Outdoorsman Thread

[TripleF]

Good job Monk!!! Happy for you!

[Dinadan]

I was kayaking last week and deeply appreciating the autumn weather. The water level in the river was perfect. I like to head upriver about two miles to a nice long sandbar where I can get out and walk for a while. It is 600 feet long, so six or seven trips up and down give me a nice walk, ever so much nicer than round the block in my subdivision.

Sandbar on autumn morning

I noted that the beavers seem to laying in winter stores. There were numerous drag marks on the sandbars where they had hauled trees into the river. I kayak this stretch of river pretty often and do not usually see any of these drag marks.

Beaver drag marks in sand

The beavers left me a gift on my favorite sandbar. When I slid my kayak out of the water I noticed a cut and peeled stick at the edge of the sandbar. It was just the right length for a walking stick and even has a crook for my hand. It really made me stop and question whether Someone thinks I need a prop for my strolls on the sand. I did not deny the omen and happily used the beavers handiwork.

Walking stick made for me by beavers

Those fellows do not waste any bark when they start eating. Seeing one of those sticks reminds me of eating corn on the cob where I go round and round from end to end.

Evidence of good teeth

[Steve Warden]

He knows our needs even before we ask.
Very cool, Mel.

[RobesonsRme.com]

If you could manage to steam bend the handle portion, that would make a wonderful cane.

Charlie

[doglegg]

Hey Mel, that is cool, thanks for sharing. What a great de barking job.

[TripleF]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaay cool Mel!!

[Old Hunter]

Very nice Monk; good shooting, good eating, nice Euro Mounts. I took pictures recently of some of my mounts on my old office wall; taking stuff down and moving it to the new house - got less wall space there so I’ve got to decide what gets hung and what gets stored. I switched to Euro mounts a few years ago because they are cheaper, look good, and take a lot less room on the wall. OH

[Old Hunter]

Nice adventure Mel, I like your nature provided walking stick too! I’ve been walking around the corner at our new house and fishing off the dock at the small marina - waiting on the boat lift company to repair my lift so I can move my boat down. Fishing on the dock is a good substitute and is a quick way to get into the water. The Specks are up in the creeks, one of these was legal (14”) the others were just under, but all went back in - I need three legal ones to make a meal for the three of us. OH

[TripleF]

Good stuff Bruce!!!

[big monk]

Very nice Monk; good shooting, good eating, nice Euro Mounts. I took pictures recently of some of my mounts on my old office wall; taking stuff down and moving it to the new house - got less wall space there so I’ve got to decide what gets hung and what gets stored. I switched to Euro mounts a few years ago because they are cheaper, look good, and take a lot less room on the wall. OH

You got some nice mounts Bruce -- Pheasant is super kool !!!! ______ and like said,the Euro Mounts save the memories, for less $$$$$

[Dinadan]

Thanks, fellows!

OH, those are some nice trophies, but I think those Army certificates are even better trophies. Those Specks are beauties. I was out today after Specks and I did not keep any either. I was in Mississippi, and the size there is fifteen inches. In Alabama it is fourteen, like in your state. It was a very gloomy day here and it kept raining on me, too. I only spent a little over an hour on the water. Still a lot better than sitting in font of the computer all day!

[RobesonsRme.com]

My brother-in-law, a truly great fisherman, used to fish for specks in the brackish waters of Escambia Bay, using a short, double-ended plastic worm, hooked in the center. On retrieve, it assumed a “U” shape and the ends quivered in the water. He worked it like one would work a plastic worm for bass.

It was a very effective presentation.

I suspect it mimicked shrimp or possibly crayfish, if such even live in brackish waters.

Charlie Noyes

[Old Hunter]

Thanks Gents!
Monk, that pheasant came from Marie's Taxidermy in South Dakota (near Kimball SD but I forgot the name of the town - it was right on the river). She is something, you pick what you want and leave your address, she ships when it's ready and sends the bill. I was amazed but she said hunters don't stiff her on the payment. It is her design and I liked it alot - much better than a full body mount (once again due to size considerations).
Nice Speck Mel, rainy here today too - supposed to be nice Wednesday for the first 2/3 of the day - I have to choose so I'm going buck hunting because we are in the rut here. I'll get back to fishing later this week.
Charlie, I'm familiar with that rig for Large Mouth Bass but never thought of trying it for Specks - thanks for the idea!
Bruce
Ps. A little better view of the pheasant- Marie knows what she’s doing.

[Unk]

Monk and Old Hunter, I really like those European mounts, and that pheasant as well. I just took the antlers and skull cap off my buck, but if I get another one I may have to try that European mount.

[Old Hunter]

Unk, taxidermists offer synthetic skulls to use on Euro mounts if you didn’t keep the entire skull. I have some of both (natural and synthetic) - hard to tell the difference without looking at the backside and seeing the mold marks. You can dispense with beatles or boiling when you go synthetic. OH

[TripleF]

Knice trout Mel!!

Might have to get out there for some Speck (Crappie) fishing this weekend with this cold front comin' in!!

[Tony_Wood]

Took the smoke pole out yesterday morning on some muzzleloader only state ground.
Did not bring any good fortune, but I did stir up some great memories.
I recall my grandpa blueing this barrel in the bathtub.

[RobesonsRme.com]

That's a nice photograph.

Charlie

[Old Hunter]

Nice old smokepole and great scene there Tony. I went out yesterday, cold, wet, breezy - just a raw day. Our bucks are rutting and there is a lot of activity in the woods. I had a family in want of some venison so I took another fat doe that walked past my stand over in the woods - she was walking away when she passed through a clear spot - she paused and looked towards the powerline, giving me a good neck shot so I wouldn't spoil any meat. OH

[treefarmer]

Good job, Bruce!
Treefarmer

[TripleF]

Love that pic Tony!!

Great harvest Bruce!!

[Tony_Wood]

Thanks Bruce and Scott.
I got skunked on that smoke pole hunt. It snapped on a nice sized eight point. I just watched him walk off, but I had a huge smile for the encounter.
Glad that the long rifle misfired because we only get one deer in Missouri firearms season. Had this chance yesterday. BHB. Behind the House Buck.

[philco]

What a buck ! Congrats !

[treefarmer]

Great deer, Tony!
"What a buck" is an understatement, Philco! They don't make 'em like that in Florida very often. I like the BHB part, too.
Treefarmer

[Quick Steel]

Have never seen anything close to that around here [KY]. For just a fraction of a second I thought it was a moose.