jdmidwest

I mudded in some maters, peppers, and cucumber plants today before the next monsoon sets in. I figured I better buy my plants before they are all gone. Potatoes are doing great. Few radishes. Spinach and lettuce planted on Valentines day still floundering at about 2 inches hi. Strawberries are blooming and setting berries good this year.

I took the day off and was installing new AC on the house. I had the boat open and drying out. The bunk with the batteries and gas tank was pretty hot there sitting in the sun. Tank is vented and hose disconnected while parked now. The bunk hatch was open and it was like an oven in there. At least I know all my lines are good and pressurized. Last guy had the boat setting outside in the weather for at least a few weeks since I spotted it. Lots of rain had it soaked good. Another nice day of sun it should all be dry.

Traps work better, feral cats tend to be nocturnal. I keep that species under control. BTW, I enjoy the little titmouses. Cool name. I watched them carry off a half of bowl of dry dog food out on the farm a few months ago. Don't know where they were carrying it or what they were doing with it, but they sure were packing it one lump at a time.

I think you have to go higher than 8 ft for an Elk. They are hi fence critters. Everyone seems to think the Elk are great things to bring back to a place where they have not been for 200 years. But there are those that did not think it was a great idea. Just pointing out some of the new problems that they have discovered in other areas of the country where they have moved into. Of course, they would not be in that area if it was not for the ole GW of the planet.

For now, but who knows how it will take off. I think top number of 150 is pretty slim, they are wanting a huntable herd. Out west they are talking about the herds just staying in a forage area for a longer amount of time changing the habitat. Those big eating machines could change the area. Like Al stated, the forest was a lot different the last time they roamed MO. I wonder if there were any studies about what the avg population density of the Elk before the change that brought them to an end.

I thought you only loosen the vent for running and close it for storage and travel. Vent was closed.

The Elk will not be affected by the Missouri snowfalls like out west, The Elk will stay in one feeding range and that was the point. Will they overuse the existing habitat that has currently adapted in the 200 years since they have been gone from MO? Will they affect other species? Who knows, but did the MDC look at this possibility of destroying other species that are established and now native when they decide to bring back a species that has been extinct in MO for over 200 years? Deer and turkey did not really count, they were only almost gone.

Interesting article regarding Elk using a different habitat than they usually do. Seems like they browse on trees that are vital to songbirds. What if our reintroduced Elk herd changes our forests and some of our established species start getting pushed out? http://www.livescience.com/29105-birds-climate.html

All of my toys are in the yard. But I live in the country with no covenants, just onry weiner dogs.

I have used a few color units in the sunlight and was not impressed, I was thinking the mono would do just fine. How does the color look on yours in the sun? I did download a manual in pdf off the net for the 581 and looked thru it. I think the Unimap should do me just fine. I seldom go anywhere where I don't know where I am. But I thought the GPS would be nice for marking spots. I really like the DSI on my buddies Lowrance HDS 5, but the screen leaves a little to the imagination. I hope I get to go this weekend. Don't look like much fishing but maybe a boat ride. Fishing partner is on call this weekend and can't stray from cell service.

I came home today to find that my new to me boat had pumped out the gas tank thru the carb. The motor was tilted on the transom saver and the gas had run out of the front, filled the transom wells and overflowed out on the ground. I unhooked the gas line and cleaned the mess up, but wonder how it happened. It is an 88 Merc 35hp with a carb and a metal 6 gal red gas tank. Did the heat of expansion cause the gas to flow or is something else going on? I am trying to figure out how it run uphill about 2 feet.

I am starting to see some skin blotching that I need to see a dermatologist about. I have been wearing SPF 50 for the most part the last few years, and a big floppy hat to cover face, ears, and neck. I always wear a t shirt and shorts for the main part ot the summer with sunblock and avoid all sunburn. When I was young, I did not worry about it much. Now I wish I had of, my arms and hands are really showing it now. Of course, someone said the other day it might just be liver spots. Maybe I need to check my internals for alcohol poisioning.

Actually I have been looking a mono Humminbird unit with gps and DSI for around $299. http://store.humminbird.com/products/604319/581i_HD_DI_Combo

It has a vintage Hummingbird LCR 8000 and the gage on the cluster for depth best I can figure out. I think it runs off a cathode tube. Wiring is a mess, gonna take a while to track all of it down. I am looking at the Hummingbird DSI mono unit with gps that Bass Pro has on sale for $299 to go on it. Boat is solid with no dents or scratches. Last time it was stickered in IL was 94. Was bought by local guy last April and he replaced carb and put in waterpump. He was selling it to get married. It has seen minimal usage in the past. I hope to put some miles on it.

Last year, my 3 year old Grandson told me he wanted a boat he could steer. Of course, we were at a boat show and the one he was in was around 30k. Today I bought him one. 1988 Bass Tracker Pro 17 with a 35 hp Merc. Runs like a champ, test drove it before I bought it. All in excellent shape for the age. Spent most of the afternoon in the rain removing old IL reg numbers. Scraping and polishing with Mothers. I have most of it off, but the rain was getting in my ears so I quit. Gonna rewire the trailer tomorrow and put LED lights on it. Tweak a few things and off to Wappappello next weekend.

I have seen trout eat a cigarette butt, I don't think they are really picky.

The lake still produces fish in good numbers, but I seldom fish the lake any more. It has a great redear population in the spring if the flood waters are up you can catch great numbers off old gravel roads. Crappie fair to getting better. The bass have not been as good as it was in the years following the formation of the lake. My uncle used to tell me stories about the 6 and 7 lb's he caught regularly back then. My favorites are the white bass runs in the spring and drum fishing, both were great around the Old Greenville access. I spent many hours there as a kid drowning nightcrawlers I picked up off an old stretch of blacktop that was 67 originally north of town. You could peel back the turf that was overtaking the road and pick them up by the hundreds in the spring. I used to sell them to bait shops when I was in HS for spending money. The actual lake line starts above Greenville, but it is essentially a river unless there is high water. I have run under the old 67 bridge in a big flood year and almost touched the bottom of the bridge. Water backed up that year above HWY 34 at Patterson. Waterfowl use the area and the Corps have drawings for blind spots each year. Grandad's old farm where he was raised was flooded by the lake and he was forced to move out. Many stories of the area were told by him before he passed. I have fished the fields he plowed as a kid. He walked several miles to Old Greenville to go to school. He met Grandma and courted her down by Shook. He told stories of the Panther Den cave near his old farm and catching fish out of there when it flooded. Some of the fields he worked are now timbered islands along the river. Sulpher Spring is a rather large spring that has been totally flooded by the lake. But it is a good place to fish in the winter.

Found 16 today but they were dried out and full of little black bugs. They had chewed them up pretty bad, so I tossed them in the yard for seed. Same spot that I checked on Tues afternoon and did not have an up in it. Must have popped fast and the wind got them. Some were the size of my fist.

Size and color mainly. Pickerel don't get very big and have a chain link pattern on the body.

Looks like a tornado left some lumber in a tree. Or, someone started a treehouse and gave up packing in the lumber.

I have just been putting off the pain till warmer weather.

Its that micromanagement thing, they fail to look at the bigger picture. What is this global warming thing anyway? It must be something big if Sec of State Kerry is preaching it to the Chinese.

TN is the place to go for nice smallies. Buffalo River usually gives up a 3 lb smallie on each trip. Pickwick Lake was slow this weekend, but I did manage to land one smallie that was 20. Fish were pre spawn and hitting tube jigs pretty good. All were caught in about 10' of water around the bluffs. I used to fish MO and Ark for the smallies, but then it got too crowded and my fishing buddy moved to TN. About the same drive from my place to his as it was to the good spots in the Ozarks.

Muskie and walleye would require a boat and access to deeper water. I have caught walleye but never any of the muskie. Walleye were produced trolling some of the deeper holes and your best luck would be after dark. Most places rent canoes. Riverside resort has nice camping area, cabins, and an owner that likes to fish for the Walleye. He may be some help to you. As far as wading goes, public places are Lasseters in town, Dam 3 at the hatchery, and the Bayou access. All of the campgrounds will let you fish for a daily fee if you are not a quest.

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