It's In the Air

[Jack Cronkhite]

Every year there is a day that let's you know it's getting close. Yesterday, CHARLIE and KYRA had a later than usual exercise run in the country. A hun stopped picking grit from the gravel road to fly a few yards into a field, as we were nearing one of our favorite spots. We stopped near a little used rail line and the two burst from the car in unison and made it a hundred yards down the dirt road before stopping for breath. The sun was low and within minutes it was a ball of fire on the horizon. There had been a vapour trail from a jetliner passing over that had dissipated and became gilded into the sunset colors. The dogs enjoyed jumping a couple ducks lazily floating in a shallow slough. They carried on chasing and being chased by a few avocets. We were in that magical half hour after sunset when many a game bird has been taken. The pungent odors of the country-side had that hint of fall and the air was crisp - not cold but a definite change from the last few weeks of more heat than a temperate zone person enjoys (probably cool for some southerners). Yesterday was the first day of 2010 that said time to make sure the huntin' irons are ready to go. Yes, it is still several weeks hence, but Mother Nature has served notice.

Cheers,
Jack

[Russ Jackson]

Jack ;My wife and I take a ride every evening ,you can always spot at least a handful of " Velvet Antlered Bucks " in the local corn patches and last week on her way to help her Mother on Tues. ,My wife spied an old Hen Grouse and eight baby chicks crossing the old dirt road as she took the back way into her Moms place ! Wonder how many will make it through the summer ?

[Dave Suponski]

All of em I hope!

[Jack Cronkhite]

Russ: Around this time of year a couple years back. 5 mulie bucks at 800 meters. They love the canola fields. Not much corn around this area.
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/20080811_IMG_9999sgw.jpg
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/Near_Madden_AB_sgw.jpg

[Dean Romig]

I'm having a little trouble judging their racks without a good glass. The one on the far left and the one in the middle look to be the best and although the one in the center has a good spread I think I'll take the one on the far left just for his mass... what do you think Jack?

[calvin humburg]

I'll take the 1 on the right he has the best backstraps.. ch

[Dean Romig]

Now there's a practical deer hunter! :cheers:

[Jack Cronkhite]

I think you are both correct. I was helping a cousin with his haying operation as he had injured his back. Deer, moose, elk and bear all abound in the area. I was not there for the season but I suspect the backstraps have long since been enjoyed and at least two very good racks are on display over a ranch entrance or gracing a gun room. The locals who see this every day know exactly where to be as the sun is rising on opening day. If I had had the big lens with me that day, we could have a better image from which to determine the trophy vs the tender. My camera took a beating that week banging around in tractors, but I did get some great shots.

Cheers,
Jack

[Dave Fuller]

Most of all I love the fall... However, Columbia river salmon and steelhead runs are way above average and it really just got warm here this week. The stone flys are gone but but lots of fishing remains. I love to fish but pictures like this get me thinking of autumn. Thanks Jack

[calvin humburg]

Whats canola look like. What kind on hay? ch

[John Dallas]

Canola is grown for its seed, and the resulting oil extracted from the seed (canola oil) Your wife probably cooks with it. It's also called Rape seed (no idea why). We used to plant the stuff in a pheasant flight pen at our dog club. When we released the birds into it, they ate every leaf and stem down to the the stalks.

[Jack Cronkhite]

Calvin: What John said. Hadn't noticed there was a second page.

Canola is the yellow flowered crop those bucks are standing in. It can get quite tall as you can see the deer are standing and the crop is to their shoulders. The yellow flowers give way to seed pods. The pods become quite long and filled with small seeds around the size of #6 shot. That is the crop to be harvested. The plant stems are thick and the combine is set fairly high, leaving a stubble that is tough to walk through for the dogs, as it pokes them in the chest and without good hunting pants your legs below the knee can take a beating. (Pheasants love the canola too, but they do not live in this particular area). The canola seeds are pressed for their oil, which is sold in the same grocery aisle as olive oil, corn oil, sunflower oil etc. It is a healthy edible oil, which can replace butter or margarine in a favorite recipe. Canola is the new name for rape seed.

The hay side of things was straight forward alfalfa, done up in the large round bales. I had never been involved in farming but when he injured his back, the only healthy person left was his 90 year old father - still farming and healthy as a horse. Once they determined I could actually drive a tractor, I was set loose with the large bale wagon with instructions on operating its hydraulics and picking up 8 bales and bringing them to the spot chosen for stacking. I was having a hoot until I forgot the first instruction for the wagon. Once two are loaded, a pusher is engaged to move them towards the rear. First instruction - don't forget to bring the pusher forward before loading another bale. Well I ended up with the pusher sitting between the last bale added and the ones pushed back. He just laughed and pulled it off with his front end bucket. Beers on me that day. All in all an enjoyable experience for a "city slicker". It did give me a new appreciation of what is behind the sites we see in rural agricultural areas. I'll be getting another tractor fix in August, so I guess he got over it - or enjoys free beers.

Cheers,
Jack

[calvin humburg]

Jack,
you did well. I would probably of busted something on and had to go to the shop and fix it. We farmer ranchers never say to much about goof ups because we could top you on brain farts I am the king!:banghead: thanks ch

[Francis Morin]

What kind of arc welder and welding rod do you use for that, Cal? 95% of the farmers I know (and I know a lot) have a Lincoln red buzz box- either the older 180 or the later 220 amp output- will operate on 220 60 amp stove current- the older ones with the copper windings are the best- IMO:bigbye::bigbye:

[calvin humburg]

Yup red lincoln ac with hard to start 6011. few years back Dad bought a genarator welder ac dc it welds like a dream but you have to start it so I mostly use ol red. also got some blue rod that starts easy and welds nice. theres a true master in town I go to if its serious.

[Francis Morin]

6011 is basic 6010 pipe rod- but stabilized to run on AC- 6010 (Lincoln 5P) and 7010 (Lincoln HYP- we called it "Hippie Rod" will only run on DC reverse polarity- 6011 will run on AC, also DC reverse and straight-

If you are having trouble starting an arc- first make sure you have a good clean area for the ground on the metal- grind off the paint, grease, cow poop- and check your leads (both ground clamp and stinger)- also make sure the brass teeth in the stinger are clean and free of slag and crud- keep the rod clean and dry, wet or rusted welding rod- no good- then watch for one of the three most common mistakes rookies make in SMAW (1) too "cold" a setting on the machine- AC rods require more amp. for their dia. than comparable DC reverse rods- but AC has a great advantage- no magnetic arc blow- (2) too fast a travel speed, undercut usually is the dead giveaway to that, along with bead shape after slag removal (3) too wide a 'weave" pattern-better to make many interlocking passes than try to do a one shot 'cover pass'

Save some money here- "Blue" rods?? use Lincoln 308-16L stainless rod instead- I've even weldedcast iron with it--
:bigbye: