Get a place in the suburbs or tell your family to come to peace with living with the wildlife.

You won’t even make a dent in your local snake population.

I’m surprised you guys made it that far without wrapping your trees.

Steve Sweaney wrote:

The trolling motor is a 2011 V2

V2 is your issue. I had an 80# V2 terrova on an 18.6 foot glass boat. It was all over the place on spot lock, and constantly wrapped the cord around the head. We called it spot wander. Upgraded to a V3 last year and now it keeps me pinned. World of difference.

big_g wrote:

Wow, you jump right to stereotyping…

Oh Geez. My mistake. Maybe you need to spell it out–exactly what you meant.

big_g wrote:

If you go to Art in the Park.. you may see a few. I had a Nissan… once.

Not sure I get it. Gay joke? Liberal joke? But after running a Ram for the last 7 years, I’d rather walk. Got tired of driving a rusted out pile of junk that cost me 1-2 grand in repairs every year. “but the new ones are better” says every dodge guy, for the last 30 years. No thanks. You can have them.

I was in the same position as the OP a few months back. Really needed a truck at the worst possible time to buy. Looked and looked and looked for an F150 with either a 3.5 ecoboost or the 5.0 and in a normal trim package. They were nearly impossible to find.

I wandered over to the Nissan dealer and checked out the Titan, mostly because they were available and Nissan still was offering some good incentives. Factory options are limited, and the Titan is not for the type of foo foo dude who needs an optioned out luxury truck, but in terms of functionality it’s all there. I got a base model 4×4 truck, 400 hp 5.6L V8, 9300 # tow capacity, and crew cab. Out the door price was 42K, with Nissan financing (1.9% APR) and a 10 year unlimited bumper to bumper warranty. I’ve only racked up a few thousand miles, so ask me in a couple years if I made the right choice. But after my previous POS Ram and my wife’s POS Ford, I regret nothing right now.

The only downside is that city mileage sucks compared to other comparable fullsize trucks. I’m seeing 13-15 in town. But on the highway, which is 75% of my driving, I’m seeing as high as 24 mpg. Truck says I’m averaging 21.

I barely ever see anyone running one. Not sure why.

One of my favorite ice fishing rods was 24″ of a broken walleye jigging rod jammed into 6″ of broomstick.

buckybadger wrote:

These will be a failed fad. Between chip shortages, Covid production issues, delayed deliveries, and the overall look of a plastic box – these things are doomed from the start.

I don’t know about doomed. The new rangers look just as cheap and are ugly AF and I see them all over. They look like an early 2000’s F150… the ugliest truck ever made imo.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Not related to this, but I still think its odd that Texans dont put beans in their chili.

Even weirder still is people who put mushrooms or corn in chili. I’m tolerant of a lot of things… but that’s where I draw the line.

My fall crop of spinach survived the winter and has been going like crazy since early March. I mulched them in last fall and kept a cold frame on them until it snowed. We had a spinach salad at both Christmas and easter. Definitely will do that again.

The local Menards was pretty expensive and picked through by Saturday. 2.99 a plant, and most of them were frostbit and sad looking. So glad I sprout my own now. Seeds were picked through pretty bad too.

Huntindave wrote:

Just keep the fishing rods out of the fan.

And your head when you stand up in your boat while you are rigging it before a trip. It hurts

My work purchases are tax exempt, and you need a state issued tax exemption ID code to start. Then, you usually have fill out information at the vendor. Some places, like Menards or Walmart, you fill out the form once every couple years and get a card with a UPC code that needs to be scanned at the point of sale.

They’re supposed to be great to eat, but are bony. I’m going to try to get some to pressure can this spring.

I canned some pike this winter and it is fantastic.

I thought this was going to be about contractor adventures–finding hacked up DIY projects around the house from the previous owners.

The last guy who owned my house was an idiot and should have his tape measure confiscated. But then again… the folks who bought my old place probably think the same thing.

I still have a copy of her pickled fish recipe in my recipe book circa 2005. All dog-eared and stained.

Funny the things you grow attached to over time.

munchy wrote:

Sounds like fried chicken is on the menu for tonight.

Yup Yup Yup!

JEREMY wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dave maze wrote:</div>
The revolver freezes up in the winter and eventually started falling apart.

Ive sold a bunch of them and never heard anyone complain about freeze up. Nice thing about them is any Tom Dick or Harry with a butter knife cant cut their way in and steal your stuff. I also prefer a good old access cover but no where near as secure.

Any dildo with a pry bar can open any type of cover.

eyeguy507 wrote:

Every couple years that lake pumps out a new state record. Wonder why the perch get so big there?

My understanding is that the perch in Cascade have had almost no competition from other warm water species and that is why they grow crazy big. Recently walleye were found there too, which may drastically change the fishery as their population increases.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

Drill a couple of holes, and then hoot, holler, and hold up the giant rubber crappie about every 3 minutes. Helps to have a buddy or two for some loud “Naaaaaaaace fish. Naaaaaaceee fish.” and high-fiving.

Grouse

I’ve pulled this type of move in open water. When the afternoon anchor-monkeys set up shop on the break that I’ve been trolling, I go around them into no mans land, grab the net and dip it into the water, and then high-five my buddy. I do it every time I go past them. 50% of the time the anchor-monkeys move off the break to set up on my “hot-spot” and I get my trolling line back.

Kid in a motorized wheelchair, dragging a gear sled, on lake Onalaska on a plowed road.

For years I just assumed he was really handicapped, and was pretty impressed. But then again, I didn’t watch him set up, so I don’t really know if he was handicapped.

I don’t know which version I prefer… Handicapped and tenacious, or not handicapped and inventive.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Personal opinion.

I’m a guy that eats the shell

Christ! Doesn’t that make for a scratchy turd?

Last time I read the Wisconsin hunting regs, it was illegal to possess any part of a deer fawn.

Might want to do some checking into it.

Never had good luck with the lights. They were always more of a PITA than useful. Seemed like we were always replacing batteries, they would start going off randomly, or would not work when they were supposed to.

We ended up putting two pieces of reflective tape on the flag. One on the tip and one halfway down the metal shaft. You can clearly see them with a head lamp at distance, and it was really easy to tell if the flag was down or up.

I get them in my mouse traps occasionally, especially in winter. I use the “diving board” type trap baited with peanut butter. You can get the traps on amazon for less than 15 bucks and you mount them to a bucket full of water or marine antifreeze. Between the barn, machine shed, garage, and camper, I run about 10 traps. They do a good job of cleaning out the local mouse population and it’s rare that I find evidence of mice around my place.

I always feel kind of bad when I get a flying squirrel though, they’re cool animals.

He replied in this thread yesterday, so if he’s gone, he couldn’t have gotten too far.

http://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/all-day-sits-or-morning-or-evening-what-do-you-do/

Jon Jordan wrote:

My main beef with that is bike riders don’t pay road taxes.

And, at least around here, they often don’t follow the rules of the road. They rarely stop for stop signs. Often occupy both lanes when they ride in a large group. Don’t have or use lights and turn signals.

I’m all about sharing the road, but when you’re interacting with vehicles you need to follow standard driving rules. You want to be treated like a motor vehicle? Act like one.

They should have a system of licensure like drivers do, and all fees above the cost of administration goes to making bike lanes and enforcement.

I let mine ferment for about 4-6 weeks, and then I can it. By that point whatever sugars that are easily fermentable are probably pretty much gone. Or… The pH gets so low that the lactobacillus can’t carry out the fermentation any more. Either way, their metabolic activity is probably slow to none. My bet would be on the latter, pH limitation. For shits and giggles, maybe I’ll check the pH of the brine when I can my current batch. See if it’s low enough to stop/kill lactobacillus.

Canning does sterilize the kraut, so it looses the probiotic benefits. Freezing would leave the bacteria intact (but dormant) and would be a more healthy alternative. I may try to freeze a little this year, but like I said it’s a busy time of the year for the big freezer, and I still have to fit two quarter cows and if I’m lucky a deer or two. Not to mention whatever is left of our spring chickens, and garden veggies.

And holy crap riverruns, you must really like kraut!

riverruns wrote:

Did anyone that tried the canning process like it? Any tips? I would like to try and process it and put it on the shelf. I’m afraid of it getting mushy. Thanks.

We keep a couple jars fresh in the fridge and can the rest. I’ve never noticed a big difference between fresh and canned kraut. Mine certainly doesn’t get mushy when it’s canned. I have also read two ways to can it… the hot pack and cold pack methods. When you hot pack it, you cook the kraut, add it to the cans, and then process it. That’s how I think some folks who can it say it turns out mushy because it’s cooked to death. I cold pack it, meaning I add the kraut directly to the jars and process. Mine always comes out nice and crispy.

FWIW, canned kraut does kill the probiotic bacteria, but you process it after the bugs have already done the ferment so it’s not like you’re stopping anything. The sugars have been fermented, lactic acid has already been formed, and the cabbage is preserved. All the work is done.

I’d freeze it, but I make a lot of kraut and freezer space is at a premium in our house.

Your kids got to go to school this fall? Mine haven’t been in school since March. Pffft… two weeks is nothing.

You figure it out is what you do. Network with other parents. Talk to your employer. Work from home or split up shifts. Try to find daycare or a college aged nanny. Lock them in a closet with food and water. Make it work.

If random spots appeared over night on my deck, I’d see a Dr. Probably need a shot of penicillin.