2021-2022 hunting thread

[Lat22 4015]

Lotta thirsty fuckers there. 

[686 3449]

Had a little time this morning to hunt and got a decent Jake.

The kids didn’t want to hunt but helped with the recovery.

My Turkey season usually lasts exactly one day, so looking forward to next season from here on out. Put in my Colorado application last week, hopefully get drawn again.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

Nice.  Going to South Texas weekend after Easter to Turkey Hunt.  We have a shitload of turkey due to a couple creeks that run through the place.  It is like shooting fish in a barrel.  Just get a locator call, use it near either creek almost anywhere on the ranch, setup decoys, call them in, shoot.  It's almost guaranteed.

I really enjoy Spring Turkey hunts.

[686 3449]

My youngest helped me prep the fan and beard for mounting yesterday, that was good, maybe she’ll want to hang it in her room when it’s done. I like this mounting kit in case anyone is looking for one:


Taxidermists Woodshop The Black Walnut Turkey Mounting Kit -01

http:// https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007P2SJU4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_J7N57X0YB82EB6NESQDE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[baboso 6056]

Educate me on game cams.  What's a good one and what should I be looking for in one.  I'll hang up and listen.

[686 3449]

Educate me on game cams.  What's a good one and what should I be looking for in one.  I'll hang up and listen.

You thinking cellular or non-cellular (I.e. do you want the photos sent to you or do you mind going out and pulling memory cards?)

[baboso 6056]

Cellular, optimally.  

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

Cellular cams changed my opinion. I really disliked going and pulling cards, now I get almost instant alerts on my phone. Much better and very handy for sitting in the blind (or house watching TV!) waiting for a pig or coyote to come up to the feeder in the dark. 

I will say that cellular cameras run the batteries down more quickly. Gonna try a solar one sometime soon. 

[fattyflattie 4639]

Subscribed.  I have still yet to purchase and put cams on my spot.  I kind of like the suspense, but need to put some out. 

[cabowabo 4491]

I have had pretty good luck with Spypoints.  You can get a two pack of them on Academy for $160 (see link).  I have two running now to monitor Hog activity.  I run one with a 12 volt battery and solar panel.  The other I am running now on 8 AA batteries.  If you set the photos to be taken with no delay or every 2 or 3 minutes, you'll run through the AA batteries quickly.  I have mine set to take pics every 15 mins from 8pm to 5am as I just want to know when the hogs are at the feeder and don't need multiple pics.  That stretches the batteries out more.  I pay $10 per month for 1000 pics.  

https://www.academy.com/p/spypoint-link-micro-lte-cellular-trail-camera-twin-pack-with-2-micro-sd-cards?sku=nationwide

[CHIEF 5094]

On 10/20/2021 at 11:45 AM, CHIEF said:

CHIEF Jr. spent hours researching game cams. We ended up with a Covert game cam. My feeder sits at the bottom of a 200 ft. cliff that it must shoot a signal over. Right now I have 90% battery life (about 35 pictures a day), and 60% signal strength, between Benjamin and Guthrie.

https://www.amazon.com/Covert-CO8076-Code-Black-2021/dp/B08VQFZGY7/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1634748402&sr=8-1&srs=9517145011

CHIEF

CHIEF

[solamente73 1132]

On 4/5/2022 at 11:28 AM, baboso said:

Educate me on game cams.  What's a good one and what should I be looking for in one.  I'll hang up and listen.

23 hours ago, baboso said:

Cellular, optimally.  

21 hours ago, fattyflattie said:

Subscribed.  I have still yet to purchase and put cams on my spot.  I kind of like the suspense, but need to put some out. 

I’ve deployed 10 SD card cameras on two properties over the past few years.  I don’t mind running cameras to check cards; it forces me to get out and survey the properties.  That said, in the near future, I will be deploying a couple of cellular cameras for convenience and security, and I’d like to know what’s going on in real time in certain places.

Features to look for depend on for what you want to use the camera. Timelapse is good for just surveying a field, where a short trigger speed is good if you want to capture deer on the run.  If in full sun, a solar panel is nice.  Video with or without audio, depending on your wants.  Should be able to handle 32GB and above SD cards.  Visible or invisible IR depending on how skittish/wise your game is.

I’ve had the best results with Bushnell and Browning cameras.  The best value I’ve found lately is Bushnell’s Prime Low Glow 24MP - I’m running three right now.  Decent sale at $86.37 on Amazon.  I also like Browning’s Strikeforce Pro XD, but those are more expensive.  Both will provide really nice pics during the day, but the Pro XD is superior at night.  Battery consumption depends on temp and number of pics taken, settings, etc.  I run cameras year-round and probably switch out batteries three times per year.

Example pics spoilered:

Spoiler

Day & Night from the Bushnell:

Day & Night (twilight) from the Browning:

 

 

[fattyflattie 4639]

13 minutes ago, solamente73 said:

I don’t mind running cameras to check cards; it forces me to get out and survey the properties.

I used to not. But ~$250 in diesel to do it is changing the math on it a bit.  
 

Ive always been impressed with the pics on the Browning cameras. There’s a page on YouTube that does the Everglades, and some his pics are great. 
 

I had jotted in my phone notes Stealthcam on a rec from someone, but no recollection of that now, lulz. Probably drinking at the camp. 

[deadshank 24653]

Starting the water tote installation at each protein pen this weekend.   Getting seven 275 gallon totes.  6 for each pro pen and 1 for transport.  
 

Super seco at el rancho.   River down to potholes and it’s a long walk to one pila and one dugout spillover tank that have water provided by windmills.  
 

Will take pics   

[686 3449]

I thank God we have two ponds/tanks on our place which never run dry. Our high fence neighbor is trying to install a water system now to some of his feeder locations as he can’t keep up with the water hauling during a prolonged dry spell like we’re having now.

Are you going to haul the transport tote in a truck or UTV? Are you going to use a transfer pump or gravity?

[fattyflattie 4639]

1 minute ago, 686 said:

Are you going to haul the transport tote in a truck or UTV? Are you going to use a transfer pump or gravity?

275g in a UTV isn’t going to happen. I have a 325g tank I used to haul in a truck and it would set it on the stops. I had to eventually get airbags and even then it wasn’t very happy. 

[HOOKEM4 5038]

1 hour ago, deadshank said:

Starting the water tote installation at each protein pen this weekend.   Getting seven 275 gallon totes.  6 for each pro pen and 1 for transport.  
 

Super seco at el rancho.   River down to potholes and it’s a long walk to one pila and one dugout spillover tank that have water provided by windmills.  
 

Will take pics   

I installed 2-275 gallon tanks at each water station and I have a 300 gallon tank I use to fill. The 275 tanks last almost exactly one month. Debating adding 2 more when I finally get the roof/rainwater collection installed over the tanks so I can hopefully only fill once per year.

[HOOKEM4 5038]

28 minutes ago, 686 said:

Are you going to haul the transport tote in a truck or UTV? Are you going to use a transfer pump or gravity?

I have a 4x8 trailer that I center the tank on the axle. I haul it out veeery slowly with the Mule to fill the top station as it is flat. The other tank I have is way down the hill and I have to use my truck.

Honda generator and an electric Wayne pump to transfer. If I use very short water hoses, it takes around 10 min to empty the tank. If I got serious about it, I would get solar and some batteries installed on the trailer so I could have a quiet mobile power station to haul around the property.

[deadshank 24653]

43 minutes ago, 686 said:

Are you going to haul the transport tote in a truck or UTV? Are you going to use a transfer pump or gravity?

Will haul water with transport tote in the back of my F350.  It has load leveler air bags.  Will gravity feed water out of transport tote.  

[HOOKEM4 5038]

2 minutes ago, deadshank said:

Will haul water with transport tote in the back of my F350.  It has load leveler air bags.  Will gravity feed water out of transport tote.  

Got a lot of time on your hands there don't ya.

[deadshank 24653]

4 minutes ago, HOOKEM4 said:

Got a lot of time on your hands there don't ya.

That's all part of country livin'.

(if i can find one of my pumps in the warehouse then strateejerry will change)

[BabaYaga 15301]

53 minutes ago, 686 said:

I thank God we have two ponds/tanks on our place which never run dry. Our high fence neighbor is trying to install a water system now to some of his feeder locations as he can’t keep up with the water hauling during a prolonged dry spell like we’re having now.

Are you going to haul the transport tote in a truck or UTV? Are you going to use a transfer pump or gravity?

Same.  Blessed with great stock tanks and a creek that almost always has water in it.  

[CHIEF 5094]

We are having to supply water to over half of our feeder pens with totes:

When I still had my fab shop, I designed and built eight water trailers designed to haul a tote. It has a 5.5 gpm 12 volt pump. It is ran by a marine battery with a 12v solar panel that keeps the battery charged. I baffled the tank with the corrugated plastic french drain hose you get from home depot, so no sloshing. You don't even know it's behind you, in a truck. My Ranger also pulls it fine. I still have five of the trailers.

CHIEF

[686 3449]

275g in a UTV isn’t going to happen. I have a 325g tank I used to haul in a truck and it would set it on the stops. I had to eventually get airbags and even then it wasn’t very happy. 

Hold my beer good sir:




Caveat: I don’t fill it all the way; but the rated load capacity on these mules is 1100lbs I think. I go slow and work flat ground. I think I put over 200gallons it it once and it was ok. I was watering trees:

[deadshank 24653]

7 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

We are having to supply water to over half of our feeder pens with totes:

When I still had my fab shop, I designed and built eight water trailers designed to haul a tote. It has a 5.5 gpm 12 volt pump. It is ran by a marine battery with a 12v solar panel that keeps the battery charged. I baffled the tank with the corrugated plastic french drain hose you get from home depot, so no sloshing. You don't even know it's behind you, in a truck. My Ranger also pulls it fine. I still have five of the trailers.

CHIEF

I'm gonna come by and put  some dents in the side of your shop to give it the "lived in" look.

Nice work,  Chief.

[deadshank 24653]

1 minute ago, 686 said:

Hold my beer good sir:




Caveat: I don’t fill it all the way; but the rated load capacity on these mules is 1100lbs I think. I go slow and work flat ground. I think I put over 200gallons it it once and it was ok. I was watering trees:

you get one of Vic's girls to ride up front with you as a counter balance?

[686 3449]

We are having to supply water to over half of our feeder pens with totes:

When I still had my fab shop, I designed and built eight water trailers designed to haul a tote. It has a 5.5 gpm 12 volt pump. It is ran by a marine battery with a 12v solar panel that keeps the battery charged. I baffled the tank with the corrugated plastic french drain hose you get from home depot, so no sloshing. You don't even know it's behind you, in a truck. My Ranger also pulls it fine. I still have five of the trailers.

CHIEF

That’s really nice! I wanted to build a trailer to hold two 330gal totes, but haven’t had time for it yet.

[CHIEF 5094]

5 minutes ago, 686 said:

That’s really nice! I wanted to build a trailer to hold two 330gal totes, but haven’t had time for it yet.

Call TexTrail and have them cut you a 50" wide 6k axle. Buy some hangers, fenders, a hitch, jack, and leaf springs. The fab work was easy.

CHIEF

[686 3449]

you get one of Vic's girls to ride up front with you as a counter balance?

Learned from dad how to operate in the safety factor of every tool/machine available.

[fattyflattie 4639]

26 minutes ago, 686 said:

Caveat: I don’t fill it all the way; but the rated load capacity on these mules is 1100lbs I think.

137g.   200 is crazy, that surprises me.  I know 325 made my truck not happy.  That said, I was hauling it on road to fill cistern.  But thats only 2600#.

[Spaulding Smails 1553]

59 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

137g.   200 is crazy, that surprises me.  I know 325 made my truck not happy.  That said, I was hauling it on road to fill cistern.  But thats only 2600#.

Call me shocked as well.  I thought no way would a Mule hold that.

I've had to haul water to my new property while building my house (c'mon PEC, get your shit together so I can turn on my well, dammit!).  I started by hauling a single 250g tank in the back of my F350.  It squats a bit and I found it easier to fill it completely to the brim to prevent the sloshing.  It was kind of a pain to unload it every time with the backhoe, so I ended up getting a second tank and hauling them on my tandem axle trailer.  

[fattyflattie 4639]

16 minutes ago, Spaulding Smails said:

Call me shocked as well.  I thought no way would a Mule hold that.

I've had to haul water to my new property while building my house (c'mon PEC, get your shit together so I can turn on my well, dammit!).  I started by hauling a single 250g tank in the back of my F350.  It squats a bit and I found it easier to fill it completely to the brim to prevent the sloshing.  It was kind of a pain to unload it every time with the backhoe, so I ended up getting a second tank and hauling them on my tandem axle trailer.  

I will note I've never carried the tank in my 3/4-ton.  I had a single cab 1/2-ton 4x4 in highschool/college.  When I moved to hill country for college, the house I lived in had a 5500g cistern.  It didn't appreciably rain for something like 200 days my freshman year.  So bought me a 325g tank (fits exactly perfect in a 6.5' bed) and wrote the local volunteer fire dept a donation check, and they let me fill it up every now and then.  I'd make 10-15 runs and be good for awhile.  Used electric pump to pump it up to the gutters on the 2-story tank.  Now I get water bills for 10x the amount of water I was able to live on (wife and 3x girls).  

I've been laying a lot of HDPE lines for work in the last year.  Need to find a few extra rolls of 2" lying around someday. Go from the well to my feeder  

[Spaulding Smails 1553]

31 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

I will note I've never carried the tank in my 3/4-ton.  I had a single cab 1/2-ton 4x4 in highschool/college.  When I moved to hill country for college, the house I lived in had a 5500g cistern.  It didn't appreciably rain for something like 200 days my freshman year.  So bought me a 325g tank (fits exactly perfect in a 6.5' bed) and wrote the local volunteer fire dept a donation check, and they let me fill it up every now and then.  I'd make 10-15 runs and be good for awhile.  Used electric pump to pump it up to the gutters on the 2-story tank.  Now I get water bills for 10x the amount of water I was able to live on (wife and 3x girls).  

I've been laying a lot of HDPE lines for work in the last year.  Need to find a few extra rolls of 2" lying around someday. Go from the well to my feeder  

When we bought our place in Kimble County four years ago, we put in two 10' concrete cisterns.  I think they hold about 1000 gal each.  We put one just down the hill from the house and a second about 500 yds away.  It suuuuucked running the rock saw and PVC for that second tank, but we got it done in one weekend.  And, at least we did it when PVC was affordable.  Put float valves in each and had cages fabbed to go around the floats so the raccoons and hogs don't mess them up.  So much better than hauling water.

It's crazy how much having those cisterns on the property has kept the wildlife close.  

[CHIEF 5094]

It's very easy to keep the tanks from sloshing. Go buy the 100 foot, 4" corrugated french drain hose from Home Dept. Stuff the whole 100 feet into the tank. The slits eliminate air from being trapped in the hose. A 275 gal. tank will still hold about 273 gallons. I got the idea from here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6VoTup9z2Y

CHIEF

[Herbie Hancock 7368]

Pap had two decommissioned anhydrous nurse tanks that he cleaned out and used for water transport. 1500 gallons a piece. Might be worth looking into for a couple of y’all

[dbagg 86]

17 hours ago, CHIEF said:

It's very easy to keep the tanks from sloshing. Go buy the 100 foot, 4" corrugated french drain hose from Home Dept. Stuff the whole 100 feet into the tank. The slits eliminate air from being trapped in the hose. A 275 gal. tank will still hold about 273 gallons. I got the idea from here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6VoTup9z2Y

CHIEF

Whats your setup from the tank to the black bowl?  Or how do you keep the water from all running out?

[CHIEF 5094]

3 hours ago, dbagg said:

Whats your setup from the tank to the black bowl?  Or how do you keep the water from all running out?

There is a float on the bowl.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/little-giant-trough-o-matic-plastic-float-valve-2170322?store=1115&cid=Shopping-Google-Organic_Feed-Product-2170322&cid=Shopping-Google-LOB-Local_Feed&utm_medium=Google&utm_source=Shopping&utm_campaign=LOB&utm_content=Local_Feed&gclid=CjwKCAjwur-SBhB6EiwA5sKtjgTDIna-9vJMC8WZ22VN6hnB7kJi3mfdT8m6xQ6WLkEnTveWeC_jThoCTwMQAvD_BwE

CHIEF

[deadshank 24653]

Offering unsolicited advice during tire changing time.   A heavy-handed rye and water helps dispense my expertise. 

Edited April 8, 2022 by deadshank

[deadshank 24653]

Mud bugs tonight. 

[DalTxHornFan 3107]

4 minutes ago, deadshank said:

Mud bugs tonight. 

Good that you didn't impair your sight lines!

[deadshank 24653]

[deadshank 24653]

Filling up for the first load. 

[Kennythetiger 9394]

13 hours ago, deadshank said:

I see that your rye didn’t make it far. 

[deadshank 24653]

26 minutes ago, Kennythetiger said:

I see that your rye didn’t make it far. 

Reload!!

[deadshank 24653]

[686 3449]

@deadshank you weren’t kidding about it being dry there. Glad you got the water stations set up

[deadshank 24653]

4 minutes ago, 686 said:

@deadshank you weren’t kidding about it being dry there. Glad you got the water stations set up

Its awful.  Dust bowl. 
 

But  our camp has a nice green spot.  

[deadshank 24653]

The young college boys declare there is a large indigo in the riverbed below the cantina.  I agree.  The snake is prox 100 feet below them.  

[Lat22 4015]

33 minutes ago, deadshank said:

The young college boys declare there is a large indigo in the riverbed below the cantina.  I agree.  The snake is prox 100 feet below them.  

Love those things. 

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

12 hours ago, 686 said:

@deadshank you weren’t kidding about it being dry there. Glad you got the water stations set up

 La Niña, man. Except for that little sliver north of San Angelo, the whole western half of the state is dry. I used to not pay as much attention to it until I owned land of my own and now I'm checking the weather and the long term forecasts constantly. 

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by crimsonlonghorn
Fixed picture