A farmer's truth

Yup.

Independence Day

Happy birthday, 'Murica. Here's hopin' you can make it a few more before the Teleprompter-Reader-In-Chief gits ya too far gone.

Got my duck back

You might remember a damn fine duck hunt from last fall with my good buddy Tater.

Well, sure 'nuff, that ol' drake green-winged teal found his way to the taxidermist that very afternoon. I'd heard rumbin's of a fella named Randy Kuntz who wasn't too far a poke from me, that did excellent work at a more than reasonable price.

I asked him to attempt somethin' he'd never tried before, and he did a right admirable job. I certainly won't shy away from takin' anythin' to him in the future.

My girl, in lieu of her normal case of beer, got me a treasure for my birthday this year; a signed Gerald Putt print. Specifically, the 2000-2001 Pennsylvania Duck Stamp. I've be seein' Putt's work all my life, and he's done countless Pennsylvania Game News covers. I've been priviledged enough to watch him paint in person at his booth at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. For us artsy-fartsy hunter types, he's purty much a legend.

My diabolical plan is to complete a display with the mount and the print incorporated with each other. Should make a damn fine addition to the man cave when I git 'er done.

Body Count '13 - #6 - #12

After seein' my favorite field loaded with groundhogs the other day, I pretty much knew how my day off today was gonna go.

The first five... the three small ones were from the same hole.

My long shot for the day... 290 yards, after missin' her once.

And a bonus baby that I walked up on as I was leavin'.

A long time ago, I used to shoot groundhogs with my deer rifle, for lack anythin' else at the time. After awhile, I was able to buy bullets for Dad's ol' .225 Winchester, which helped a bit. I can't even imagine the carnage I could have caused with the farm's groundhog population durin' my youth if I'da had this gun. What a frikkin' tack driver.

I had a damn fine time today, and left plenty to shoot at the next time, whenever that is.

Body Count '13 - #4 & #5

Whacked a few more young'ns after the afternoon milkin'. My phone died before I could git my morbid pics of the third though.

Had a few whiffs at the longer distances though, so I reckon I gotta put the beast on paper past 150 and see for myself, rather than trust the ballistic charts. Gittin' the shits of wastin' ammo missin' perfectly killable hogs.

In good news, one of my favorite fields got cut the other day and was loaded up with whistlepigs when I got there. My last kill and all five whiffs were there, and I saw a dozen more that I didn't shoot for. I reckon I'll have to spend a few more hours there this week and see how much damage I can do.

Body Count '13 - #3

In one ear, and out the other. Typical damn kids.

Not bad...

Not bad a'tall.