REPLACING OF AN OLD FAVORITE

Every once in awhile you make a mistake! It happens to the best of people. Some mistakes are devastating and others are just plain disappointments that stick with you for a time. I have made my share of mistakes just as you have.

            One mistake I have long regretted making is the sale of a particular rifle. Back a number of years I did not have much extra cash to buy a lot of hunting rifles or much else for that matter. At a gun show I picked up an old Swedish Mauser in 6.5 x 55 caliber. Having a father and grandfather that were both gunsmiths, I naturally had to customize it. But the end results was that it turned out to be a sweet shooting and accurate little rifle. I hunted with it for about six or seven years and took over a dozen deer with that rifle.



(the replacement for my original)

            As often happens, you get to the point where you think you have outgrown a particular item or just want to upgrade to something perceived as better. I too was guilty of that. I sold my Mauser to friend who was really interested in it, so that I could pick up a proper deer rifle. Well to make a long story shorter, that rifle I traded up for has been long gone, as well as a number of other rifles as well. All during that time I always regretted the sale of the 6.5 X 55. So I began looking for the replacement of it.

            The first thing I noticed was the rise of the sticker price. One of the reasons I had originally purchased that rifle was that it was well within my budget. I paid less than seventy-five dollars for the original one. Now they can’t be touched for much less than two hundred. Their popularity has grown tremendously, partly because it has been found that they can be easily customized to smaller hunters that might be sensitive to recoil of heavier calibers. They also are a very accurate gun and are a part of history as well. Besides, they are just plain fun to shoot.  

(top view of the rifle)

 

            So the last gun show I attended, I was pleasantly surprised to find a nicely worked over little Mauser on the end cap of one table. The sticker shock was still there, however, and I knew that there was going to have to be some dickering if I was to go home with it. That is just what happened. I paid about three times what I had initially paid for my first one, but the good part is that I wouldn’t have to do a thing to the rifle because it was well worked by the previous owner.

            Hopefully I won’t be foolish enough to make that mistake again. This is a nice rifle to take out on a rainy, snowy day. It has a receiver sight that can’t get fogged up because of wet weather. It is light to carry and I have never had a problem in the cartridge doing what it should when shot. The longest trailing job I ever had in over a dozen deer was bout fifty yards. I am looking forward to getting out with this rifle a couple of times this year.

PUTTING UP WINTER WOOD

During the past week I worked on a few chores trying to get them out of the way before the fall hunting seasons begin. One such chore was the splitting of some of the winter wood. 



(tools of the trade)

               I usually use a hydraulic splitter, but this year decided to split, at least some of the wood pile, using sledge hammer and wedges. It is not because I am particularly fond of physical torture, but thought this might be an alternate form of physical exercise. Since much of my work does not entail physical labor, it was a nice change in routine.

            Most of the wood pile is hardwood that has aged about a year now. Just right for splitting and ready for burning as fuel. There is a bit of softwood in the pile as well, but that burns too.



(block by block, the stack grows)

          Once you begin such a task, you often fall into a rhythm that allows for some philosophical thought. Unlike the hydraulic splitter, where you had better keep you full attention on the work at all times, with the wedge and hammer you are able to let your thoughts wander a bit while splitting.

            I don’t recall coming up with any earth shattering thoughts but it wasn’t long before I noticed that my pile of split wood was growing. All total, I think I split a little over a cord of wood in a very short period of time. The best part of the experience was that I didn’t have any aches and pains usually associated with such labor. I think I will finish up, this one wood pile anyway, with the hammer and wedges. It was actually fun and I got that much needed exercise.  

LOOKING FOR DEALS ON GEAR

During the yard sale season, many good finds can be picked up for a song and dance. I didn’t do much of that kind of thing this summer but I did come up with a few good pieces of equipment.

            First, I found a light weight tent that looked interesting. This was at a moving sale and it was marked ridiculously low to begin with so when I asked the condition of the tent, the owner immediately said “It should be alright, but I’ll make you a deal. Take it for a dollar.” What could I do? For a dollar I at least had another set of tent stakes, even if the tent was no good!

(tent picked up cheap, yet a good find)

            Once I got home with this find, I set the tent up in the front yard to check out its condition. Pleasantly, I found it to be in quite excellent shape as far as the fabric, zippers and netting goes. The only problems I see is that the collapsible poles are a bit worse for wear. Someone must have bent them a bit farther than was intended for them to go because two sections were split. But for just a few bucks, new poles can be had and it is certainly a roomy tent. Its light weight also makes it good for moderate weather backpacking.



(cook set picked up for one dollar)



           

Second, I also found another cook set that was in mint condition. If ever used it wasn’t used more than a single time. This excellent set consisted of a shallow cooking pot with a cover, a dish and a metal drinking cup. Although a little large to use backpacking, it will come in handy on any fishing and hunting camping trips in the near future. I believe I spent a total of one dollar for this as well.



(inside contents of the cook set)



            Not all items go for a dollar. The third item picked up was a rifle scope with a mil-dot reticle. This will work well on any number of rifles and although a bit more in money, it was still way less than shelling out for a new one. Of course it will mean making another trip to the shooting range to sight it in, but sacrifices must be made!

            Not only did I find these additions to my gear, but a couple of friends also found a number of useful items. Each one found a ground blind for less than half the price of new cost, and neither blind had been set up more than once or twice. The original blazing white tags were still on them. Add to that camo seats and stools, fishing equipment, plus a number of other items and you get the idea.

            Although I would not look in this direction for items that my life might depend upon, it still shows that some very useful camping and outdoor items can be found second hand. Don’t over look the opportunity next time your spouse suggests another yard sale trip.

SUMMER FISHING AND TRAVEL

As you can see I have not been able to write for some time. My wife and I have been involved with her mother’s needs over the past six months. My Mother-in-law was 95 years old, living on her own still until March 2011 and then she went on to be with the Lord just a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, that left my wife and me to deal with her last physical belongings, such as her home and furnishings. Michele is finally home here in the north country and we are trying to get things back to normal.

            In spite of the hectic spring and summer, I was able to get in a few fishing excursions. Both saltwater and freshwater fishing was good each time I went out. While on Long Island, I did get the chance to fish for both Blues and Strippers. Both were migrating through the inlet where I was and they seemed to be quite hungry. 



(cocktail size - just right for table)

            Only caught a couple of the strippers and they were released because they were short, but they still put up a fight. I did see a couple of forty plus inch strippers, one being taken by a scuba diver and his speargun.

            The Blues were much more accommodating! We caught them from snapper size on up to cocktail and chopper size. Needless to say, we had a number of fresh fish fries this summer. My grandkids enjoyed catching the snappers. The two middle grandsons are both becoming quite proficient with the spinning rods and reels. They are about 7 and 9 years of age. They were both able to throw the snapper poppers out with no trouble and then land their own fish.



(grandsons with snapper blues)



            Back up here in the north country, I only got out a couple of times. But the action has been pretty good this year. Frank Abel Jr. and I went out in the narrows of the Chateaugay Lakes looking for bass. We found a few, a couple that might have pushed the legal limit. They all went back in of course. We did find a few eager yellow perch.

            On one cast, Frank hooked into a big fish and the battle was on. He fought the fish for a few minutes before it came around the bow of the canoe to where I could see it. I saw immediately that he did not have a bass on his line. 

(Frank's first Northern Pike)

            After about ten minutes of battle, he finally landed a nice Northern Pike. This was the first pike that he had ever caught and, for a first one, it was nice. So there was some success in the fishing department this summer. In spite of heat waves and humid days, we still had some fine fishing.

            Talking with a number of my fishing buddies, they all report they had quite a bit of success this summer. Hope you had the time to get out on the water as well.

TROUT FISHING SPRING 2011



(One stock trout taken this spring)



It has been some time since I have been able to commit time to this site. Family concerns have kept me from writing but I have still been able to find limited time on the trout waters this spring. The fish are there even though we have experienced some up and down water conditions this year.

            DEC has apparently done quite a little stocking of trout in our local waters. The average trout caught has been between ten inches and twelve inches in length. There were some a little larger but not many that have been much smaller. On a couple of occasions I have tied into a large brown that, so far, has eluded my best efforts to land. Twice now he has struck my lure and I have had him on the line for a few seconds before he shakes the hook. He has given me a good look at his size and coloration each time so that I know he is in the eighteen to twenty inch range. Perhaps there will be another encounter yet this year.



(A few trout added to the creel)

            The bugs have been thick at times on the water but not so over whelming that they can’t be tolerated. A little insect repellent is in order if you really want to enjoy your outing. A number of the other bugs have been hatching out as well, such as mayflies, and the trout are rising regularly to the surface to take these bugs.

            It is a good time for the dry fly fisherman to be out. There hasn’t been a large influx of fishermen in our immediate area so far and therefore the fish have not been fully educated at this time. You should find some very receptive trout waiting for your fly.



(Hatchery trout taken during high water)


           On the few outings I have taken this spring, I would say I have caught and released between two and three dozen trout. That does not include the eight or nine I have put in my creel for the table. It has been an enjoyable trout season so far. The only problem is that you need to watch the weather patterns closely in order to hit the water during the most ideal conditions.

TROUT FINALLY HITTING

We finally got into trout fishing last week. Previously all we were catching were perch in some of the rivers we were trying. Last Tuesday, although we did pull in a number of good sized perch, we also landed one good brown trout.


(brown caught by Leo)

 Fishing with Gary and Leo, we tried a number of places with no success. The weather has still been very up and down in temperature and snowfall or rainfall. Water levels have been fluctuating quite a bit the past week or two. We had snow at least two days last week and rain most of the rest of the week. The one good day we had we got out fishing.
We ended up in one large fishing hole just below a local dam and started catching perch once again. We had pulled in about a dozen of these fat bellied yellow perch and were just deciding to quit for the day.


(another view of brown trout)

 As Leo began a retrieve of his line, a trout suddenly struck and put on quite a nice show. This brown went aerial about three times and gave him quite a fight before he was able to land a 15 inch brown that weighed in on the digital scale at 1 pound and 3 ounces. It was a beautiful fish.
That was the total excitement so far of trout fishing, but at least the trout are there and are starting to cooperate. At the end of the week Leo saw another fisherman had pulled out another trout about the same as his, from that same pool.
We should be seeing marked increase in the trout fishing as of this week.

2011 SPRING TROUT OPENER

Despite dire predictions of significant snowfall for April 1^st, here in northeastern New York we had a relatively nice opening day of trout season. The skies were overcast and it was a bit cool, temperature wise, but no snowfall during the night or morning and the rain held off until later in the afternoon. The weathermen, however, had many believing that we might expect a foot or more of snow and I think they did receive significant snowfall south of us. Probably that prediction of snow was what kept many fishermen from even attempting to get out on opening day.
I hit a few of my favorite fishing holes on opening day and found fish, but not trout. The yellow perch were hitting quite aggressively in one place I fished and after landing about a half dozen or so, I headed for another spot. I never was able to connect with a trout that day.


(An  early April trout from 2010)


The second day of the season, a couple of fishing buddies and I hit the water again. It was a cold, windy day and a storm front was coming through the area. We didn’t connect with any trout that day either, but we at least got some interest in our offerings.
We had a few tentative strikes at a couple of different fishing holes but not enough to hook and land a trout. One of us did have a real small brook trout attack his worm, but I think the worm was bigger than the trout. He didn’t get hooked at any rate. When Tim held up his fingers and gave a chuckle, he indicated a fish about three or four inches in length. 



(Early April trout from 2 yrs. ago)

 The beginning of this week didn’t treat us any better. There has been temperatures ranging from the 40’s down to freezing and either rain or spitting snow on almost everyday. It has salvaged a bit of the maple sugaring season, but it hasn’t done anything for the trout fishing.
Last year, by the time of the opening day, there was no snow on the ground and the lakes and ponds were already beginning to open up. This year we still have a good foot of snow in the woods and the lakes and ponds haven’t even begun to see ice out here along the border.