A BIG THANK YOU To Two Great Friends And Hunting Partners

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I returned home last night from a multi-day varmint hunting trip to east-central Nevada. This would not have been remotely possible with out the kind and patient assistance of Richard Tunell (known in some regions as "Buckshot") and Bruce Frechette (AKA "Ammohead"). It was a GREAT TRIP. There weren't hordes of rats to whack. though some shots got taken. The weather wasn't cooperative--some Nevada Zephyrs made their appearance on Wednesday, which keep the critters in their burrows and buffeted the hunters a bit. Thursday morning was cold but sunny, but before noon the wind returned. It was accompanied by sleet, snow, lightning, thunder, and a temp drop of 15 degrees in about as many minutes. We got the rifles and other war toys into the truck and under the camper the shell as as things got genuinely interesting weather-wise. We got back onto the pavement without much bother, and just in time--as we turned back toward the motel and civilization, Mother Nature REALLY threw a fit--the sleet and snow went horizontal, pelting Rick's side of the truck mercilessly for several miles. closer to town the wind lessened and the sleet turned to BIG goose-feather snowflakes, and began to stick. We got inside the motel in fair order, and thawed out for a bit and took a nap. The snow continued. So what? We were warm and dry, and in the company of good friends on a hunting trip. It doesn't get much better than that.

Bruce got out his new Winchester Legacy 1894 rifle in 25/35 WCF, and the aperture sight he is making for it that is about 80% complete. What exquisite machining. The rifle is beautifully made, as has every Miroku reproduction of Winchester's levergun line I have handled. Later that afternoon, we made the requisite sojourn to Raine's Market in its recent new location a mile or so west of downtown Eureka along U.S. 50. This is a grocery/hardware rural town market that I absolutely LOVE. The gun counter and reloading supply and ammunition inventories would put a lot of California gun shops to shame.

I wanted very much to visit the gun counter and buy a couple pounds of powder just for form's sake, but elected to remain inside the truck while Rick and Bruce did a walk-through. Truth to tell, this trip was just a bit too much a bit too soon. Eureka's altitude was the chief obstacle--6400 feet high. You lose 3% of your atmosphere for each 1K feet of elevation gained over sea level, so I was running at a 15% deficit from the accustomed level. And I sure as h--l wasn't "running".

So the trip served as an objective milepost along the route to recovery, nine weeks to the day at this writing since I received the prosthetic leg and 5 months out from the infection that tried to drag me off and the surgery that spoiled the Grim Reaper's hunting trip. I would LIKE to be further along by now. (Well, DUHHHH!). I'm not, though--and my expectations might be inflated. Considerably. Timeline at the outset of this process was on the order of 18 month recovery. I do need to be more patient with this course of events.

Paciencia, mi nalgas! I want to kill something! Hence the rat trip. And two great friends made that possible. Bless their hearts!
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
Great write up. My favorite spring time activity is hunting sage rats. We will be heading to central Oregon in a few weeks for a couple days of hunting. .223, .221 Fireball ammo ready to go!
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
sage rats don't get good till June anyway.
then one day mid September... poof they are gone, no reason, temp doesn't matter,, just done.
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
Mid to late April thru June around here. You can pick off a few into early Fall.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Glad to hear you were out and about, Al. Good to know that Buckshot is doing well and still making
things with his machine tools. Sounds like the weather was definitely 'interesting'. In a few months things
should be a lot more stable (read 'hotter').
Really glad to hear your new landing gear is pretty functional, even at this early date, and not fully 'broken in", so
to speak.

Overall, great report. :)

Bill
 
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Ian

Notorious member
Good times, Allen, keep slugging. Tell Ammohead and Buckshot they're welcome to stop by here sometime and say hello.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
True friends are few and far between. Looks like you have a couple of really good ones.
I love the fact you refuse to let a medical setback stop you from living life. People like you and Keith are a true inspiration.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I have hunted rats successfully from mid-February (on sunny days) into June. They sink out when the heat comes on, and are unseen completely after early August. On the mid-February hunt in Cedarville, CA--it was NASTY COLD, single digits--and there was about 1"-3" of snow on the fields. The rats showed up against the white background WONDERFULLY. Bruce B, NV Curmudgeon, and I had a GREAT couple of days.
 

dale2242

Well-Known Member
Rat hunt report.
They came up very late, where we hunt, this year.
Yesterday was a good shoot.
My buddy and I each shot around 200 shots each.
Not spectacular but steady shooting from 7AM until 4:30.
There is something satisfying about hitting a rat at 200+ yds. Especially with a little wind.
Sorry guys. This is with jacketed bullets. I have shot a lot with cast in my 218 Bee.