A SuperDuty kinda' day

[Moonshine]

As much as I enjoyed my L., and as great as they are at what they're made for, there are times when they just aren't the right truck. Today was one of those days. In exchange for diesel fuel, truckstop grub, and the opportunity to get carried off by carnivorus mosquitoes Terry agreed to help me set up my deer blind on a new lease I just got on last weekend. So we loaded up the SD's and headed west. I had the ATV in the bed of mine, and towed the blind on my utility trailer, while Terry had the blind base, tower, stairs, handrails, and all the tools in his.

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After scouting a stand location, and scaring up a few does and two big coyotes in the process, we turned the stand onto its' back on top of the trailer, attached the base, and started assembling the tower.

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After the whole rig was assembled the fun really began. We hooked a chain and tow strap to the tower, and then to the Prairie 650. Put it in 4 low, lock the front diff, whack the throttle open, and as Terry got the blind started up the Prairie dug twin ruts as all four tires bucked, spun, and tried to find traction.

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Although it was questionable for a minute there, the tower and blind finally came up, and Terry rode a strap on the back side to keep it from doing a full 180.

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Terry gets the bench press a deer blind award, and the Prairie earns junior SD status. :tu:

Tighten everything up, install the tie down kit, add the stairs and handrails, and it's time for deer season. knana

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We did have to use a little four wheel drive to cross a muddy creek bed, but both SD's performed admirably, and we'd have been hard pressed to do this days' work without them. Thanks again, T. :)

[Sixpipes]

My apartment in college wasn't much bigger than that blind. :tu:

[my2002lightning]

Looking good, Brian! :tu: Best of luck in dropping a trophy wall-hanger!knana

I have no idea how I'm going to get to my 2 different deer-hunting spots in OK. and the other I've been invited to in East TX. near Hallsville (interestingly enough). Mom and Dad sold that '90 F-150 farm-truck in my 9-ptr. pictures.:o

Hmm... I suppose it's time to put a tow-hitch on the Liberty. :tongue:

[L8 APEX]

I did a little plowing with the hitch it makes quite the plow.
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Here is Sarge leading the charge across the silt bottomed creek.
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I was ready to get away from the phone for a day. Anyone who knows me knows I "will work for food" anytime. It was a long hard week both at work and driving to Kansas and back for the funeral. I think I logged over 1600 miles and almost 400 bucks in fuel this week:rolleyes: . I was also tired of fencing and working at my land. The land was the same being dusty and bumpy but it was fun overall. I don't associate with many people so I have to take care of the ones that tolerate me:tu: .
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[my2002lightning]

Brian,

Just to light a little "fire" under both our britches - Regan (younger brother) was hunting with my blackpowder on his favorite stand this weekend.

He had 3 BIG bucks walk out of the timber. 1 8-ptr, 1 - 9ptr. and another A-Typical. The A-Typical had a double-brow tine, left-side had a drop-tine....questionable on the right-side as it was an "A-Typical" and they were moving fast. The The "A-Typical" was actually a "chocolate" buck, according to Regan! knanaVery rare - he walked to dodge another bullet.

I was VERY fortunate to witness a 5 member bachelor-herd during bow-season. :banana:

Going to have to tune that Remington BP and/or the scope - we think we have a bad scope, as all 3 of us have the same results for the past few seasons. It's all over the paper at 50-75 yds. I bought the scope brand-new at Bass-Pro in Grapevine and they installed/zeroed it.:rolleyes:

So, looking to disappear/relax for a week in the woods around Thanksgiving...

Ronald

[Moonshine]

It's all over the paper at 50-75 yds. I bought the scope brand-new at Bass-Pro in Grapevine and they installed/zeroed it.:rolleyes:


Methinks you answered your own question. :rolleyes:

Yup, I'm heading back to the lease this weekend to see what can be seen, and then I'm ready for opening day. knana

[my2002lightning]

Not to thread-jack, but.... as an update Brian, Regan dropped a 13-ptr. with my blackpowder rifle this evening on one of the grandparent's properties in OK.:bowsknana

Regan took him at ~75 yrds. on my flacky Redfield scope - Dad said it hit him "dead-center". Go figure!:)



Methinks you answered your own question. :rolleyes:

Yup, I'm heading back to the lease this weekend to see what can be sen, and then I'm ready for opening day. knana

[Moonshine]

Cool deal, but I'd still make him clean the rifle. :tongue:

Terry and I went back to the lease yesterday to set up a feeder and carpet the blind. Stayed until dusk and saw one buck, but he was just a basket. Maybe a shooter in a few more years.

[my2002lightning]

Check this out, Brian. This 13-ptr. had a group of does looking back into the timber as he emerged at a good run. This was way out of range for the blackpowder as he was running around like crazy in the pecan-bottom way down-range.

Regan hops out of his 4-pod and sneaks down there and eventually plugs him at 70 yds.~ and the buck runs off around 6pm yesterday as he tries to track a blood-trail.

Regan gets Dad and they're running around the overgrown pasture-bottom in the lifted Dodge 4x4 w/35" mudders with spotlights blazin'. They're cruising along and thought they ran over a log.:eek2:

Turns out they ran over the back-half of Regan's 13-ptr. amidst all the underbrush.:tongue: Get this! He's the same overall size as Regan's BIG 8-ptr. (120-130~ B&C score), but with plenty of split-tines and kickers - dressed weight was 99 lbs. - same as my 9-ptr. from last year.:confused:

He's a 5 year-old buck according to his molars. It's all in the deer nutrition to grow big body and antler mass.:bows

Also, I've had good experiences with salt-licks. Find a good "cross-roads" of their trails and shovel/rake in a ton of mineral salt with plenty of water to let it leach into the soil. I've seen where they paw and lick the hell out of the ground. It's like candy to them!

The fire's lit under me.:evil Grilling venison round-steaks this evening, btw.

Ronald



Cool deal, but I'd still make him clean the rifle. :tongue:

Terry and I went back to the lease yesterday to set up a feeder and carpet the blind. Stayed until dusk and saw one buck, but he was just a basket. Maybe a shooter in a few more years.