Fed Bears

 Way up north, near Orr, Minnesota, some well intentioned folks feed bears on their property.  I guess they like wildlife, and they probably think they are doing good.  Volunteers come from all over the country for the privilege of handing out free meals to bears, and they collect lots of free chow from restaurants and grocery stores in the area.  It probably started out slowly, with a solitary bear, or two, but word got around, and more bears jumped on the gravy train.

 These bears aren't out doing bear-y things during the day.   They stick closeby, waiting for their benefactors to bring out the goodies, which include lots of donuts and other fried foods.  You have to wonder if they could ever go back to living on their own, like a real bear.

 The volunteers have to be careful, because these bears can be surly and impatient while they wait for their daily rations.  Feeding stations have to be spaced out to avoid fights between the recipients while they chow down on the freebies.

 It's a whole new world, and the bears probably don't give a thought to digging grubs, eating berries, and other old fashioned, difficult things.

Yup, it's a pretty good life, having all your needs handed to you.

Geezer Test

Do you know what this item is, and what it used to be in?   If you do, you too might qualify to be called a geezer.

Holy Cow!  This has been up for over a month, and no-one has identified it!  I will put the answer in the comments.  

Weatherby Series 2 Vanguard Rifle

One of the treats at the Gun Blogger Rendezvous was this Weatherby Series 2 Vanguard rifle in .223.  Allen took it to the range for all to try, and he set up targets at 100 yards so folks could see how it shot. Shooters used it from a shooting bench, but had to support it in their hands, with their elbows on the table.  I looked at several targets, and most of them had a three shot group with just over an inch spread. I am satisfied that most would have shot under an inch if they had a rest under the front end of this rifle. I didn't get any video of this gun in action, but I see that Jeff Quinn of Gunblast.com has reviewed one chambered in .257 Weatherby. Jeff gives us a good look at it, and we get to enjoy watching him shoot it.

Dam Repairs

It's been over twenty years since we had repairs made on our dam, and this year a couple of bad spots developed.  We had a local contractor come in to dig out the soft spots, and refill them a few days ago.  Anyone who tells you that trees are slow growing has never had a pond dam.  I haven't worked on it for a few too many years, and I have to go into lumberjack mode this fall to clear the dam again.  Oh well, we can use the firewood.  I dropped a sycamore that was fourteen inches diameter at breast height with fifteen growth rings so the backhoe could work on one spot.  These things are overtaking me!

Fall Colors Are Good This Year In Southern Illinois

 This persimmon and sassafras at Dolan Lake were putting on a bright show last week.  The colors have been good all over Southern Illinois, and even though I think we are peaking now, the show will continue for a while, because red maple is just now turning.  Most of the oaks are still green, and there will be a few colorful ones.

 Sassafras (left) and persimmon (right) look good with the sun shining through them...

 ...and the fruit is colorful, too.

The light was wrong on this shot, but it does show the intense red of sumac this year.  Railroad rights-of-way, and fence rows are loaded with red sumacs right now.

 Hickories often go straight to brown, but this year they are showing off.

 This big old persimmon looks good every year, and in the spring it's flowers perfume the air.

Round as a ball, sharp as an awl, that's chestnut.   The shiny brown of these nuts is one of my favorite fall colors, and in a couple of weeks these starchy nuts will sweeten up considerably.  The bur is a triple, which is a bit unusual.  Triples normally have one unfilled nut, but we found two good triples under one tree this year.  Gray squirrels ambush our chestnuts as soon as they drop, and deer like them, too, so we just get the leftovers.

Win A Ford Van!

The Mrs and I were shopping recently in the Sherwin-Williams store in Mt. Vernon, IL, and spotted this contest posted on a rack of Frog Tape.  I don't get too excited about winning contests, but then I got to thinking about this one, and realized that it's a pretty limited audience that is seeing these announcements, and most of those seeing it are busy making a living painting, so not too many of them will enter multiple times.  Anyway, click the photo to see it in a readable size, fill out a bunch of 3 x 5 cards by hand, and mail one in every day.   If I don't win, I would be tickled to death to see one of True Blue Sam's visitors get it, so let me know if you win.  The news release of the previous winner can be seen on this page.  Scroll down to January 6.

Not My Victrola

I've been listening a Jan Garber CD recently, and it's loaded with ear worms. VictrolaJazz just uploaded an acoustic Victor record of Jan Garber's band, and it's a good one. VictrolaJazz's comments: "This is probably the most exuberant arrangement of this show tune from No No Nanette I've ever heard. There is a truly acrobatic saxophone obligatto from 2:19-2:35 and I also like the chimes that are used in about the middle."

FFA Forestry Contest

 Last week was a big one for FFA classes in Southern Illinois.  There were two regional forestry contests, one at Dixon Springs Ag Center, and the other one at Sam Dale Lake, in Wayne County.

 These local contests were preparation for the annual state FFA Forestry Contest in Carbondale on Saturday, October 1.  The winning school at that contest can go on to the national level.

 I always tell the students that they should score 100% on equipment ID, since they have the list of possibilities beforehand, and can look up all the items on the internet.

 I like to give each group a quick lesson before they start measuring trees in the cruising section of the test.   Some of the kids haven't even read the directions for using a stick beforehand.

 Some of them are pretty good, and get most of their heights and diameters right.

This young lady used her stick pretty well, but, FLIP-FLOPS in the woods?!  She's in for a rude awakening the first time she walks through a patch of nettles.

Traction Control Has Posted The October e-Postal Contest!

U.S. Citizen at Traction Control is taking us back to the basics this month with this set of four bullseyes.   Take five shots at each bullseye, and try to make 100 points.  The practice will do me some good.  Click over to read the rules and to print your targets.

September's Mr. Completely e-Postal Results

 There were several entries this month, and some very good shooting.  This target was shot by Liz at the Rendezvous, and it was shot at 40 feet rather than 25; 40 feet being the closest distance available to set targets at the Washoe County Shooting Range.  Liz had never shot Bea's .45 Blackhawk before, which makes this target rather remarkable.  Mr. Completely also shot at 40 feet with Zeke's Mk III Ruger, and scored 90; darn good shooting with iron sights that you can't see!

 I was feeling satisfied with my score of 95, then ASM826 blew me out of the water with a 125.

 Billll shot this nice target with his Nylon 66, and took one of the Bonus Buzzards.

Then, Mr. Borland nailed both Bonus Buzzards with a Smith revolver!...

 ...and made me feel totally inadequate by submitting this target.  Fine Shooting!

Mr. C demonstrated the value of his OKO sight combined with his long barreled, home built High Standard.  Looks like I need to practice a bit more.

SCORES:

Rimfire Pistol or Revolver, Iron Sights:
Mr. Borland, S&W 617: 200
Engineering Johnson, Ruger 22/45: 125
Billll, Ruger Mk I: 125
ASM826, Ruger Single Six: 125
True Blue Sam, Ruger Single Six: 95
Mr. Completely, Ruger Mk III: 90 (Shot at 40 feet)
Danno, Ruger Single Six: 75
Danno, Ruger 22/45: 70

Rimfire Pistol or Revolver, Optical Sights:
Mr. Completely, High Standard with OKO Sight: 200

Centerfire Revolver, Iron Sights:
Mr. Borland, S&W K38: 155
Liz: Ruger .45 Blackhawk: 50 (Shot at 40 feet)

Centerfire Pistol, Iron Sights:
Danno: Taurus PT92: 35

.22 Rifle:
Billll, Remington Nylon 66, BSA Scope: 100

Air Pistol:
True Blue Sam, Crosman 1377: 125
Bea, Crosman 1377: 60

I think this is everyone who entered.  If I have missed you, please let me know ASAP.