Maggie’s What's Your View II

Really nice fellas!

R, can you use rifles in IL on deer? Just curious.

Love the pics of Superior. Used to ride the North Shore Trail on the MN side several times a winter. Love it up there.
 
Pryor Mountains to the left



Beartooth Mountains to the right



The cell phone pics don't really do it justice.

That is some gorgeous looking country right there. I'll bet that's tougher to hunt than it looks. Muley haven I'm guessing. But I've recently been mistaken. :confused:
 
Busy day in Hooterville with mowing, garden planting, etc.. Found a little time late this afternoon for backyard batting practice with the kids. Daughter plays varsity softball and son is on a 12U traveling baseball team. Straightaway center (in our yard) is 200 ft. They are both out growing our yard...

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Did some fishing yesterday afternoon in the middle of one of our windstorms. It was gusting to probably 50, which made for some fun casting. We caught our first largemouths of the season which was fun. About 20 mins before sunset the wind settled down to a gentle 20 or so and the sun gave its last peek of the day. As much as I don't like being in Chicago, their Forest Preserves down south by me can be remarkable.
 
Today is the last day of the season, and this absolute stud has been in my field every day for two weeks straight.
He's a trophy by any standard, but I am letting him be. I want to make sure all of the local hens are bred and that there is ample seed for the coming years. Hoping he will pass his multi-beard traits down the line.

That's definitely a stud. This came up last week with a friend of mine who just took a beautiful Tom over in Michigan. He was talking about being a bit disappointed with his bird, which had a 10" beard, because it was single-bearded. Having grown up hunting them in the deep south I was kind of confused because a 10" bird would be a trophy. I don't recall running across multi-bearded specimens down there.

My question for you smarter fellows is this: is the double beard a recessive trait, or a regional variation within the species?
 
I never would have guessed that's Chicago. Nice scenery.

Thanks, one thing these socialists did well was set aside a HUGE amount of land for public use. The shoreline of Lake Michigan would be billion dollar property inline with lower Manhattan, but instead of high rises it's parks, public beaches, golf courses, jogging trails, and museums. Down by me we have enormous expanses of Forest Preserve lands with interlocking cycling trails, ponds, lakes, etc. Now in true Cook County fashion, an Illinois concealed carry permit is not valid in any park or on any public transit, etc. So even though it's pretty, you're still reminded that you're in occupied territory.
 
That's definitely a stud. This came up last week with a friend of mine who just took a beautiful Tom over in Michigan. He was talking about being a bit disappointed with his bird, which had a 10" beard, because it was single-bearded. Having grown up hunting them in the deep south I was kind of confused because a 10" bird would be a trophy. I don't recall running across multi-bearded specimens down there.

My question for you smarter fellows is this: is the double beard a recessive trait, or a regional variation within the species?

I think it's a recessive trait, like my bearded hens.
 
Thanks, one thing these socialists did well was set aside a HUGE amount of land for public use. The shoreline of Lake Michigan would be billion dollar property inline with lower Manhattan, but instead of high rises it's parks, public beaches, golf courses, jogging trails, and museums. Down by me we have enormous expanses of Forest Preserve lands with interlocking cycling trails, ponds, lakes, etc. Now in true Cook County fashion, an Illinois concealed carry permit is not valid in any park or on any public transit, etc. So even though it's pretty, you're still reminded that you're in occupied territory.

Damn shame too, 'cause once you're out of the city, central and southern IL has a lot of good folks just doing their thing and enjoying life...the right way.
 
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Pretty nice out the last couple days. Went for drive up in the Hills and it appears one of our Members left their Bench n Rifle laying around up there.............. :rolleyes:
 
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Pretty nice out the last couple days. Went for drive up in the Hills and it appears one of our Members left their Bench n Rifle laying around up there.............. :rolleyes:

That is real nice! Perfect setting for some LR work.

Oh, by the way, your rotten weather is here again and won't leave. Any chance you could come and get it? This is like the call from your neighbor that your dog is shitting in my yard again.
 
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That is real nice! Perfect setting for some LR work.

Oh, by the way, your rotten weather is here again and won't leave. Any chance you could come and get it? This is like the call from your neighbor that your dog is shitting in my yard again.

Brother T I'm sorry and ya know I mean it. I'll come get my damn cloud outta your sky, but just not right now. :p. We're in for a scorcher for around here and some cover will be appreciated shortly. Believe that.
As for the rest of it, I promise to be good. I mean it this time. :(
 
Cool and overcast for this time of year, so after some indoors projects I took to the picnic table on the dock to snipe a few heads poking out of the water. One was a massive snapping turtle. Had put some follow-ups on his bobbing shell to get him to go down.

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That's one of the most lavish, extravagant mourning dove nests I've ever seen. Around here, they generally throw about 10 toothpick-like twigs together in a haphazard manner and call it good. I don't know how they ever keep the eggs in them.
 
The last of this seasons Oak going into the stack. This will be burned 5-6 years from now...if I live that long. My view this afternoon.


You got this thing you lazy bastard. :p

You're a woodchuck'n machine Brother. Getter done before it starts cooking off in the barn/shop, or are ya still suffering from a bit o wetness? ;)
 
look up super split, its a kinetic energy splitter, no hydraulics...cycle time on a hyd splitter can be up to 10 secs. my super split is 2...
i split from the table into a front loader bucket and when i smoked cigs, could split a pickup load with one cig...after the rounds are stacked of course...
if you u tube it, keep in mind that everyone u tubes when they have a brandnew machine, hense, not so blazing quick... there are a couple guys on the u tube that can roll pretty fast...
if you heat your home with wood, if you want to make some extra bucks by selling wood, this mother fucker is for you, no way someone could convince me otherwise, i have had one for 10 years and love it love it love it...
super fast and super safe
realitivly quiet
1 gallon gas, with the 6 horse, per 8 hours splitting, yes, no shitter...
basic construction that never breaks, yes, i said that...
do not buy DR's version, it sucks and breaks down...
 
Only 5 more hrs....................

This is gonna be gooooooooooood :cool:

Finished product will obviously have to go in the Nom Nom Nom.......................



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9 Pounder. She's a beauty.
 
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photo58294.jpgphoto58295.jpg Rebecca and I on Sunday, chasing goliath grouper.

Diawa meat stick rod.
Big assed Okuma reel.
200lb test line.
14 and 16 ought circle hooks.
6oz lead weight.
17 hookups.
14 breakoffs.
Hers was right at 600lbs. Mine was a measly 400.
Her "small" fish was right around 200lbs. Just a baby...

Pics never do them justice.
A new reel has been ordered and comes in tomorrow. Bigger..

Going up in line test weight too.
 


Rebecca and I on Sunday, chasing goliath grouper.

Diawa meat stick rod.
Big assed Okuma reel.
200lb test line.
14 and 16 ought circle hooks.
6oz lead weight.
17 hookups.
14 breakoffs.
Hers was right at 600lbs. Mine was a measly 400.
Her "small" fish was right around 200lbs. Just a baby...

Pics never do them justice.
A new reel has been ordered and comes in tomorrow. Bigger..

Going up in line test weight too.

I am assuming catch and release? Also, you need a bigger boat. I would be ok, but that would freak the shit out of my wife. She says "I am not afraid of the water, just what is in the water"

Oh and what kid of line, monofiliment, spiderwire?
 


Rebecca and I on Sunday, chasing goliath grouper.

Diawa meat stick rod.
Big assed Okuma reel.
200lb test line.
14 and 16 ought circle hooks.
6oz lead weight.
17 hookups.
14 breakoffs.
Hers was right at 600lbs. Mine was a measly 400.
Her "small" fish was right around 200lbs. Just a baby...

Pics never do them justice.
A new reel has been ordered and comes in tomorrow. Bigger..

Going up in line test weight too.

Holy shit Mike! Coming from Pumphandle Iowa, I'd probably squeal like a 3rd grade girl if that monster got near me! Great pics and thanks for the post!
 
I figured you might have one of these after looking at your wood pile.

R

They are handy. I'm getting a shade old to be busting stuff up by hand. I've got 2 new elbows over the last few years, so, I let the hydraulics do 98% of the work. Work smarter, not harder. Plus, it's just another dopey hobby of mine, not a money maker.



 
Only 5 more hrs....................

This is gonna be gooooooooooood :cool:

Finished product will obviously have to go in the Nom Nom Nom.......................



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9 Pounder. She's a beauty.

Stop it! Stop it now! Quit posting this picture. I can barely keep in a fare sized dip, gotta' spit 'cause my mouth is watering. Knock it off :)

 
They are handy. I'm getting a shade old to be busting stuff up by hand. I've got 2 new elbows over the last few years, so, I let the hydraulics do 98% of the work. Work smarter, not harder. Plus, it's just another dopey hobby of mine, not a money maker.

I hear ya, I gave up the ax/maul work a while back.
Grew up with a fireplace and helped a bud of mine.
They heated their house all winter with wood. His father had a 17 pound maul.

R
 
Catch and release in the water. Can't take them out because they are protected.
Honestly, they need to open a limited tag and kill system because they are becoming a nuisance.

Catch anything and it's a good bet a goliath will eat it before you boat it.

The line has to be mono. Braid would pop like crazy the second it touches rocks, pilings or the barnacles that grow everywhere.
The fish are really quite docile.
Stick a hook in their mouth and then they come alive.
Once on the surface, they chill right out.
I told Mike "Oneshot" that I really wanted to give the giant goofy fish a big hug.
Maybe common sense won out on that decision...



 
photo58302.jpg Oh,
I forgot to answer the boat question.
The boat is a 22' Sterling bass boat with a 250hp Yamaha. Carpet delete and full deck finish in white.
Basically, it's a high deck red fish boat with a top speed of 85mph.

No, it's not mine, it belongs to my buddy Jim.

My boat is a 17'8" Hewes Tailfisher. 60hp high thrust Yamaha.
Designed to run and fish in 6" of water.
Some day when it's really calm, we'll use it to try out on the big boys.
Top speed... about 32. It will also get on plane in 16" of water.
 
Summary from today:
I want to eat at 1J's and then go fishing with Mike, or vice versa. Oh, and my wood cutting, splitting, and stacking days are over and not coming back. But it is great exercise,, and working on stuff like that clears the mind and solves problems completely unrelated to what you're doing. That's why I like mowing the grass so much.
Great stuff, boys!