Wednesday, September 28, 2011

hunting post #1 - thanks dad!

my father is originally from cape breton. he was born in the same town that kymber was born and raised in - weird twist of fate eh? so i am half cape bretoner at the very least, and being married to a cape bretoner gives me full-on status. having the name MacKenzie doesn't hurt either.

My dad grew up in cape breton until he left for college on a scholarship. he now lives on a beautiful farm outside of ottawa with a big garden and horses. oh yeah - and he taught me a lot about fishing while i was growing up.

i spent a couple of summers at my grandmother's place (round island) in cape breton when i was a kid and loved it. We have a beach called morrison's beach near framboise manor that is exactly like round island.

And this is what we saw when we arrived here in cape breton for out first visit in Aug 2009:



recently, my dad gave me a great addition to our homestead.. a powerful short barreled rifle for hunting in the brush...now presenting the marlin .444 s:



this is a beast and i will have no problems bringing down deer:



i looked up the best kind of scope for this type of rifle and got this weaver V22 on ebay for only $30.00 - including shipping!



so i have perfect kit for big game hunting in these parts. i can take it to northern cape breton for moose without worrying at all about having enough firepower. dad gave me 60 rounds with the rifle which will be plenty for now, one shot will do with this baby.



i won't be hunting this year, sadly enough. i need to practice. although i took weapons lessons last year and am a great shot, hunting isn't something to be rushed. kymber, Arsenius and Stephen have all commented somewhere about how practice is so necessary. and there is too much to do around framboise manor in order to get ready for the winter, so the logistics don't allow for hunting this year. however, i will practice this fall and winter ... next year there will be a lot of meat in the freezer - and dad, thank you for such a great gift!!

23 comments:

  1. hey all - just wanted to let you know that the first time i met jambaloney's incredibly handsome and charming Dad - he took my hand in his, looked deeply into my eyes - and told me not to wait too long to get back home. those words stuck with me for years. i always wanted to get back home - but jambaloney's Dad's words rang in my ears until we got here. we're home James...we're home!

    all my love to you always,
    kymber

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  2. Welcome Home!

    Watch out for those bush zombies. Breath in, exhale halfway, squeeze...

    Rgds.
    S.C.

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  3. Hi Jamb and Bunny Ears

    I want to urge you both to learn alternative ways to do things. So pressure can some of whatever meat you bring in. Then if there is a power outage beyond reason you still will be eating. Stock up of jars, lids, equipment and learn the lessons. It is important.

    I have lived much as you do for many years and have learned to be self reliant. Power goes out, the solar panels keep me in enough to run the important stuff. Heating goes out, I fire up the wood cookstove. There are alternatives for EVERYTHING. Learn while you can because it will provide for you in the future.

    Best to you both. I can almost still taste the fresh Digby scallops, they were that good.

    Winston

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  4. S.C. - so nice of you to drop in - i appreciate it my friend! and yep - i know the tried and true routine from 10 yrs of qualifying as a marksman, although i think jambaloney's groupings are better than mine - he just said - no they're not - we will get a target set up in the next few weeks and see. i think he will be better in the upright, moving position and i might be better in the prone and sitting position. we'll see and let you know.

    and if we need back up - i got your number buddy! and you know that i will use it!

    your friend, so glad to be back in touch,
    kymber

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  5. Winston - i couldn't agree with you more! for the last 4 or 5 years of living in the city, we practiced all kinds of alternative living. we had solar panels on our roof that heated our hot water tank, we learned how to tire/container garden, and can and freeze and smoke our own food. jambaloney is a fisherman supreme and keeps us stocked with fish for breakfast and/or supper regularly. although this is not the right year for him to hunt - he will next year - we just have too many projects on the go to get ready for winter! but we will both practice hunting/self-defense over the fall and winter and we will hit the ground running next spring.

    we are fortunate enough to have a wind/solar company nearby that provides free-estimates for full or partial set-up. we are leaning towards full set-up. we have been learning about and wind and solar power for years. and we have the wind and the solar capability like you wouldn't believe.

    if you are interested - check out our dear friend, Pioneer Preppy's post about his solar set-up at www.smallhold-pioneerpreppy.blogspot.com

    he is doing some great stuff over there!

    thank you soo much for your advice and suggestions! it is because of people being willing to share their experiences that we have gotten to where we are. and we hope that people can read comments like yours and learn.

    i asked you a few questions in my previous post. go have a look. i'd really like to hear more from you!

    thank you again!

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  6. woops - one last comment to Winston - digby scallops are nothing compared to the cape breton kind! some we wrap in bacon and put on the grill, some we grill plain....oh yummmmmm!

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  7. Well darn woman, you keep talking like that you might just inspire this old man into yet another trip to Nova Scotia.

    I am also so glad to hear the Prepper's Drum in your talk. Been there, done all that the past 30 + years. Best years of my life were on the homestead. Hate to leave it again. Maybe for some Bras d'Or scallops. Digby scallops were plenty good. The oysters in the Gulf of Georgia were acceptable, but nothing to brag on like your seafood. Did enjoy the salmon fishing though.

    I've got 680 watts in solar panels that do the job for me. Got more panels, just have not yet set them up.

    I'll go look at Preppy's blog now. And go check your own email inbox, LOL.

    Later,

    Winston

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  8. sc - good to hear from you! i trust all is well and you have not lost an ounce of you wit nor the sparkle in your eye ;-)

    winston:

    thank for stopping by and joining our blog, nice to have some encouragement and advice for the long haul... lobster season in forchu picks up May 15 or so - yum!!

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  9. Here in New Hampshire,rifle season for deer season hasn't started yet. However, it is bow season for deer,as well as for turkeys.Bears can be hunted with rifle now.My hubby and his brother have been scouting and have their tree stands set up!

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  10. donna:

    the hunting season for deer starts early here as well - i have a ben pearson cougar recurve bow that i am skilled with, but haven't practiced with since moving here so bow hunting will have to wait until next year as well.

    i wish you hubby and brother the best of luck - thanks for dropping by!!

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  11. I have always liked that caliber Marlin....never had one but a neat cartridge. I always wanted either that or the 45-70. Nice rifle, enjoy.

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  12. thanks duke!

    yeah it is a pretty neat cartridge.. i figure that if the rifle jams i can always throw a cartridge at the target - hefty round ;-)

    thanks for stopping by!

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  13. Nice looking shooter you have there. Bag some game, and dry it, smoke it, can it, and enjoy it. Also make sure you have some cast iron skillet's and a dutch oven or two. You can cook every thing in them. It never hurts to have a plan, even if it is a little plan.

    And Duke, the 45-70 is a nice shooter also.Great for deer and other 4 footed type critters.
    And I'm now hungry for sea food. Guess I will have to go to Joe's crab shack for dinner tonight.

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  14. Donna - i sure can't wait for your post on what your hubby and Brother B bring back - yummy!

    Duke - thanks for stopping in - i have been enjoying some of your latest posts!

    Flier - oh ya - we got friends who will be bagging some for us and we will freeze it, can it and smoke it - yummy! next year jambaloney will go out with the group and get us our own! and yes - cast iron skillet's are the best, as are dutch ovens - we have actually been going to yard sales and whatnot and scooping up every one we can find!

    as for seafood - wish i could send you some buddy - we got some great seafood here!

    thanks to all of you for stopping by - it's been a pleasure!

    your friend,
    kymber

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  15. Reminds me that i need to get over to the shooting range for some practice! Richard from Amish Stories

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  16. That's an outstanding rifle. An excellent addition to your tools. Every time I see a picture of your beautiful place I'm filled with envy. I like my spread in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but I so miss the ocean.

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  17. flier 369 - thanks - i like it too. for some reason, i find the the lever action really appealing!

    i plan to do all that you describe, we are getting a big chest freezer in a couple of weeks, already possess an American Standard pressure cooker and we also have a bradley smoker - the only thing missing is the meat. this year we'll be buying 1/4 steer from a local farmer. next year, i'll be getting the meat with the 444. - thanks!

    Richard:

    practice makes perfect, we have enough land here that i will be able to set up a shooting range on our own property, another fall project.

    Arsenius:

    Thanks. It is gorgeous here, but so are your mountains.

    thanks for stopping by everyone!

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  18. 444 is a pretty easy cartridge to reload and is quite economical to shoot, especially if you cast your own bullets. I suspect your salvaging skills would yield a good amount of lead. Even buying cast bullets I can shoot my 45-70 for less than 20 cents per round. I know from experience they will take Elk and Black Bear. They are also fun at long range, here's some video we did last month. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Oas1ApY6qo

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  19. good to know mo - i plan on reloading when i have time to learn that particular skill. our friend uncle gerald has been urging me to do the same (his love is muzzle loaders).

    the tire depot where i get all the used tires for gardening has a big bucket of those lead weights for wheels.. would those do the trick?

    great video!

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  20. Wheel Weights are perfect unless they are the zinc kind - test by squeezing with pliers. If they imprint easily, you're good to go. If they are hard, they are zinc and don't make good bullets, but they do make good fishing weights... Battery lead is bad too.

    I'd salvage any lead you can now. It also has trade value to fellers like me who cast. If a someone supplies me with lead and I cast we split the bullets. I've even paid for it, a quarter per pound for raw wheel weights on up to a buck a pound for ingots if the source is reliable (no zinc, no battery lead) I'm sure prices have gone up since I last purchased it. If you practice in a sand backstop you can recycle your bullets and resmelt them and shoot them over and over.

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  21. thanks again mo, next time i am in town, i'll grab all i can and test accordingly!!

    i would mail you some, but, well, it's lead ;-)

    i'll ring your bell for more advice when the time comes if that's cool with you..

    cheers!

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  22. Feel free. I really enjoy it. Like tying your own flies for flyfishing, casting adds to the enjoyment of shooting and hunting.

    Thanks again for the plethora of great inspiring posts. You've really got me back into using my Mountain bike more and very interested in making a trailer.

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  23. thanks mo - when i am ready, i will...AND hit you up about fly tying too.. the trout here surface by the 100s during hatches. i have a fly rod and used it a bit. i also have a bunch of old flies of my grandfathers, but would love to make my own!

    i am glad you find the posts inspiring, then next ones i put up will be more "spooky" as i try to bring some order and structure to this manor we live in, previously built be someone who, well, should have had the hammer taken form him @ age 4. the plumbing, electrical, insulation AND construction are top-notch horror stories (e.g. the gray-water runoff used to empty right into the front yard, 3 feet from the house!)

    so we do our best!!

    glad you are back into mountain biking, i now feel guilty as i haven't touched my bikes since i got here, but i promise i will!!

    along the lines of the deer you see mountain biking, here is a video for you:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9vZrxfiMss

    cheers!

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