Thor's Hammer (the new name for my Mossberg SSI One)

With the 12 gauge rifle barrel on it anyway!

Yea I know I haven't been around much, but hey I been out hunting. Not just deer either, but that is the subject of this post.

For those of you that read this Blog with any regularity you know I have been touting the Mossberg SSI One.



To Re-cap;

It is a singleshot firearm with interchangable barrels that can be had in 223 & 22-250 heavy barrel configuration and in 223, 22-250, 243, 270, 308, and 30-06 sporter configuration (tapered). There are two 12 gauge barrels available; one with rifling and one designed specifically for Turkey hunting.

I own two of these fine firearms in 30-06 and have the 12 gauge rifled barrel that I use on one of them. I was fortunate to enough to take the 12 gauge rifled barrel on a recent deer hunt and it exceeded my expectations. This firearm will shoot 1 1/2 inch or less groups at 100 yards if I do my part.

Shotguns only

One of the areas I hunt is limited to shotguns and muzzle loaders only. This is not a problem because shots in that area rarely exceed 80 yards anyway. We spent two days hunting and I lucked out about a half hour before the end of legal shooting light on the last day of the regular firearms season.

Having an antlerless only permit I was set up in a cedar tree about 50 yards downwind from a well travelled deer trail. I heard a deer bounding through some pretty thick brush before it came into a small opening. As it entered the opening I shoulder the Mossberg and gave a bleat to stop the deer. When it came to a halt I settled the cross hairs on the right shouldered and fired.



The deer was about forty yards away and never took another step. I approached the downed deer and after ensuring that it had expired I tagged it and began a cursory examination of the wound the slug caused.



I won't get into the gory details of that or the ensuing field dressing autopsy, but it is suffice to say that the 3 inch Remington Copper Solid 12 gauge saboted slug I was using is one of the most devastating rounds I have used in all of my years hunting deer. The slug exited the left side and was not recovered.

I had hoped that this firearm and ammunition would be a good combination for deer and I am entirely satisfied that my hunch was right. I am not exagerating when I say that deer dropped like "a pole axed steer" or that he had been "struck with Thor's Hammer".

Discontinued

The sad news is that Mossberg has discontinued this firearm. There are plenty of "new-in-the-box" and used guns available along with all of the barrels. The Gun Auctions seem to run hot and cold with them. If you are looking for an affordable single shot firearm that has interchangable barrels take a long hard look at the Mossberg SSI One.

I intend to find a few more barrels for the ones I have, and in a recent conversation with the folks at Mossberg, they still work on them if one needs service and they intend to for quite some time.

As a side note:



I have a Bushnell Sportsman 1.5 - 4.5 power shotgun scope mounted on the 12 gauge barrel and I have some issues with it. On the shooting range the optics appeared crisp, clear and it holds a very good zero.

Using this scope in the field however I found that objects, trees, brush and game sort of blended into together making it hard to get on the target well. On the first day in the field I had the opportunity to take a shot at two different deer, but I just could not find them in the scope.

I have not experienced this phenomenon with any other scope I have ever used and Bushnell had no answers over the phone either, except that I send it back to them for testing. I will consider this, and possibly give it some more field testing before looking for another scope.

Term Limits; Lounge Chair for Apathy

The Citizens of Nebraska have voted for term limits at General Election several times in the last 10 years. Previous attempts by the voting Public have been rebuffed by the courts, and it looks like the issue will be back before the Nebraska Supreme Court in the next few months.

Under the term limit statute several State Senators are serving their final term in the Unicameral. One Senator in particular (No it is not Ernie Chambers, but he is thinking about it) filed a petition to run for re-election and was denied by the powers that be under the term limit statute. This Senator knew he would be denied the opportunity to run again and has a prepared lawsuit to challenge the Constitutionality of the term limit statute.

Note: The names of the parties are not important, and that information can found just about anywhere. It doesn't matter who is suing who over the statute, the question is; Is it Constitutional?

Term limits on the surface may seem like a good idea, but in my reality it is not.

People of voting age have gotten continuely apathetic about who it is that represents them since the end or World War II. Without a doubt there have been some fairly incompetant people elected to higher office in the last sixty years, from both parties.

The answer to this seems to be; We're to busy to vote so we will limit the time they have to slop at the public trough and all will be well.

How's that for apathy??

Some scumbag politico gets elected and we don't have to worry about voting because in a few years he/she'll be out on their pompus ass in a few years anyway.

Such a system is an excuse for a person not to perform their Civic Duty; "Well yea I really oughta vote, but the asshat will be out of office in a few years anyway so why bother".

What about me and all of the others that take our Civic Duty seriously by studying the issues and voting for whom we feel is the most qualified candidate?

Quite possibly I may think the incumbant has been doing a very good job and would very much like to vote for him/her again.

Term Limits Deny me the right to vote for the candidate that I deem most qualified.

The apathetic people all turned out to vote for term limits so they wouldn't have to pay attention to the issues and make an informed decision at the ballot box. Too many people can't be bothered to become familiar with the issues, it gets in the way of their sewing guild, bowling league of kids soccor games.

If more people would do their Civic Duty and vote we would not need the term limits that deny me my right to vote for the candidate I deem best suited for the job.

In fact it is even easier today to become informed that it ever has. A very large portion of the public has, or knows someone who has access to the internet. A few minutes spent on any of the state, county or local websites will inform a prospective voter of all the information they need to know about the candidates.

Here are a couple of suggestions;

Dad - instead of surfing for porn tonight after Mom and the kids go to bed, why not look up some info on the candidates?

Mom - instead of spending that 5 or 6 hours in a chatroom today while hubby is at work and the kids are at school, why not look up some info on the candidates?

How's this for an idea? Put the kids to bed and both of you get online and learn something about the people that represent you.

As I said earlier the names of the parties are not important, I don't even care if we share the same philisophical ideas on any of the other issues. We do agree on this one. I hope that the State Supreme Court finds the statute unconstitutional.

Term Limits are a bad idea and in my mind always have been. It lets the apathetic go on being apathetic.

Their is no excuse for apathy when it comes to ones Civic Duty and term limits are not the answer to that apathy. Term limits encourages the apathy to continue.

BY IMPOSING TERM LIMITS YOU ARE DENYING ME THE RIGHT AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR THE CANDIDATE I DEEM MOST EFFECTIVE FOR THE OFFICE.

Here are the Ordinances

This is a follow up to the previous two posts concerning the Ordinance proposed by Police Chief Tom Casady and the City Councils subsequant enactment of same on November 14th 2005 by a vote of 7 - 0.

The Ordinance creates a rebuttable presumption that; Since any vehicle kept or stored within the City limits for more than 30 days is PRESUMED (can you say guilty until proven innocent) to be being operated on the streets of the City and as such shall be registered in compliance with section 10.08 of the Municipal code. the Police to enter upon your property to verify unregistered or incoreectly registered vehicles and issue a summons for the same.

Currently there is no State Statute or City Ordinance that prohibits having an unregistered or incorrectly registered vehicle on your property.


The applicable section of the city ordinance are reprinted here. Bold and/or Color highlights are mine.

10.08.010 Registration Required

It shall be unlawful for any person to park or operate any motor vehicle upon any street or public way within the city without having registered it as provided by the laws of the State of Nebraska............. (Ord. 156 ~1; July 9, 1990: PC ~ 10.48.010: Ord. 13753 ~ 1; January 30, 1984: Ord. 5699 ~ 1101, as amended by Ord. 6673; November 25, 1957).

10.08.040 Registration; Fictitious License Plates.

No person shall operate, drive, or cause to be operated or driven, a motor vehicle on the public streets, alleys, or other public property, which bears (a) any number plate or certificate other than as assigned to it for the current registration period or (b) any fictitious or altered number plates or registration certificate (Ord. 16120 ~ 1; May 26, 1992).

This amendment to the present ordinance (10.08.010) would allow law enforcement officers to go on "quasi-public property for the purposes of ticketing non-registerd vehicles and would afford City Prosecution a rebuttable PRESUMPTION (In plain English you have to prove your innocence because you have already without the benefit of trial been presumed guilty) that vehicles stored or kept within a City for a period in excess of 30 days are presumed to be operated or parked on the streets of the City.

Please note that a Rebuttable Presumption is the same thing as saying; YOU ARE GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT.

If you have an unregistered or incorrectly registered vehicle on your property and you receive a summons, then you MUST take time off from work, appear in court and PROVE YOUR INNOCENCE. This Ordinance allows you to rebutt the citation but only at your own personal expense. In other words you may get it dismissed, but you will still be "fined" the amount of money you loose from work, parking meters etc..... Either way it will cost you money out of your pocket.

How many more ways can I say that the Chief of Police Tom Casady has pushed through Ordinances, now and in the past that are contrary to the State Statutes and not only the Constitution of the State of Nebraska, but the Constitution of the United States as well?

How many more ways can I say that the City Council has voted for and passed Ordinances, now and in the past that are Contrary to the State Statutes and not only the Constitution of the State of Nebraska, but the Constitution of the United States as well?

It doesn't matter whether you keep your registrations current or even detest those that don't this Ordinance should make every single Lincolnite mad and I mean damn mad. If you care anything at all about due process or the age old legal concept of "Innocent until proven guilty" you need to contact all of the members of the City Council and the Mayors office and express your thoughts on this blatant disregard for your rights as a Citizen of the City of Lincoln, State or Nebraska, United States of America.

City Council - 7 Citizens Rights - 0

In a very short segmant of the City Council Meeting on the 14th of November every single member of the Lincoln City Council voted to drive another wooden stake through the hearts of their Constituency.

It has been painfully obvious for a very long time the Members of this City Council have absolutely no respect for the individual rights of the citizens trhey are suppose to serve.

In a unanimous vote the Council created, at the request of Field Marshall Police Chief Tom Casady, an Ordinance that allows City Police Officers to "Legally" tresspass on private property and write citations for something that is not even a crime.

Since there is no law that states a vehicle kept on Private Property must be registered, the Lincoln City Police Department now has the power to enter on private property without a warrant and issue a citation for NOTHING.

A valid registration is only required to operate said motor vehicle on public thourogh fares. In order to obtain a conviction for an unregistered or faulty registered vehicle the burden of proof is on the municipality to prove that vehicle is being operated on public streets. Again I say, the Lincoln City Police Department now has the power to enter on private property without a warrant and issue a citation for NOTHING.

The danger here is that while "Legally" on that private property they can use the "Doctrine of plain sight" "Discover" other potentially illegal activity.
This is just one in a long string of travesties that has been perpetrated on the Lincoln Community by "Tommy Boy" Casady and aided and abetted by the incompetance of the Lincoln City Council. It seems like every time "Tommy Boy" blows smoke up the City Councils chimney they wipe the soot from their eyes and give him what he wants.

Incompetence ?? Yes I said that. The members of this Council are so swollen up with themselves and their perceived power that they either routinely ignore their duty to the State Constitution and Statutes or they simply do not care and vote to violate that sacred document with impunity.

I doubt seriously that it would do any good to remind these sloppers at the public trough of their oath of office and what it really means to SERVE the people that elected them.

State Constitution means nothing to Casady

Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady is once again seeking to have the rights and privacy of Lincolns citizens stopped at the City Limits.

In his latest crusade to impose his Napoleonic dictum on the populace whose rights he has supposedly sworn to protect Tommy Boy wants the City Council to give him and his minions "authority" to "legally tresspass" on private property to issue citations for un or improperly registered vehicles.

But because the vehicle was parked in a driveway, the police were powerless to do anything about it, short of conducting a stakeout to bust the owner if they drive the vehicle off the private property into the public domain.

Well DUH Chief that is the way it is suppose to be. Neither I nor anyone else is required by state law to have either; A) a vehicle that is not running or B) is never used off of our PRIVATE property registered.

If I have an old 4 wheel drive for pulling stumps and plowing snow in my drive and that vehicle NEVER leaves my property I DO NOT under state law have to register that vehicle.

If a particular vehicle is NOT running for what ever reason I can let the registration lapse and when that vehicle is repaired or rebuilt the Department of Motor Vehicles will let me sign an affidavit to that affect and I will only have to pay the registration from the day I am re-registering it.

IT IS NOT AGAINST THE LAW TO HAVE AN UNREGISTERED VEHICLE ON YOUR PROPERTY.

Because I am required to show proof of insurance at the time of registration this SCHEME will also require me to carry insurance for a PARKED on PRIVATE PROPERTY vehicle that I am not driving either becasue it is broke down, I am restoring it or I simply choose not to use it on PUBLIC thoroughfares.

State law requires one to show proof of insurance at the time of registration.

Again there is no state statute that compells me to insure a vehicle that I am NOT operating on public thoroughfares.

Casady asked the City Council to amend city ordinance to allow police to go after improperly registered vehicles that are parked in “quasi-public” places, such as driveways and private parking lots. Basically, “anywhere a door-to-door salesman can go.”

Hey Chief, get this through your head; There is a big difference between You, your Officers and door to door salesmen.

A door to door salesman is a PRIVATE CITIZEN acting in that capacity. You are a PUBLIC OFFICIAL acting in an OFFICIAL CAPACITY.

I can tell a door to door salesman to get off my property if I don't like what he/she is selling. Under this grandiose scheme I do not have that option when you come sneaking around MY PROPERTY at three in the morning shoving your Badge in my Face. In addittion the opportunity for abuse is just too great.

Consider the following;

Officer in Court: Your Honor I could not plainly see whether the registration was current from the street, it is a rather long driveway and the license plate was obscrured by a bicycle leaning against the back of the car, under the authority of city ordinance I entered upon the property and in the course of my investigation I noted that ________ (fill in the blank) and subsequently arrested the defendant on a charge of ______ (fill in the blank).

Do I believe that the local gendarmes will under the colour of this ordinance use it to sneak around private property in the middle of the night as a pretext to discover other crimes they may or may not suspect? Unequivocally YES I DO.

The change would help police enforce registration laws, which police have been focusing on since early last month. The council will likely vote on the proposal during its next meeting on Monday.

If you have an unregistered and uninsured vehicle on your property you are not committing a crime. If this ordinance passes you will still not be committing a crime. Afterall the ordinance does not make it a crime to have the unregistered vehicle on your property, it only gives the Chief and his minions the authority to tresspass on your property at their liesure.

All this appears to be is a scheme to generate more revenue for the city coffers. What Casady proposes is that the City give him the authority to tresspass on private property and issue citations for something that IS NOT against the law.

If you value your property rights and privacy then contact your City Council Persons and tell them how you feel about this blatant disregard for the rights of the people that Casady is again perpetuating on the city.

If the City Council does pass this then they will have, once again violated the oath of office they took to uphold the Constitution and laws of the State of Nebraska.

Wild Game populations then and now

Preface: In a previous post I wrote about Carrying Capacity and Habitat. This is a continuation of that trestise and was prompted by personal feedback and comments on that post.

A Century ago
In the late 1800's and into the early 1900's the Wildlife populations were at an all time low, some nearly to the point of extinction.

As an example in 1900 the whitetail deer population was estimated to be less than one half million. A few years later (1907) the native elk population did not number more than 41,000. The Turkey population in the early 1900's was thought to be less than 100,000 birds nation wide.

Much of the migratory game species like Ducks and Geese were also suffering a near extinction decline in numbers as well.

Many have blamed market hunting as the sole reason for these declines. Granted market hunting was prevalent at the time and did indeed have a negative effect, but the most telling effect on wildlife populations was the destruction of habitat by residential and commercial development.

What changed

Sportsman concerned with the decline of our precious resources, developed an idea took action in the 1930's. With the aid of Key Pittman a Senator from Nevada and A. Willis Robertson a representative from the state of Virginia the concerned Sportsmen created what became the Pittman-Robertson Act of 1937.

The Pittman-Robertson Act established Federal aid in the restoration of wildlife species and their habitat by IMPOSING an 11 percent manufacturer's excise tax on ALL sporting rifles, shotguns and ammunitions. The Act was made law when it was signed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

The Pittman-Robertson Act has been amended twice since its inception; Once in 1970 to include a 10 percent manufacturer's excise tax on handguns, and again in 1972 with the help of Fred Bear to include an 11 percent manufacturer's tax on Archery gear.

These tax dollars are collected by the federal government and either used or disbursed out to the states to be used for sound wildlife management practices and habitat restoration.

What the money MUST be used for

There are provisions in the Act that prevent any government agency that is a reciprient of Pittman_Robertson funds from using them for anything else except wildlife management and habitat restoration.

Sportsman of that era were thoughtful and being familiar with the ways of government had the following 29 words written into the Pittman- Robertson Act as well;

".. And which shall include a prohibition against diversion of license fees paid by hunters for any purpose than the administration of said State fish and game department..."

In plain English it means that, much to the consternation of any number of Political Officials, all the money raised by the Pittman-Robertson Act and the sale of licenses cannot be used for anything except habitat restoration and wildlife management.

None of those dollars can be diverted for the pet pork barrel projects that so many Senators and representatives put forth on a yearly basis.

It was Hunters that saved the Wildlife in this country not PETA.

Consider the number of new firearms that has been sold in this Country since 1937. Add to that the number of rounds of ammunition that is also taxed at the 11 percent rate. How many new handguns have been sold since 1970 with the 10 percent tax added? How many new bows and all of the arrows that have been purchased since 1972? How many licenses to hunt are sold every year to American Sportsman?

Since the late 30's untold billions of dollars have passed through the federal coffers straight to the field. Every penny of that money was paid by Sportsman and/or firearms purchasers.

How much money has PETA collected in that time period and how much of what they have collected has actually benefited wildlife and the habitat they need to survive? Most of the money that PETA collects seems to wind up in the pockets of lawyers trying to stop hunting or fishing.

What has been the effect

Since 1937 and the advent of the Pittman-Robertson Act the Whitetail Deer population has risen from the paltry half million to a staggering 40 million plus animals today.

The Elk population in the U.S. has gone from the pitifully few 41,000 to nearly 1.5 million. If fact there are so many Elk today that they have been re-introduced in places like Kentucky with such success that there are hunting seasons on them in those areas.

The Canadian Goose population from a low of about one million birds in the 1940's has grown to an excess of 4 million birds. This increase has resulted in special seasons in some areas to help keep the number of birds in balance with the habitat.

These species are not the only ones that have benefited from the revenues generated by the Pittman-Robertson Act. Wild Turkey has gone from the measly 100,000 to an estimated 6 million birds in the same time frame.

Add to that all of the non-game species that share the same habitat that have had their numbers multiplied and it is easy to see that hunting has a tremendous positive effect on wildlife and the habitat they need to survive.

But .... but .... but .... how can this be?

There is so much hunting that goes on every year and the numbers of the species being hunted is increasing every year?


Understand that;

Regulated hunting has not nor will it ever result in an endangered or extinct species.

Let me say that again so that it is clear;

Regulated hunting has not nor will it ever result in an endangered or extinct species.

If a species were to ever decline to a critical level hunting would be STOPPED for that species until it's numbers returned to a harvestable level again.

Hunting is an effective tool that is utilized by Wildlife Managers who use sound biological and scientific data to manage not only the huntable game, but the entire range of biota (plants and animals) in the environment.

Professional Wildlife managers at the federal level and in the states have, for the most part, done such a fantastic job over the last eighty years with the money generated by the Pittman-Robertson Act and from other sources that there must be a fall harvest to keep the species in balance with the habitat.

Hunting benefits healthy wildlife by;

1) By generating the money needed to maintain good wildlife management and habitat restoration programs at both the federal, state and local levels.

2) Keeping the wildlife population at numbers that the habitat will support without damage to the habitat of the health of the species.

Hunting is not only a tradition, it is tool of vital necessity to maintain certain species of wildlife at healthy levels with their habitat.

Blogroll Addition

I have just added another Nebraska type home grown hey we are increasing in numbers Blog to the Blogroll.

Merri Musings is written by Merri a person that has the ACLU down pat, likes Rachael Cusimano (nee Ray) and who with her husband drives around in a big ole honking "b-eeeeee-U-tiful" SUV.

I can really appreciate anyone that wants the same Rachael Ray oval fry pan that I do.

Welcome to my Blogroll Merri.

Just off the radio

The current smoking ban in Lincoln, Nebraska is coming back to bite the Capital City in a big way.

The City, that has lost an estimated 3 million plus dollars to date due to the ban, was presented abill totalling more than half a million bucks.

A Local bar owner who recently closed his doors due to lost revenue presented a 500,000 plus bill to the city in June. This claim is for damages due to loss of revenue due to the smoking ban. The City has two choices; pay it or deny it. The City Attorney notified the City Council that the city is electing not to pay the man but officials at the meeting indicated that they were very concerned that a law suit to re-coop his losses may be in the works.

There have been several businesses that have closed their doors this year claiming the loss in revenue due to the ban was too much for them to absorb.

As already noted this ban has cost the city a loss of over 3 million dollars. Couple that with the number of jobs eliminated and the possibly pending lawsuit that could very well turn into a class action suit if some of the other defunct businesses seek to join in and the no smoking debacle could end up costing more money than the city can afford.

Fear not that businesses are boarding up and the city is going broke the air in the empty buildings will be smoke free.

Last year the City council passed a partial smoking ban that excempted bars and smoke shops. A few weeks later in the dark of night the same city council recinded that ban and enacted a complete and total ban on smoking in all public places in Lincoln, including restaurants, bars and smoke shops.

The insuing uproar initiated a petition initiative that placed two choices on the November 2004 ballot.

Choice One: The original partial ban as passed by the council.

Choice two: The total and complete ban as passed by the city council.

There was no choice three: No ban at all.

In other words Lincolnites there WILL be a ban whether you want one or not, but we will let you decide which one.

At the General election in November the citizens of Lincoln voted by an overwhelming majority to cut off their nose to spite their face.

The truth is this ban has cost the city more than it can ever hope to re-coop and the bleeding continues.

Since the ban took effect many businesses that operate just outside of the city limits has seen an increase in revenues proportional to Lincolns losses. These communities are gratefull to Lincoln smokers and the windfall that they have brought with them.

Before the vote there were many voices that proclaimed the economic devastation that a total ban would conjure up. These claims by knowledgeable econimists was poo poo'd by the non-smoking public.

HEY GUESS WHAT >>>> THEY WERE RIGHT

The money is still being spent it just isn't being spent in Lincoln.

Freeh at last, Freeh at last, thank Louis the Director, Freeh at last.

Ex Head Fed speaks out on Bill Clinton's actions as President and the consequences there of.

Formerly Director of the FBI Louis Freeh has written it all down in a book; My FBI

Excerpt;

“The problem was with Bill Clinton — the scandals and the rumored scandals, the incubating ones and the dying ones never ended. Whatever moral compass the president was consulting was leading him in the wrong direction. His closets were full of skeletons just waiting to burst out.”

In a scheduled appearance on this Sunday's episode of 60 Minutes Freeh discusses his tenure as Director of the FBI under the Clinton Presidency.

Most telling about Freeh's character is the following explanation;

Freeh also says he was determined to stay on as FBI director until President Clinton left office so that Clinton could not appoint his successor. “I was concerned about who he would put in there as FBI director because he had expressed antipathy for the FBI, for the director,” he says. “I was going to stay there and make sure he couldn’t replace me.”

This promises to be a good read that has been added to my book list.

Sexual Predators seem to have declared an Open season on children in Lincoln

A week or two ago a man who's family admitted he had a past record (Juvenile) of molesting children was arrested after he made advances to an elementary school student in the bathroom of the school.

He had evidently traveled cross town, using the public transit system, from the "Group home" he was living at to effect his crime.

Another man, with a documented history of sexual predation was arrested yesterday near a local elementary school with a young boy in his car. His arrest ended a nearly month long operation by the Lincoln Police Department. Essentially the police knew who they were looking for as the suspect was using the same modus operandi that he used before he was caught and convicted several years ago. The suspect was driving around the school waving money out the window attempting to entice young boys into his car.

Also Yesterday a 52 year old man was arrested after he was caught fondling the breasts of a sleeping 15 year old girl. The man was caught by the girls mother who took up a decorative sword in defense of her daughter. In a struggle for the blade the mans thumb was cut and chased by the protective Mom he fled the domicile where he was subsequently arrest by Lincoln's Finest.

The Police spokesperson stated that the Mother was not arrested.

I have just one question; Why the hell should she have been arrested?

She was in her own home defending her daughter from the likes of a sexual predator, why should anyone even consider having her arrested let alone qualify the public statement with "The woman was not arrested".

She should have had a gun instead of a sword.

I am not sure how superstitious I really am but things certainly do happen in threes don't they.

Update: While enroute to pick up one of my precious Grand daughters from school, (She is a first grader in one of the afore mentioned schools by the way) I heard a news report on KLIN 1400 AM that the Mom of the Arnold School child has filed a million dollar law suit against the Lincoln Public School system. Said School system has 6 months to respond. (posted: 5:08 Oct 5 2K5)

Hunting a Traditon and a Tool for heathly Wildlife

The leaves are starting to turn and fall hunting seasons are just around the corner. Now is the time that a lot of us reflect on seasons past as we prepare for the ones approaching.


A Brace of Chukkar Partridges and a good dog

Many of us began hunting because it is a tradition passed down through family generations and we continued because we believe it is a necessary part of existance. Others began hunting after being exposed to it from co-workers or friends.

Those of us that hunt understand that hunting is a tool utilized by the various States game management agencies to control species populations at healthy levels within the confines of thier home ranges.

To fully appreciate that we must understand Habitat and Carrying Capacity.

Habitat is the enviroment in which we and all creatures live. It is made up of the things we need to survive; Water, Shelter, Food, Space and Companionship.

Carrying Capacity is the number of creatures that can survive year around in a given area WITHOUT damage to the habitat or health of the species.

If there are too many deer in a given area for the habitat it will not be long before the habitat is depleted to the point that it affects all of the other species that share that habitat. When that happens the health of all the species that call that area home begins to decline. These creatures then experience poor health and in some cases agonizing deaths from disease and predation by the carnivores that share the habitat.

Carrying Capacity is usually determined by the number of animals that can subsist at the worst time of the year. Generally this is the late winter and early spring. The universal truth is that only some many of a species can survive in a given area and that includes human beings.

How many people can survive in a one bedroom house and for how long? 10 people in that house is too many for the continued well being of all of the occupants. The same principal applies to wildlife. Not all areas in the out of doors have the food, water, shelter and space needed for wildlife to survie. Over crowding in those areas that have the essentials for survival will soon have a very negative effect on the habitat and the health of the wildlife.

Spring time brings on the rebirth of nature. species are born, trees bloom, farmers plant crops and the waters flow. On through the summer the habitat can support an increased number of all of the species.

It is into the fall when food sources and water dry up or are harvested by the farmers that things become more critical. Now the habitat can not support through the winter the increased numbers that spring birth brought forth.

Due to the diminishing resources there are numbers of wildlife THAT WILL NOT SURVIVE to see the next rebirth of nature. Hunting allows the harvest of wildlife that is expected to AND DOES DIE horrible painfull deaths through the winter. Hunters that harvest this SURPLUS game thus utilizing the meat for sustinance rather than allowing it to waste. Deer and many other species mate in the fall. The gestation period of these animals is through the very worst time of year for species to survive in the outdoors. Because of hunting the female wildlife that does survive the winter is much more healthy in the spring and produce off spring that are more halthy as well.

Hunting is a necessary part of good wildlife management. Because we hunt the remaining populations are able to live fruitful productive lives in well maintained habitat that can support their numbers.

The truth you WILL NOT see in the media.

Froggy has put up a scathing analysis on the differences between what happened in Louisiana with Hurricane Katrina and How Texans coped with Hurricane Rita.

The difference is startling and the after action observations are point on. These are things we all know to be true whether we care to admit it or not. Those that will not face up to the truth of these observations are doing so only to perpetuate a hatred for the President and the party in power in Washington D.C.

What's in you Government?????

Here are a few to tease you into clicking over to Froggy Ruminations for the rest of the story:

2. Texas: Residents take responsibility to protect and evacuate themselves.Louisiana: Residents wait for government to protect and evacuate them.

It is called being SELF reliant. It is a classic example of the NANNY STATE; The People sat around waiting for their city officials to do something. The city officials sat around waiting for the state to do something, and they all sat around with their thumbs up their collective asses waiting for the Federal government to do something.

3. Texas: Local and state officials take responsibility for protecting their citizens and property.Louisiana: Local and state officials blame federal government for not protecting their citizens and property.

It is called accepting the responsibility that the public vested in you when you took an office they elected you to.

12. Texas: FEMA brings in tons of food and water for evacuees. State officials provide accessible distribution points.Louisiana: FEMA brings in tons of food and water for evacuees. State officials prevent citizens from reaching distribution points and vice versa.

The media to their credit actually reported that Louisiana officials said; "We can't allow food and water in the shelters it will only encourage them to stay and we want them out of there."

21. Texas: Mayors continue public service announcements and updates on television with Governor's backing and support.Louisiana: Mayor cusses, governor cries, senator threatens president with violence on television, none of them have a clue what went wrong or who's responsible.

Of course they haven't a clue, they sought public office for the fame, fortune and power. God forbib that they would actually have to serve the people.

22. Louisiana: Democratic Senator says FEMA was slow in responding to 911 calls from Louisiana citizens.Texas: Republican Senator says "when you call 911, the phone doesn't ring in Washington, it rings here at the local responders".

Question: What kind of dumbass actually believes that 911 calls are answered at the Whitehouse?

Answer: Apparently at least one elected liberal lowlife official in Louisiana.


Now head on over to Froggies and read the rest of it.

Big Red pulls it out in double overtime 27-20 over Iowa

Nebraska 27 Iowa 20

Scoring more points in overtime than they did in regular game play Nebraska eeked out a win over Iowa in double overtime at Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska is now 4 and 0. Surely this will garner them a top 25 place in the college polls.

Alright alright I know a few posts back I said you wouldn't see much Nebraska football here, but I just couldn't help it.

I wasn't watching the game, I wasn't even listening to it on the radio. I just happened to be back in the bedroom where we have a radio that is perpetually set to 1400 KLIN when it came down to the wire.

13 to 13 and going into overtime with a supposed homefield advantage is exciting. Yes I went to the bigscreen in the living room and watched the game play out in full living color.

Way to Go Huskers Congrats and keep on winning!

Note: I was also back in the bedroom earlier in the game for something and heard as the Huskers failed in several plays to make a touchdown from essencially a couple of yards out. Had they been able to convert that they may have won without the OT.

It seemed it was a tough and hard fought game for both teams. When the wind is right we can hear the fans cheering at the stadium from our front porch.

Hey I live in Nebraska, I root for the hometown team even if I don't go to, listen to or watch all of their games.

Way to go Big Red.

Keeping it simple

Thanks to James Rummel who writes the Blog Hell in a Handbasket for the heads up on this one.

Xavier, who penns the Blog Xavier Thoughts recently wrote a post on home defense shotguns. His thoughts mirror mine as I have often expressed them, if not neccessarily on this site but to those that have sought to learn from me.

To lift a couple of quotes from Xavier;

I'm going to dispense with the crap and keep things simple.

What a person needs is a manuverable gun with a reasonable capacity, and some replenishment ammo. All else is superflurous. The olive drab coated picatinny railed bright light laser guided Walter Mitty guns are fine, but a person should not confuse function with glitz.

This has been my K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid) principal for most of my adult life. It is not that I disdain all of the doodads that the modern day Yuppie Warriors seeks to add to their armament, it is just that I find most of them are unneccesary for the task at hand and only get in the way.

From Xavier;

Finally, as in handgunnery, you cannot substitute plastic high-tech add-ons for technique.

For some reason people feel the need to add all kinds of accessories to their firearms. Flashlights, heat shields, laser beams and who knows what else. There are a multitude of reasons for this; The Military does it. It was written about in the gun rags. It looks cool.

The single most effective accessory that one can add to an out of the box firearm is experience. Learn how to use it properly (technique) in the form it arrived, then and only then can a person begin to understand which if any of the aftermarket "Walter Mitty devices" will be of any benefit. Chances are honest inner reflection will negate the addittion of many of those items.

Bear in mind gun rag writers have to say nice things about the products that are sent to them for evaluation. If they were to tell the truth in plain english about some of those products then their source of income would dry up and they would have to find real employment. When reading these articles learn to read between the lines.

In talking to some of these Yuppie Warriors about all the the lights, lasers, bells and whistles that they have added to their favorite firearm, I have been amazed at the pitifully few that have actually spent any time at all in the dark in an attempt to master the use these attachments. These people are only deluding themselves when they screw the lastest and greatest doodads on their gun and expect it to function with out field testing it under the proper conditions for themselves.

Flashlights? They take batteries. I would rather not depend on batteries to save my life. I long ago determined that there is enough ambient light in my house on any given night, especially if we leave a strategically placed night light burning that I do not need a 200 dollar flashlight bolted to my handgun. I suspect that is true of most other homes as well.

Laser sights? A laser is a pointer and in the dim of night it is a pointer in both directions. And as with flashlights I am not going to trust my families safety to a battery.

Heat shields? How much ammo does one expect to expend against a burglar that would require the need for a heat shield.

Also remember all of that stuff you bolt onto that firearm will be in the custody of the local Gendarmes for a very long time should you ever find the need to deploy that tactical monstrosity you call a home defense gun. If you build one you better build two.

Another thought from Xavier;

Of a concern as well is how that gun will appear when held up by a prosecuting attorney in front of a jury if must be used. A gun that looks like a duck gun rather than an evil black rifle will always influence a gun ignorant jury less.

When it comes to handguns I have a pretty rigid set of rules that I apply to myself as well. The handguns that I have chosen to depend on for personal protection are right out of the box.

I occassionally compete with a handgun. I generally see a wide variety of handguns with an even wider array of attachments, doodads and modifications at these competitions. Do they work? Sure they do for the people that have taken the time to be proficeint with them. For many competition is a hobby that they wish to excell at and I whole heartedly think they should add any attachment or make any modification they think is neccesary to help them win. That is why they are in the game. A game that is not life and death.

I compete to maintain a certain edge with the equipment that I choose to have for personal protection. The stress of a match will never duplicate the stress of a life threatening encounter but it is stress none the less. I compete with equipment that is right out of the box the manufacterer sent it in.

I firmly believe that one should compete with what they carry, especially if you are competing to hone your skills, should they ever be needed to save your life. For those that compete just to compete either for a hobby or income, add or modify what ever you need to to win, that is why your doing it.

Do I win against these guys that shoot these high dollar custom guns with all the doodads money can buy that shoot several hundred rounds a week in persuit of their hobby? Some times. But I will admit that I usually place just behind them and ahead of most everyone else in scoring. ( I seriously doubt that the thug that breaks into my house will be one of the current combat pistol competition masters) Although I can generally count on being in the top one third I have not fired more than a few hundred rounds outside of competition in the last year.

Time has just not let me get out and do the kind of practicing I need to do to win a competition. But hey I can grab an out of the box pistol off the night stand show up at a match and give a good showing of myself just about any day of the week.

Why? Becuase I keep my equipment simple, I am uniquely familiar with it AND I compete with what I carry. To me that is what competition is all about.

Xavier is right on when he advices to keep things simple. The bottom line is; Learning to use the equipment properly in the first place will negate the addittion of crutches to prop up faulty technique.

Rock your Glock wraps up Saturday the 24th

Several years ago Chris Zeeb did not even own a firearm. After a couple of unpleasant events, Chris came to the conclusion that for the safety and security of his family owning a handgun, or several for that matter, might not be a bad idea.

Chris Zeeb
From that point Chris has been on a quest that included becoming a certified Glock armorer and has thus far cumulated in putting together the "Rock your Glock" that many of us have competed in this past summer.

I have not been able to attend all of the "Rock your Glock" shoots this summer, but I most certainly will be there tomorrow, between 0800 and 1130 hours for the grand finale. (warning- Sean Hannity quote dead ahead) Let not your hearts be troubled Chris and company are already in the planning stages for a series of "Rock your Glock" Matches next year.

Held at the Lincoln Izaak Walton League Shooting Range there are a few things that make these local matches unique. The first is that Chris sought Glock sponsorship from the very begining. Glock declined for a variety of reasons. The second thing that makes these shoots unique is that, since Glock is not a corporate participant Chris has opened the competition up to all makes of firearms. Addittionally you do not need to be a member of the "Ikes" to compete in the rock You Glock matches.

Your a Sig fan? Bring it out. You like your CZ? Bring it on. Your a Browning HP afficeinado? Your all welcome. The match is open to any brand of center-fire semi-automatic pistols.

In fact a shooter may enter more than one gun if they choose to. Entry fees are quite affordable; Cost is $10 for the first gun/entry and $7.50 for each gun/entry thereafter. Youth under 18 shoot for $5 per gun/entry.

Ideally you will need a Center-fire handgun capable of holding at least 10 rounds, 3 magazines and at least one hundred rounds of ammunition. The 3 magazine suggestion is only that a suggestion. Even though you fire each course 3 times, the exception being the steel plates which is shot four times, you have the opportunity to reload a magazine between each stage of fire.

Please do not forget your hearing and eye protection. Not only is it common sense it is required by match rules.

There are 3 different scenarios that are shot. "The M", the "5 to 25" and "The Plates". Shooters can shoot the scenarios in order that they wish.

The M
The M consists of 4 paper targets (2 at 7 yards, two at 15 yards) and three steel targets (11 yards). In the first stage the shooter engages all four paper targets with 2 shots each and engages ONE of the steel targets. For the second stage the shooter again engages the paper with two shots each and takes down a second steel target. The third stage is a repeat of 1 and two with the 3rd steel target engaged. (if a shooter need to recharge a magazine between stages they will be able to do so) The targets are then scored and after the shooters sheet is annotated he/she moves on to the next scenario.

The 5 to 25
The 5 to 25 consists of 5 paper targets set at 5 yard intervals from (as the name implies) 5 to 25 yards. The shooter loads one magazine and at the tone engages each target in any order the shooter chooses with 2 rounds each. The 2nd and 3rd stages mirrors the first. When the targets are scored and the shooters sheet is annotated he/she moves on to the next scenario.

The Plates
The Plates consist of 6 steel plates that are placed 33 feet from the firing line. At the signal the shooter engages the plates knocking them down with the fewest rounds in the quickest time possible. This scenario is fired four times and magazines can be recharged between stages if the shooter does not have four magazines. After the shooters sheet is annotated it is turned into to the officials.

Scores are tabulated after the match is over and the results are posted on the "Rock your Glock" web site as soon as possible.

This has been a fun successful event that hopefully will be even bigger and better next year. Much thanks needs to go not only to Chris for this but especially to all of the people that have volunteered to help him make this the event it is becoming. I apologize for not knowing all of their names but the volunteer list includes great people like Roger Terrell, Guy Griffith and both Chris and Guys sons.

The "Ikes" shooting range is located on 134th street just south of Highway 2 on the East side of Lincoln. (More detailed directions can be found on the Rock your Glock web site.

Thank you Chris and all of the volunteers that made this happen.

SomeBody give Cindy a Tinfoil hat

I have stayed away from this simply because I think the lady is mentally deranged and Morally bankrupt. I wasn't going to give her even a minute slice of her fifteen minutes of fame, but now she really has not only gone over the edge she is in a flat spin free fall.

Ma'am Sheehan is now demanding that the U.S. Military be removed from New Orleans.

In a dispatch on leftist filmmaker Michael Moore's website, Sheehan said she was troubled by the "level of the military presence" in the Gulf Coast state.

"George Bush needs to stop talking, admit the mistakes of his all around failed administration, pull our troops out of occupied New Orleans and Iraq, and excuse his self from power," she said.

It seems that I remember reading that The President could not lawfully send troops into New Orleans, that in fact it was the duty of the Governor of that state and that the military precence is in fact the State National Guard doing duties that their organization was formed to do.

I sympathize with the loss of her son, but soon to be divorced for her dumbass crap Ms. Sheehan is in serious need of Mental help. She has shown herself to be such a crackpot that even Hitlary Senator Clinton refuses to meet with her.

The longer she persists in her assinine crusade the more marginalized she is becoming. There are even rumors that the main reason her son went into the Military in the first place was to escape the clutches of a domineering and over bearing Mother. (That would be Cindy Sheehan for those of you in Moonbatville.)

A son. A Husband. A family. It seems that this crackpot's goal in life is to systematically alienate everyone around her. Now she has gone nuclear, in that she is seeking the same from a very very large majority of the country.

I wish she would just hurry up and implode, I am getting tired of litening to her.

But since she is hooked up with the King of Docucrap (Michael MORON) I would expect a docu-lie to come out of all of this. Do you think that the Main Moron could get Susan Siranwrap (Sarandon) to portray Ms. Sheehan?????

Bow Season opened last week and I am still so not ready

Archery season opened on the 15th of September and it came and went with little fanfare at Casa de Gunscribe.

I have hardly shot my bow this year at all. Oh I have been out on a few occassions to try out a new doodad or two that I thought I just couldn't live without, but there has been no serious attempt to get in hunting form.

At the 20 yard range
It could be that I am just getting lazy in my older age or that the weather has had something to do with it. Seriously several people I know that are much more serious archers than I have not made any plans to go afield as yet either. With all of this warm weather the deer just don't seem to be moving around much ..yet.

I really like to keep things to a minimum and only seek to use those items that really work. For those that are interested I will note some of the changes I have made to the original setup.

First my bow is a 10 year old Bear Whitetail II. Yes I am familiar with all of the new and improved yuppie bows that are out there and I could have one if I wanted too, but my wife bought this one for my birthday back in 1995 and it still works absolutely fine thank you.

It still sports the original sights the bow came with, but over the years I have made a few changes or additions to the basic setup.

Not pretty but they work
I would guess that in the last 10 years I have had at least 8 different arrow rests mounted on this bow. None of them seemed to be just quite what I wanted. A few weeks ago I broke down and bought Carolina Archery Products lastest model of the Whisker Biscuit.

Whisker Biscuit
This rest is a shoot through type and it does what I want a rest to do; hold the arrow in place. I have been out to the range with it 3 times now and I think this will most likely be the last rest that this bow will ever have mounted on it.

Tru Fire Release aid
I shoot with the aid of a Tru-Fire release, an act that can cause untimely wear on a bow string. In that regard I recently installed an ultranok on the bow string. This allows the release to attach to it rather than wearing on the string.

Ultranok
I chose this one rather than the string type as I have seen the string type nok fail for other archers; eith it breaks or comes untied at a most unopportune moment.

Another concession I made, this year, to modern technology is switching to carbon arrows. And I am glad I did.

When you care to send the very best send Carbon Express
When I first started shooting a bow (pre-Kindergarten and my Mom still has pics to prove it) all that was available for shaft material was cedar. Many archers still use wood and if I were to take up the long bow or recurve again I would too.

I was about 14 years old when I made my first investment in a dozen fiberglass shaft arrows. They were superior to cedar in many ways but tended to shatter or split fairly easily whaen something hard was struck.

I don't remember when I switched to Aluminum shafts, but I am thinking it was around 1980 while I was in Alaska. I have always been extremely happy with aluminum even though I have bent more than my share.

In the few sessions I have had with the Heritage 350's from Carbon Express I have been suitably impressed with the increased speed and and penetration these shafts have over aluminum. I have not made any changes to the pound weight of my bow since switching from the metal arrows and I can visably see that they fly faster to and go deeper in the target.

20 yard target (if only the Block was edible)
Well there you have it, what the Gun shoots for Archery gear. Old, simple and accurate. ( I guess that describes me and my gear)

Old, Simple and Accurate

Two Blogs in Two Days

In the previous post I waxed eloquent told you about Husker Mike's Blog and behold the comments section contains a response from another local Blog that I was unaware of.

After spending some time reading The Lincolnite I have decided that this Blog deserves a place on my Blogroll as well.

In the past I have not written about a lot of the local shenanigans that take place in the Capitol City only those that irritate me enough to pen thoughts on.

Enter Mr Wilson another local citizen that has his blog on the pulse of the community. It is a pleasure to note that Mr Wilson and I seem to be like minded on so many issues, especially the ones I have written about in the past.

If you really want the continuous low down on what is really happening in Lincoln, Nebraska make the Lincolnite a daily read.

P.S. As to your search for a Camera Mr Wilson I am so far happy with the Kodak that I recently acquired and commented on a few posts down the page.

Update: I didn't realize it at the time I wrote this that there are several others that are blogging under the Lincolnite banner. Be sure to check out the posts by Mr T's Den, 625 Elm street, d.m.b. sports report, and sports star as well. There is lot's of very goog local information from these guys.

Blasphemy??? I say not

I am slowly becoming aware of other Nebraska based Blogs. The latest is Titled Husker Mike's Blasphemy.

I do not hold much interest in the team sports. I have nothing against them, it is just not something I devote any time to.

Having said that I do root for the home team, Yea Go Big Red, simply because they are the home team. I have even been to one Husker's game in the 11 years we have lived in the area. It was some years back when after losing the week before the Huskers trounced one of the Kansas teams 40 something to nothing.

We went because I know a former Husker player (who shall remain nameless but whose younger brother still plays for a pro team) was going to be out of town that weekend and did not need the four season tickets that his family maintains. And yes I would go again.

In fact the closet thing to Husker red I have ever worn on game day is hunter orange, and then only when a game co-insides with one of the deer seasons.

I do plead guilty to watching the Big Red Machine play their bowl games though, I can get into that.

Anyway after reading some of Mike's blasphemy I find that we are very like minded in what we observe to be the current state of affairs at UNL. When I do pay attention to such things anyway.

I think that he has Pederson and the rest of the staff pegged to a "T" and respectfully add him to my Blogroll.

In other words just because I am from Nebraska it doesn't mean you'll see much UNL sports talk here. If you want Big Red info that is spot on read Mike's musings. I will be.

The gun show sucked but I am cured

As noted in a previous post I had been suffering from Buyagunitchitis and there was an upcoming gunshow.

To be quite honest I did not think much of the show itsself but I did settle on a new in the box CVA synthetic stock Bobcat muzzle loader in 50 caliber for $54.00.

I got this primarily for the wife who has recently expressed a desire to shoot blackpowder. As soon as we can we will take it out to the range and wring it out.

Starting out we will be loading it with a patched round ball ahead of a 30 grain equivelant of Pyrodex. This is not a real potent load for hunting, but it is a good target load to start a new shooter at.

Shooting 30 grains reduces the noise and felt recoil allowing the novice to concentrate on the basics of a new sport. As her experience increases we will increase the amount of powder and eventually shoot the Powerbelt bullet for hunting.

The Powerbelt bullet has proved to be very accurate in both of my sons CVA Bobcats and a buddy of mine took a deer with one a few years ago. He was using an in-line 50 caliber from Cabela's and 150 grain blackpowder equivelant load of pyrodex.