Go with a Modine Hot Dawg 45k or 60k Btu or something simular to it.
The box stores and Northern Tool all have options for you.

I would bite the bullet and install a topper if you can swing the $.
It keeps everything organized and high and dry even if you are running tracks. I made this one with 3 doors and side compartments on each side to store rods and tip-ups.
I can fit a lite flight with a 12″ extension on it within the box.

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I silicon and duct tape every hole and seam that I can find in the bed itself and install gaskets around the tailgate. I still have some dust come in with a topper installed but it isn’t too bad. I have done this on my last 4 aluminum boxed Fords which have large gaps at the seams.

I’m glad to see that some of you didnt approve my duck blind build,,, maybe throwing down some used pallets for a dock in the mud and beaching an old camouflaged pontoon would be a better option!

Some of the 500′ rule is driven from the city’s/township ordinances not the DNR so I would think that that is still pretty vague. Years ago when I lived on 3.5 acres in Wyoming, MN I wanted to shoot clay pigeons with my kids on the backside of my property that overlooked an 80 acre swamp which I had permission for was flagged by a cidiot neighbor I had. The city’s ordinance stated a 500ft rule from a dwelling unless you had prior approval from everyone inside of that radius.
The city cop came by and shut us down which was fine by me because I didn’t want to get into a pissing match with the crazy lady. The house that flagged us was approx 420ft from where we shot from.

Build a permanent duck blind a few feet inward from where the water stops and cut the catails in front of it out far enough for you to have the point 100% to yourself.
Problem solved!

Me and my boy got a 90 minute limit of snows today.

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Got some green today.

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gimruis wrote:

6 years and a 62% raise over that span is what I read.

With that much of a raise there will be plenty of candidates willing to take that $60-80 per hr job. Just watch the company hire more people and shut down the crazy overtime that the workers have been accustomed to. In the end the workers decision might hurt them financially. The companies surly will not enjoy paying overtime anymore.
TBD

Gitchi Gummi wrote:

I’ve been going to SD a minimum of 2X/yr the last 10 years. Here are some pointer’s I’d offer based on my experience:
…..

Spot on post above.

I have been going out yearly for 2 trips a year for close to 20 years myself.
I will say this, a smart hunter can get his birds very quickly if they hunt the right times of the day and spots that you can pin the birds down.

You surly don’t need to jump into an 80+ acre grass field and waste all of your dogs energy to allow the smart birds to run circles around you.
Keep it simple put some miles on and stay away from the heavy hunted educated birds and you will do fine.
Certain parts of the state are looking real good this year so have fun…

Well, we had a good weekend in western MN. The one picture shows my dogs favorite spot sitting on the rear pod of the boat. He will sit there for hours looking for birds in the sky whether the boats in the water or not.
The woodie was banded in 2019 in Missouri. I thought it was younger based on its size and feather detail but maybe they go through a molt process as well.

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I have a 15′ talon on a tilt bracket.
It gets used almost every time the boat is in the water. It works OK with my Ulterra’s spot lock but sometimes the trolling motor wants to fight it and keep moving around. If you adjust the tolerance on the I-Pilot link controller it makes it less of an issue. I use it while the family is swimming, shallow water walleye fishing, docking and whenever I don’t want to have the trolling motor spook fish in 3-4′ of water while crappie fishing. I haven’t needed or used an anchor in the boat for 4+ years knock on wood.

What appeals to me is the rear jump seats in the “S” model. You don’t get that option in most larger walleye style boats.

I would either recycle the wheels or powdercoat them to the color of your choosing.

Yep, the birds are now educated after being shot at for approx 7 days in a row between the teal and the youth seasons.
Hopefully they settle down and stick around for the next opener that occurs in 2 weeks.

Looks like a cheap flimsy bracket.
You get what you pay for when it comes to trailers. I would have someone remake the brackets with a thicker material so it doesn’t happen again.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

Dang it you guys –
Got me thinkin, so I built this one online. Might have to head to Burnsville next week.

Nice build you have there but I’m not sure why anyone would buy a 3/4 ton and pay Walz (MN) 1.575% of the MSRP towards lic tabs when a 1 ton will get you $125 lic tabs. Approx $1300 savings the first year alone on a 90k+ truck.

I have custom ordered my last 5 Ford trucks. It lets me capture all of the options I want and price shop any dealer as needed. Nowadays, you can get all the invoice pricing online and can usually get 2-3% under invoice if your a savvy shopper and look outstate if needed.
Currently there is an influx of 1/2 tons available with some aggressive rebates on the leftovers which might provide you a better deal in the end but it might not either knowing that they are old stock and discounted for a reason. The 1 ton diesel market doesn’t have an influx in trucks so the #’s game is not there on the current dealer inventory.

You can get a new Leer 100R for around 3.5k with headliner, front slider, electronic locks, and side sliders from Radco. I ordered (2) this year one 6.5′ and (1) 8′ version.
I’m not sure where people are getting quotes of 5k+ unless Bidenomics has taken over that market as well.
Also Leer/Radco normaly has a sale running during the Game Fair which is going on now.

I paid $1k to have my buddy’s shop do it and that was with ME pulling the door off and all of the glass out. He was the cheapest I found for an 8′ Leer 100r topper. Most places where $1500+ or didn’t want to mess with it.

Grizzly – Im curious what the top speed is with that 400 merc on it?
Do you have a # with 2 people and normal load? My gut says right around 66mph but I may be wrong.

I have bought 3 new 100R toppers for Ford trucks in the past and they all have been good. I get the electronic rear lock as well since I have a door keypad which allows me to lock/unlock the entire truck all at once.

The boat/hull isn’t intended to be compared to a 100k+ fiberglass rig.
I classify it as a poor man’s fiberglass rig, which is still plenty good for most people…

I have designed and welded pods onto a few of my jon boats with heavy mud motors and based on what I see here is those pods will be pretty much clear of the water while on full plane. Typically I set the front of the pod 1/4″ up from the hull on the front edge and have a total rise of around 1/2″ towards the rear of the pod depending on its length.
They will provide stability/floatation while at rest and not create hardly any drag while running and pretty much eliminate all porpoising at the bow even while trimmed to the max.
Another benefit of mounting a side imaging transducer that far back is it will clear your outboard so you won’t need to have one on each side of the boat like some people run to provide total viewing. Also they typically don’t work at high speeds so I see it a good thing to have them up and protected at high speed creating less drag out back. I currently run a 205 Comp. Sport with a 250 SHO so I am very familiar with the prior lineup.
So based on the pictures so far I’m a big fan of the changes.

400 hp on a 205 will be pushing 70+mph! Hold on…

The current reduced police force is surely not caused by a lack of available funds.
Even if they added 200 more cops it doesn’t guarantee that the shootings are going to stop or be reduced unless the rules of engagement and penalties change.

I was at Olson Power in North Branch yesterday. Sales guy told me that they gave up their entire boat line including the Seadoo Switch due to the lack of sales and the market being dead.
All powersports brands right now have huge inventory and the future looks bleak for the short term. Polaris, BRP, Merc, and Deere have all had layoffs.
It’s a good time to fetch a new sxs though if your in the market due to the discounts.

Inside job – our sharpshooters were told to standby and wait for a shot. There’s no way they didn’t have him locked into their crosshairs prior which allowed them the ability to fire back within 3 seconds of the first shot.

I want to do Argentina waterfowl sooner than later just to see how it compares to Canada.

Based on your 9.9 hp wish I assume that your looking for a smaller lightweight/barbones setup. I have owned 2 different mudbuddys and they are nice but you pay for the added options and better engine and drive system. I had a buddy build a barebones 23hp predator system a few years back and after he saw what a mud buddy hyperdrive would do for speed and the ability to to get a load/boat up on plane in 8″ of water he sold it.

You won’t get diagnosed if you don’t get tested for it. At this stage of the game I would prefer not to provide the government any more info…