What are you getting done in the off season?

[steve white]

Can't help but think, what should be on my list of to-do's before hunting season starts up. What have you gotten done/still have to do before things get too busy? Reloading, gear repairs, thoughtful acquisitions, readying vehicles?

My wife wants me to do the impossible--get immaculately organized. Anyone have a clue HOW? (wish I was joking...help needed)

 

[3chunter]

I’m getting prepared year round. Our deer season starts Friday here in lowcountry of SC. That said I have to spread jap millet in my new duck hole. Put up a rifle stand behind the house. Corn a feeder. At lunch today I put out cameras. I have already sighted in my weapons. Also getting a field cleared whenever I can get my cousin can put the new track on his excavator. He needs to get on it soon as holding up my plans.

 

[Rare Breed]

Can't help but think, what should be on my list of to-do's before hunting season starts up. What have you gotten done/still have to do before things get too busy? Reloading, gear repairs, thoughtful acquisitions, readying vehicles?

My wife wants me to do the impossible--get immaculately organized. Anyone have a clue HOW? (wish I was joking...help needed)

lol…great post! I am sending two rifles to gunsmith to smooth out actions, playing with reloads for my 275 Rigby and keeping up my practice with my DR while also cutting my 12.5 acres of fields on my 40 acres for my wildlife and shooting range

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Short recent list...

Going over packing lists for moose and caribou season
Working up a load for said seasons
Completely reorganizing the house: my last kid moved out
Going to/working on my cabin as often as I can

 

[Rifleman97]

I'm picking up some side jobs doing tree removal. Keeps me in shape, used to the heat, and used to carrying something roughly 12-15 pounds (my trusty Stihl 462cm) around for extended periods of time. Run a chainsaw with a 28 or 32" bar all day and carrying a 9 pound gun will start to feel light!

Also working on load development, and working on toasting my 257 weatherby barrel to have an excuse to rebarrel to a faster twist haha. Something I've been testing is the difference in velocity between freshly loaded rounds, and rounds that were loaded 4-6 months prior. In about a month I'll be testing my N570 loads of 257 weatherby. Last time I did this test, velocity jumped 100fps and had sticky bolt lift, so I find it a very important part of final load development for any gun used in warm weather, that is often not thought about, nonetheless tested. I find that any compressed load tends to have powder bridging and pressure spikes, but it is especially true with so called "stable" stick powders like H1000 if it is loaded above 98% load density. Anywhere between 80% and 98% has 50fps spikes at most, but it's something I like to test to be on the safe side. Since my 257 is my antelope gun and might see some warm days, I want to get it locked in for worst case scenario being a safe pressure and moderate velocity jump at worst.

 

[BeeMaa]

There is no "off-season". It's currently safari season, followed by goose, white tail, duck, more goose, turkey (next spring) and fishing! I forgot to mention small game, wild hog, elk, moose, brown/black bear, varmint, wolf, pronghorn, mule deer, pheasant, dove, quail, woodcock, partridge, trapping...etc. And that's just in North America!

There is no off-season. If your wife wants things organized, the least she can do is contribute to the cause and sight in a few rifles and do some pattern testing for turkey.

 

[Tgood1]

Same here, work 7 days a week waiting for fall, damn hate summer

 

[baxterb]

Editing....

 

[TnKen]

Working up loads for my rebarreled REM 700 in 358 Winchester and my new (to me) Cz 550FS in 308. I wish I had my 35 Whelen back that is getting restocked so I could get loads worked out. I need to start shooting my bow for deer season.

 

[Firebird]

Bowhunt starts this weekend. . . Have been getting in some overtime at my real job. Early mornings I’ve been working up A load for a guys .223.
Taxidermy never ends and we start bottling peaches and raspberries this time of year. Kids in baseball camps. . . There is always something going on!

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I think I need to start composing a letter to @Tundra Tiger and see if I can become his helper and new hunting buddy.

I have some land in Oklahoma that is partially fenced. I need to fence the remaining property line because the neighbor has a bunch of big dogs that run loose. Scares my grandsons and all the deer and turkey to. It's just too hot right now to be thinking about driving t-posts and pulling wire. We've had some areas cleared for food plots, but doubt I'll get them planted this year.

Also been hanging some recently arrived taxidermy work.

 

[Rare Breed]

I think I need to start composing a letter to @Tundra Tiger and see if I can become his helper and new hunting buddy.

I have some land in Oklahoma that is partially fenced. I need to fence the remaining property line because the neighbor has a bunch of big dogs that run loose. Scares my grandsons and all the deer and turkey to. It's just too hot right now to be thinking about driving t-posts and pulling wire. We've had some areas cleared for food plots, but doubt I'll get them planted this year.

Also been hanging some recently arrived taxidermy work.

What is a Louisiana man doing with land in OK?

 

[HuntingGold]

Growing Giant pumpkins ( not going well at all this year).
Reloading 500 rounds of .308 for Shooting School.
Going to the Eastern Cape for about 10 days.
Going to the mid-range class at Thunder Ranch.
And then.... a Colonoscopy!

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I think I need to start composing a letter to @Tundra Tiger and see if I can become his helper and new hunting buddy.

I have some land in Oklahoma that is partially fenced. I need to fence the remaining property line because the neighbor has a bunch of big dogs that run loose. Scares my grandsons and all the deer and turkey to. It's just too hot right now to be thinking about driving t-posts and pulling wire. We've had some areas cleared for food plots, but doubt I'll get them planted this year.

Also been hanging some recently arrived taxidermy work.

You are always welcome Dave.

 

[Andrew62]

Today I changed batteries in some trail cams, scoped my 6.5 creedmoor and sighted it in with subsonic ammo with my Omega 36 suppressor, brush cut the perimeters of my hay fields, spent way too much time surfing the web for a new side by side.

 

[Andrew62]

Growing Giant pumpkins ( not going well at all this year).
Reloading 500 rounds of .308 for Shooting School.
Going to the Eastern Cape for about 10 days.
Going to the mid-range class at Thunder Ranch.
And then.... a Colonoscopy!

Good luck with your colonoscopy!! Important thing to have done every so many years!

 

[DillonG]

I will be horribly unprepared for our deer season this year due to the birth of our first child. I do have 8 cell cams put out, but I still have more to set and none of the stand locations have been prepped. I’m sure all of the parents on AH remember those first few weeks after a child is born.

 

[Trogon]

Checked a couple state wildlife areas for tree rats, found another small lake worthy of dragging the canoe to for fall fishing. Anticipating the start of bourbon season around Labor Day. Ready for this summer heat and humidity to end!

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

What is a Louisiana man doing with land in OK?

A daughter, son in law and 4 grandson in the OKC area. The land is about 30 minutes away from their home, so they get a lot of use out of it. Eventually will build a barndeminium or house. It’s also near a small lake, so can go fishing too. Planning to set up a shooting range too. It’s 70 acres, so large enough for a few deer stands. My oldest grandson, age 7, has taken a nice turkey earlier this year.

 

[Franco]

Doing things that start with, "Well - you went to Africa for 5 weeks", and end with, "Yes dear".