvaXPZKXonjHpfsX57OkvWKOxlMI%2F0ER3fOvrPUfGjI4ATcNhMK%2BTFAwTG5toziV8R7jHKM1t0sEQWBHm
Friday, September 11, 2015
Thursday, September 3, 2015
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