Paintin' ...

New hanging tree-stand and ladder sections pre-painted ...

     Howdy-do!  Hope you & yours are all doin' fine in this wonderful summertime sunshine!  Yeah, it's been a month since my last post; but, on top of all the other activities and honey-do's I've got goin' on, I'm already gearin'-up for huntin' ... and I ain't talkin' 'bout deer.  Last fall, I had bought me a brand-spankin' new hangin' tree-stand and a 20' ladder to put me in a different perspective while I'm hangin' 'round out there in them woods!  But instead of scoutin' for deer, I'll be spendin' my summer lookin' for a different type of critter.  And as far as huntin' it goes, I got two choices; I can sit on the ground all camo'd-up in my new Browning Strutter huntin' chair, which is the up-close & personal approach.  Or ... I can sit 10' to 20' up in a tree and see a bunch more terrain.  The thing is, the Browning Strutter was aleady camouflaged, but my new tree-stand was not.  And most tree trunks are brown, tan and gray tones ... but that new ladder was a dark olive-drab.  Well, it pretty-much well stuck-out like a sore thumb against most trees.  Bein' a hunter ... I wanted a more natural look.  Read-on, and I might teach y'all a trick or two about paintin' ...

     Needin' a tree-stand that was light and packable, I chose the Summit Raptor RSX Eagle ... which is all-welded aluminum weighin' a mere 7.2 lbs. and sports a 21" wide x 28" deep durable platform.  Its foam-stuffed saddle-style seat is comfortable enough and was camouflaged in Realtree AP; however, the aluminum frame was not, which is one of the reasons for this post.  It, by the way, came powder-coated in a dark olive-drab.  The ladder that I purchased was the Millennium 20' Stick Climber, which weighed a total of 15 lbs. and consists of 5 stack-able 4' sections that nest together for easy transport.  Again, this also came in a dark olive-drab finish.  Hell, y'all ... I'd have paid extra for a camo finish, but that option was not offered for either product.  But, with a few colors of flat camo spray-paint and some fresh-picked foliage, I'm fixin' to show y'all how I rectified that minor dilemma!

Various twigs & sprigs to use as nature's stencils ...

     Y'all don't need to be artistic to pull this job off; if you can spray-paint ... you can camouflage.  It does not need to be a perfect, photographic design.  Remember, foliage ain't uniform ... and at a distance any tight patterns look like a "blob" anyways.  The main thing one needs to remember is to attempt to break-up your camouflage paint-job with shadows.  For this method, I prefer to paint startin' with the lighter colors first, and finish-up with darker colors and black.  It's good to be familiar with the trees in the area you are goin' to hunt; however, in my situation ... I'll have this tree-stand set-up in several different patches of woods.  I'd decided to camo my ladder to mimic a very basic bark pattern, but the tree-stand was a different issue.  Due to unfamiliar terrains, I wanted to try and simulate a medley of thicket, piney-woods and hardwoods.  To achieve this effect, I used nature as my stencil.  Walkin' our property, I collected various branches, sprigs and leaves to stencil with.  Most stencils use the interior space to spray-paint within; however, in the case of my stand I did the opposite; sprayin' over the different elements that I had collected.

The base-coat is basically a free-styled woodland camo ...

     As far as any tree-stand goes ... the only thing that really needs camouflagin' is the bottom, 'cause its what anything might see from the forest floor lookin' up.  I used various colors of camo paint to spot-spray in large areas, and then used my foliage stencils to break everything up.  I began paintin' in layers ... just a little at a time, which allowed both the tree-stand and my stencils to dry in-between coats.  I'll be huntin' in full camo (a Tru-Leaf Mossy Oak Break-Up suit) and the tree-stand's seat is already camo'ed in Realtree AP.  The final result is the bottom of my newly painted stand shown in the photo below.  The variations of all three patterns will help break-up any uniformity while helpin' me to blend-in to most heavy foliage.  In years past, I had been in bow huntin' situations in the Sam Houston National Forest where other hunters had walked right past me and even directly under my stand ... not noticing that I was even there!  Now, I'm not claimin' that this was due to any home-made camo paint job I'd had on my old ladder & Loc-On stand.  It could have actually been due to those particular hunter's poor observational skills; however, I'm sure the painted ladder & stand helped my old set-up to not stand-out as much ...

Well, it's ain't Mossy Oak or Realtree quality ... but it works!  At a distance lookin' up, this once uniform shape is broken-up.

My improvised junk-mail bark stencil!

     The harder part of this project was paintin' the ladder-sections.  Viewing most tree bark from any distance, the pattern is obviously vertical; however, the olive-drab ladder stuck-out due to bein' darker and monotone.  Actually, it was pretty-friggin' obvious at most any distance that somethin' was amiss!  Here was the trick that I used to give the illusion of bark: I took a junk-mail magazine cover and slightly wet the folded edge between the two staple points.  I then pinched-out about ¼" off of the middle of the folded spine.  When the folded cover was opened, I now had an irregular vertical stencil to simulate the indentations and creases in bark.  I used base-coats of gray and tan to spot-spray the ladder sections, and then used my junk-mail bark stencil to break-it up usin' those same two colors as well as dark brown and black.  If I'd had the time or wanted to get fancy, I could've used a large textured sponge to go back over everything in a light gray or dark brown to further give the illusion of natural bark.  I chose to only paint the front & sides of each ladder section, because the backs face the tree and are a non-issue.

The finished faux-bark treatment; these ladder sections may stand-out here, but blend well at a distance against a tree.

     Here's a quick comparison of what the painted ladder looks like against a tree.  The section of ladder on the right is actually the back-side of another section, to show y'all what the dark olive drab would've looked like if I hadn't bothered to do any paintin'.  Hopefully, next time I'll be able to post an update after one of my upcommin' trips ... showin' y'all what this finished project looks like deployed somewhere out there in them woods!  And hopefully, one of my buddies can take a few shots of me in full camo as I would appear in an actual huntin' situation.  But, before I could even think of usin' any of this freshly-painted gear out in the field, I had to thoroughly wash everything with a non-scented detergent.  I then left everything outside in the elements to acclimate.  To seal the deal, I'll give everything a good dousin' with a non-scent spray after it has set-out in the weather for a couple of weeks.  The last thing I need is to get busted by my prey due to everything reekin' of fresh spray-paint!  As long as my fat-ass doesn't fall asleep, take a dive or get knocked out-of a dang tree ... you'll get to see just how well this 'lil paintin' lesson pans-out.  Chuckle-chuckle, y'all ... I always use a safety harness & climbin' strap!  Until then, y'all stay hydrated and be cool runnin' 'round out there in them woods ...

The gadgets & gizmo series ... the Henry H010 .45-70 and NEBO Tools’ iPROTEC LG170

Meet my new brush gun ... Henry!

     Howdy-do!  Hope everyone is enjoyin’ this awesome spring weather and gettin’ back to doin’ some more time in the grime.  I’ll be headin’ back to Caddo Lake shortly, as well as hittin’ The Big Thicket with my buddy big David Riojas hopefully sometime soon.  And speakin’ of big … a couple of months back I had decided that it was time for me to step-up the caliber of long-gun I use for runnin’ ‘round out there in them woods.  After renovatin’ my vintage 1952 Tula SKS, it seemed that those pointy ‘lil 7.62 by 39mm’s looked a bit minuscule.  Now don’t get me wrong, they can definitely drill a brick as well as pack a Helluva wallop!  But, considerin’ that there are much bigger critters out there than feral hogs, I thought I might need to even-up the odds in my favor just in-case …

     After doin’ lots of research, I chose the Henry H010 .45-70 … “Made in America, Or Not Made At All”.  Folks, let me tell y’all what; when I finally decided on gettin’ a Henry over the Marlin Guide Gun, I was not disappointed!  This gun was a perfect fit for me, and I felt much more comfortable holdin’ it … shoulderin’ it and crankin’ that lever than I did with the competition’s arm.  The Henry has a pistol-gripped American walnut stock with an extremely ergonomic rubber butt-plate which fit perfectly when shouldered.  The overall length of this long-gun ain’t really that long at all; at a mere 39”, it’s the perfect sized brush-gun for throwin’-down on somethin’ big, hairy and chargin’ in heavy cover.

     The Henry weighs only 7.08 lbs. unloaded, and holds 6 rounds … 5 in the tube and 1 chambered.  Matter of fact, the biggest hurdle for me was choosin’ Henry’s tube-feed over a loadin’ port.  Although awkward when I took it to the range for the first time, my buddy Tod Pinkerton suggested I get some of them Pachmayr Snap-Caps to practice my loadin’ skills on.  That was a big help, and I can now do it blindfolded.  Really!  My wife laughs, but I constantly practice sittin’ in my new Browning Strutter huntin’ chair while blindfolded on our livin’ room floor.  Hey, laugh if you may … but I can chamber a round and be fully loaded and ready to shoot in seconds.  The addition of an Uncle Mike’s neoprene butt-stock 6-shell holder helped; which, by-the-way does not slide out of position.  With good shot placement, I don’t reckon any animal could survive takin' a round of .45-70, but havin' another 11 rounds at the ready damn-sure boosts my comfort level!

The .45-70 round dwarfs most loads ...

     My Henry’s first day at the range was memorable; I was slightly unnerved due to the caliber, but even more-so due to my unfamiliarity with this particular gun.  The tactical crowd was already rockin’ & rollin’ … but as soon as Tod and I took our first shots, every head on that range turned to see just what in the Hell we were shootin’.  I had no problem shoulderin’ this beast, which was like unleashin’ the Hammer of Thor!  I went through an entire box of Remington 405 gr., but those loads rainbowed as far as I was concerned.  Tod turned me on to the Hornady FTX LEVERevolution he was usin’, which was only 325 gr. but seemed much-more accurate.  I was shootin’ open sights and did not have any tools to adjust the windage or aperture.  My shot placement was low and to the right, but I noticed immediate shot correction as soon as I fired the Hornady.  Tod had also let me shoot a couple of rounds of his Buffalo Bore 420 gr., but even after shootin’ almost 40 rounds total for the day … I wasn’t a bit sore, nor did my right shoulder bruise any the next mornin’.

A dab of day-glow green is
easier seen by older eyes!

     The Henry is equipped with an XS Ghost Ring rear sight, and a bladed sight on the end of its 18.43” barrel.  I painted the blade’s groove a fluorescent green so it’s easier for me to view.  Tod had a Bushnell TRS-25 Red Dot Sight mounted on his Marlin, and after watchin’ him shoot, I thought it might be a nice future addition for my Henry.  While my groupin’ that day was definitely nothin’ worth mentionin’ here; in my defense, I was firin’ a new gun with open-sights.  Tod was well-grouped within an inch, which sold me on the idea of gettin’ that Red Dot sooner than later.  But before I purchase one, I’ll have to find a Weaver 63B mount, which is what my Henry is tapped for.  I’m currently sittin’ on 6 boxes of the Hornady to help me become more proficient on the range.  I also picked up some Bufallo Bore 350 gr. JFN's, and the Grizzly .45-70 +P 350 gr. BCFP for out in the field.  No, I ain’t goin' to be huntin’ bear; but with these particular loads blastin’ outta my Henry, what doesn’t kill me ... better friggin’ run!

     Lately, the majority of my sloughstalkin’ has transpired at night, so for Christmas before last … my beautiful bride had bought me a Redline Select Titanium flashlight from NEBO Tools.  I liked it so much that I decided to pair the Hammer of Thor with the Green Lantern … so y’all check-out NEBO’s iPROTEC LG170!  This high-powered green light clamps onto the loadin’ tube of my Henry and is activated by pressin’ a sealed dual-mode pressure switch.  This awesome green light has four modes: High = 795 LUX for 8 hrs. at 240’, Medium = 330 LUX for 14 hrs. at 115’, Low = 75 LUX for 15 hrs. at 70’, or a high-powered tactical strobe = 330 LUX LED for 72 hrs. at 240’!  The NEBO iPROTEC is powered by three AAA batteries … is water resistant and the bulb’s life is rated for 110,000+ hours.  Check-out https://www.nebotools.com/ for more details.

iPROTEC mounted with the least amount of wire exposed ...

     As usual, I just cain’t seem to use any gear that’s fresh outta the dang-box, so I had to make a slight modification to my new green light.  Due to my decision on where to position the pressure-switch, the cord runnin’ to the light on my new NEBO was just way too friggin’ long.  The last thing I needed was to snag the cord while in the field.  Carefully dismantlin’ the back of the light, I noticed that the wires were simply soldered to a switch plate.  After measuring, I cut off the excess cord, spliced the wirin’ and then ended-up spendin’ an inordinate amount of friggin’ time tryin’ to re-solder them tiny-ass wires back on to that dang switch plate!  Well now ... it was simply insufferable tryin’ to solder those two friggin’ wires, which were less than a ¼” apart on a switch-plate that was smaller than the diameter of a nickel.  Short of havin’ a mini-man melt-down, the wires finally held and I was able to seal everything back up.  But the hassle and temporary rush of high blood-pressure was well worth the outcome.

     Again, I ain't hawkin' any of this stuff, but when I come across guns, gear, gadgets & gizmos that I think are field-worthy, I'll be sharin' ‘em with y'all right here.  To be quite honest, so far I’ve only tested this new combo by standin’ on my back porch at night.  In new moon conditions, I had shouldered my Henry and lit-up the back fence-line with the iPROTEC … testin’ all four of its modes.  We’re on just over an acre, and that brilliant green light makes everything stand-out.  The real test will happen out in the field at night in a real-live huntin’ situation.  Let’s just assume that if anything fails, whether it's poor aim, bad shot placement or a failed light ... I dang-sure won’t be able to blog about it!  But, I am very confident in this gear as well as my skills, enough to go up against any quarry I may encounter.  Hopefully, that’ll be real dang soon …

Preppin' ...

     Howdy, y'all ... hope all of you and yours have had the safest & happiest of holidays!  I've not wasted any time around the house, 'cause I've been preppin' my gear for a grand New Year.  I'll be headin' back to Caddo Lake, The Big Thicket, the Ozarks and God only knows where else or what other sights I'll be blessed enough to see.  There's no time like the present to get your gear in order, 'cause before we know it spring will be upon us.  So, why worry about broken or failed gear just before a trip?  My hapless old ass has learned the hard way on many of occasions not to procrastinate when it comes to takin' care of my outdoor gear.  Always go prepared is the motto I (try to) live by, so preventative maintenance is a big part of preparedness.  I'd rather spend some quality time in the grime than bein' out there fixin' sh¡t, so this is why I've already started preppin' ...

A boat is just a floatin' friggin' hole to pour money into ...

     When it comes to my sloughstalkin' ... my boat is what I heavily rely on to get me where I need to get to and back, both safely and reliably.  But then, we all know that a boat is just a floatin' friggin' hole to pour money into ... and I was reminded of that fact just 2 weeks before Christmas.  I sure am glad that Mrs. Claus didn't balk on Santa's repair clause, 'cause not only did I hafta replace a $112.00 deep-cycle crankin' battery, but my $150.00 Guest on-board chargin' system was shot as well.  While I was switchin' stuff out, I cleaned all of the electrical contacts, changed fuses, changed-out the fuel, the fuel filter, plugs, etc. and plan to run it soon.  And if you love it, lube it!  Now, some of y'all need to keep your minds outta the dang gutter ... I was referrin' to the steering cable and wheel bearings.  I'd rather not deal with the consequences of neglect while I'm out and about.  Been there, done that!  I've launched on Caddo Lake with a frozen steerin' cable, as well as broke-down on the side of a highway with an axle snapped at the spindle.  And it seems that the farther away you are from home, the more expensive those repairs seem to get!

The new home away from home! My true test will be a wet spring in the swamp; and yes, there is a rain-fly!

     Now, let's talk about campin' gear.  My Cabela's one-man bivi has always been a great packable tent for hikin' ... but I felt the need for a comfortable base camp.  I'm now over 50, and sleepin' on the dang ground ain't gettin' any dang softer. I both enjoy and deserve some comfort in my old age, especially if I were to be out in them woods a week or so at a time.  Last year, I purchased a brand-spankin' new Ozark Trail 13' x 9' eight person tent, 2 cots and a 10' x 10' awning from "Y'allmart".  As simple as their online videos showed that this stuff is supposed to set-up, it's always a good idea to make a mock camp a few times before takin' everything out into the field.  God forbid you gotta set-up in the dark, durin' a thunderstorm or both ... and then somethin' ends-up missin' or possibly was broke to begin with!  I'd rather not spend a few days in a tent that leaks either, so I always field-test new campin' gear prior to me havin' to heavily rely on it.  Well, thank God I practice what I preach ... 'cause one of the main support poles on the tent was assembled bass-friggin'-ackwards and upside-friggin'-down, as well as bein' jammed together so tight, I thought I was goin' to break the dang thang 'fore I even got to use it.  Hell, it took me & my neighbors Milton & Farrell just to get them friggin' poles apart!

The rounded-side was inverted at the manufacturer ...
... note the damaged sleeve (center) that was jammed!

     I tell y'all what ... if I'd have found an "inspected by" sticker on that friggin' tent, I think I might've been arrested for makin' a terroristic-threat!  There was abso-friggin'-lutely no way in Hell that anyone had set that tent up prior to packagin' it.  After a lengthy re-assembly with tools I probably wouldn't have had out there in them woods, it actually set-up easy enough.  But then, I kinda noticed that the online video did not completely show the dis-assembly portion of said tent.  It shows how easy it is to collapse your tent ... but does not show anyone how to re-pack it.  Surprise!  I found out why ... it's pretty much well a 2 person job to get that 8 person tent back into its friggin' carry-bag.  The 10' x 10' instant gazebo was easy enough for one person to set-up and break-down, as long as you didn't attempt it in a brisk winter wind.  Re-packin' that damn thang was no picnic, either.  At least the new cots were a no-brainer and seemed comfortable enough, but I've made myself sleep in 'em a few times just to make sure.  Sleep deprivation after a full day of sloughstalkin' could lead to me makin' a costly mistake, as in gettin' myself or someone else hurt.  Again, this is why they call it preppin' ... so until next time, y'all take heed and take care!

Retrogressin’ …

     Howdy!  While gettin’ the Landrum household ready for the upcomin’ holidays, I had spent some time goin’ through a bunch of old huntin’ gear.  I came across a cache of stuff that brought back some fond memories, and wondered why I still kept some of it.  I guess I’m sorta retrogressin’ … ‘cause my hapless old ass cain’t seem to part with most of it.  I’m old school, but border on bein’ a hoarder!  Seriously, how much crap can one man keep?  I thought y’all might get a kick outta some of this stuff, so, here goes:  Jon-e Hand Warmers … any of y’all remember these?  Fill ‘em, light ‘em and presto … you got heat!  Just don’t ever stick ‘em in the pockets of your favorite flannel huntin’ shirt … unless you like your breasts overcooked.  You used to be able to purchase these at most any small-town store that sold sportin' goods such as Otasco’s or Western Auto (yeah, I’m showin’ my age).  These oversized lighters were a must for anyone huntin’ in cold, damp conditions like bays or swamps and would burn strong for several hours.  I even have a can of fluid … which is almost full.  Just for sh¡ts & giggles, I looked for these online and was shocked at what they are now goin’ for … that is, if you can still find ‘em.  Due to the fact that the Farmer’s Almanac warned us that this winter would be much colder than the last, I think I’ll be holdin’-on to ‘em … as in, very dang-shortly!    

 

     Remember the Wrist-Rocket?  I still have and regularly use mine ... replacin' the rubber tubing annually.  I remember gettin' this jewel for Christmas back in 1972; incidentally, I also remember gettin' my ass tore-up for aimin' it toward someone.  Paw-paw Jones did not appreciate the small wild melon that mysteriously splattered at his feet from 75-yards away.  I have always been deadly accurate with it.  Combined with a Crown Royal bag full of marbles & steel bearin’s … I would varmint hunt with it, and still carry it in my boat wherever I go.  I’ve kept many a gator that got too close to my rig while fishin’ at bay; a steady aim followed by a good “thunk” on the noggin and they usually go elsewhere!  I guess that since the game wardens might be readin’ this, they might-just ought to appreciate the fact that I wasn’t ever harrassin’ them gators; I was simply keepin’ ‘em away.  Whenever gators get within’ a push-pole’s distance of my boat while I’m standin’ on the friggin’ trollin’ motor in high-gear, I’d say that I’m pretty-much well in fear for my safety.  Y'all please realize that it’s better than the alternative; ‘cause I’d rather not have to dispatch one, know what I mean?

     Here’s my trusty old Benjamin .22-cal. pellet pistol … which still fires as powerfully and as accurately as it did in the 70’s.  I still have a can of the original pellets, as well as an unopened package of .22 cal. darts!  The finish is gone, but I ain’t goin’ to try and restore it.  Remember, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!  And if you love it, lube it and maybe the seal won’t dry-out.  At the disdain of my wonderful wife, this old pistol currently resides on a curio shelf, even though it ain’t there just for display purposes.  This beast can still penetrate a galvanized bucket, and even back in the day I preferred it to any of the CO2 models that my buddies had.  And even though I love our resident wildlife, God help the next friggin’ squirrel that decides to gnaw on the keel of my dang kayak!  Again, since the game warden might be readin’ this … if that were to happen … there won’t be any dang wanton waste; it’ll simply get added into my next gumbo.  Period.  I make a mean squirrel gumbo.  And in no way, shape or form do they taste anything like chicken ...

     I also found several pairs of coveralls that I no longer wear, but cain’t seem to part with.  They just don’t make ‘em as well as they used to … nor do they make these patterns anymore.  Talk about retrogressin’ … I'd come across my traditional brown camo, original Realtree and Trebark.  I’ve even got the matchin’ gloves, hats & overboots as well.  Now, don’t y’all be makin’ fun of my friggin’ overboots; ever sit up in a tree stand or a duck blind in the extreme cold for an extended amount of time?  I’m talkin’ about at a time before there were boots made with Thinsulate.  Wearin’ these gems would keep my toes from turnin’ friggin’ blue!  And speakin’ of which … who could forget them battery-powered electric socks?  I got a pair of ‘em as well.  I bought these long before I discovered overboots.  The wires rubbed blisters, and the battery packs usually bruised my ankles.  They worked, but usually not when or for as long as I actually needed ‘em to.  But they don't have any holes in 'em, which is usually when my old huntin' socks become shop rags ...

 

     Before the days of hydration packs, I simply carried a canteen or a bota-bottle.  Hell, they didn’t sell or even have bottled-waters back then!  The bad thing about these two types of containers is that A: neither held very much, and B: both sloshed loudly while traipsin’ around through them woods.  I fashioned a custom Trebark cover for my old canteen to insulate it, and then found this bota bottle that was puncture-proof as well as bein’ insulated.  I’ve not used either in years, but just cain’t seem to part with ‘em.  Oh, wait, I have used the latter; but, only to transport bourbon or rum.  Incognito that is, when I feel like retrogressin’!  Y’all take care and be safe out there in them woods …

Rustlin' ...

Boo! A doe gets busted ...

     Happy Halloween, y’all!  Not everything that goes bump in the night is scary ... even in the deepest, darkest woods.  Now, I ain't one of them "Bigfoot" researchers that are goin’ to claim that every friggin' shape & shadow caught on my cams could possibly be a wood ape.  Nope!  As a matter of fact, since my son and I had Our Encounter … we’ve come up zero as far as findin’ any definitive evidence of the animal that we saw waltzin' away from us back in Smith’s Slough.  The followin’ images are cropped from several trail-cam photos that our cameras caught at night out in the Caddo Lake Wildlife Management Area.  And out of the thousands of images & videos I’ve reviewed on our SD cards, these are just a few that might explain what makes some of that rustlin’ folks tend to hear out there in them woods at night.

 

     From coons to coyotes, I've caught all kinds of critters on film that have triggered my trail-cams.  Since it's Halloween, I'll quote Bela Lugosi from Universal Studio's 1931 classic film, Dracula; "Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make."  While the character Count Dracula was referrin' to wolves, this reminds me of similar sounds I hear at night on a regular basis.  Most folks who camp, hunt or live in rural (or now, even urban) areas are used to hearin' coyotes.  I've actually even had them come right into our camp site on occasion.  Though they yip, howl and growl they are actually pretty stealthy while movin' through the leaf-litter at night.  Foxes make some pretty eerie sounds at night as well; but like the coyote, they creep around undetected.  Other critters aren't so quiet ... such as hogs or armadillos.  The mink in the montage below obviously wasn't bein' quiet, as it seemed to be attackin' another critter!

 

A coon, a coyote, a mink, an armadillo and a buck in velvet in caught on trail-cams in the Caddo WMA ...

 

     I've read on some sites where researchers were abso-friggin'-lutely fascinated with eye-shine.  I've spent a bunch of time out there in them woods at night; and in my experience, the only eye-shine I've seen was caused by a light-source illuminatin' an animals eyes.  I'm pretty sure that if I ever came across a critter who's eyes glowed without me shinin' a light on it ... I might just squirt a friggin' grape!  Here is a great example of eye-shine that was caught by one of my game-cams through time-lapse on several frames, from dark 'til light.  This buck was bedded-down in thick foliage, while you can see the antlers of another buck in the daylight shot, which was right in front of my 5th trail-cam "Mini-Thing".  By the way, this model of Moultrie trail-cam was supposed to be infra-red.

 

 

     As cooler weather approaches, I'll hopefully be doin' a bunch more campin' and huntin' out there in them woods.  I'm sure that I'll hear some pretty peculiar things while I'm out there on a few of them brisk, fall nights.  But, unless I hear an animal doin' somethin' a little more substantial than just rustlin' ... I'll be sure to keep the safety on.  Y'all be safe out there, and have a Happy Halloween!

Update: Renovatin’ … home on the range!

     Howdy, y’all … a couple of weekends back, I’d taken my renovated Tula SKS to the range.  One Saturday afternoon, my buddy Sahil met me and my son T.C. at the Galveston Rifle & Pistol Club, where he is a member.  Sahil kinda had the "I-wants" for a .357 revolver, so I took my stainless Smith & Wesson Model 66 along for him to practice with, includin' a couple of boxes of .38 and .357 rounds.  Sahil's a good guy, so I figured that as long as we didn’t crack any Aggie jokes that we'd be in some pretty safe company!  While Sahil's objective was to shoot my Smith … my objective was to re-introduce myself to my vintage SKS, which I had recently finished Renovatin’ ...

 

     We had brought a few other arms with us, includin' our vintage M-1 carbine, a Winchester Defender tactical shotgun and my Springfield XDm, in which I was tryin' to zero-in with my Veridian Green laser/tactical light.  Sahil brought his Glock as well as his Zastava Yugo AK-47 into the fray, and we all had a blast!  Me & T.C. hadn't ever had the opportunity to shoot an AK, and as usual ... T.C. fared better than I did.  He had a much better stance and grouping, while I ended-up with a rosie-right cheek; Sahil's AK definitely had quite a bit more kick than our SKS!  And speakin' of kick, even though our Winchester Defender has a pistol-grip as opposed to a butt-stock ... it's not somethin' I'd recommend shootin' with one hand.  There's a dang-good reason that I chose to install the additional pistol-grip on the pump as well.  We took turns blastin' some older rounds of 00 buckshot as well as launchin' some 3" slugs down range, and it kicks like a mule!

     Gettin' back to the SKS, as previously posted, I had replaced the fixed “dump” magazine system in order for it to accommodate removable 20-round polymer mags.  The new TAPCO IntraFuse 6-position stock with SAW pistol grip was much-more comfortable to hold.  I had also replaced the original gas piston and added an improved gas tube.  Another mod that I had made was the addition of a thread-adapter onto the end of the barrel and a muzzle brake.  So, my first line of business was to insert a loaded mag, charge the system, take-it off of safety and fire it.  C’mon … what’s the worst that could happen?  Well, at this point, I had a few serious concerns, such as: Will the gun fire without catastrophic failure?  Will the mod on the end of my barrel stay intact?  Would it eject the spent shell and cycle correctly, feeding the next shell properly?  And, would the sear function correctly so I wasn’t launchin’ 19 additional rounds down-range in quick-friggin’ succession?  This last concern was not a likely problem; but as far as my hapless-ass was concerned, if sh¡t can happen …

Easier changin' mags than reloadin' with stripper-clips!

     ... well, it didn’t, ‘cause you’re readin’ this-here blog; the SKS fired (almost*) perfectly  and accurately!  Shootin’ open sights in a standin’ position, my first few rounds at 30 yards all grouped somewhat satisfactorily.  The kick wasn’t anywhere near what it used to be, probably due to the additional butt-pad and the muzzle-brake.  I felt very comfortable holdin’ the new TAPCO Intrafuse 6-position stock, and decided to shoot my next mag prone, usin’ the bipod.  This allowed me to adjust my sights, and get a much better grouping.  Even though I am a stalker and not a still-hunter, you just never know what scenario one might face runnin’ ‘round out there in them woods!  I needed to practice gettin’ comfortable changin’ mags both quickly and efficiently.  And every time I changed a mag, I checked to make sure that my barrel-mod had not moved.  The adaptor didn't budge, but the muzzle-brake will need some thread-lock.  All & all, I’d say that I was as happy as a toddler that took his first diaper-less poop!

 

     *Here are the down-sides: Out of the 100+ rounds fired, we had a total of 3 miss-feeds with the SKS.  On three occasions, we ended-up with a vertical live round kinda stickin' ... as in straight-friggin' up with the bolt slammed against it!  Also, the pressure switch for the NEBO would not adhere to the TAPCO synthetic stock.  As a matter of fact, the NEBO pressure switch on the Winchester Defender stuck in the on position, so it looks like I'll hafta be fixin' sh¡t again!  And as far as my shootin' goes, I think I'll need to be hittin' the range a lot more often, 'cause my groupin's definitely ain't nothin' to brag about.  So after some more practice, the next test would be out in them woods. I'm itchin’ to put my new hog eradicator through its paces.  And as bad as the feral hog problem is here in Texas … it’s not much of a question of when to hunt as much as it is the question of where.  In the great state of Texas, as long as you have a valid huntin’ license, you can hunt hogs (almost) anywhere 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.  There are several places in Galveston, Brazoria, Chambers & Jefferson counties for me to choose from, not to mention hittin' the Sam Houston National Forest.  So until then, I'll be sure to share ... and y’all take care!

Levelin' ...

The Cooper Discoverer ATP

     Howdy, y'all ... I finally got some new meats for my 2011 Chevy Silverado 4x4.  I’m not an avid wheeler, and quite frankly rarely use four-wheel drive … except on rural boat ramps or tamer trails through them woods.  I do, however … slap-it into 4-high & 4-low every month or so to keep the actuator from freezin’ up.  The stock tires that came on my Chevy were Goodyear touring tires, so I tended to stay shy of mud or rocks.  I do love the factory ride, and did not want to go the suspension lift route with this truck.  I ain't a rich man; we've now got two kids in college and our budget is very limited, but it was time for some new tires.  Now, the last truck I had was a CK2500 4x4 Suburban with a 454 stuffed under the hood … and it could pass anything but a friggin' gas station!  Sad to say, Chevy’s IFS (independent front suspension) did not agree with the size of tires I ran, or the weight of my Ranch Hand front-end replacement or the Warn XD9000i winch.  Even after replacin’ multiple front-end suspension parts, a ride in the “Red Sled” was more like a friggin’ train wreck!

 

TC sittin' behind the wheel of the "Red Sled" for some
wheelin' through the Sam Houston National Forest ...

     I had recently visited an old acquaintance at our local four-wheel drive store ... Bob Woodcock, owner of The Shop Off-Road Performance Center in League City, Texas.  After doin’ some catchin’ up, I explained to Bob my needs, and as usual … he & his crew knew exactly what to do.  They ordered me a Zone Offroad 2” levelin’ lift, which would retain the factory-ride and enable me to upgrade to some slightly larger AT’s.  Due to my experiences with the “Red Sled” … I did not want to run severely oversized tires that would jack with the factory ride or stress the factory suspension.  I also wanted to keep my stock Chevy premium alloy wheels.  I was currently runnin’ 265-70-R17’s … and with Zone’s 2” levelin’ lift, I could now install some new 285-70-R17 Cooper Discoverer ATP’s.  I made dang-sure prior to makin’ this choice that the new meats wouldn’t rub the insides of my front fender wells, especially while makin’ sharp turns; the Red Sled had that problem as well.

 

     Because my truck is a daily-driver, I did not want to install too-aggressive of a tire … as in runnin’ MT’s.  I don’t much like road noise, nor do I wanna p¡ss rubber (and money) down the road.  Due to all of my sloughstalkin’, huntin’ & fishin’ … I make far too many road-trips to hafta endure an uncomfortable ride.  I guess I’m gettin’ old and I don’t hear too well with a buncha road noise (over my blarin’ 70’s rock & country) and really enjoy the smoother ride I get from my newer Chevy.  Out of all the AT’s that I had looked at, the Cooper Discoverer ATP had the deepest tread-depth but were quiet, and had 55,000-mile limited tread warranties.  Plus, my out-the-door price at my local Discount Tire was really hard to pass-up.  I got 5 tires mounted & balanced includin’ road-hazard warranties for just over a grand (that pricin’ was due in-part to $80.00 in mail-in rebates from Discount, and a $70.00 mail-in rebate from Cooper).

I tried to show the difference in the height after addin' the 2" levlein' lift and the larger AT tires ...

 

     Here are the comparison pics, before & after; I stacked a couple of dry-boxes in the same spot for both pics to show the difference in height.  As y’all can see, I basically gained 3¾” to 4” of lift from the levelin’ combined with the new taller meats.  After gettin’ an alignment and the headlights adjusted … TC & I headed to Galveston to hit the range with my co-worker Sahil.  The ride was awesome; still smooth and still quiet!  I'll need to watch my speed runnin' the taller tires, 'cause at 65 mph. I'm now actually goin' 2¼ mph. faster than what my speedometer shows.  I can't afford any tickets, nor do I wanna push my luck gettin' another warnin' like the one I got the last time I was Speedin'.  The true test will be haulin’ our boat full of gear as well as a full payload to do some sloughstalkin'.  Y’all know what that means … sounds like it’s time for another road-trip to Uncertain ...

     Until then … I have one more bit of news to give y’all.  It seems that Bob and his crew from The Shop Off-Road are filmin’ the second season of their reality show, High Tech Rednecks for MAV/TV.  I’d never even heard of this show, but from what I’ve seen, it’s a hoot!  The show centers around Bob’s other venture, Critter Gitters ... the makers of serious huntin’ equipment right here in League City, Texas as well.  I’ve known Bob for a few years now, and he can fabricate just about anything but a huntin’ yarn; most of his outdoor tales are fairly accurate … and he’s a fairly accurate traditional recurve bow hunter as well.  Y’all be sure & check ‘em out!  Until next time … keep yer eyes peeled while runnin’ ‘round out there in them woods!

Renovatin' ...

My antique arm prior to doin' any renovatin' ... a 1952 Tula Armory SKS - 7.62 x 39mm semi-auto carbine.

     Howdy-do!  I finally got around to renovatin’ my old 1952 Tula SKS.  This gun wasn’t doin’ me any good just sittin’ in a gun safe.  Takin’ it to the range occasionally for sh¡ts & giggles wasn’t justifiable; I really just wanted to make this relic my new hog huntin’ gun!  This Soviet surplus semi-automatic carbine fired ten 7.62 x 39mm rounds, loaded into what I called a “dump” (fixed or stationary) magazine which is fed via the use of a stripper clip.  My main objectives were to replace this system with removable 20-round magazines, and give my old gun both a legal as well as a tactical face-lift in the process.  I did not want to make any permanent modifications to my antique arm, so I got out on that-there internet and done me a bunch of researchin’ before I began.  I found several helpful hints on various SKS forums, and found some very informative You Tube videos as well.  So for my first shout-out … my camo Waffle House hat goes off to “sootch00” aka Team Sootch Minuteman; thanks for all of your time & efforts that you’ve put into your excellent You Tube channel, and especially for keepin’ us informed!  His “Fun Gun Reviews & Sensible Survival” videos will not disappoint, so y’all be sure to check him out …

 

The Tula star & arrow logo
with the rectangular refurb
stamp just above the date.

     After doin’ some pretty extensive research on my particular SKS, I discovered that even though it had been refurbished … it was actually refurbed at the original Tula Armory and had all of its matchin’ serial numbers!  This gun was purchased in the late 80’s and I had all of the original accessories that came with it as well; the sling, cleanin’ tools, the oiler and the bladed bayonet.  Hell, I even have a couple of boxes of the original hollow-point shells!  To a collector, the gun was worth more than just your average surplus carbine, so I wanted to make sure that I did not modify or re-tool any of the original parts.  I would, however have to replace some components to make my arm legally compliant.  So, after some careful analysis of all of the different options that I had available, I decided to purchase the TAPCO Intrafuse 6-Postion Stock System (with a blade bayonet cut) in traditional olive drab.  This adjustable stock is jam-up for gettin’ the right feel when yer aimin’ it or sightin’ it in … especially if ya got short little “T-Rex” arms like mine!  I also had purchased the T6 rubber butt-pad, which reduces the kick a bit, and bought an Ultimate Arms Gear adjustable tactical butt-stock sling from The Global Sportsman which allows several different configurations of carry positions.

 

     I had to keep in mind that this gun was goin’ to be my new hog huntin’ rifle, and would receive quite a bit of abuse out in the field.  Any gun that I take sloughstalkin’ has gotta withstand wet & muddy conditions, not to mention the abnormal abuses of hog huntin’!  The last thing I wanted to do was warp, crack or damage the original wooden stock or upper hand guard, so gettin’ my new TAPCO synthetic composite stock was a must.  It came with a SAW style pistol grip and a Picatinny rail-styled upper hand-guard that would allow the mountin’ of any additional accessories.  This stock system counted as 3 of the legal compliant parts needed for my conversion (butt, pistol-grip and fore-arm) and the 20-round magazine counted as 3 as well (floor-plate, follower & the body).  The muzzle-brake counted as another, and I had also opted to purchase TAPCO’s improved gas tube as well as their gas piston, which each count as one U.S.C. (United States Code) 922r compliant part for my import.  Now, I’m not goin’ to get into any legalities concernin’ the conversion of an imported firearm, but I highly suggest that y’all do yer homework prior to takin’ on such a project.  I made damn sure that I followed every letter of the law, ‘cause I don’t ever plan on tradin’ any of my camo for one of them federal orange jumpsuits.  Period.

 

     On top of producin’ quality US made components, I found that TAPCO has excellent customer service as well.  Not only did I get a complete list of all the parts (and correct part numbers) that I would need to purchase from the customer service manager Kevin … he also e-mailed me detailed instructions, includin’ those on any modifications that may have to be made.  For example, some SKS’s would not accept the TAPCO 20-round magazine without some minor toolin’ to the magazine itself.  Luckily, this was not the case with my arm; however, I did have to file the top edge of the gas tube in order for the latch to slide down and lock it securely into place.  Also, I had decided to remove my bayonet to accommodate a foldin’ bi-pod from Ultimate Arms Gear, and added the TAPCO threaded muzzle-brake.  And speakin’ of toolin’ … my barrel was not threaded, and I had read several horror stories in the form of reviews on Amazon.com from folks who added inferior muzzle-brakes which only had 1, 2 or 3 set-screws.  I ended-up purchasin’ an SKS Thread Adapter from Tactical Military Gear, which is also manufactured in the USA and features 4 set screws.  The last thing that I needed was catastrophic failure at firin’ time …

 

A few things used for my amateur gunsmithin' ...

     This 14x1mm left-hand thread pitched adapter did not initially fit over my particular barrel.  I did not want to thread the barrel on my antique arm … so I had to do some creative tool work on the inside of the adapter.  My dilemma was that if I used a lathe … I might take-out too much of the inner wall of the adapter, and the fit would not be tight.  It needed to fit snugly, and not have any play that might change the trajectory or cause the bullet to strike the inside of the muzzle-brake.  After wandering the aisles of my local Ace hardware store, I decided on buyin’ a 2” long, 9mm ¼” drive socket, which just fit inside the adapter … as well as a manual driver with a sturdy handle.  Using 3M double-sided tape, I made calculated, tight and even wraps over the outside of the socket; I then used my trusty X-ACTO to cut a piece of 120-grit sandpaper, and wrapped it over the taped socket to where the ends matched-up evenly.  What I made was a custom-fit cylindrical rasp, which now fit tightly inside of the adapter, and I sanded it by twisting it.  As my opening became a fraction larger, I would add another wrap of tape each time I changed-out my sandpaper.  I gradually switched to finer grits … until I eventually ended-up smoothing it-out with 320-grit.  My adapter now fit very snugly onto the end of the barrel, and seated firmly against the sight.  To ensure that the 4 set-screws would hold under the extreme pressure of firing, I made four 1/16” deep divots into the outer barrel.  After re-bluing the adapter and the divots in the barrel … I simply applied some blue thread-locker to seal the deal!

 

All mods complete except for optics; I prefer an open-site and will add a NEBO iPROTEC Green Light.

     As you can see, the final result was just as excitin’ as getting’ a new gun!  But looks ain’t everything … ‘cause the true test would hafta come from the range.  The last thing anyone needs is an “uh, oh …” out there in them woods, resultin' in severe injuries or worse.  If somethin’ does go south … hopefully it’s a simple fix, like usin’ a broken shell extractor.  Then again, bein’ amongst a buncha p¡ssed-off feral hogs with a rifle that don’t shoot wouldn’t be no picnic either; unless, I guess … you was one of them hogs!  All jokin’ aside, most of ‘em just run upon sight; however, I have had a couple lately that have stood their ground or chomped their teeth at me.  I had jumped a boar, two sows & a piglet on Horse Island close to Back Lake last year that had bedded down next to a huge tree-fall.  The two sows and piglet squealed & ran, but that big ole boar not only stood his ground but he friggin’ growled at me!  I’d love to have this same scenario play-out again while holdin’ my renovated SKS and thin that herd.  But first, I’ll be gettin’ some range-time in over the next couple of weekends.  So until then, y’all take care and enjoy the summer!