Outdoorsman Thread

[zp4ja]

Will post my scouting trips from today and yesterday with some pics tonight or tomorrow. Saw about 50 Antelope today. Still sorting out my gear and had a chance to look at the Vortex ballistic calculator for my scope and chosen ammo for my hunt. Very cool program.
The ammo box says 2910 fps but I assume it is slightly lower. You have a way to calculate that without a chronograph after my first range trip.
So I did some calculations for 2700 fps muzzle velocity for the fun of it for now. I assume it will be close to that.
The program has you input all the data I mentioned in my previous post. You have a report of bullet drop at X amount of yards in MOA, inches or other variables.
You can print a field sized card or full page and save to your PC.
THIS IS FREE TO ALL TO USE!
If you happen to own a Vortex scope (or other manufacturer have their own specific ones), it will provide yardage per recticle type for each hash mark (non zero) at different magnifications. Nice to know a rough idea based on ballistics and where the hash mark yardage is. Even provides yardage for specific degrees of incline. I am more of an old school guy as I said but when you may take a long shot, I will take all the help I can get to get in the ballpark.

If I fill this tag, I can't apply for this "longer than ears antelope" for 5 years. If I don't fill the tag, I lose all my bonus points I had and start from scratch. Either way, it is what it is.

Had a great day today scouting with my son, his buddy and my grandson. That is what it is all about.

A few pics of the LRBC that I did. May get to the range tomorrow possibly.

Regards, Jerry

[TripleF]

Jerry.....just an fyi.....Dinadan's real name is Mel as seen in his sig.

So, another mission was had yesterday and we brought along a friend of my oldest grandson.

Even after hiding under a pavillion to avoid the rain, we made it out onto a trail hike in the park. Accidentally , of course, I spotted a fatwood stump. I started by busting off a couple `2" slivers from the side of the stump but the next thing you know it's an all out "mission" to extract this hunk of wood known as the God of Fire!! We worked on it for 45 minutes I bet and had a ball.....

Couple pics (see the stump and hole in front of the littlest one):

[jerryd6818]

Can't leave those fine young lads laying on their sides. Have they figured out yet that the "mission" is for grandpa to find more fatwood?

[Dinadan]

Jerry.....just an fyi.....Dinadan's real name is Mel as seen in his sig.

I know it is confusing. When I picked my username I did not realize how many folks here use their real name, and if I changed my username it would just add more confusion.

Scott - looks like a fun day for all on the hiking trail!

Yesterday the shrimp boats were heading into the channel as my wife and I were heading out. A beautiful Saturday, as you can see.

[TripleF]

Can't leave those fine young lads laying on their sides. Have they figured out yet that the "mission" is for grandpa to find more fatwood?

Not yet.....won't completely upload until they're older....

[philco]

Mel I love that pic of the shrimp boats. The closest one with its nets spread out is quite interesting to this old land lubber. (And shrimp lover)

Scott we may just start calling you Mr. Fatwood.

Jerry I'd love to take an antelope myself but I guess I'll have to settle for the vicarious thrill of monitoring the progress of your hunt. Good luck!

[ken98k]

Jerry.....just an fyi.....Dinadan's real name is Mel as seen in his sig.

So, another mission was had yesterday and we brought along a friend of my oldest grandson.

Even after hiding under a pavillion to avoid the rain, we made it out onto a trail hike in the park. Accidentally , of course, I spotted a fatwood stump. I started by busting off a couple `2" slivers from the side of the stump but the next thing you know it's an all out "mission" to extract this hunk of wood known as the God of Fire!! We worked on it for 45 minutes I bet and had a ball.....

Couple pics (see the stump and hole in front of the littlest one):

So, I gotta ask, what is "fatwood", and what do you do with it?

[TripleF]

Fatwood, aka lighter knot, pine knot is from a pine tree, usually the lower portion of the tree and is resin filled. Excellent for starting fires because it produces a long hit flame with a small amount.

Check out YouTube.

Thank you for the new nichname Phil!

[Dinadan]

My wife and I headed out fishing this morning. The radar looked bad, the sky looked bad, but we went anyway. When we got on the water we could see distant (not all that distant) rain. We started fishing and within minutes lightning was hitting within a couple of miles. Then I latched on to this Red Drum and stopped worrying about lightning until he was in the cooler. We caught a couple of small fish then the rain started. Within another few minutes the rain was torrential and the lightning was within a half mile, and closing! Finally we just had to give up and head in. My wife put her rain gear on, but I did not and just got soaked totally. An interesting morning, and one that I will not soon forget.

[zp4ja]

Cool missions Scott. Keep up the good work.

Mel, great pics and nice fish. Not familiar with the Red Drum. Are they pretty tasty? Sound like a hairy trip out on the boat.

Thanks Phil! I will keep posted best I can but I am already getting behind.

So the tags were drawn on May 29th, just 12 days ago. Already had 3 scouting trips and much time on the internet researching, google earth, and local maps. Also, still getting used to all the new gear and how it works.
As to the maps, I bought a NDOW (Nevada Dept of Wildlife) Water Development Atlas, AKA a topography/ guzzler map. Costs 50 bucks but 11X17" map with hard paper and spiral bound. Well worth the money as it is useful and funds go towards the guzzler builds.
What is a "Guzzler"? Due to being in the desert, there are springs, lakes and streams available for wildlife but additional water is needed for all sizes of critters to thrive/survive. NDOW has built like ~1800 of these guzzlers. Basically, a rain catch pad, 20' X 40' for large game and 8' X 12' for small animals or birds that drains into buried tanks and then gravity fed to a trough. They also have catch pads that go into a tank/trough combo. They make it so small and large critters cannot for the most part drink from each other's guzzlers.
Anyway, lots of rain the last few weeks. Last Thursday, some light rain forecast all day. I decided to head out on a scouting trip by myself. In hindsight, not the best idea. My son/guide said after all was said and done and I got back in one piece, "That is insane that you did that" and he is been known to have gotten stuck numerous times in the desert just hoping to power thru whatever is ahead without thinking. He is abit older now and has learned his lessons from the old man.
I go out to an area at the far side of my zone not too far from the Black Rock desert where the most recent land speed record was done and where the infamous Burning Man occurs each year. They call it the "Playa" for some reason but the area has sagebrush, mountains and this playa clay. It is that cracked desert clay that you see pictures of. Fairly solid but when wet, it is like driving on 2 inches of melted butter on concrete.
On top of that, I had dozens of patches of this crap 200 yards long and the common trench tire ruts for miles on end. About 15 miles total. Needless to say, glad to get the hell back to the road as no help is out there when you are 15 miles deep and no cell services or home within miles. Some of the worst crap I did not get photos of as there was no place to stop without sinking. Took 3 hours to go 15 miles.
The scouting trip? Well due to weather and inability to see a damn thing out of my side windows due to all the mud that covered my Jeep Rubicon, no antelope were seen. I did however see quite a few on subsequent trips I will post later.

Take a good look at the first pic. May not look like much but look at the background. There is that wonderful playa clay, slippery as hell, and who know what as the water is 2 inches deep and not sure if a sink hole is in there.

The pretty landscape pics were the 12 or so miles I drove on one side of the mountain. The other side of the mountain are the mud bog pics. Found a cool abandoned gold mine also that I have some pics of.

Regards, Jerry

[FRJ]

Jerry, thanks for taking the time to post all your interesting information and pictures.
The "guzzlers" sound interesting.
Take care out there. Doesn't look like a good place to get stranded.
What kind of gun do you take with you on that kind of trip?

[Dinadan]

Phil - thanks. I liked the way the shrimp boats were in a column in the channel.

Jerry - looks like nice country except for the mud. The closest terrain to yours that I have seen might be Big Bend area in Texas. I guess you pack a survival kit when you head into that kind of terrain?

[zp4ja]

Glad to share Joe. Cool for me that others are interested in my journeys. The pics of that mud don't do the situation justice. Like a pic of a knife versus "in hand".
The guzzler program is very cool. NDOW really uses our fees which are very reasonable for good conservation projects and practices. When I went and bought the guzzler map the other day (best 50 bucks I have spent), the local NDOW Warden in charge of the guzzler program spent an hour with me talking about locations, etc, and even telling me where he has seen antelope and associated tracks in my hunt zone. Some of the guzzler builds require the tank, catch pads, pipes, etc, to be flown in by helicopter. Not an inexpensive project. I think he said on the large guzzlers that 1 inch of rain puts like 2000 gals of water in the tank. Sounded like a lot to me but he is the expert.

If anyone is interested and if you do Google Earth, here are 2 guzzler locations in UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) format. Go to "Options" in Earth to switch to UTM from Lat/Lon. These are in my hunt zone. Both are big game guzzlers and not easy to get to.

11 T 436685 4545647 (Has catch pad and tank/trough combo)
11 T 430181 4540003 (Has catch pad and tank/trough combo)

Guns taken...

Whether Jeep or Polaris RZR, always have the following...

AR-15 with three 30 round magazines
9mm or .45 with three magazines and about 100 rounds of ammo.
Most times also have the S&W Governor with 50 rounds of #4 shot for rattlesnakes or possible feral dog packs. A couple of people have been attacked pretty bad, one person almost killed by these previously domesticated dogs.

The places I go are so remote, the only person that will be there to help you is yourself. "I would rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it".

Mel, survival kit? ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!

Besides the aforementioned guns and ammo, whether Jeep or Polaris RZR, always have the following...

A couple days of food and water.
20' Jumper Cables
Extra clothes
Socket set, pliers, screwdrivers, etc
Knives of course.
Fire starter with kindling.
First Aid Kit.
Zip ties and Duct Tape (1000 uses)
Emergency Tent.
Sleeping bag (most trips)
Rope
Hand axe
3 pairs of gloves.
Break down camp shovel.
Tire puncture repair kit with compressed air cartridges.
Cheap Volt/Ohm Meter
Etc, etc.

I do need a heavy duty Jeep jack and spare tire for the RZR though. A machete and a flare gun would be handy also.

Regards Gents, Jerry

[garddogg56]

Now thats the way a Jeep should look Jerry

[313 Mike]

Wow, some great posting here in the Outdoorsman's thread lately, fantastic stuff fellas! Very much appreciate you all taking the time to post your adventures, Jerry the details of your excursions are a learning experience for sure, thanks for sharing...

[zp4ja]

Now thats the way a Jeep should look Jerry

I am with you dogg. Would have been nice to be able to see though.

Jerry the details of your excursions are a learning experience for sure, thanks for sharing...

Mike my friend, that says it all as it was a learning experience for me for sure. IE: Don't do that again! Good trip though as I saw the area, lesson learned. At one point, I was holding the closed lid to the center console as it has these finger grooves and the damn thing ripped off the hinges.

Got tag 29June
3 scouting trips since last Thursday's mud bog I posted. 4 total.

Scouting Trip Two- Saturday 06June

Myself, My son (guide), grandson and my son's friend. About 10 hours scouting trip roughly 90 miles total off road (and 30 or 40 miles highway
Went the drier side of the zone where the mud was not. Stopping, glassing, look for prints, water sources, etc.
We saw about 50 Antelope over the course of the day. About 25% were young immature bucks. Best tasting big game you will ever eat in my and many others in the areas opinion.
INTERESTING FACTS at least to me...
The NDOW Tags are:
Antelope Horns longer than Ears (my tag). This is regardless of sex! So if a mutant female has a huge rack (pun intended) with "Horns longer than Ears", fair game as they say but not likely. Kill a buck, same deal, larger than ears horns and fits the tag. Kill a buck/doe with horns shorter than ears on the tag I have, big problem. Their ears are about 5 inches in length. The distance you see them at IS LONG even with excellent binoculars, sometimes hard to tell with these eyes. That is where my son/guide is instrumental for a second opinion. Tag filled, cannot apply for 5 years. Unfilled tag, apply next year but all bonus points lost.
Antelope Horns shorter than Ears This is regardless of sex! Conversely, "Antelope Horns shorter than Ears" if you have that tag, is either a buck or a doe. Those tags are hard to get as everyone loves the meat. Fill tag and hope to get one next year as no restrictions apply.

We went to a few mountain ranges called Slumbering Hills and Bloody Runs (Might have been some battles fought there aka China Garden). We saw antelope, some juvenile Red Tail Hawks, some old water troughs and gold mines, a snake freshly killed drug half way into a hole that looked like a rattlesnake bit him in the back that I volunteered to pull out by the tail of the hole, etc. All are pictured below.

We saw three young buck antelope of the many we saw at about 400 yards. Curious critters when you are not shooting at them! They ran back and forth and eventually came right at us stopping 100 yards for about 5 minutes before being spooked (I went get camera to get pic that I never got) and taking off across the desert at 40 plus MPH for as long as they were within sight which was a long freaking distance. Second pic has the fastest one racing in the foreground.

Good day with family and friend. Great time!

Regards, Jerry

[Dinadan]

Jerry - that is really beautiful country. Especially the area without the mud! Thanks for the photos.

Regarding the curiosity of pronghorns, I read long ago about a hunter who concealed himself among some rocks, then propped up a makeshift flag. The pronghorns would come into range because they were curious about the flag. I have no idea whether that story is true, but your comment made me remember it for the first time in many years.

[Dinadan]

I was out on the water yesterday. The skies were magnificent. Lots of thunderstorms in the area, but we managed to miss them.

Here is a photo of a shrimper heading in ahead of a squall.

Note the hitchhiking pelicans and gulls that are visible in the close up!

Eventually my wife and I anchored in a little river for some fishing and a picnic lunch.

Good thing the lunch was nice, because the fish were not biting. Still, it was a fine outing. You know the saying about a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work ...

[philco]

Great pictures Jerry and Mel.

[philco]

Great pictures Jerry and Mel.

[zp4ja]

Thanks Phil.

Mel, those are some very beautiful pics and looks like a wonderful day with your lady. Nice that you both share the same passion for the sea. Thanks for sharing.

Jerry - that is really beautiful country. Especially the area without the mud! Thanks for the photos.

Regarding the curiosity of pronghorns, I read long ago about a hunter who concealed himself among some rocks, then propped up a makeshift flag. The pronghorns would come into range because they were curious about the flag. I have not idea whether that story is true, but your comment made me remember it for the first time in many years.

Thanks Mel. Very interesting that you mentioned the flag as I almost mentioned this too. The story you heard is in fact true.
My son and his buddy mentioned it to me on this same scouting trip. Place out a white or colored flag and they come running. Still checking into whether that is legal or not. I believe it is. Will update and post more info after I research it some.
We did not have a flag when the 3 young bucks came running at us. Maybe it was the big white jeep with 3 guys and a boy but they sure as hell were curious.
My son grabbed a roll of paper towels after they were 100 yards out staring at us and let about 20 sheets (15 foot or so) flap off the roll in the breeze. That peaked their interest for sure. I asked him what the hell he was doing and then I heard about the flag story.
Additionally interesting, my son has taken at least two nice antelope buck with a bow. Some guys use 2D or 3D doe decoys to bring in the bucks. My son and his buddy thought, "Forget the doe decoy. What pisses a buck off when he has his doe harem with him more than another antelope buck"? Answer, "not much". They battle pretty hard like we do sometimes over their women and turf.
They get a 4x8 sheet of plywood, some spray paint, etc and within an hour they had a 2D antelope buck cutout decoy, painted with horns and all. Damn thing looked pretty life like.
Brought in a pissed off buck from about 3/4 mile out.

First pic is a cape mount of my son's bow Antelope hunt a few years back. A pretty big buck as they go. We saw an even bigger one last night that I may go after. Set up the game cam, hope to have some pics of him and others by this weekend as I will leave it out for 2 or 3 days. Great spot we found but I don't want a lot of tire track being seen as it won't be a good spot for long. Will still keep scouting but tracking that one. Still have over 2 months before season starts on August 22.

Some additional pics of the 06JUN scouting trip attached.

Regards, Jerry

[FRJ]

Great stuff, Jerry. Thank you.

[treefarmer]

The antelope flag story reminds me of a time years ago when I rode along with one of my wife's uncles to roost some turkeys.
Imagine pre Mickey Mouse central Florida, flat pine woods, an occasional high sand scrub and a lot of cypress swamps. We rode to the woods in his 1942 Willys MB Jeep, back then it was only 20 some years old. Unk would park and listen for the turkeys to fly up in their roost trees before dark, then next day they would know where to set up for the turkey hunt at daylight.
Sitting or leaning, very quietly, on the jeep, we noticed some deer feeding along the side of a cypress swamp several hundred yards north of our spot. Unk said, "Watch this." He took his white handkerchief and waved it back and forth, the deer noticed the flag and they then started to slowly come our way. He slowly wave his flag a couple more times. They got close enough had it been deer season, you could have taken a reasonable shot with a rifle. I've often though about this but never tried it. The wind had to have been perfect, we were in the shade, the jeep was dark green and it wasn't deer season .
This was the same trip, he showed me about pulling the dip stick and letting a drop of motor oil get on the joint of my pocket knife. Seems like he was carrying a yellow handled Case that afternoon around 50 years ago.
Treefarmer

[garddogg56]

Good stuff here gut my supper tonite

[zp4ja]

very cool dogg! Nice fish and pics. As we all know some fish species can have a very different look to the same species. The reason I say that is that looks like a Lake Trout Mackinaw by the looks of the mouth but also has some faint coloring like a brook trout. No sure if they have brooks out your way.

What is she my friend? I vote Mackinaw.

Regards, Jerry