How's your day been?

[Wildthings]

@Eric Rorabaugh I'm in that elk quarter out club with you and yes it's tough!! Congrats on a great trip. The sights and memories are well worth the hard effort put into those western trips. I did it from 1994 to 2008. Killed 1 raghorn bull elk. We had a young man stop by camp one day and asked for elk getting his bull out. He parked his truck at a switchback on the road going up and out of a creek drainage. Walked out 40 yards and sat on a stump. A nice bull came up out of the creek and he shot it at 60 yds, thru the lungs. It turned and bailed over the edge. It took 5 of us 2 trips straight up and down to get it out. I mean straight up and down. Had to grab trees to pull yourself up. He didn't even say thanks and left.. Oh well. That same trip my buddy killed a nice 5 pointer on the top at 11,000 foot. We got the Honda 250cc to it and loaded the quartered meat on it and he had to walk it out about a mile back to the truck. It didn't have enough power at that elevation to carry the elk and him both.

See! Memories!! Even not killing anything the hunts are something you can recall to exact details in a moment. Got a sec. Lemme tell you about "HeMan" Ken getting knocked off that crazy horse by a tree limb...or about that Spruce grouse I killed with a rock..........well maybe next time!

 

[Wildthings]

One more note.. here's the little bull I killed in Colorado. Notice the blue ribbon hanging on him. 1st Place at the Texas State Taxidermy Competition. Also took the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for best elk in the show. There were 8 elk entered, all monsters except for one. hehe I was proud of that one. Wish I had better pictures

 

[Eric Rorabaugh]

Funny you say that about the spruce grouse and rock. We saw several. I asked Jason (WY warden) about it. I said I wish I had a license and a shotgun, I'd love to try one. Especially if they are as good as the ruffed grouse here at home. He said huh shotgun, rock works just as good! He was telling us that a lot of people kill them with rocks. Crazy. Tell the story!!! And yeah even though I didn't harvest an animal, the memories, the scenery and the stories (too many to type here) will always be with me.

 

[Eric Rorabaugh]

I'd be happy with that elk!

 

[gman2431]

Last night I got some more fermentation started. Small batches of mead and cyser going. First time trying either - my wife bought the vessels for me for my birthday.

So, here's the whole line up of what's in the process of fermentation right now. Once the kraut is done, I'm going to give making kimchi a try as well.

View attachment 194461

Nice! Did you have a way to take a gravity reading before you started the mead?

 

[Ray D]

Great story @Eric Rorabaugh ....glad you were able to get it done for your buddy Randy. You made some lasting memories and seen some beautiful country. Cool photos for sure.

 

[Gdurfey]

Funny you say that about the spruce grouse and rock. We saw several. I asked Jason (WY warden) about it. I said I wish I had a license and a shotgun, I'd love to try one. Especially if they are as good as the ruffed grouse here at home. He said huh shotgun, rock works just as good! He was telling us that a lot of people kill them with rocks. Crazy. Tell the story!!! And yeah even though I didn't harvest an animal, the memories, the scenery and the stories (too many to type here) will always be with me.

My former buddy carried a 22 pistol for the grouse......always heard a rock would work.

 

[Nubsnstubs]

Not my day, but this is pretty funny. Glad no one was hurt.....

............. Jerry (in Tucson)

 

[Gdurfey]

Just a little more progress on the mouse condo. But enough siding is off that I need to get some on. Also got rid of the front cover and started a quick workbench for other shed.

 

[Sprung]

Nice! Did you have a way to take a gravity reading before you started the mead?

I did not, unfortunately. That is something I will eventually purchase though.

 

[gman2431]

I did not, unfortunately. That is something I will eventually purchase though.

I use a refractometer over a hydrometer. They are cheap and easy to use. How much honey per gallon?

 

[Sprung]

I use a refractometer over a hydrometer. They are cheap and easy to use. How much honey per gallon?

I should write down how much I used before I forget! I did 2lbs in the cyser and 3lbs in the mead - that's what the recipes I used called for.

 

[Mike Hill]

Hotter than in Smashville! @Tony, the yellow shrub b!coming is that esperenza?

 

[gman2431]

I should write down how much I used before I forget! I did 2lbs in the cyser and 3lbs in the mead - that's what the recipes I used called for.

Nice! With 3lbs and lalvin kv1 1116 yeast my last batches have been around 14 percent ABV.

 

[Sprung]

Nice! With 3lbs and lalvin kv1 1116 yeast my last batches have been around 14 percent ABV.

Nice!

I'm using Lalvin 71B, as that's what the recipe I used for the mead mentioned. This is my first time trying to brew/ferment anything, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they turn out.

 

[gman2431]

Nice!

I'm using Lalvin 71B, as that's what the recipe I used for the mead mentioned. This is my first time trying to brew/ferment anything, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they turn out.

71B is a popular yeast also. Just be patient and sanitize the crap outta everything! I got 4 batches rolling right now let me know if ya need any help!

 

[Sprung]

71B is a popular yeast also. Just be patient and sanitize the crap outta everything! I got 4 batches rolling right now let me know if ya need any help!

Thanks! I'll definitely ask if I have any questions. And, yup, everything got sanitized well - no desire to have to waste 5lbs of honey or a gallon of cider!

 

[Mr. Peet]

Not my day, but this is pretty funny. Glad no one was hurt.....

............. Jerry (in Tucson)

So many fail to read the bark and see included bark. The Bradford and Callery pear are often a challenge. I have got in the habit of ratchet strapping the main stem to itself and having a secondary bull rope, depending on tree size. Good post.

 

[woodtickgreg]

Nice fall day here today, sunny and a little cool, my kind of weather. Kinda took it easy today, slept in because I needed the rest, been under a lot of stress lately and just needed some down time. So after coffee and laying in bed for the morning I ng I mowed the lawn and mulched up the leaves. Then I finished up the electrical in the garage, I now have a lighting circuit. Ill be hanging some l.e.d's pretty soon. Only thing left to do as far as electrical in the garage is I need to wire up one more 220 outlet so I can backfeed the generator to the house if need be. Its nice in a power outage to be able to shut the main off in the house and be able to leave the generator running in the garage to power the fridge, lights and heat or ac.

 

[Gdurfey]

Mouse condos, part 23?...... asked for some help today and a good friend joined me and we knocked out a bunch. Corrected the first three pieces of siding, braced the last corner, and covered 3/4 of shed except for the door. Back of shed will be tough due to difficulty Of placing the ladder. Oh well. Figure it out somehow, hopefully without falling. Will go back up sun but it will be an easier day...... will post pictures from my phone in a moment.







my buddy Bill sure is trusting. My wife just can’t accept this is a very practical way to do this instead of a ladder!



we even jacked the shed up to get the old timbers out of the dirt and to save the bottom of the new siding. Need to add more supports under it, that’s going to be a job. Then critter proof it, I think I just made another ty of condo if I’m not careful.