I feel your pain. Hopefully the doc had good news for you. I’ve had 2 knee surgeries, yet have bounced back really well. Ran a full marathon (Grandma’s) last year…almost 1 year following my last surgery.

So go ahead and get your application in to run next year! Or not.

I’ll take another look at it in the morning…with it being so cold, all I see when I look into the tank is steam with my headlight. The alarm and the pump are on the same circuit with mine. That much I am certain.

I think the pump assembly is “tied off” with a length of romex wire which is attached just inside the access cover. What I can’t wrap my brain around is how the pipe is attached from the pipe to the exit (going to the drain field)…What I mean is – how will I disconnect this fitting from outside the tank? Or?

I’ve never monkeyed with one of these things before.

Oh yeah, I forgot about Fleet Farm. I’ll check the one on 35W off Lexington.

Glenn’s in GR doesn’t carry any trapping supplies. L & M Fleet has some gear, but not much. River Rat Bait between GR and Deer River has some stuff as well…

It’s been so cold out that I saw a democrat with his hands in his own pockets…

It’s so cold out that I saw a democrat with his hands in his own pockets!

Wow. Our God is an Awesome God! And like so many of the miracles depicted in the Bible – I imagine that the story of your survival will bring others to believe in Him.

I’m wondering how the men in your Bible study/renewal group might be a bit careful in the future when they ask the Lord to send them a message…

I have a heavy-duty deerdragging sled (not Otter brand) that looks like a large kiddie snow sled. Made out of the same ultra-thick plastic as an Otter. It is amazing. It is so rigid that you can two-man carry a deer through rough stuff like a stretcher. I will never drag another deer w/o it. Oh – and it’s a must-have for dragging bear as well.

To my knowledge, they don’t make them anymore. Scored mine at a garage sale a few years back.

No – but it had to be pushing 30 pounds. I don’t think I’ve ever nabbed one bigger. He was very well-furred too.

What are coon prices forecasted to be this year?

I wasn’t clear. I’m not concerned about fleshing rats – as you indicated – they are very simple to do. It’s coon primarily that has me asking.

And the knife I’m referring to is a 2 handled “drawing knife”. I’ve watched a few youtube vids of guys fleshing coons with them and it seems like they’re working with a fairly sharp edge.

I’ve had great success with the Arctic Armor boot blankets. They aren’t the bulky kind – they fold up and fit in your pack like a pair of choppers. Some of my rifle stands require a 2+ mile walk, so I wear uninsulated Pronghorns in and then just slip into the boot blankets. If it’s really cold, I drop a hand warmer into the toe of them first.

Seemingly no color preference as we were each using different colors and each caught decent fish. Blue/white, black/silver and firetiger.

It was interesting how they were suspending off of the weedline. I trolled adjacent to the break – trying to keep the boat in around 15-16 FOW, but we hit fish when we’d get out-of-shape and end up deeper. The 25″ hit over about 38 FOW.

I don’t need no stinkin’ lead core! I’ve got’s Scatter Minnows!

I ran with a camelback hydration pack. I’d grown so used to it on my longer training runs that it was almost like a security blanket for me. And, I was able to use the same electrolyte mix on race day as I had been training with. I supplemented with water at just about every aid station.

Welcome back to God’s Country! We moved to GR about 12 years ago and absolutely love it. Living in a location where other people go on vacation is a good thing.

Scarlett Tanager. Only bird in MN that has a red body w/ black wings.

I used the Scatter Rap on Saturday evening…had 2 other guys in the boat with me (each using different cranks). They “washed the box”, trying everything they had. After a few hours of fishing, the Scatter Rap had boated 10 walleyes and all other efforts boated 2.

I’m a believer.

Black/Silver was best. Took a few on clown as well.

I am willing to selflessly perform quality-assurance testing on your finished product. Send 20 or 30 pounds of it to me and I’ll let you know if the remainder of the batch is safe to eat…

Teach your kids to hunt and you won’t have to hunt for your kids…

I have a gravel/dirt driveway that still requires ditching/drainage in the spring. A task I cherish. It harkens me back to my youth. About 6 or 7 years ago, when my boys (aka: “The Men”) were roughly ages 3 & 6 I was putzing around in the garage on a warm April afternoon. The driveway was a muddy mess. I noticed The Men situated in the midst of a particularly deep mud puddle. The youngest had his bike intentionally stuck in the slop – the training wheels holding it stationary as he peddled for all his might. Directly behind him – standing in the spray of the rooster tail – was my oldest boy. His arms were joyously outstretched as though he were being baptisted in Holy Water.

I couldn’t help but exclaim, “Men! What on earth are you doing?”

“Oh, no, Dad,” my eldest replied, “we’re playing Dirty Jobs.”

“Carry on,” was my response.

It’s heavy. The base and the lid are made of 2×6’s and the sides are 2×4’s and 1/2″ plywood. The rope handles make it a little easier to carry – otherwise it’s a beast to lug around.

It’ll shimmy around a little bit in the snow, but not enough to be a problem.

My dad had one when I was growing up that he’d made out of an Army crate intended for mortor shells.

A few ideas on land…head north to Denali, stage up there for a day taking in the sites and then maybe even push further north near Fairbanks to take a tour of one of the old gold dredges.

The House Commander and I did this a number of years ago and it was way, way cool. You kids would probably think so too…you get to pan for gold – and you’ll each find a few flakes.

In Anchorage, check out the Alaska Chocolate Factory. Huge waterfall of melted chocolate…mmmm.

Take the drive down the turn-again arm highway to Seward and stop to see Exit and Portage Glaciers. Way cool.

You’re gonna have a blast.

I picked up a non-insulated version of the fat-fish last spring and have put some hours in it this winter. I love it. The Big Buddy heater works great – usually set on low.

The hub style has it’s limitations (windy days especially), but I’m a big fan thus far.

I’d echo everyone’s suggestions – all good considerations. It’s really a matter of weighing your findings against the costs of fixing the problems identified. It would be unreasonable to think that it’s going to be perfect for $1800.

Absent something major, I think it’s a good deal.

A slober-knocker.

While it isn’t the name of a big fish, one of my favorite expressions that a buddy of mine uses when somebody makes a signficant hook-set is this: “Man, he made his pants pockets touch when he set the hook on that one!”

Pan Handle. Near Coeur d’Alene.

I’ve hunted (archery elk) a couple of times…my first trip was 4 years ago and my last trip was this fall. Amazing country. Tags aren’t too expensive, but there elk herd has been dramatically impacted by wolves in some areas.

We founds some areas this year with fewer wolves and more elk. And more hunters.

All in all, a great destination though.

Yeah, I’ll be sleeping in it. Both on the ice and as a deercamp.

How many BTU’s is enough/too much for this size? I don’t want it cycling all of the time (if it’s too big), yet I don’t want it struggling to keep me warm.

I’d already planned on some 12V fans to move the air around.

I was there yesterday – went out of West Winds – and a person can drive ANYWHERE. Fishing was so-so, yet I didn’t jump around much at all. Fishing with a 9 year-old doesn’t lend itself to run-and-gun. Not when it’s 10 degrees anyway.

We caught most of our fish on deadsticks (red Forage Minnows or plain red hooks) and a few jigging.

17 inches of ice and we were about 2 1/2 miles out in 10 FOW. Good luck!

chubs/fatheads or shiners seem to matter?

Thanks. Aside from staying away from the crowds, what other tips might you offer? Depth?