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Post by TolusD on Dec 29, 2016 17:31:25 GMT -5
don't pluck those doves. Just peel the breast bone right out and peel the skin off. Easy and fast. That does sound easy. My uncle taught me how to clean doves when I was about 12 years old and I never looked back but I'll definitely harvest a coupe next time out and try your method. I don't like plucking but I love eating doves so if I can just take off the skin and feathers like a wet sock that's the way to go.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 26, 2016 23:02:43 GMT -5
Good luck bud. Let me know how you do. Wish I didn't have plans, I'd of brought the dogs up for you. I appreciate that Span. Hopefully we'll be able to meet up there before the season ends. It'd be great to hunt that ground with a pro that knows what he's doing. I always learn better when there's a competent example for me to copy. : )
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Post by TolusD on Dec 26, 2016 22:56:16 GMT -5
Well, I didn't get any rabbits but I did have a great day getting to know the terrain. I flushed a couple in the middle of thickets I was wading through but I only saw little blurs of fur. I'm too used to idiot urban rabbits that just freeze and stand up like meerkats when they spot you. These rabbits are like ninjas compared to those.
When I realized I was too loud and out of practice and unfamiliar with the area to realistically do any good, I decided to just walk the entire place, work on my stalking footwork and gear load out, and map out the place on my phone for later trips. I found a lot of tracks in the patches of snow that were left over and there were several distinct areas that were basically rabbit latrines that were full of piles of pellets. I marked the gps locations of all of those rabbit highways and latrines on my phone. I then scouted out places that I could hide in that overlook those areas and also offer an approach I could make through heavy cover so I could work my way up to the shooting positions with less chance of being seen or heard.
I'm hoping that next time I go out I'll be able to set up a shooting position that works out. Either way, I still had a great day out in the field. I flushed about a dozen sets of doves walking around the lake. I wished I had taken my shotgun and some bird shot but then I remembered how much I hate plucking doves.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 21, 2016 23:13:41 GMT -5
Huge thanks to span870 for his help. I'm headed out in the morning to go after some wascally wabbits so wish me luck.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 15, 2016 15:12:08 GMT -5
Pretty pricey for me. Maybe I'm just a bad hunter, but I don't see me ever taking enough shots out in the field that it'd be worth it for me. Maybe if you've already got some hearing loss and can't risk any more. CDNN has Winchester brand electronic muffs on clearance for $10 right now.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 15, 2016 15:08:30 GMT -5
I have a suppressed pistol. To be honest, I'm not all that impressed with the amount of noise the suppressor eliminates and they are a real hassle as well as expensive to purchase. I won't be buying another. ^^^ This. The only suppressed gun I've ever shot that I would consider owning is an MP5SD and I'm not spending ~$20,000.00 on a range toy that you have to carry a binder full of tax stamps to own. I have a set of good custom fit earplugs that I wear a set of full cover ears over. I shoot indoors a lot here in metro Indy and the overpressure is murder without doubling up. In the field though, You can't beat a set of electronic ears. Animal-level hearing amplification plus a noise cancelling blast of clean static when you shoot that protects your ears. Perfect if you ask me. I have another set of ear plugs designed for drag racing pit crews to wear that are also really nice in the field. I can hear normal level speech just fine and if I focus I can still hear field sounds ok too. I use those shotgunning as they muffle enough to keep my ears ok but still allow a really solid cheek weld to manage recoil and maintain sight picture. The only consistent complaint I have about ear cans is the way the screw up a proper cheek weld on some of my guns.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 15, 2016 14:55:09 GMT -5
Take a .22 cal brass cleaning rod and a .22 patch jag flatten the jag tip and tap it out Split brass probably just a case that has been loaded It's last time bullet not going out probably didn't put powder in it and primer pushed it . I've Done it With 22/250 myself that's how I remedied it Brass split on neck from necksizing only ? I agree with this approach. Given the small caliber, a cleaning rod with a jag tip is definitely the best approach. It couldn't have had powder in it and left the bullet in the barrel. It was almost certainly a primer-only squib with a bad case. Even if the case split, you should still get enough gas going the right way to push the bullet out. It has to go somewhere once it starts burning. Did your friend mention a huge fireball from the bolt chamber and/or missing eyebrows?
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Post by TolusD on Dec 15, 2016 12:36:09 GMT -5
I've ordered a Ruger American in .308 and by next season I'll have a good slug gun too. I have a friend with a nice piece of land south of here but I'm not sure if it's any good for deer. Lots of small game though. I live in Indianapolis but I escape to my fishing hole every chance I get when it's warm out. I live just south of Indy in Greenwood. If you ever want to meet for coffee, I'd like that. Hey, have you ever ice fished Raccoon Lake? That .308 should be very nice! I do not have one, but it's next on my list ...I think. I have a 30-06 and 300 Blackout that were legal this year. Have you checked out his place for deer signs yet? Right now with the snow is a good time to see where they're going. I rode around to see mine, and the tracks just confirmed what I was thinking, but it was good to see. This pattern changes as the crops rotate around me. I've never ice fished before at all much less on Raccoon Lake. Is that something you're into? I'd love to try it out. It'll definitely be cold enough this year to freeze the lake hard enough. As for deer signs, we just went there to shoot. He has a small but well equipped range set up there and we spent an afternoon target shooting a few months back. He mentioned that it was good deer country but I didn't get a chance to walk any of it. It sure does look like it could be nice though. It's somewhere along a small lake southwest of Martinsville. I don't remember the exact coordinates but we had a really good lunch at Sgt. Pepper's Chicken after we shot and it was pretty close.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 15, 2016 11:27:15 GMT -5
I'm open to anywhere really, even out of state. My brother lives in Ohio and never stopped hunting and he goes just about every year. He has a few places there he's always on about and there's good ground in Michigan and Wisconsin that I've heard a lot about but never experienced. I wouldn't hesitate to drive 4-6 hours and camp or stay in a hotel to get some good woods time in. I also live on Ohio, in the SW corner and hunt every year since 1983, except one. My wife said I was not happy until I was cured the next year's season. I hunt both Ohio and Indiana. I will ask around for a spot in Switzerland county. In Ohio, I hunt my little 3 acres. I won't be fully set up to do any deer hunting until next season so there's no rush on that. I don't even have a hunting license this season at all. My brother went this season and got a buck and a doe and he filmed it and we watched it when I went to visit and it got me thinking that I need to hunt again.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 15, 2016 11:23:38 GMT -5
Welcome! I like the new rifle addition to private land, but haven't taken advantage of it yet. I used a BM.450 this year, and it was legal last year. I'm not sure I'll use any of my other rifles for a while just because this dude drops them and is fun to shoot. Yeah, private land can be difficult to get on, but it's still available out there. Do you live by Raccoon Lake? I've ordered a Ruger American in .308 and by next season I'll have a good slug gun too. I have a friend with a nice piece of land south of here but I'm not sure if it's any good for deer. Lots of small game though. I live in Indianapolis but I escape to my fishing hole every chance I get when it's warm out.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 15, 2016 11:13:53 GMT -5
Do most of my local hunting along the railroad tracks. Guy that farms my land also farms and owns fields against the tracks. Half mile of prime bunny filled briars on the ditch right off the back of my property That sounds exactly like the place in Tennessee where I went on my first bunny hunt over 30 years ago. Our neighbor along our east fence line had a cattle pasture and a hay barn on about 100 acres across the fence. Along that fence boundary was a stream that fed a pond in the middle of the pasture. In the winter the stream would all but dry up and the rabbits would use it as a highway under the dome of briars that arched across the stream banks. We would take sleds and lay them down at the breaks in the briar dome and just wait. When one of us would shoot, the rabbits would break and run along the highway right into another shooter. It was a nice arrangement and a lot of fun for me and my brother.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 15, 2016 10:56:31 GMT -5
Hello everyone, I'm looking to find a place close to central Indiana where I can go after some rabbits. I love hunting them as much as I do eating them but I haven't been rabbit hunting forever and never in Indiana so I need some help. Dogs or not? Central Indiana your best bet is Wilbur WRIGHT F&W area in new castle. There's only certain parts that are worth your time. Atterbury is a complete waste of time imo. That or find some private but that's going to be a chore. That or come down south and I'll put you on some. I don't have any dogs. I just like to stalk around with a .22 or stump shoot with a bow. I left my bow overseas though so I'm relegated to my rifle until I get it back or get a new one. For rabbits and squirrels I shoot a traditional horsebow with flu flus from 3 Rivers Archery up north. I have a modded 10/22 and an HK416d also but I honestly prefer the 10/22 in the field. I shoot rifles with a buddy of mine up in New Castle at Wilbur Wright so I'm familiar with the area. Where are you down south?
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Post by TolusD on Dec 15, 2016 10:44:14 GMT -5
Welcome TolusD, Thanks for joining and there are plenty of members to help you and get you going. What area of the state are you looking at and or how long of drive to the hunting spot? I'm open to anywhere really, even out of state. My brother lives in Ohio and never stopped hunting and he goes just about every year. He has a few places there he's always on about and there's good ground in Michigan and Wisconsin that I've heard a lot about but never experienced. I wouldn't hesitate to drive 4-6 hours and camp or stay in a hotel to get some good woods time in.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 15, 2016 10:39:47 GMT -5
Good to have ya. If you'll send me gps coordinates for your fishing spot I will be happy to provide you with a list of hunting ground that you will have permission to hunt. Along with the rules as they pertain to the hunting areas. All on a website where you can access it multiple times ;-) That's definitely a deal man! I haven't saved the coordinates into my new phone yet, but as soon as it's warm enough to go I'll be happy to take you there.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 15, 2016 10:37:22 GMT -5
Welcome aboard and hopefully you are able to find some private ground to hunt on with your rifle. Good luck with your ventures. Thank you for the warm welcome Dave. I'm fine with using a shotgun, a muzzleloader, or a bow also but I prefer a rifle.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 14, 2016 16:36:17 GMT -5
Hello everyone, I'm looking to find a place close to central Indiana where I can go after some rabbits. I love hunting them as much as I do eating them but I haven't been rabbit hunting forever and never in Indiana so I need some help.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 14, 2016 15:56:34 GMT -5
I fish Raccoon Lake as often as possible and I typically spend the whole weekend on the shore going after channels and blues. Honestly, the only thing you need where I fish from is a claw hammer and a handful of Fritos. I've drifted off to sleep in my camp chair half a dozen times only to wake up to find a doe standing right next to me sniffing my face. The bucks I've seen out there never get as close as the does but they get close enough for an easy bow shot. And that's after they've seen me. I guess so many people feed them that they've gotten kind of tame. I'm not 100% sure you can hunt where I fish from either so that might have something to do with it.
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Post by TolusD on Dec 14, 2016 13:52:50 GMT -5
Hello everyone. I'm new to Indiana hunting but not to hunting in general and especially not to the outdoors. I haven't hunted for almost 20 years but I've fished consistently since I was 4 years old or so. In fact, I have a favorite shore spot on Raccoon Lake that I fish for channel cats and blues that's never failed to produce for the last 15 years.
But now, I'm looking to get back into hunting now that Indiana allows rifles and I thought I would start by coming here and making some friends and doing some research prior to the 2017 season. I'm pretty set on gear but I don't have any place to go that I know of and I definitely don't want to go out to new ground for the first time without someone that knows the lay of the land. I'm looking forward to next year and to meeting some hunting and fishing buddies on here.
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