The Hunting Times

The range, for the most part, has been design & build - simultaneously.  We had ideas in mind about what we wanted and just created what made sense. I finally got the pipes welded onto the smaller targets (thanks to neighbor Eric for his skills!) and hung them up today.  The idea is that when they are hit, they will swing.  With a small orange marking flag stuck on the back, we will be able to get easy visual confirmation of a hit.  Of course, we could use scopes or binoculars as well as listening for the sound.  Just all part of the fun. From the left:  12" circle, 16" square, 4'x4' box, IPSC target, 8" circle & 6" circle IPSC = International Practical Shooting Confederation For Dave P:  30 cm circle, 40 cm square, 1.22 m box, IPSC target, 20 cm circle & 15 cm circle The outside circles have a pipe welded onto the top of them.  The targets slide onto a piece of rebar that is wired between two fence posts.  Thus, they are free to ...

Damn you, Covid.  You're messing up our plans.  Each year on Thanksgiving, we meet with Uncle DC & Cousin Shane to hunt.  Well, that's how it started.  The past few years it's been to visit, relive hunting stories (mostly lies) and consume adult beverages.  Last year I even smoked a deer roast that we ate with deer salami for breakfast. This year, not so much.  No gathering.  Heck, no travel even.  That did not stop us from enjoying the day. Cousin Shane in Michigan with some nice bourbon. He shared the picture since we could not be together this year. It also did not stop me & Eric from going out this morning to hunt.  It had rained all day yesterday - like 1,000" - so everything was wet, soggy, and nicely quiet.  Nick was supposed to go, but he had a stomach issue that kept him close to the Charmin. We drove out to Marshall's N woods.  Eric posted on Neal and I went to Marshall's bottoms.  As I walked in, I jumped fou...

So Kathy, Eric, and I went out to the golf course again on Saturday, 21 NOV.  It was warmer, like 45 F (7 C) and the wind was down. Kathy sat in the bowl on Hole #15.  Eric was overwatch on Hole #16. And I went to the N line on #12's tee box.  We sat for 2.5 hours and did not see a deer.  The squirrels were out, but not the deer. As we left, we chatted with Ken.  He said that he had not seen a deer all week after we were there opening morning.  Guess the message was received. This is my view this morning looking SW across the course I guess I picked the wrong tree.  This one belongs to Mr. Squirrel. He came down pretty close, yelled at me, and then left.

Kathy, Alex, Nick, Eric and I headed for the golf course opening morning.  We arrived at 6:45 am and saw one doe standing where I wanted to sit.  The problem was it was not legal light to shoot and we were shining it with our headlights.  Fortunately, we had no loaded firearms, so we remained legal. Kathy and I walked N so that I could show her where to sit on Hole 12's tee box, blocking the N.  As I left her to return to my spot, I said a little prayer to the Good Lord.  "Thanks for the great day and opportunity to spend it with my family in the wonderful world You have created.  Please keep these kids safe and if we get a deer, that's a bonus.  I'll take their safety over deer.  Amen."   The sun coming up as Kathy & I walked to our spots.  Beautiful morning. I sat on 17, blocking the W.  Eric sat in the bowl on 15, blocking the E.  Alex took overwatch on Hole 5, securing the S.  And Nick took overwatch on Hole 1...

Been working quite some time to get dirt in for a backstop.  It finally arrived, but the crops were in.  Crops are out now, so we went back to the dirt pile and installed our target frame.  It's a 4'x4' (1.2 metres square) piece of plywood surrounded by 4"x4" posts buried 36" deep on deck stabilizers - to make it easier to replace when it rots or gets shot thru. The kids love climbing on it as well as the dogs and deer.  The following pictures are just interim - or as we build.  I still have 5 gongs to hang - A500 steel silhouette and gongs from 6" - 18" (15 cm - 45 cm).  All to be shot from 1,000 down to 100 yards (915 - 91.5 metres).   Then to finish, I need to delineate the yardages and plant alfalfa to shoot over.   Mallory, Papaw and Tiki on top the hill (Tiki is in our shadow). This is the backside of the backstop.   A selfie of Papaw & Mallory on top with Grandma & Wes below. The picture looks to the S, or where we will be...