jdmidwest

Its amazing what even a simple luxury can do to improve fishing. I set out with a friend last weekend on a strange lake in his fishing pontoon. I offered my boat, rigged for fishing, but he assured me that his would meet the task. Hopped on board. His simple Humminbird transducer was laying on top of one pontoon, mount broken sometime this summer. His Minn Kota trolling motor would only go left, drive motor would not actuate to run right, and had to mash the switch to even get power. First part of day went miserable. Back to dock fishless. Fixed trolling motor pedal where I had both directions and the switch to where it fired with less pressure. Downloaded Navionics App to IPhone so we could have some idea of depth and dropoffs. Fishing improved. If his rudamentary fishfinder had been active to show bottom and structure, it may have been better. I have fished for 40 years blind. I have found fish by just blind luck and marked those spots to internal memory. And I have returned to the same spots and caught more fish. But, I will now use electronics to improve my scouting and fishing when I get the chance. And I seem to catch more with my new stragedy.

We looked and looked a few weeks ago on an 11pt weekend. We fished with my buddies Uncle, who raises Paw Paws on his hobby farm. He had some of his tame ones for us to try. We found thousands of trees, but no fruit. Not quite sure what the problem was. But, on our family farm, I have not seen a paw paw for years. The trees are there, but never see them produce a fruit. I never really cared for the taste, or the after taste of them. But it is one of the traditional Ozark native fruits.

I wish I still had my H&K 93 that I owned in the early 90's, I loved the way it shot, but was heavy. I had a USP 45 for a while and the grip was too big for my hands, I traded it off. I have wanted a H&K 91, but have never dropped the coin for one. I have looked at the knockoffs from time to time, but did not buy. PTR makes a nice one. I have shot the MP5 and the SP9 in full auto, neat little toys. I had a P7 squeeze cocker for a short time, interesting piece of engineering.

Great. I need to get back up there soon. My daughter has started to bug me about taking her one time. Looks like the crowds were light.

Must have been pretty low to wade it that far down.

Park Ranger is the contact. Campground hosts are just getting a free spot for their efforts, which are normally pretty lame. They may even be the ones tossing stuff on the campsites. I have never really understood the purpose of a host other than to grab leftover firewood when campers pull out.

Walther really misses the mark with the PK380, I have heard the complaint many times. The little Smith and Wesson Bodyguard is remarkably accurate for a micro 380, as is the Ruger LCP. But the .380 is just a close range self defense pistol cartridge.

Nice Pistole. What are the numbers inside the frame under the cylinder release? Do you have original box?

I have been looking for a Swatch I lost a few years back. Its Black Face and Black hands with a Black band. Did you find it?

Nice shot

Whatever you think you want, you have until Nov. 8 to get one at regular price or slightly elevated pricing depending on how polls go. Then, supplies could drop and prices could skyrocket, depending on the outcome of Nov. 8. If it goes the wrong way, Jan. 2017 to July 2017 may see short supplies again and elevated pricing. Its a pivotal year again. I read the background check system reached a new peak last month and the following months should see new records. All are fueled by what may happen on Nov. 8.

If you want a gun in 22 and a defensive round, the Smith and Wesson M&P Series offers a semi auto in 22, 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 acp. Each have interchangeable grips and a compact version to carry.many different ways. They offer the same frame in each caliber so you can switch from one to the other without any difference in operation other than recoil. I would suggest a Ruger Mark series or Browning Buckmark for a 22. All are accurate and reliable. Great little 22's for plinking or hunting. Many models to choose from. I personally carry at times while out and about a Ruger SR22, a S&W M&P Shield 9mm, or a S&W Bodyguard 380. If I feel the need for a larger caliber handgun, I will carry a 1911 or my Smith and Wesson M&P 45 or Ruger American 45. Various other handguns enter the picture from time to time, but I tend to rely on my Smith and Wesson handguns or the Rugers. In Bear Country, I would suggest a nice Ruger or Smith and Wesson revolver in 44 or 357 with heavy loads. A revolver can be fired from either hand easily in case one is in the bears mouth. I carried 45 acp in Alaska for protection. It would probably be a little weak, but any handgun cartridge would be weak against a determined bear. Short barreled shotguns were favored weapons there. They were carried by Fish and Game and other locals there as a best defense weapon against a bear attack. I have a nice little Mossberg Mariner just for that purpose now.

In Missouri, you can carry a personal defense weapon while bow hunting. Don't know about other states.

Dunn's has decent pricing too. Great bunch of guys.

I would think it would be more of a litter problem on a conservation area than a hazard to livestock. When I think of conservation area, I think of a natural area. I don't think I would want to walk around and find a bunch of broken skeet laying around. I would not like to be bow hunting for deer either and have someone blasting dirt clods behind me either, but that is what you have to deal with on MDC properties.

Wow, that came on pretty fast. Wonder what the DNR is gonna do.

He has finally made it to Barnes now. I had some good news from him tonight. First run of testing there has it at the base of his tongue, a different form than what we originally was told.. Its not in his Larynx or salivary gland. The doctors at Barnes told him it is curable. Good news. He has a long road of treatment that still has to be determined, but he will survive it.

I had a very light phase cottonmouth in TN about a month ago that looked alot like a copperhead or common watersnake. But it was a cotton mouth. It rode high on top of the water and sported cat eyes. But not coppery like a copperhead.

Its only over for this season at the house. Starting fresh again next year with new brood stock. I still have 4 hives at the farm that don't seem to have an infestation there. That mess of bees I swept into a new hive last night were working fine today. Now, if I can keep the beetles at bay till frost, they may have a chance. I will know in a few weeks if I open them up and find some brood inside showing the queen is still in good shape. Otherwise, this one will freeze out this winter. My mentor came into the office today with a new little find. A little black beetle he found in his honey supers that he had in storage waiting for extraction. If the honey ferments in the jars, they have done their nasty on his too. Only a few weeks will tell on that one. It is true, beekeepers are the sole root cause of all of the bee problems in the US. Most of the major plagues to the bees have come from the importation of bees from out of the country. Like alot of other invasive species, they have come ashore from foreign countries. This beetle came out of Africa. Killer bees have came from South America. Mites from Europe. On and On.

Still on sale. I seriously thought about putting one on my trolling motor or dash as a primary nav unit to replace my HDS 5.

Almost past getting ready for winter, it will be here in 3 weeks with first killing frost. You should probably start feeding the one that is not as strong with 2/1 sugar now for them to build up stores. Each hive has its own personality. If they are healthy. Otherwise, there is a whole new way of looking at them, like I have learned. That mess of bees today was really gentle. I was really dreading it this afternoon, wading in at dark with thunder in the background. But I just brushed them off into another hive and no stings or problems. Only had a few bumpers. The sad thing is another 50 or 75 dollar bill went up in smoke. No reusing the comb, saving the wax or the frames. Just a foul burnt smell of sugar.

Not a good week for the Stingerz Farms. On Thursday, I burned 2 of my last 3 hives at the house. Small hive beetles took their toll on the hives. Nasty little black hard shell beetles from Africa that dung in the honey and cause it to ferment. The larva hatches and millions of maggots start boring thru the honey and it slimes the hive making it the nastiest place on earth, bees move out. I explained it to the better half today as I was burning the last hive, its like someone dumped our septic tank and a bunch of maggots in our house, we would move out too. I inspected the third and felt that they were a strong hive and full of bees and honey. There was a queen and she was still laying. There were beetles inside. I placed a trap with mineral oil in the hive and sprayed the ground all around where the old hives were with Permethrin to kill the larva in the ground. But, it did not help. Friday, Dad informed me that one of the 4 hives at the farm was leaning forward and on the ground off the stand. Being the puss he is around the bees, that is all I could get from him, he did not want to go closer and investigate. Saturday, I came home late from gunshow and noticed that bees have moved outside the hive and were living on it, not in it. Today, trip to farm to upright hive tipped over. Box was still sealed and bees were working good. Hive was heavy and full of honey. Cleaned the weeds out from around hives and sprayed weed killer. Those 4 are doing fairly good, one will probably not make it thru winter without help. Back to the house. All the bees are out of the hive. Shot some pics and started to work. They were gentle to work with as I brushed them off into a small 5 frame hive with some comb inside. They were essentially a swarm of bees. I cracked open the hive and found the same mess. Rotten honey, beetles everywhere and maggots, aka beetle larva. 3 days and everything ruined. Gas and a match, I had me a nice beetle fire, the smell of burnt honey and plastic foundation is still in my nostrils. Hopefully, I can nurse them thru the winter. They are on life support now. No brood, no pollen, and no honey. Nothing for the beetles to mess up. I put a feeder on them. If I am lucky, the queen will start laying and we will have a late frost. Maybe they will have a brood cycle before winter cluster, otherwise, they are goners. Here is a link to the critter I have been fighting https://www.uaex.edu/publications/PDF/FSA-7075.pdf

Moving around to hunt and fatten up for winter hibernation. Moving to the winter den areas in rocky bluffs. We have an area across the river in IL that closes a road for migrations in spring and fall. They move from hilly bluff area to lowland swampy area. Snakes, turtles, and salamanders all migrate across the road.

They ask for a FOID card in Illinois. But that state is nazi controlled.

No marks, must have died of natural causes.