The thoughts of an outdoorsman

  “I fish because I love to. Because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful, and hate the environs where crowds of people are found, which are invariably ugly. Because of all the television commercials, cocktail parties, and assorted social posturing I thus escape. Because in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing what they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion. Because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed, or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility, and endless patience. Because I suspect that men are going this way for the last time and I for one don't want to waste the trip. Because mercifully there are no telephones on trout waters. Because in the woods I can find solitude without loneliness. ... And finally, not because I regard fishing as being so terribly important, but because I suspect that so many of the other concerns of men are equally unimportant and not nearly so much fun.”     - John Voelker 

 

The same can be said for deer hunting, bird hunting, gardening and a host of other, outdoor pursuits.

Thoughts on improving the deer lease

 

Belladonna and I were hunting out at the deer lease tonight.

I was eyes-and-ears. Bella was the designated shooter. She saw seven. I saw zero. The seven were too far off for any kind of shot.

I was thinking about something I had recently read:

In different studies separated by nearly the span of the last decade, Dr. Marcus Lashley from UT (2011) and Mark Turner from AU (2020) showed us the value of opening the canopy for beneficial deer forage. They learned that girdling and spraying trees and large shrubs with a mix of herbicides with a goal to reduce the canopy by about 30% can realize more than 500% increase in biomass of deer forage! Both studies included low intensity fire at different intervals.     Source

The lease is about 25% wooded. Much of that is subject to flooding. The primary species is Silver Maple. A sixty-foot tall Silver Maple is not very attractive to deer. The female trees do produce seeds at a time when young wood ducks are foraging...if there are any wood ducks nesting nearby.

Some of those trees are "wolf trees". That is, they have huge crowns and are probably hollow. Basically, widow-makers.

In a perfect world, I would be able to convince the land-owner to cut those trees for firewood and to allow me to plant species in the newly opened up, sunny spots that offered better timber or more wildlife benefits.

One option would be to plant shade tolerant species ahead of time and let nature take its course. Unfortunately, most of the best mast producers are light demanding. Beech and pawpaws are exceptions and some sources claim that persimmon is not light demanding as a young sapling.

Beech nuts are difficult to come by but I have an abundance of persimmon seeds. Persimmon has the additional benefits of dropping fruit during Michigan's firearm deer season and being tolerant of wet feet.

Hope springs eternal.

Fake News Friday: Strike a blow against Racism

 

Availability of weapons is not a viable control variable for reducing murder rates

 From the comments:

(Profiling) Only works on people with brains, that plan their actions. In Shytown they act on impulse with no thought to consequences at all. Hard to use logic against it.    Comment by riverrider

This observation cuts close to the heart of the matter.

If Pol-Pot's forces executed hundreds-of-thousands of Cambodians with plastic bags. If chicken leg-bone can be sharpened into a shiv or 15" of fourteen gauge wire and two, 4" pegs into a garrote. If the London Police confiscate screwdrivers and butter-knives as lethal weapons...then it is purely impossible to eliminate murders by eliminating weapons.

People are too resourceful. In the end, even a fist, a boot-stomping or a broken bottle will suffice.

Self-discipline and the ability to consider consequences

Any thinking human can see that the problem is that certain sub-cultures have been given a mulligan on learning the skill of self-discipline. Because, you see, the glorification of self-denial is "White".

Skills are learned through repetition. Given enough repetitions, the most-used skills are the plates that float to the top of the stack. They are the first skill applied and, when it works, the last skill used.

Sabotaged by kindness

I have a neighbor. We discussed "Junior's" lack of ability to defer enjoyment.

I had an idea. "Offer him a dollar on Sunday but tell him you would give him two dollars on Monday if he would trust you. Likewise, on Monday, offer him four on Tuesday if he did not take the two on Monday. Then eight on Wednesday, sixteen on Thursday and thirty on Friday."

I figured my neighbor could stand to get soaked for thirty dollars a week for a few months.

Imagine my surprise when my neighbor told me it wasn't working. The kid tagged out Wednesday with the eight dollars. It happened three weeks running.

Knowing better than to ask the kid, I talked to the kid's older sister.

She was disgusted. Sissy told me that Grandma was sure "Dad" was way too hard on the little nipper. She slipped him $20 on Wednesday, which along the $8 was enough for a week's worth of low-quality weed.

Granny's very low opinion of her grandson...that he could not push a mower, clean gutters or WORK torpedoed the dad's efforts. Granny undoubtedly thought she was being altruistic when, in fact, she was effing up the young man's life.

The sticking point

Progressives would have to admit that some elements associated with "White culture" have value.

Progressives would have to give up the cheap high of false altruism.

Do not hold your breath.

Criminal Minds

 

"Watson, based on my deductions the killer grew up in a family without his father, is ambidextrous, wears gold-toned jewelry, listens to loud music and has a first name that starts with the letter "D"

There is a TV show called Criminal Minds where a team of detectives use modern methods of Forensic Psychology to identify and bring-to-justice serial killers.

One of the people I share a roof with LOVES this TV show.

Me, being the kill-joy that I am ask "If Forensic Psychology is that effective then why don't they put a team in South Chicago and identify murderers BEFORE they shoot-up business rivals, funerals, street parties?"

I might have a new "gig"

 

There I was, standing on the corner minding my own business when out of nowhere this guy comes up behind me and sez, "Have you ever considered a second career in Facilities Management?"

Then he said "My regular guy isn't as young as he used to be and he could use a break."

 In round numbers it is a total of about 60,000 square-feet under roof and two locations.

 I may have scared the guy off. I asked for time with the senior fellow so I could learn about:

Electrical

• Distribution panels and breaker boxes (breakers)
• Schematics of distribution
• Outlets
• Lighting (bulbs/lamps)
• Critical information technology
• Uniform Power Supplies

HVAC

• “Boilers”
• AC compressors
• Air distribution
• Fans
• Belts
• Ducts
• Filters

Plumbing

• Distribution
• Valves
• Faucets and fixtures
• Drains
• Traps
• Access ports

Physical

• Roofs
• Drains
• Doors
• Locks
• Windows
• Floors
• Trip hazards
• Walls
• Crawl-spaces and “confined spaces”
• Entrance placards
• Cement work

Kitchen equipment

• Refrigeration
• Grease handling
• Smoke hoods

Grounds

• Drives and walks
• Parking lots
• Grass
• Snow removal
  
• Outdoor equipment

Safety

• Exterior lighting
• Fire suppression
• Alarms
• Intercom
  
• Extinguishers
• Periodic inspection 
• Placarding for evacuation
• Chemicals
• MSDS for cleaning materials
• Storage

Maintenance contracts and contacts

• Electrician (Emergency contacts)
  
• Plumber      " "
  
• HVAC         " "
  
• Insurance company " "

I am sure there is a bunch of stuff I am forgetting or not aware of.

Any suggestions regarding a good, basic Facilities Management handbook will be much appreciated.

Mr B. I am expecting you to chime in here and tell me what I am forgetting.

My farmer friend sent me this link

 

Everything about Grain Bins (Farmers are Geniuses) 17 minute run-time

 

If you only learn one thing....

"I have learned that if you really want to work on a crew, it really helps to do the crap-jobs because once you do that you establish credibility" -about 3:25 mark