Buster. And make sure he’s never in range.

Bearcat89 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>FinickyFish wrote:</div>
No heater in that thing BC? And what’s the car battery for?

Car battery is powering a diesel heater. The heater is out side and the battery stays inside. Keeps dry heat all weekend.

Just figured out my next purchase. No more getting dripped on all night.

No heater in that thing BC? And what’s the car battery for?

Dang ole’ gotdam fishin jedi right there. We eeked out a few eater crappie yesterday. Small bite windows and very finicky bite. Marked lots of fish so finding them wasnt an issue. Got to see livescope in action for the first time. Was interesting to see all the different fish come through. Not running out anytime soon to buy one though.

Ha! I meant my only overnight or full day trip. Hopefully sneak something in mid March. Gotten out here and there in the metro.

Yeah the one day trip i can swing this year and it’s looking chilly. I’m praying for anything to bite but will definitely pack a drink mug I can get mittens around. Gonna need a little extra firewater to keep me warm.

Following up. Had my claim approved for ‘abscess- skin’ under my accident only plan. I’d highly recommend at least a cheap accident only plan for any working/hunting dog. It’s paid for itself and any future dogs for like 20 years at this point (maybe I let me dogs get into too many accidents…)

Had no idea. Potentially just saved me from an upset FW.

Since you had a ‘not so nice’ convo with the guy at one batteries plus, if possible I’d go to a different one and just not mention anything other than ‘it’s dead and it’s been properly kept on a battery tender in a heated garage’. I don’t see anyway they could ‘prove’ improper anything without noticeable deformity to the plastic.

But if you go to the same one do the exact thing as above. If they even mention your phone call just tell them you don’t know what they’re talking about.

Personally I’ve had good luck with tbe Duracells (boat and truck batteries) and BP, but that’s anecdotal.

Kids (6 and 3) actually asked to go fishing which doesnt happen often. First time out i couldn’t get the crappie to bite at the community hole so swing and a miss. At least 10″ of clear ice on Medicine Lake. Will give it another try tomorrow.

I’ve been on a tough dry spell since Thanksgiving. Finally bagged 2 birds with only 1 shot fired (dogs picked one out of reeds themselves). The sun broke through the clouds just as I picked up the shot bird, like the lord was blessing the moment. It was a slog through a pure swamp WMA. Nothing but reeds and cattails but was finally rewarded for it. If my head will stop pounding from last night I’m going to try and get one last hunt I today for the dogs’ sake at least.

I’m envious. Oldest dog has some stitches in him from a procedure Saturday so that kept me out of the field most of the weekend. I hit a new spot for an hour Friday and didn’t see anything. Only one set of tracks so not very promising. Will take the young pup solo out a few more times and try to get the old boy out for the New Years hunt if his wound heals. Definitely my best year yet. I really put the miles on though to get the pup experience and it’s paid off.

Well I’m about to test my accident only plan again. Dog has a puss filled abscess that needs lancing and suction. $3k bill. Almost certainly caused by a cut, scrape, or foreign body (foxtail seed maybe) but we’ll see if the insurance company honors it as trauma and not an illness.

Use full choke for waterfowl so don’t see why you couldn’t for pheasant. I started with a full fixed choke Rem 1100. My only pheasant mount was taken using that and left the body in good shape. Definitely want to let them get out to 30+ yards though.

Nice. How long is a while? I’ll start asking now so you take me along in a few years!

I’ve never felt like the birds notice a beeper, but I use beepers to page and they are very quiet, not like a true pointers collar with a constant beep. Probably not the best comparison.

I had a true pointers collar for a week and was honestly worried about hearing damage for my dog it was so loud. I’ve learned to live with if I can’t see my dog and I can’t hear his beep, we’ll he’s probably on point at least 40 yards away from me somewheres. Time to go look for him. Luckily he doesn’t creep and I’ve lost him a good 10 min or more and find him (and sometimes the bird) still standing there on point.

Realized I never reported back on mine. Took 3 extra weeks than expected and they made me come to the office to pick them up (not sure why they couldn’t have just mailed them to me). In the field I can hear conversations and the dogs working but cannot hear my page beepers on the dogs albeit I have cheapo Amazon collars with pretty quiet beep. Comfortable for sure. Worth what I paid but those Alclairs look identical (other than colors) to my Westones so seem like a good value.

Yeah it’s definitely cattail season. That’s where I kicked up all my birds last Saturday (all hens). I’ll be hunting central MN Friday and Saturday. If we get a good dusting Thursday, it’ll be a fun arctic blast hunt. Should be able to see fresh prints and the sudden cool air should keep them holding tight.

Had 7″ out of West Medicine lake park. Didn’t see anyone venturing out to the main lake though.

I forgot I had preserved minnows. Believe I got them at Fleet Farm.

Didn’t know Scheels had minnows. That’ll work in a pinch for me. Thanks

So have we still not identified a place with Minnows on the east side of Lake Minnetonka? I’m going to swing by a couple gas stations that claim to have live bait this afternoon when I grab my kids from school but it’s looking like I need to drive 30 min from the Hopkins area to find minnows.

Timmy wrote:

If it isn’t posted as a designated type of land specifically, and you can legally access it, and there are no residences within the restricted distance for gun discharge – I would hunt it.

Same. And it you weren’t supposed to hunt it you’ll get your answer quick when a CO gets called out, but as long as there weren’t any no trespassing signs and it isnt ag land, your legal until asked to leave.

Now that’s a trip to envy. Nice work!

Thanks. So probably guys chasing pike in the west arm but probably want to be wary of heading out toward the main lake.

Anyone looked at Medicine lake last weekend? Hoping to get out there this weekend. Will probably poke some holes on the west side Friday to see if I can bring kids/friends out Saturday and report back.

Just got back from my annual buddies trip. As much as I love bragging about my dog’s and I’s successes, theres a reason its called hunting not killing. We did a new area in SE MN. Mostly public but had access to about 200 yards of a private waterway. Between 5 of us we shot 0 birds, and not for lack of birds, flushes, or points. For the other 4 guys this is virtually there only hunt for the year but even I have to hang my head for just pi$$ poor shooting. I wish this was more the exception than the rule, but this seems to be the way it goes for this particular group. The bright side, old friends gathered, hunted, drank, ate, and swapped stories for a 9th year in a row and I couldn’t have had a better time. Well… unless we actually hit a bird. Bird numbers looked solid and they held tight for it being December. Time to start planning year 10.

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Just had that happen to my Setter last weekend after a hunt. He’d have sneezing fits every 5 minutes or if his sinuses were stimulated. I figured if it lasted a week or noticed swelling/blood/low energy I’d take him to the vet. It took a good 5 days but be must have gotten it out. Odd stuff.

usmarine0352 wrote:

If anyone wants any, the Flame King ones are on a great sale from their website.

Normally over $100 for the 4 pack with caps you can get it for $59.

I just ordered them last week.

Can you refill these with those cheapo refill adapters you can get off Amazon?

Nice Craw! I was out in that Hutch area the day after Halloween. Just brutal. I should have went back to the truck but falsely hoped I’d stay on top of that ice sheet. We didn’t and I was hit with a vet bill due to my pup pulling back all his front nails as he broke through on every step. Saw a few roodys but wasn’t even able to connect for our troubles. Lesson learned on those conditions.