Morning exploration

[T Gregory]

@T Gregory ,

I'm sorry I neglected to mention this previously... got distracted by the armadillo discussion... but that is a really pretty rifle in the photo. Did you build it? What can you tell us about it?

The bobcat sighting was interesting, too. I've always spent as much time rambling in the woods as I could, and I see bobcat droppings pretty often (usually right in the middle of the trail...), but I've only seen wild live bobcats three time in my life. The first was similar to your recent experience. I was squirrel hunting with my dad 60+ years ago and we saw one trotting along through a little opening in the woods. The second was maybe 10 years ago, when I saw one on a riverbank, taking a drink. I was in my solo canoe at the time. The third was not too long ago, when I was out for a morning hike with my wife and our dogs. A bobcat crossed the trail a little way ahead of us. Oddly, the dogs didn't see it, but they sure did get interested when they crossed its scent trail!

Sorry about rambling on. Anything you would like to share concerning that rifle would be welcome.

Notchy Bob

Thank you Notchy Bob. I built the rifle myself from a Chambers York rifle kit. Its pretty simple. I didn't do any carving or inlays. I wanted it to be what I believe would have been more of an average persons gun would be. I imagine myself in that time period I would have worked and saved for a rifle over a smooth bore or trade gun, but wouldn't have been able to afford or need the fancy extras. I did add the patch box. My good friend Allen Wyatt drew out the pattern for me then I cut it out of a simple patch box kit and fit it into the stock. It is a .40 cal with a 42in Rice barrel. I love shooting it and it is really accurate. Last weekend I was testing out some loads and ended the day shooting a 3 shot group at 75yds that measured 1.4 inches center to center. Needless to say i was very pleased. As far as bobcats go, I have had several encounters over the years. I have killed at least 4 with modern guns while deer hunting. Seen a few more while bow hunting. I had one jump onto the log I was sitting against when I was turkey hunting. I had been calling and I heard something walking on the log to my right and I turned my head thinking it was a squirrel and looked into the eyes of the cat at about 4ft away. He changed his mind about breakfast and I almost had to change my drawers!

 

[Patocazador]

Man we live in different worlds.

Are they any good eating? Does cooking remove the health risks?

I went to a charity wild game cookout in Haines City, Fla. back in the '70s. The best tasting thing they had was "Hoover Hog". It tasted like young tender succulent pork. Later I killed one and was going to clean it and eat it when I saw that its blood was maroon-colored .. close to purple I thought.
Later I found out about the leprosy deal but was told that it was safe to eat after thorough cooking. However, I didn't want to take a chance cleaning them before they were cooked. Rubber gloves were not as prevalent then as now.

Odd fact about armadillos .. the female always has identical quadruplets. The fertilized egg quickly divides into 4 identical fertilized cells and the litter is always 4 males or 4 females.

I won't eat a merganser either since its breast meat is grayish instead of red.

 

[SamTex1949]

While at camp Bullis near SATX we discovered the #1 defense of the Armadillo was to pee on everything ! they do like their grubs ! here is a link to a fairly definitive source of info. As for fire ants they want the lava which wont destroy the hive unless they get the queens.
https://animalhype.com/mammals/armadillo-facts/

 

[Kabulrocks]

Just yesterday at my model airplane club meeting the land owner stated that the armidillos are back and tearing the place up. Portions of the flying site look like it has been tilled.

 

[FishDFly]

Just yesterday at my model airplane club meeting the land owner stated that the armidillos are back and tearing the place up. Portions of the flying site look likeaw

They were there first.

 

[Patocazador]

Just yesterday at my model airplane club meeting the land owner stated that the armadillos are back and tearing the place up. Portions of the flying site look like it has been tilled.

Just be glad it's armadillos instead of wild (feral) hogs. The hogs would leave huge furrows that would really mess up your landing strip.

 

[Bobby44]

Dang, that rail is in exactly the wrong place!

Your eyes are not that old!

 

[Kabulrocks]

Just be glad it's armadillos instead of wild (feral) hogs. The hogs would leave huge furrows that would really mess up your landing strip.

Indeed, I have seen that too in different places. Hogs really tear things up.

 

[Frontier Buddy]

Yall don't know **** about armadillos. First of all they are,"the other white meat". Secondly , if you hit a large one in a 65 Chevy pickup, you can run into the bar ditch. Third, armadillo punting or drop kicking is an honorable sport. They can't see but they can hear really well. They do see movement. In west Texas we wait for a windy day. This negates their hearing. You then move up on them while they're rooting. Very slowly. Keep the wind at your front. If they turn to look at you, FREEZE. Finally, after you get close enough position your right foot like you're kicking and extra point in football and kick the **** out of them. It doesn't hurt them much. Terry Day my buddy got fifteen foot of air and 25 yards on a medium one in an open field.

 

[T Gregory]

I sneaked up on an armadillo one time when i was a teenager and kicked it like a football. I thought I had broken my foot. It was like kicking a bowling ball! I decided I would not do that again. Another time I slipped up on one and caught him by the tail just outside his hole. That was a real eye opener . I was several years younger and way stronger than I am now and that sucker nearly dragged me into that hole with him. They are really stout little critters.

 

[TDM]

I sneaked up on an armadillo one time when i was a teenager and kicked it like a football. I thought I had broken my foot. It was like kicking a bowling ball! I decided I would not do that again. Another time I slipped up on one and caught him by the tail just outside his hole. That was a real eye opener . I was several years younger and way stronger than I am now and that sucker nearly dragged me into that hole with him. They are really stout little critters.

10-12 years ago when I was still working and I was younger we had a bunch of them around our building. Late in the afternoon I saw one out of its hole and eased up to him and grabbed him by the tail. You are right, a greased pig has nothing on an armadillo.

 

[Brazos John]

The only time I touched an armadillo was when I was much younger, and, since I didn't know what I was doing, I pushed him downward, which gave him better traction, and he was gone.

I didn't know what I was going to do with him if I caught him anyway, so it was just as well that he got away.
Seemed like a good idea at the time...

 

[2 shots]

Just yesterday at my model airplane club

can you guys make bombers or mini mini guns??

 

[FishDFly]

Yall don't know Cranberries about armadillos. First of all they are,"the other white meat". Secondly , if you hit a large one in a 65 Chevy pickup, you can run into the bar ditch. Third, armadillo punting or drop kicking is an honorable sport. They can't see but they can hear really well. They do see movement. In west Texas we wait for a windy day. This negates their hearing. You then move up on them while they're rooting. Very slowly. Keep the wind at your front. If they turn to look at you, FREEZE. Finally, after you get close enough position your right foot like you're kicking and extra point in football and kick the Cranberries out of them. It doesn't hurt them much. Terry Day my buddy got fifteen foot of air and 25 yards on a medium one in an open field.

What is the reason to be abuse to a poor dumb animal?

Guess that makes you a big man does it not?