The November election does not matter…whoever wins in November, America loses.
This blog is about hunting, fishing and other outdoors activities. So, let’s compare ( using MY information sources) the three candidates on how they stand on some important issues.
Let’s start with firearm ownership. We all know that Obama and Billary want to take your guns away. That is a given, regardless of what they said ONCE for the cameras. McCain is no better, regardless of what he might have said. He supports the so-called assault weapons ban that makes a .22 Henry lever action rifle or a Spencer carbine from the Civil War an “assault rifle”. Face it, it’s not the gun, it’s the nut behind the stock that causes trouble!!! Oh yes, that soft-shooting 12 gauge semiauto shotgun you like for duck and turkey hunting? Better hide before the Gun Police come for it and you!!! BAD semiautos! Bad! BAD!
Like to fish? Own a boat? Does it use gas? Well, since all three believe Al Gore’s hypocracy that anything that burns a hydrocarbon is evil and the same as killing children, you could make a sail for your boat. The Gas Nazis said, “No gas for YOU!” Ready to buy “carbon credits” for your boat? California already has that in mind. Either that, or pay a “sin tax” for your fuel use. How much? It’s okay…the government will figure that out for you. Just like the way they figured out how to balance the budget, and fix Medicare (not counting Slick Willy raiding the trust fund to “balance” the budget) and run the public schools, and protect us from crime ( so honest people don’t need any of those evil guns)…
Need a truck or SUV to tow that boat? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Unless you are Bill Gates, Warren Buffet or Al Gore himself, it will cost you more than you know! Only the evil rich can afford a yacht (that will be defined as anything over 16 feet with more that, say 50 horsepower) while other Americans (legal or not) can’t afford such a wasteful extravagance. Of course, we could just “ take some from others so that the poor can have more” – Michelle Obama’s words, not mine! Notice the wording…not “give”, but TAKE!!!
That’s okay, say the Republican faithful. John McCain won’t do that. Oh, but he will…
Today he gave a speech that sounded as if he were running on Obama’s ticket – we gotta get onboard this evil hydrocarbon thing. Amerika needs Al Gore’s carbon credits NOW! Next he will be telling us he learned this all at his Scientology class with those brilliant scholars, John Travolta and Tom Cruise. I’m beginning to think they really ARE a new species – Homo Doofus. How about Homo Sweathog? Maybe Homo ItsPossible?
Immigration is a good thing for America. When it is controlled. When migrants obey the law. That’s okay. We can fix that – hocus pokus, no more “undocumented persons”, now they are all citizens, and their prior felonies are all forgiven!!!
How about Iraq? Well, at least there is a difference of opinion here. Obama says bring the troops home. Sure…that worked really well in Viet Nam, didn’t it? Obama must have gotten beat up on the playground a lot as a kid, since he seems to think that if we as a nation just ignore what everyone says about us, all our troubles will just go away. How well did that work until December 7, 1941? Or September 11, 2001? Does Obama remember???
Hillary just lives in denial. She voted to go to war, but she didn’t inhale, so that really doesn’t count. I don’t think attacking Iraq was a good idea, either. But Hillary wants to wait and see before announcing how soon our soldiers and Marines will come home. At least she has a clue that a full-scale retreat is not the best option.
Poor John McCain. I truly admire his courage and sacrifice while serving in uniform. His status as a Prisoner of War was completely forgotten by a DEMOCRAT president and congress…he was very lucky and possessed the will and inner strength to survive until he was freed. But I am afraid he will prolong this conflict until he feels America can “win”, unlike in Viet Nam. Maybe he will carpet-bomb the country and tell the troops to use up all their ammo before they get on the planes back home to save money on shipping it all back.
Probably not, probably more of the same “police action” that puts OUR men and women where the Iraqi troops should be. If they won’t stand up for themselves, let them fall on their own swords.
All three candidates believe Amerika is in ruins, and there is a very bleak future ahead. Obama and Hillary believe in taxing businesses into oblivion, killing economic growth, and redistributing wealth-Robin in da Hood, so to speak. McCain didn’t listen when Bush, Sr. was told it’s the economy, stupid. He ain’t listening now.
Alexander deToquesville wrote,” Democracy will fail when the voters learn they can vote themselves money.” That is how the Dems plan to win/buy the election. McCain is just a deer in the headlights.
God help the United States of America.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Shakedown cruise!!
Last Saturday we finally got out on the water. The weather was near perfect, not too warm and sunny. We were concerned with the approach of a strong cold front due to arrive that evening that could bring sudden severe thunderstorms, but the fishing should be good before a frontal passage, so off we went!
We decided to try fishing a different area of the James River that we had not been to before. The park with the launch ramp was small, but clean and well maintained. The ramp was designed by demons, I think! It was in great condition, concrete with a textured surface. But the approach has to be made at a 90 degree angle, so one must back in to the ramp making a sharp turn towards the passenger side. To make things even tougher, the ramp approach is so steep if you have a low-riding boat like I do, it disappears from sight as you back down making the turn…you just have to kinda guess where the trailer is until the tow vehicle starts down the ramp also and becomes visible again. It does not help that I am no expert at backing trailers. Still, the boat went into the water without problems.
She started right up and ran find out of gear. We threw off the lines and headed into the river. That’s when we found she would not run IN gear above a fast idle. Nothing like heading into a swift current, giving the boat some gas and… silence. She started right up again and we ran at fast idle, about 1200 rpm for a minute or two. I tried s l o w l y advancing the throttle and she began to respond, finally getting on plane. It seemed like once the secondaries decided to open, everything was fine again. Normal throttle response was restored and all was well. I know the big prop puts a lot of load on the engine, and I am planning to replace it soon, as funds become available. Still, I really like the way this prop cruises at midrange, giving us 40 mph at only 3500 rpm.
We saw a lot of bait fish on the fish finder and when we found a deep hole midchannel, we decided to give it a try. We were looking for catfish, but anything willing to bite was okay. No bites after 30 minutes. Several large striped bass, or rockfish, jumped after shad near us, but we could not get any takers on our few lures. We had loaded the tackle boxes with live bait stuff and only a single spinnerbait, one buzzbait and a lot of tiny jig heads.
The current was still ripping, so we decided to check out some heavy cover such as downed trees in some of the nearby coves. One small cove, about 20 feet across with a fallen tree on each side, yielded several nice cats between 15 and 20 pounds and several large channel cats also. The boys were thrilled to catch something, and especially glad that the fish fought with vigor and strength. Although we all caught something with some size, for once I caught the largest fish, a blue cat a shade over 20 pounds. He put up a real fight, as if he knew that red Cajun line I was using was only 10 pound test!
We used circle hooks exclusively this time and were very glad we did! All the cats in the lower James River are considered contaminated and unfit to eat. But all the fish we hooked except one was hooked in the corner of its mouth, and all were released without incident. We hope they all will continue to grow into something we can really tussle with in a few years!!
She started right up and ran find out of gear. We threw off the lines and headed into the river. That’s when we found she would not run IN gear above a fast idle. Nothing like heading into a swift current, giving the boat some gas and… silence. She started right up again and we ran at fast idle, about 1200 rpm for a minute or two. I tried s l o w l y advancing the throttle and she began to respond, finally getting on plane. It seemed like once the secondaries decided to open, everything was fine again. Normal throttle response was restored and all was well. I know the big prop puts a lot of load on the engine, and I am planning to replace it soon, as funds become available. Still, I really like the way this prop cruises at midrange, giving us 40 mph at only 3500 rpm.
We saw a lot of bait fish on the fish finder and when we found a deep hole midchannel, we decided to give it a try. We were looking for catfish, but anything willing to bite was okay. No bites after 30 minutes. Several large striped bass, or rockfish, jumped after shad near us, but we could not get any takers on our few lures. We had loaded the tackle boxes with live bait stuff and only a single spinnerbait, one buzzbait and a lot of tiny jig heads.
The current was still ripping, so we decided to check out some heavy cover such as downed trees in some of the nearby coves. One small cove, about 20 feet across with a fallen tree on each side, yielded several nice cats between 15 and 20 pounds and several large channel cats also. The boys were thrilled to catch something, and especially glad that the fish fought with vigor and strength. Although we all caught something with some size, for once I caught the largest fish, a blue cat a shade over 20 pounds. He put up a real fight, as if he knew that red Cajun line I was using was only 10 pound test!
We used circle hooks exclusively this time and were very glad we did! All the cats in the lower James River are considered contaminated and unfit to eat. But all the fish we hooked except one was hooked in the corner of its mouth, and all were released without incident. We hope they all will continue to grow into something we can really tussle with in a few years!!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Spring cleaning for squirrels!
They’re back…and they are ignoring my dogs!
Spring is the time for resident suburban squirrels to begin mating behaviors and become even more territorial than usual. Besides seeking suitable mates, they are scouting suitable nesting sites – like the attic of my freshly repainted house! That means it’s time to re-zero the Sheridan air rifle and take a few of the critters down.
I have to re-zero the rifle because I added a 3-9x Daisy airgun scope. I know, a real rifle needs a real scope. But, since this particular scope seems to be pretty well put together, with pretty small amount of parallax, it seemed a natural to mount to the gun. I would prefer a long eye relief scope, such as a handgun sight or a red dot sight. Those sights can be mounted forward on the barrel and leaving the pellet breech open for my fumbling fingers. Also, having a little more weight forward will improve the gun’s balance for shooting in a standing position.
I really try to avoid shooting unsupported in the standing position. I always look for some kind of rest to support and steady the rifle. It could be a tree trunk or branch, or maybe a rock or the side of a shed. I also try to shoot from concealment if at all possible. Anything that can make me harder to notice, or makes me look less human-like. That could be shooting from a prone position, or from behind a tree, rock, whatever. Even sitting with your back to a tree of other object will make you appear less like the two-footed terror called Man. That may let the animal come a few feet closer or make the quarry feel less threatened.
Sighting in begins with checking the mount of the scope. The mounts and rings must be mounted securely to the gun. A drop of locktite or clear nail polish (very little) will keep those tiny screws from shooting loose. Once the mount and rings are nice and snug, adjust the scope’s position in the rings to the proper eye relief, or distance from your eye. After making sure that your gun is EMPTY and safe, hold the gun as you would if shooting and slide the scope back and forth to get the clearest view. The best setup has the least amount of dark around the edges and does not black out as quickly if you move your head from side to side. Lightly tighten the scope screws, but leave them just loose enough to barely move the scope. Now support the gun in a steady position. The vertical crosshair must be straight up and down in line with the barrel of the gun and the horizontal crosshair must be parallel with the ground. Once you have it all lined up, tighten each screw a small amount, check that the crosshairs are still aligned where you need them, then tighten the screws again, snug but not too tight.
Now we can go shooting! In a safe area with a good backstop, set up a small target at 10 yards. I use 10 meters, but I am weird like that. I like to use several 1 inch circles colored with a marker on a sheet of paper. Shoot three shots at one target. This is just to get the point of impact in the ball park. Look at the pellet hole and estimate the center of your grouping. If the pellets are all over the paper, something is wrong! Maybe the scope is still loose or broken internally. Or, maybe you just can’t shoot…naaaah, that can’t be it!
Adjust your scope to move the center of your grouping to the center of the target. The adjustment screws are usually marked with arrows to show which way to turn the adjuster to move the group center. Turning the adjuster towards “Down” will move your point of impact down on the target.
Once you made your adjustment, shoot one pellet at another target. Adjust again, then repeat. When you have the scope right where you think you want it, carefully shoot a 3 shot group. Take your time between shots! Adjust if needed, but you should be good to go.
Next time we will discuss what range to dial in for and maybe pellet selection for furry grey vandals (excellent in a crock pot with gravy over biscuits).
Keep shooting!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Catfishing!
I love my wife!!
No, that is NOT an April Fools day joke. My beautiful wife has done two things that have truly warmed my heart. One, she wants to take up trapshooting. The other that I want to write about is how she wants to go after a trophy catfish this year.
Up to now, she was content to catch small, eating-sized fish such as crappie, perch and small cats like white cats and small channel cats. When she fishes in salt water, she prefers larger species like sea trout and rockfish (striped bass to you northerners). She does not like trolling at all, as she finds it boring. She prefers bottom fishing, and drifting at times.
When she found out that she could use her saltwater gear to bottom fish or drift for trophy catfish, she made up her mind to go after a big one this year. Now, she may have her sights set a little low for some folks. The James River near Richmond, Virginia is probably the single best fishery in the country for trophy blue cats. The catfish guides there think if you don’t catch a catfish over 40 pounds, your day was awful. My wife wants something at least 20 pounds to start. So, lets see what we are going to need…
We need rods and reels capable of handling a fish between 40 and 60 pounds. The James River has given up several fish over 80 pounds in just the last few years, and 40 pounders are barely noteworthy there, so let’s use that is the baseline. If you are targeting a trophy blue cat, you must be prepared for something really big; that is why we decided on a 40 to 60 pound range.
The James is a muddy river, so line color is not critical. Most experts use a superline such as Spiderwire or another braid to stand up to abrasion and reduce stretch. These big fish like holes, rocky areas and sunken boats and barges to ambush their prey. Our line and terminal tackle needs to withstand or avoid being dragged across sharp debris and rocks. We will keep our rigs simple, after talking with a few local folks that do well in catfish tournaments. A basic fishfinder rig, with a sliding sinker tied above a strong swivel and a short leader is all we need. A three-way rig is another option, especially for drifting a bait along a rough, snaggy bottom. By using a very light dropper line from the swivel to the weight, a snagged sinker will not cost us the entire rig.
You may notice that this sounds a lot like basic saltwater rigging, and you are right! Fish are fish, and a lot of what works in fresh water will work in salt, and vice versa.
Now that we have the tackle ready, next post we will look at baits and location, location, location!
No, that is NOT an April Fools day joke. My beautiful wife has done two things that have truly warmed my heart. One, she wants to take up trapshooting. The other that I want to write about is how she wants to go after a trophy catfish this year.
Up to now, she was content to catch small, eating-sized fish such as crappie, perch and small cats like white cats and small channel cats. When she fishes in salt water, she prefers larger species like sea trout and rockfish (striped bass to you northerners). She does not like trolling at all, as she finds it boring. She prefers bottom fishing, and drifting at times.
When she found out that she could use her saltwater gear to bottom fish or drift for trophy catfish, she made up her mind to go after a big one this year. Now, she may have her sights set a little low for some folks. The James River near Richmond, Virginia is probably the single best fishery in the country for trophy blue cats. The catfish guides there think if you don’t catch a catfish over 40 pounds, your day was awful. My wife wants something at least 20 pounds to start. So, lets see what we are going to need…
We need rods and reels capable of handling a fish between 40 and 60 pounds. The James River has given up several fish over 80 pounds in just the last few years, and 40 pounders are barely noteworthy there, so let’s use that is the baseline. If you are targeting a trophy blue cat, you must be prepared for something really big; that is why we decided on a 40 to 60 pound range.
The James is a muddy river, so line color is not critical. Most experts use a superline such as Spiderwire or another braid to stand up to abrasion and reduce stretch. These big fish like holes, rocky areas and sunken boats and barges to ambush their prey. Our line and terminal tackle needs to withstand or avoid being dragged across sharp debris and rocks. We will keep our rigs simple, after talking with a few local folks that do well in catfish tournaments. A basic fishfinder rig, with a sliding sinker tied above a strong swivel and a short leader is all we need. A three-way rig is another option, especially for drifting a bait along a rough, snaggy bottom. By using a very light dropper line from the swivel to the weight, a snagged sinker will not cost us the entire rig.
You may notice that this sounds a lot like basic saltwater rigging, and you are right! Fish are fish, and a lot of what works in fresh water will work in salt, and vice versa.
Now that we have the tackle ready, next post we will look at baits and location, location, location!
Monday, March 31, 2008
She LIVES!!!!
I have been plagued with problems getting my boat engine to start lately. I was able to use my non-existent mechanical skills to determine it was a fuel problem; not enough gas was getting to the engine. I could pump the primer bulb and she would start and run for a few seconds, then stop. So, I replaced the fuel filter and blew out the fuel line with a little low-pressure air. Then, she started and ran normally.
Okay, it's obvious I am not a mechanic, or even a weekend warrior in that area. So when I can solve a problem by myself, just me and my manual, it's a reason for celebration around here! besides, I just don't have the funds for a good mechanic (or a bad one, either).
The important thing is that the boat starts and runs great now! Bring on the fish!!!
Okay, it's obvious I am not a mechanic, or even a weekend warrior in that area. So when I can solve a problem by myself, just me and my manual, it's a reason for celebration around here! besides, I just don't have the funds for a good mechanic (or a bad one, either).
The important thing is that the boat starts and runs great now! Bring on the fish!!!
Monday, March 24, 2008
We have a new addition to our family!
It has been a while since I posted last, but I have been busy!!
My oldest son is a proud owner of a Benelli Super Nova shotgun in 12 gauge. For those not familiar with them, the Super Nova is a pump action that chambers all sizes of 12 gauge shells, from 2.75 inch to 3.5 inch magnums, interchangeably. The gun has a polymer stock and forearm, available in black or camouflage patterns. My son prefers the black as it suits his needs better than a single camo pattern.
We went to a nearby shooting range to try it out. The Super Nova has a recoil-reducing stock design that really works! We tried some Winchester small game loads shooting #6 shot at 1350 fps, as well as a box of light target loads. Recoil was non-existent. The gun was a real pleasure to shoot.
Unfortunately, neither one of us can hit any thing in the air, but we will be checking its pattern very soon. We had to shoot at the skeet range, which was not the best choice for us. Skeet looks like a lot of fun, but only if you can hit something once in a while. Skeet shooters all use a very open choke; of course, all we brought with us was the full choke tube…that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it!
We both had a great time shooting that Benelli Super Nova. It was reliable right out of the box, but the chamber felt a little tight to me, as the empties were hard to shuck out. After another good cleaning, it should get easier to cycle. I told my son that when he is away I’ll be happy to look after his gun for him…until I can get one of my own!
My oldest son is a proud owner of a Benelli Super Nova shotgun in 12 gauge. For those not familiar with them, the Super Nova is a pump action that chambers all sizes of 12 gauge shells, from 2.75 inch to 3.5 inch magnums, interchangeably. The gun has a polymer stock and forearm, available in black or camouflage patterns. My son prefers the black as it suits his needs better than a single camo pattern.
We went to a nearby shooting range to try it out. The Super Nova has a recoil-reducing stock design that really works! We tried some Winchester small game loads shooting #6 shot at 1350 fps, as well as a box of light target loads. Recoil was non-existent. The gun was a real pleasure to shoot.
Unfortunately, neither one of us can hit any thing in the air, but we will be checking its pattern very soon. We had to shoot at the skeet range, which was not the best choice for us. Skeet looks like a lot of fun, but only if you can hit something once in a while. Skeet shooters all use a very open choke; of course, all we brought with us was the full choke tube…that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it!
We both had a great time shooting that Benelli Super Nova. It was reliable right out of the box, but the chamber felt a little tight to me, as the empties were hard to shuck out. After another good cleaning, it should get easier to cycle. I told my son that when he is away I’ll be happy to look after his gun for him…until I can get one of my own!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Shotguns!!
I LOVE shotguns! Shotguns are, in my humble opinion, the most versatile firearm ever invented. It makes no difference if it is a semi auto, pump, over/under, side-by-side or a single shot…there is no task for a firearm that the shotgun can perform well, if not brilliantly. Having said all that, you would think that I am a pretty good shooter with a shotgun.
You would be wrong. So very, very wrong.
Okay, maybe not that bad. People are an easy mark (I was in law enforcement). If the shotgun has a sighting aid such as a red dot sight or a scope, I can burn up a deer or turkey with the best of them. If the target is on the ground and moving slowly, then I shoot pretty well.
Put me on a trap range, or a skeet field, and it’s just a waste of ammo.
So, that is my new quest, to learn how to hit flying targets with a shotgun with a lot more consistency than I am now. My wife and sons want to learn as well, so I hope to get the entire clan involved. Talk about quality time on a trap range, sporting clays course or a duck blind!!
I bought a clay target thrower so I can practice some in relative privacy. Mainly, the thrower can consistently throw a target the same way hundreds of times, which is what I need until I develop more coordination with my shotgun.
As my son became of legal age, my wife and I accompanied him on a rite of passage, his first purchase of a firearm. He had tried a Benelli Super Nova pump at a recent Ducks Unlimited show and he hit nearly everything they threw for him. So, he saved his paychecks and the after his birthday, he became a legal firearm owner. We all are aching to try it out!!
You would be wrong. So very, very wrong.
Okay, maybe not that bad. People are an easy mark (I was in law enforcement). If the shotgun has a sighting aid such as a red dot sight or a scope, I can burn up a deer or turkey with the best of them. If the target is on the ground and moving slowly, then I shoot pretty well.
Put me on a trap range, or a skeet field, and it’s just a waste of ammo.
So, that is my new quest, to learn how to hit flying targets with a shotgun with a lot more consistency than I am now. My wife and sons want to learn as well, so I hope to get the entire clan involved. Talk about quality time on a trap range, sporting clays course or a duck blind!!
I bought a clay target thrower so I can practice some in relative privacy. Mainly, the thrower can consistently throw a target the same way hundreds of times, which is what I need until I develop more coordination with my shotgun.
As my son became of legal age, my wife and I accompanied him on a rite of passage, his first purchase of a firearm. He had tried a Benelli Super Nova pump at a recent Ducks Unlimited show and he hit nearly everything they threw for him. So, he saved his paychecks and the after his birthday, he became a legal firearm owner. We all are aching to try it out!!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Jobs suck!
There. I said it. I kinda like my job, actually. It more or less pays the bills, but not at over $3.10 a gallon for regular gas. Life would be SO much better if I did not have to work, or if my job was to go hunting and/or fishing. But, I can't catch fish well enough for anyone to pay me to take them fishing, and my hunting skills are not in great demand either.
So, I sit in my little cubicle and write reports and letters...and watch the clock for quitting time to get here so I can go home and work on really important stuff, like getting my boat running properly and shopping for a new shotgun.
Maybe tomorrow I will have something intelligent to write...but I doubt it.
So, I sit in my little cubicle and write reports and letters...and watch the clock for quitting time to get here so I can go home and work on really important stuff, like getting my boat running properly and shopping for a new shotgun.
Maybe tomorrow I will have something intelligent to write...but I doubt it.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Oil prices killing water activities??
Oil prices, including diesel fuel and gasoline, are at record highs in the U.S. The high price of gas for both land vehicles and boats has reduced new boat sales over 40% since last year. Sure, owning a boat is still considered a "luxury"...but who would call a 14 ft. aluminum john boat and a 5 hp kicker a luxury model?
Okay, my boat is a bit bigger than that, but it is nowhere near the large end of the scale. We used about 20 gallons of gas in the boat last year, on 12 outings. My wife does not like to bounce around in the boat, so we keep the speed down. We don't water ski or pull tubes (yet), so we just went from place to place in a couple small lakes chasing fish. I have friends who use over a hundred gallons of gas DAILY in their boats. Needless to say, prices have cut their water time a lot, and the new boat is on hold for now.
I intend to use my boat MORE than I did last year. How can I do that? I plan to be more efficient with my money and my time.
Let's start with the boat. I have replaced the spark plugs and wires, cleaned out the carbs and changed the fuel filter for more reliability and a better running. A two-cycle engine like my boat has runs cleaner when it runs better, so everyone wins. I use less gas, make less pollutants, the boat is more reliable and safer when it is tuned its best.
I plan to change the propeller this year also. Right now the prop is a 24 inch pitch, which is pretty high for my setup. It maximizes top speed and gives a very good cruise speed. The down side is the boat is hard to get on plane, like starting your car on a hill - in 5th gear! it's great once you get moving, but getting going is really tough! Since I rarely run at wide open throttle (WOT), and getting on plane is a real struggle, I am going down to a 21 inch pitch prop, probably a four-blade model. The four-blade has a better reverse response, better handling at all speeds and better acceleration. I will sacrifice a little top speed, that I almost never use. Looks like a win-win situation to me.
Getting to the water takes gas too, so The Tank gets a tuneup also. A new air filter and fresh oil for the engine and transmission are in order. The Tank got new plugs just a few months ago, so they can stay. Tire pressure is a big deal now, as firm tires roll easier that flabby ones. You probably noticed it's about impossible to find a gas station that has a working air hose...so I now have a portable compressor that just plugs in an woo-hoo! Firm tires for both the truck and trailer!
Must not forget the trailer!!! New bearings for the old trailer, repacked every year at a minimum. If finances allow, it will get new tires also. trailer tires need to be kept well-inflated also, or you risk a blowout on the road. Murphy's Law guarantees the blow out will occur as far from help as possible, in a location your cell phone gets no signal and the spare will be flat, too (don't worry because the lug nuts won't come off anyway).
Lesson learned: take care of your stuff!!
Okay, so we have the rig at max efficiency. Now we have to work on being efficient of the other thing we spend a lot of - time. If we have no time to go boating, then we won't go. I know several folks that clearly have more than enough money to go, but have no time - so they say. Some are too busy earning all that dough in the first place, others just are not organized enough.
That would include me!! so, how do families like mine find more time?
Most folks have their time off on weekends and holidays. Okay, so the trick is to make sure nothing else can take over your days off. Looks like we have to make sure that EVERYTHING gets done during the week!
Keep your house clean. Get that laundry finished. Work in your yard after work until its too dark to see. Unless you would rather do it all on Saturday instead of fishing...
Okay, my boat is a bit bigger than that, but it is nowhere near the large end of the scale. We used about 20 gallons of gas in the boat last year, on 12 outings. My wife does not like to bounce around in the boat, so we keep the speed down. We don't water ski or pull tubes (yet), so we just went from place to place in a couple small lakes chasing fish. I have friends who use over a hundred gallons of gas DAILY in their boats. Needless to say, prices have cut their water time a lot, and the new boat is on hold for now.
I intend to use my boat MORE than I did last year. How can I do that? I plan to be more efficient with my money and my time.
Let's start with the boat. I have replaced the spark plugs and wires, cleaned out the carbs and changed the fuel filter for more reliability and a better running. A two-cycle engine like my boat has runs cleaner when it runs better, so everyone wins. I use less gas, make less pollutants, the boat is more reliable and safer when it is tuned its best.
I plan to change the propeller this year also. Right now the prop is a 24 inch pitch, which is pretty high for my setup. It maximizes top speed and gives a very good cruise speed. The down side is the boat is hard to get on plane, like starting your car on a hill - in 5th gear! it's great once you get moving, but getting going is really tough! Since I rarely run at wide open throttle (WOT), and getting on plane is a real struggle, I am going down to a 21 inch pitch prop, probably a four-blade model. The four-blade has a better reverse response, better handling at all speeds and better acceleration. I will sacrifice a little top speed, that I almost never use. Looks like a win-win situation to me.
Getting to the water takes gas too, so The Tank gets a tuneup also. A new air filter and fresh oil for the engine and transmission are in order. The Tank got new plugs just a few months ago, so they can stay. Tire pressure is a big deal now, as firm tires roll easier that flabby ones. You probably noticed it's about impossible to find a gas station that has a working air hose...so I now have a portable compressor that just plugs in an woo-hoo! Firm tires for both the truck and trailer!
Must not forget the trailer!!! New bearings for the old trailer, repacked every year at a minimum. If finances allow, it will get new tires also. trailer tires need to be kept well-inflated also, or you risk a blowout on the road. Murphy's Law guarantees the blow out will occur as far from help as possible, in a location your cell phone gets no signal and the spare will be flat, too (don't worry because the lug nuts won't come off anyway).
Lesson learned: take care of your stuff!!
Okay, so we have the rig at max efficiency. Now we have to work on being efficient of the other thing we spend a lot of - time. If we have no time to go boating, then we won't go. I know several folks that clearly have more than enough money to go, but have no time - so they say. Some are too busy earning all that dough in the first place, others just are not organized enough.
That would include me!! so, how do families like mine find more time?
Most folks have their time off on weekends and holidays. Okay, so the trick is to make sure nothing else can take over your days off. Looks like we have to make sure that EVERYTHING gets done during the week!
Keep your house clean. Get that laundry finished. Work in your yard after work until its too dark to see. Unless you would rather do it all on Saturday instead of fishing...
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Slingshots ain't what they used to be!
Looking around the internet yesterday I saw an ad for a slingshot that could snap a pencil in half at 30 feet. I thought, "Sure, if you could even hit the darn thing." Well, that's the point. In their video, they do that over and over. This amazing tool has both a laser and gun-style sights built into it to give it unheard-of accuracy. So, why should anyone care? Check out their site: http://www.catsdomain.com/ (hey, I didn't pick the name!) If you decide, like me, that you can't live without one, PLEASE tell them you heard about it from me!
I have an inexpensive slingshot I bought a wallyworld years ago. It has a folding wrist brace for improved accuracy and power. I have yet to kill anything with it, but I have a lot of fun scaring away possums, squirrels and starlings. I keep my shots close, but not close enough to hit anything, let alone kill it. That's why the accuracy of this slingshot is got me hot and bothered enough to buy one! If you think of it as a toy, it seems extravagant, around $50. But if you compare it to an adult air rifle, or air pistol, it looks VERY promising! The website has a LOT of good info, besides some really cool videos! Check it out for yourself.
And I'll let you know how it shoots when I get mine!
I have an inexpensive slingshot I bought a wallyworld years ago. It has a folding wrist brace for improved accuracy and power. I have yet to kill anything with it, but I have a lot of fun scaring away possums, squirrels and starlings. I keep my shots close, but not close enough to hit anything, let alone kill it. That's why the accuracy of this slingshot is got me hot and bothered enough to buy one! If you think of it as a toy, it seems extravagant, around $50. But if you compare it to an adult air rifle, or air pistol, it looks VERY promising! The website has a LOT of good info, besides some really cool videos! Check it out for yourself.
And I'll let you know how it shoots when I get mine!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Darned old boats!
Yesterday I tried the engine on my boat again. She just won’t run. Mercury engines, especially an older one like mine, are known to be hard to get running if they sat for a while. Well, I can get her to start after a while, but it dies soon after. Sounds like a fuel problem, right?
Since it seems to get gas for a while, there must be a restriction or something between the engine and the tank. The primer bulb and the hose to the engine seem okay and are just a year old…not likely suspects. The fuel filter as my next likely suspect. I slipped on my filter wrench for tight spaces like this and pulled…and pulled, and pulled. At last I got the filter to budge I tiny bit when I heard the sound of a suction being broken. I’m pretty sure the filter element was clogged, or the filter housing, because it was trying to draw fuel from the filter, and had plenty of suction to that point, but the tank had no suction at all. So, I get my new filter, but its pretty big and I go to my gas can to put some gas into it so it won’t draw so much air through it, and…the gas can is empty. Last year, I remember cranking and pumping, cranking and pumping to get gas from the tank through an empty filter and fuel line before it could start.
But not today. The sun has set, it’s getting really dark and the forecast is for freezing rain for the next 24 hours.
The joys of older boats!
But not today. The sun has set, it’s getting really dark and the forecast is for freezing rain for the next 24 hours.
The joys of older boats!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Boats are full of surprises!
Well, my boat has once again proved it is definitely a female. After I wrote about taking care of her and running the engine on a regular basis, she had to punish me for ignoring her. I had not run the engine in over a month and a half. I knew it would be a bitch to start, but I had no idea just how bitchy she would be…
I had treated the fuel with Seafoam, one of my favorite products for 2-cycle engines. I figured the fuel was fine and all she needed was some coaxing to come back to life. Well, I cranked and cranked, got a couple of sputters…then the battery was done. Nuts.
Okay, plug in the charger and let it rip overnight. The next morning I checked the battery but the charger was off. WTF??? The power cord had been pulled out of the socket by one of the dogs! Great, another day gone and a still-dead battery. This time I plugged in the charger AFTER the dogs went inside for the night and awoke to a fully charged battery and I looked forward to firing right up.
She had other plans.
Crank, crank, crank. Nothing; not even a cough. I checked the fuel; I could hear the gas going into the carbs as I squeezed the primer bulb. I opened the throttle wide open and choked her for all I was worth.
Nothing. But I did see a little gas dribble out of the lower carb…great, now it’s flooded. Okay, crank with the throttle at idle. A cough or two gave me hope, and I gave her some more gas and cranked…the engine roared to life, racing to 6,000 rpm until the limiter kicked in as I yanked back the throttle lever. Then, it was quiet again. Nuts!!
Back to square one – crank, crank, crank. Nothing. I am sure I could hear her giggling softly. Definitely a female.
So, I put the battery back on the charger and I’ll try to romance her today into running. I got her new spark plugs and a new fuel line. Maybe she will appreciate my gifts and reward me with normal operation.
Until she gets pissed at me again.
I had treated the fuel with Seafoam, one of my favorite products for 2-cycle engines. I figured the fuel was fine and all she needed was some coaxing to come back to life. Well, I cranked and cranked, got a couple of sputters…then the battery was done. Nuts.
Okay, plug in the charger and let it rip overnight. The next morning I checked the battery but the charger was off. WTF??? The power cord had been pulled out of the socket by one of the dogs! Great, another day gone and a still-dead battery. This time I plugged in the charger AFTER the dogs went inside for the night and awoke to a fully charged battery and I looked forward to firing right up.
She had other plans.
Crank, crank, crank. Nothing; not even a cough. I checked the fuel; I could hear the gas going into the carbs as I squeezed the primer bulb. I opened the throttle wide open and choked her for all I was worth.
Nothing. But I did see a little gas dribble out of the lower carb…great, now it’s flooded. Okay, crank with the throttle at idle. A cough or two gave me hope, and I gave her some more gas and cranked…the engine roared to life, racing to 6,000 rpm until the limiter kicked in as I yanked back the throttle lever. Then, it was quiet again. Nuts!!
Back to square one – crank, crank, crank. Nothing. I am sure I could hear her giggling softly. Definitely a female.
So, I put the battery back on the charger and I’ll try to romance her today into running. I got her new spark plugs and a new fuel line. Maybe she will appreciate my gifts and reward me with normal operation.
Until she gets pissed at me again.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
It's Show Season!
Sigh.
Another weekend is gone and nothing to show for it. Sure, the house got cleaned and the laundry washed, but who cares about that??? I was fortunate to have Martin Luther King’s birthday off, but the weather was just too cold and raw for enjoying the outdoors. I spent enough time outside in cold rain in Alaska and on George’s Bank east of New England – it just is not enjoyable!
But I will tell you what looks enjoyable; the Richmond (VA) Fishing Expo from January 25-27! This is the first time for this event, but it looks promising. Several big name pro bass fishermen will be giving fishing seminars, as well as several local folks sharing their knowledge about saltwater species. GMC will be there as a major sponsor, so I expect to see some Jimmys for hauling. I plan to ask somebody from GMC why you can’t get a Yukon XL with a diesel!!! I love my Yukon, but I’d trade it today for one with diesel power!
Several boat manufacturers will be represented by the local dealers as well. I just hope it will not be a bass boat show. The bass boats of today are just too specialized for my taste, and many others, as well. Take a quick look at the used boat listings and see how many bass machines are up for sale after one or two years. Most folks want a boat that can do more than one thing well, and bass boats just don’t cut it on rough water, they are not comfortable with more that 2 aboard, and are not kid-friendly.
Don’t get me wrong, bass boats today are some fine machines for giving a bass angler every possible advantage; they just are not MY cup of tea. There are lots of boats out there that can do a fair job for bassers and can still be set up to pull an tube with the kids and won’t swamp if the waves get over a foot. Most folks find themselves wanting to do other things out on the water besides fan casting every point all day long.
Many bait and tackle makers will be there with lots of new stuff to try out. I remember a couple years back at the Ducks Unlimited Outdoors show at Petersburg…my teenaged son posed for pictures with a “Shimano Girl” model while I tried a spinning rod and reel combo that seemed to cast itself. I had a trouble hitting the target because I kept shooting way past it! I was all set to take it home right then until they told me how much it cost…OUCH! Looks like I’m sticking with my Quantum and Abu Garcias until I win the lottery.
I’ll be scoping out the soft plastic baits this year. I’ve had good results with Zoom baits in the past, but I’m going to be using a lot of three-way rigs this year. That should help me recover from snags as well as get the baits deep when I need them there while drifting or trolling. So I’ll be looking at a lot of jig heads in non-toxic metals and various minnow/shad presentations. The Berkeley Gulp! series of baits in a jar look very promising, but the cost is a little steep for us working guys. I think over time they will work out about the same or more cost-effective than live bait. Time will tell, and I’ll report on my success or lack of success here.
Go check out the show – if not this one, another one! Go to a gun show or boat show and support your local small business dealers!!
Another weekend is gone and nothing to show for it. Sure, the house got cleaned and the laundry washed, but who cares about that??? I was fortunate to have Martin Luther King’s birthday off, but the weather was just too cold and raw for enjoying the outdoors. I spent enough time outside in cold rain in Alaska and on George’s Bank east of New England – it just is not enjoyable!
But I will tell you what looks enjoyable; the Richmond (VA) Fishing Expo from January 25-27! This is the first time for this event, but it looks promising. Several big name pro bass fishermen will be giving fishing seminars, as well as several local folks sharing their knowledge about saltwater species. GMC will be there as a major sponsor, so I expect to see some Jimmys for hauling. I plan to ask somebody from GMC why you can’t get a Yukon XL with a diesel!!! I love my Yukon, but I’d trade it today for one with diesel power!
Several boat manufacturers will be represented by the local dealers as well. I just hope it will not be a bass boat show. The bass boats of today are just too specialized for my taste, and many others, as well. Take a quick look at the used boat listings and see how many bass machines are up for sale after one or two years. Most folks want a boat that can do more than one thing well, and bass boats just don’t cut it on rough water, they are not comfortable with more that 2 aboard, and are not kid-friendly.
Don’t get me wrong, bass boats today are some fine machines for giving a bass angler every possible advantage; they just are not MY cup of tea. There are lots of boats out there that can do a fair job for bassers and can still be set up to pull an tube with the kids and won’t swamp if the waves get over a foot. Most folks find themselves wanting to do other things out on the water besides fan casting every point all day long.
Many bait and tackle makers will be there with lots of new stuff to try out. I remember a couple years back at the Ducks Unlimited Outdoors show at Petersburg…my teenaged son posed for pictures with a “Shimano Girl” model while I tried a spinning rod and reel combo that seemed to cast itself. I had a trouble hitting the target because I kept shooting way past it! I was all set to take it home right then until they told me how much it cost…OUCH! Looks like I’m sticking with my Quantum and Abu Garcias until I win the lottery.
I’ll be scoping out the soft plastic baits this year. I’ve had good results with Zoom baits in the past, but I’m going to be using a lot of three-way rigs this year. That should help me recover from snags as well as get the baits deep when I need them there while drifting or trolling. So I’ll be looking at a lot of jig heads in non-toxic metals and various minnow/shad presentations. The Berkeley Gulp! series of baits in a jar look very promising, but the cost is a little steep for us working guys. I think over time they will work out about the same or more cost-effective than live bait. Time will tell, and I’ll report on my success or lack of success here.
Go check out the show – if not this one, another one! Go to a gun show or boat show and support your local small business dealers!!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Boat Show Season is here!
Now that hunting season is pretty much over – small game is still legal until the end of the month, and some waterfowl – it’s now Boat Show Season!! This is the best time of year to buy a new boat, and a boat show is the place to do it!
Boat shows are the industry’s rollout of all the new models. Dealers use their traffic and advance sales at the shows to decide how much inventory they should order, and what models they believe will be in demand. But if you are looking at a popular model, well the boat show may be your only chance to get one at a good price, if there are any to be had!
I remember when I was selling boats that we had a particularly hot model (she was another story) and a very popular boat for sale at the show in Houston, Texas many years back. We sold several of these boats, and as we sold a few, some others that were sitting on the fence before, decided to go for it also. Even though we sold a lot of those boats during the show, the owner decided not to order any more for inventory, thinking we could just get another off the production line if a customer wanted one…WRONG! The year’s production was sold out by the end of the month, and we could not get another model for a year! If we had ordered a 2 or 3 after the show, we could have sold them as soon as we got them; actually, folks were coming in with deposit checks for months afterwards, but we had to tell them they had a year to wait. So, they took their checkbooks and drove to another dealer about 4 hours away and bought a boat there!
The hardest part of buying a boat is deciding how you will use it. Once you do that, you will be able to pick a category or type that suits your needs. If all you do is one particular activity, like fishing for bass, no wakeboarding, no deep sea fishing, etc. then a specialized boat is for you. Bass boats are great for serious bass fishing and tournament fishing – for bass. They are a poor choice for most any saltwater applications, and have very few creature comforts. Got a large family? Then a bass boat is not a good choice for you.
Most of us fit into the all-around category. We like to do several activities on the water, and we need a boat that can do them. Unless you are a hard core pro fisherman, you will find nearly any boat is suitable for some fishing. A cruiser with a small cockpit can still be used for fishing by adding rod holders and making the bow area accessible for more fishing space. It won’t be perfect, but it will work. The same holds true if you really want, say, a center console boat for fishing but still want to overnight in it. A camping enclosure that can be easily raised might be just the ticket for you. Center console boats have a lot of clear deck space for pads and sleeping bags. Not the plush berths of a cruiser, but doable. See what I mean?
So, spend sometime before the show and think about how you would likely use the boat and let that list be your guide for choosing a model or type. Build quality, dealer service and price (in that order) should be the final decision points. Then get out on the water and have fun!!!
Boat shows are the industry’s rollout of all the new models. Dealers use their traffic and advance sales at the shows to decide how much inventory they should order, and what models they believe will be in demand. But if you are looking at a popular model, well the boat show may be your only chance to get one at a good price, if there are any to be had!
I remember when I was selling boats that we had a particularly hot model (she was another story) and a very popular boat for sale at the show in Houston, Texas many years back. We sold several of these boats, and as we sold a few, some others that were sitting on the fence before, decided to go for it also. Even though we sold a lot of those boats during the show, the owner decided not to order any more for inventory, thinking we could just get another off the production line if a customer wanted one…WRONG! The year’s production was sold out by the end of the month, and we could not get another model for a year! If we had ordered a 2 or 3 after the show, we could have sold them as soon as we got them; actually, folks were coming in with deposit checks for months afterwards, but we had to tell them they had a year to wait. So, they took their checkbooks and drove to another dealer about 4 hours away and bought a boat there!
The hardest part of buying a boat is deciding how you will use it. Once you do that, you will be able to pick a category or type that suits your needs. If all you do is one particular activity, like fishing for bass, no wakeboarding, no deep sea fishing, etc. then a specialized boat is for you. Bass boats are great for serious bass fishing and tournament fishing – for bass. They are a poor choice for most any saltwater applications, and have very few creature comforts. Got a large family? Then a bass boat is not a good choice for you.
Most of us fit into the all-around category. We like to do several activities on the water, and we need a boat that can do them. Unless you are a hard core pro fisherman, you will find nearly any boat is suitable for some fishing. A cruiser with a small cockpit can still be used for fishing by adding rod holders and making the bow area accessible for more fishing space. It won’t be perfect, but it will work. The same holds true if you really want, say, a center console boat for fishing but still want to overnight in it. A camping enclosure that can be easily raised might be just the ticket for you. Center console boats have a lot of clear deck space for pads and sleeping bags. Not the plush berths of a cruiser, but doable. See what I mean?
So, spend sometime before the show and think about how you would likely use the boat and let that list be your guide for choosing a model or type. Build quality, dealer service and price (in that order) should be the final decision points. Then get out on the water and have fun!!!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Ready to Fish?
The boat was full of leaves. While I was away for the night, my cheap boat cover blew off and the boat turned into a leaf magnet, attracting and collecting every remaining leaf for a six block radius. Of course, now that the boat was full of leaves, it rained – a lot. So, I looked over my once-clean boat now full of wet, nasty leaves. Worse, these leaves left wet stains on the new stern seat and bow seat cushions.
Life sure sucks sometimes.
I was keeping the boat ready for use through the winter here in Virginia, since the winters are relatively mild and good fishing can be found pretty near all year round. Winterizing a boat is a lot of work, and it is effort well spent if your boat will not be operated for a month or more. But taking a boat out of winter storage just for a day or two of spring-like weather in January and laying back up just is not worth it in cost or work. So I keep my boat in ready boat status all year, in winter just like summer. But that doesn’t mean I just park it and leave it ready to go all winter. There is some maintenance involved. And as I noted at the start of this post, there can be some drawbacks as well.
My boat has an older 2 stroke outboard engine with carburetors. While it provides the performance and fuel economy that I like, it can be very fussy about starting up if it has set for a while. Winterizing an engine is a good practice if you will not be using it for a while. Outboards, in my experience, run best when they are run frequently, at least once a week. It does not take much, just hook up the flushing unit for cooling water, make sure that the prop is clear of any loose items including people and start it up. Run in neutral gear at fast idle until the engine is fully warmed, about 7 to 10 minutes. Check again that the prop is clear, shift the engine into forward gear for a few seconds and verify that the prop is turning, and then try reverse. No need for speed, just leave the throttle low and RPM’s less than 2,000. Put her back into neutral for a couple minutes to check idle, then shut it down. That’s it! Once a week and she will start right up when you get a surprise spring-like day and a need for fishing!
Make sure that you take care of your fuel supply as well! If you keep gas in the tank over the winter, keep the tank full to reduce the amount of moisture that can build up in the space. Use a gas stabilizer, such as StaBil or Seafoam to keep the gas from turning into varnish. I use Seafoam because I use it year round to keep things clean inside. Be sure to change that nasty old fuel filter as well. If you can turn a torque wrench, change the spark plugs at least once a year. Get a GOOD manual for your particular engine and read up on it. It might save your butt on a launch ramp or out in the bay sometime.
Winter is hard on batteries. Make sure you keep yours charged, if you keep in inside the boat. I unhook mine during the week and reconnect it when I do my test runs. If there is a chance that I may get on the water, I leave it all connected and check it with a multimeter. If it cranks slow, or the power trim runs slow, charge that battery! If you let it run down, it won’t hold a charge and you will be left motor-less when you need it most!
Later this week I’ll be sucking up leaves with my ShopVac from Sears and cleaning the seats with my secret weapon (more on that later). I’ll fill you in on a couple other things to look at and take care of next time.
Tight lines and strong knots!
Life sure sucks sometimes.
I was keeping the boat ready for use through the winter here in Virginia, since the winters are relatively mild and good fishing can be found pretty near all year round. Winterizing a boat is a lot of work, and it is effort well spent if your boat will not be operated for a month or more. But taking a boat out of winter storage just for a day or two of spring-like weather in January and laying back up just is not worth it in cost or work. So I keep my boat in ready boat status all year, in winter just like summer. But that doesn’t mean I just park it and leave it ready to go all winter. There is some maintenance involved. And as I noted at the start of this post, there can be some drawbacks as well.
My boat has an older 2 stroke outboard engine with carburetors. While it provides the performance and fuel economy that I like, it can be very fussy about starting up if it has set for a while. Winterizing an engine is a good practice if you will not be using it for a while. Outboards, in my experience, run best when they are run frequently, at least once a week. It does not take much, just hook up the flushing unit for cooling water, make sure that the prop is clear of any loose items including people and start it up. Run in neutral gear at fast idle until the engine is fully warmed, about 7 to 10 minutes. Check again that the prop is clear, shift the engine into forward gear for a few seconds and verify that the prop is turning, and then try reverse. No need for speed, just leave the throttle low and RPM’s less than 2,000. Put her back into neutral for a couple minutes to check idle, then shut it down. That’s it! Once a week and she will start right up when you get a surprise spring-like day and a need for fishing!
Make sure that you take care of your fuel supply as well! If you keep gas in the tank over the winter, keep the tank full to reduce the amount of moisture that can build up in the space. Use a gas stabilizer, such as StaBil or Seafoam to keep the gas from turning into varnish. I use Seafoam because I use it year round to keep things clean inside. Be sure to change that nasty old fuel filter as well. If you can turn a torque wrench, change the spark plugs at least once a year. Get a GOOD manual for your particular engine and read up on it. It might save your butt on a launch ramp or out in the bay sometime.
Winter is hard on batteries. Make sure you keep yours charged, if you keep in inside the boat. I unhook mine during the week and reconnect it when I do my test runs. If there is a chance that I may get on the water, I leave it all connected and check it with a multimeter. If it cranks slow, or the power trim runs slow, charge that battery! If you let it run down, it won’t hold a charge and you will be left motor-less when you need it most!
Later this week I’ll be sucking up leaves with my ShopVac from Sears and cleaning the seats with my secret weapon (more on that later). I’ll fill you in on a couple other things to look at and take care of next time.
Tight lines and strong knots!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Four-legged vandals
My house looked gorgeous for the first time since I bought it nearly 10 years ago. I had applied a thin coat of stain about five years ago, but that had faded and the house looked worn. Adding to that were the holes left behind by marauding squirrels and birds looking to snuggle in along with us. After replacing a lot of cedar siding and caulking, two fresh coats of bright paint had the house the talk of the subdivision.
The job, now, was to keep it looking that way! Sure, power washing and general maintenance would do the job. But when I heard a scraping and tapping sound on the side of the house, I realized my castle was again under assault! I looked outside and spotted a grey squirrel pulling and gnawing in a fresh cedar board. He saw me at the same moment, and it scampered onto the roof and made a spectacular leap onto a tree branch. I thought the branch was too far to jump to or from; I was wrong!
I had tried catching the little grey critters before and taking them to the park at the other end of the subdivision. The problem was, the darn things always came back, or others took their place. Only one tactic gave me results that lasted several months – sniping with airguns.
I’m not talking about anything that shoots BBs. My silent weapon of choice is my ancient Sheridan Blue Streak air rifle in 5mm caliber. This particular rifle is well over 20 years old, and had some years on it when I bought it used more than 20 years ago. I can’t begin to count how many squirrels, rabbits and pests that have fallen from a well-placed shot from the Sheridan.
As a comparison, both my teenage sons have Daisy 880 pump air rifles that have taken several squirrels with well-aimed head shots. At 10 pumps, the rifles shoot a 7.9 grain lead pellet at a listed velocity of 675 feet per second (FPS). With 8 pumps in its reservoir, my Sheridan launches a 14.3 grain pellet at just over 700 fps for twice the energy. That coupled with the gun’s favorite pellet, the Beeman Crow Magnum hollow point, and I can easily harvest any squirrel with a head shot or a shot to the chest area. The hollow point eliminates over penetration, a major consideration when shooting in a suburban habitat.
Anyone who has hunted squirrels can tell you stories about the animal’s toughness and will to survive. Out of respect for these animals, it is important to use enough gun to kill them cleanly and prevent needless suffering. That is why my sons limit all their shots to head shots, as their smaller pellets do not impart enough energy and shock to cleanly kill a squirrel with a shot to the chest. The critter will die quickly with a hit to its heart and/or lungs, but often not before it can make its way to a den or other place inaccessible to people. A shot to the head puts the squirrel down in its tracks.
I have hunted enough squirrels to know that if I did not frighten this intruder very much, that he would sneak back pretty quickly to add another doorway to my house. I retreated inside and grabbed my Sheridan and 2 Crow Magnum pellets on the way to my youngest son’s bedroom.
I wanted two things for my ambush location; height and a backstop. Both were more important than getting an easy shot at the returning squirrel. Being in a subdivision, I wanted a downward shot, so if I missed, the pellet would bury itself in the soft dirt in the back yard. That’s the same reason I wanted my stockade fence between me and my neighbors – no stray pellets in other folk’s yards! Safety first!!
I cracked the window open and readied my rifle, pumping it eight times, and then closing the bolt on a Crow Magnum pellet when the squirrel came into view. It looked to be a large male as it leaped onto the deck railing. After pausing to gnaw on two of my bamboo tiki torches, the critter made its way along the wide railing towards my gas grill. Most folks don’t realize that squirrels are sometimes carnivorous, and will eat meat any chance they get. I have replaced gas lines on my grill after the grey vandals have chewed them to pieces. I braced the rifle on the window sill and planned to intercept this squirrel just before he got the grill. I could see flecks of fresh paint in his fur, confirming this one was trying to eat his way into my home.
Fate was with me today, and not with this squirrel as he chose to freeze at a spot I knew to be exactly 18 meters from the rifle’s muzzle. I lined up the sights and squeezed the trigger.
The pellet struck exactly where I had aimed it, between the squirrel’s eye and its ear. The squirrel slumped, then rolled off the railing onto the deck and was still.
I retrieved the squirrel, a male, and had it skinned and cleaned in minutes. Soon it was frozen, waiting to be joined with a few others to feed my family.
The home was safe once more, and I had reclaimed my place at the top of the food chain, providing food for my family. All was well with the world.
The job, now, was to keep it looking that way! Sure, power washing and general maintenance would do the job. But when I heard a scraping and tapping sound on the side of the house, I realized my castle was again under assault! I looked outside and spotted a grey squirrel pulling and gnawing in a fresh cedar board. He saw me at the same moment, and it scampered onto the roof and made a spectacular leap onto a tree branch. I thought the branch was too far to jump to or from; I was wrong!
I had tried catching the little grey critters before and taking them to the park at the other end of the subdivision. The problem was, the darn things always came back, or others took their place. Only one tactic gave me results that lasted several months – sniping with airguns.
I’m not talking about anything that shoots BBs. My silent weapon of choice is my ancient Sheridan Blue Streak air rifle in 5mm caliber. This particular rifle is well over 20 years old, and had some years on it when I bought it used more than 20 years ago. I can’t begin to count how many squirrels, rabbits and pests that have fallen from a well-placed shot from the Sheridan.
As a comparison, both my teenage sons have Daisy 880 pump air rifles that have taken several squirrels with well-aimed head shots. At 10 pumps, the rifles shoot a 7.9 grain lead pellet at a listed velocity of 675 feet per second (FPS). With 8 pumps in its reservoir, my Sheridan launches a 14.3 grain pellet at just over 700 fps for twice the energy. That coupled with the gun’s favorite pellet, the Beeman Crow Magnum hollow point, and I can easily harvest any squirrel with a head shot or a shot to the chest area. The hollow point eliminates over penetration, a major consideration when shooting in a suburban habitat.
Anyone who has hunted squirrels can tell you stories about the animal’s toughness and will to survive. Out of respect for these animals, it is important to use enough gun to kill them cleanly and prevent needless suffering. That is why my sons limit all their shots to head shots, as their smaller pellets do not impart enough energy and shock to cleanly kill a squirrel with a shot to the chest. The critter will die quickly with a hit to its heart and/or lungs, but often not before it can make its way to a den or other place inaccessible to people. A shot to the head puts the squirrel down in its tracks.
I have hunted enough squirrels to know that if I did not frighten this intruder very much, that he would sneak back pretty quickly to add another doorway to my house. I retreated inside and grabbed my Sheridan and 2 Crow Magnum pellets on the way to my youngest son’s bedroom.
I wanted two things for my ambush location; height and a backstop. Both were more important than getting an easy shot at the returning squirrel. Being in a subdivision, I wanted a downward shot, so if I missed, the pellet would bury itself in the soft dirt in the back yard. That’s the same reason I wanted my stockade fence between me and my neighbors – no stray pellets in other folk’s yards! Safety first!!
I cracked the window open and readied my rifle, pumping it eight times, and then closing the bolt on a Crow Magnum pellet when the squirrel came into view. It looked to be a large male as it leaped onto the deck railing. After pausing to gnaw on two of my bamboo tiki torches, the critter made its way along the wide railing towards my gas grill. Most folks don’t realize that squirrels are sometimes carnivorous, and will eat meat any chance they get. I have replaced gas lines on my grill after the grey vandals have chewed them to pieces. I braced the rifle on the window sill and planned to intercept this squirrel just before he got the grill. I could see flecks of fresh paint in his fur, confirming this one was trying to eat his way into my home.
Fate was with me today, and not with this squirrel as he chose to freeze at a spot I knew to be exactly 18 meters from the rifle’s muzzle. I lined up the sights and squeezed the trigger.
The pellet struck exactly where I had aimed it, between the squirrel’s eye and its ear. The squirrel slumped, then rolled off the railing onto the deck and was still.
I retrieved the squirrel, a male, and had it skinned and cleaned in minutes. Soon it was frozen, waiting to be joined with a few others to feed my family.
The home was safe once more, and I had reclaimed my place at the top of the food chain, providing food for my family. All was well with the world.
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