Idle Hands

So the bed of a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 is exactly 2" shorter and 1" narrower (at the tailgate) than a 2005 Dodge Ram 1500. Why is this relevant? Well it means that if you decided to put the Truxedo from your old truck onto your new truck you would have to modify every single piece. (Ok, not the toolbox, but yes the tool box mounts).

But it worked, and only took five hours and an industrial sewing machine.

Its these kinds of projects that occupy Gentlemen of Leisure like me and The Old Farmer.

New deer blind progress

I was up at the farm this week. Dad and I worked on the deer blind that he had started. Here are some pictures of the progress.

• It is 4' x 6'.
• Sides and top have tin on the outside, insulation in the middle (the blue), and paneling on the inside.
• The windows on the ends slide up and down.
• The large windows on the sides swing in and can be hooked up out of the way.
• The door is in the floor
  
• Dad will add some trim around the windows and corners, as well as carpet the floor.
• Then it is simply a matter of getting the posts in the ground and setting this monster up on them :-)
• We haven't decided for sure where it should go. Any votes?
  

Tennesse Mountains

Sorry TXboy, I guess it is just me and you that remember how to read!

I just returned from a trip to Knoxville, TN with the youth delegates from the Nebraska Conference of the UCC. This was for our national gathering of youth from the entire USA for the National Youth Event, held every 4 years. It was a long drive (18 hours), but well worth it.

On Sunday, I was able to go up into the Smoky Mountains about 50 miles east of Knoxville, to visit my cousin and her husband, who retired from California a few years ago, and built on some property his grandfather had given them years ago. They live on the side of a mountain, on a road (?) that deadends at their property. They built their house from the trees that they had to cut down to make room for the cabin. He still speaks quite bitterly of the atrocities that occurred during the "War of Northern Aggression!"

He said they have lots of turkeys around, and if you walk up on the ridge, you can find razor back wild hogs, that have been crossed with wild Russian Boars years ago, they are supposed to be quite nasty. He also showed me where the bears had drug out some garbage that he failed to secure a few days ago. They had also had a mountain lion on the roof of their house last spring, watching the neighbor's horses.

He likes to target shoot pistols, and has a collection that range from Glock, military 45, 30 cal, and down to 22. He also has his own winery, and is establishing a reputation for that. He brews his own beer, he calls it Flat Tire, it is supposed to be better than Fat Tire. He gave me a pint to take along for hunting season, as well as a gallon of wine. He doesn't make moonshine yet, but most of their neighbors do.

I think he would fit in pretty well with our group.

TX boy and I will be pounding nails and doing lots of screwing this weekend. (on deer stands)

talk to us, the old farmer

Pick out a deer for you?

I'm headed up to the farm this weekend for a visit. I plan to pick out a deer for myself. Anyone else want one? Cathy is going to name it and make it into a pet... :-)

Does anyone besides me look at this anymore?

Nice Deer

Terri and I were in Chadron, NE for our churches annual conference meeting last weekend. While driving across campus, I stopped at a 4-way stop sign, and started to turn left. We had to slam on the brakes, because of 4 deer running down the sidewalk. They stayed in the crosswalk, so we had to yield the right of way, or they would have run into the side of the car. There was one really nice mule deer buck (big rack, in full velvet).
We also had a good laugh with our keynote speaker, a black female minister from Columbus, Ohio. She serves an urban church in a poor neighborhood. We were telling stories about growing up in the midwest, and one lady told about the time they came home from church, and a rattlesnake was coiled up against their door on the back porch. This minister asked, what in the world did you do? The other person replied, "Go get a hoe to chop it's head off". The minister replied, "A Ho! Why have a Ho do it?
We had more nasty weather last night, I suppose most of you saw the news about the tornado in the boy scout camp just across the river in Iowa.
So far, no major flooding up at the farm, but it is still wet.

Later, the old farmer

spring update

I have three food plots planted, the first is down in the big slough by the deer stand, 2nd is on the south side of the big pond near the straw bale stand, and the third is south of the house, south of the tree strip. In at least part of each, I have planted 2 rows of grain sorghum, 4 rows of a short "hunting" corn, and 2 rows of regular, tall corn. When repeated across the field, this will give a 4-4-4 pattern. We also have 5 more low spots that we have not been able to plant any crop in yet, If they dry up soon, I may try to put a small corn food plot in each of those areas also. Depending on weather and other conditions, I may or may not harvest the tall corn before deer season.
I am in the process of cleaning out the basement of the house, to allow sleeping quarters down there. The Illinois hunters are going to try to find me some bunk/single beds to put down there, this should allow sleeping room for 6-8 guys. We may have a couple of pheasant hunters joining us over thanksgiving, but shouldn't cause any conflicts. They may or may not also apply for doe tags.
Both pheasants and deer had a very easy winter, minimal death loss, now we need a good growing season, and we should have a great fall hunt.
I should have time to start building deer stands in the next month, it is time to quit talking about them, and actually do some construction. (will try to send progess photos)
Still no job, but I really have enough to do to keep busy.

Thanks for the food plot donations!
See you soon!
"the old farmer"

Hey Patrick, looking to do some roofing? Our house is ready for you... :-) Seriously, with all the hail and tornado's (we had a tornado go through our neighborhood about 3 weeks ago. missed our house by about 100 yards) we're having a hard time getting a roofer, not to mention that shingle prices are through the roof (get it, through the roof)

HUNTING?

Is it to soon to start talking about hunting yet?

Daniel has it figured out.

The Schmidt's went camping this weekend. After they packed up and got in the car to leave they saw a deer. Daniel immediately said "chk chk, pow! I shot that deer" I think he'll fit in just fine (the car was moving, etc.. :-) And then Sam said "Stop it, don't shoot the deer"... "chk chk bang, chk chk bang, chk chk bang!" -;)

Later he was telling his new friend about how he was going hunting this fall and that he needed a camouflage shirt. Gary was invited to come along so he could cut the horns off Daniels deer.

New strategy

http://blog.wired.com/sterling/2008/03/hapless-deer-be.html
Looks like this would make things easier... Of course, you could just shoot them when you are trying to attatch the cell phone... :-)