Outdoorsman Thread

[zp4ja]

All the Raptor pics are awesome Gents. A real big fan of them myself also. They are to the air when a shark is to the sea. My honeymoon consisted of a cabin and fishing at Convict Lake in California where I observed several bald eagles fishing successfully for trout. It was an amazing sight. Here is what I think is a juvenile red-tail I spotted while scouting for my antelope 2 years ago. The post was right off the side of the road I stopped maybe fifteen feet away if he didn't move.
Jerry

[zp4ja]

Can't recall I posted this or not but I don't think so. Here's a carp I mistook for otter hunting 2 years ago. Legal shooting time at dawn before sunrise so still fairly dark, bad eyeballs and what I perceived as a otter fins coming out of the water. When the "otter" surfaced, I hit it with a 3 inch Magnum #2 duck/ goose load. I was a little shocked when I saw the results but how many guys can say that they shot a fish with a shotgun. Gotta be some bragging rights there even if it was a mistake. My lab's face had the expression like WTF was that.
Jerry

[Quick Steel]

zp4ja: I agree with your raptor i.d. A juvenile Red Tail. Lots of them around here now. As I drove up to my house today I saw what I believe was a Bald Eagle take off from the pasture behind us. No white feathers yet so he was at most just a few years old.

Though not a hunter I enjoy the outdoors and appreciate the many hunting pictures many of you provide. The bird photos are icing on the cake.

[carrmillus]

Paris Landing State Park near Paris, TN.

........went fishing there once back in 1970, jerry.....got skunked as I remember!!!....... ................

[Paladin]

Cool osprey photos, Dave! That looks like a nice state park, Jerry.

Here is a raptor that most of us in the USA do not see without some effort. There is a refuge in Texas, Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge which is the only place I have ever seen Caracaras. Also home to several other raptor species and a lot of other birds. I did not see the Attwater Prairie Chicken, but my only real reason for visiting that area was to spot a Caracara. I saw a few, and got really good looks.

We get to see a few of the Caracaras around my part of the state. We also call them Mexican Eagles. I used to see quite a few of them while fishing the border lakes, back when it could be done safely.

Ray

[FRJ]

Pretty Bird ...... Pretty Bird ...............

[steve99f]

Very cool pictures guys, birds are interesting and raptors even more so.

So Jerry, I gotta ask, would say that load was ok for carp or would you go bigger?

[CheckSix]

couple of Redtails recharging...

[CheckSix]

my 2 favorite small bird photos...

[Dinadan]

Nice bird photos fellows!

We get to see a few of the Caracaras around my part of the state. We also call them Mexican Eagles. I used to see quite a few of them while fishing the border lakes, back when it could be done safely.

Ray

That sentence about the border lakes packs a lot of content. Sigh. I used to be a lot more serious birder than I am now. One year I was headed out to Big Bend for a bit of camping and I was really wanting to spot a Caracara. So I researched good places and found that that refuge, which is not far off my route. I was really surprised when I saw my first Caracara within minutes of arriving. A couple of years later I visited again and again saw Caracaras immediately.

I loved Big Bend and visited it four times, first three I went alone and just enjoyed the solitude.

[FRJ]

Nice post, Mel.

[Quick Steel]

So many fine pictures. Great photos of the sparrow(s) Check Six.

[Paladin]

Nice bird photos fellows!

We get to see a few of the Caracaras around my part of the state. We also call them Mexican Eagles. I used to see quite a few of them while fishing the border lakes, back when it could be done safely.

Ray

That sentence about the border lakes packs a lot of content. Sigh. I used to be a lot more serious birder than I am now. One year I was headed out to Big Bend for a bit of camping and I was really wanting to spot a Caracara. So I researched good places and found that that refuge, which is not far off my route. I was really surprised when I saw my first Caracara within minutes of arriving. A couple of years later I visited again and again saw Caracaras immediately.

I loved Big Bend and visited it four times, first three I went alone and just enjoyed the solitude.

Big Bend is a magical spot. Matter of fact, my ashes will be scattered in that area, hopefully a long time from now.

Ray

[FRJ]

Nice picture, Quick Steel. Fun to look at.

[Quick Steel]

Thank you Joe.

[CheckSix]

Nice bird photos fellows!

We get to see a few of the Caracaras around my part of the state. We also call them Mexican Eagles. I used to see quite a few of them while fishing the border lakes, back when it could be done safely.

Ray

That sentence about the border lakes packs a lot of content. Sigh. I used to be a lot more serious birder than I am now. One year I was headed out to Big Bend for a bit of camping and I was really wanting to spot a Caracara. So I researched good places and found that that refuge, which is not far off my route. I was really surprised when I saw my first Caracara within minutes of arriving. A couple of years later I visited again and again saw Caracaras immediately.

I loved Big Bend and visited it four times, first three I went alone and just enjoyed the solitude.

Thanks Mel for posting this! I found out about Big Bend about 2 years ago, when I was searching for truly dark skies for astronomy. I have a couple of good sized telescopes and a motorhome... and was looking for a place to go for a week or so, that has truly dark skies. Now that I see your photograph, I realize I must find a way to get there someday! Thanks!

[TripleF]

Cool stufff fellas.....the local park I visit has signs for "bird watching"......I'm always like....I have no clue what I'd see. Better
get to learnin' I guess.

[Dinadan]

Thanks Mel for posting this! I found out about Big Bend about 2 years ago, when I was searching for truly dark skies for astronomy. I have a couple of good sized telescopes and a motorhome... and was looking for a place to go for a week or so, that has truly dark skies. Now that I see your photograph, I realize I must find a way to get there someday! Thanks!

Dave - nice scopes. I have always liked refractors though I have never owned anything bigger than a 80mm. What is that one of yours: 6 inch? I have not looked at a catalog in years, but I remember being amazed at how the four inchers that I once craved had come down in price and that even six inch refractors were not too expensive. That Dobsonian would be nice for Big Bend with the dark skies. I really just enjoy naked eye and binocular sky gazing out there. Most of the park is desert, and a very deserty desert at that. If you camp at a primitive campsite out in the desert then the sky will be as good as any I have seen except at high altitudes in the Rockies.

[CheckSix]

Dave - nice scopes. I have always liked refractors though I have never owned anything bigger than a 80mm. What is that one of yours: 6 inch? I have not looked at a catalog in years, but I remember being amazed at how the four inchers that I once craved had come down in price and that even six inch refractors were not too expensive. That Dobsonian would be nice for Big Bend with the dark skies. I really just enjoy naked eye and binocular sky gazing out there. Most of the park is desert, and a very deserty desert at that. If you camp at a primitive campsite out in the desert then the sky will be as good as any I have seen except at high altitudes in the Rockies.

Mel,
Thanks for the advice! I could boondock camp in the motorhome for several days without any hook-ups. As long as I can get access without any troubles. The MH weighs 12 tons.

I have 3 refractors. The one in the photo is the largest at 152mm and very high quality, on a AP900GTO mount. See astrophoto below of M27 Dumbbell Nebula taken with it. I also have a much more portable 102mm and an ultra-portable 80mm.

The Dob is a 12.5" f/4.8 that I just had the mirror reground by a master optician and recoated by Spectrum Coatings. It is exceptionally good for it's aperture size. On a good night, it provides brief but spectacular views. It has no drive, so views are hand operated and brief.

[Paladin]

Dave - nice scopes. I have always liked refractors though I have never owned anything bigger than a 80mm. What is that one of yours: 6 inch? I have not looked at a catalog in years, but I remember being amazed at how the four inchers that I once craved had come down in price and that even six inch refractors were not too expensive. That Dobsonian would be nice for Big Bend with the dark skies. I really just enjoy naked eye and binocular sky gazing out there. Most of the park is desert, and a very deserty desert at that. If you camp at a primitive campsite out in the desert then the sky will be as good as any I have seen except at high altitudes in the Rockies.

Mel,
Thanks for the advice! I could boondock camp in the motorhome for several days without any hook-ups. As long as I can get access without any troubles. The MH weighs 12 tons.

I have 3 refractors. The one on the photo is the largest at 152mm and very high quality, on a AP900GTO mount. See astrophoto below of M27 Dumbbell Nebula taken with it. I also have a much more portable 102mm and an ultra-portable 80mm.

The Dob is a 12.5" f/4.8 that I just had the mirror reground by a master optician and recoated by Spectrum Coatings. It is exceptionally good for it's aperture size. On a good night, it provides brief but spectacular views. It has no drive, so views are hand operated and brief.

For consideration you should think about Davis Mountains State Park. McDonald Observatory is located there.
http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/visitors

Ray

[CheckSix]

For consideration you should think about Davis Mountains State Park. McDonald Observatory is located there.
http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/visitors

Ray

Thanks Ray! That would work also!

If you haven't seen this before, the link below is to a light pollution map so we can find suitable dark skies. You can see by zooming in, that Ft Davis and Big Bend are ideal.
http://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html

[steve99f]

Neat link Dave, thanks.

Was able to see truly dark skies at sea while serving. It is an awesome sight to see what was to be seen.

[ken98k]

The older I got, the more intrigued I got with taking game with small caliber for size game cartridges.

I have more rifles than I will ever be able to actually hunt with but I've developed an affection for some of the old Mauser calibers. I use a custom 6.5 Swedish exclusively for winter caribou, the recoil is negligible and the caribou don't know the difference.

[CheckSix]

The older I got, the more intrigued I got with taking game with small caliber for size game cartridges.

I have more rifles than I will ever be able to actually hunt with but I've developed an affection for some of the old Mauser calibers. I use a custom 6.5 Swedish exclusively for winter caribou, the recoil is negligible and the caribou don't know the difference.

Perfect example Ken!

I've never shot one of the 6.5mm Swedish Mausers but a guy at the range one day was shooting one next to me. It seemed like a sweetheart. I've always thought about getting a 257 Weatherby. Using 117gr or 120gr premium bullets, it would take anything reasonable and is a real powerhouse! The closest thing I have in the arsenal to it, is a 7mm Shooting Times Westerner in a Sako 75. It is awesome! And the numerous heads of game I've taken with it, have almost always reacted like they were struck with the Hammer of Thor! Seriously!

[TripleF]

I knew it would be cold out (was 33 when I got up at 8:30) today and I wanted to try out this Starbucks instant coffee I purchased.
And I wanted to use this aluminum pot for the first time since I bought it a couple years ago.

The first pot tipped over.... so I had to make another one!

Was purty tasty!!