As I've previously told all the loyal readers: I like to eat. As y'all can gather from my other posts, I also like guns and shooting things. Thus, Boar hunting was the perfect combination, but we'll get to that in a minute.
If you couldn't go to the grocery store, would you be able to eat? My personal belief is that "No" is an unacceptable answer. I'm working toward being able to say yes by learning how to manage a garden and from hunting and fishing. I'm becoming a frequent shopper at Mother Nature's grocery store: the prices are good, the food is delicious, and you get it as fresh as you want it.
The following pictures are from a fishing trip Brian took up at Panther Creek. I wasn't able to tag along for the trip, but he was kind enough to supply us with pictures of the trout he caught as well as some pictures of the cleaning process after he got them home. Fish are high in protein, can be cooked many ways, are low in fat, and can be had year round depending on species.
Now let's talk about Boar hunting. All I can say is that pulling the trigger on an animal that big makes you feel alive. The adrenaline rush is huge and it's a challenge to hold the crosshairs steady. But wow is it worth it!
We left to go hunt at 4:15am on Sunday May 1. We were in the stands at 7:30am and we both had our pigs shot by 10:45. There is not a better way to spend a beautiful May morning than getting a monster of a pig.
Brian one-shot dropped his fairly early. Mine was a whole different story. After tracking mine on foot for a mile or so in the woods, we finally found him bedded down between to fallen trees. I couldn't get a clear shot on his neck, so I took a shoulder at 20 yards. He didn't squeal or make any noise, he just jumped up and ran. I couldn't get a follow up shot on him and then he was gone. After riding through the woods on the four wheeler, I spotted him again and shot him again. He turned around and charged me. Another round to the shoulder and he dropped...but got right back up and kept charging me on three legs. I tried to chamber another round but I was out. The guide put a 45-70 to its brain at 6 ft and the pig dropped 2 feet in front of me. He was a tough one: 3 30-06 rounds and a 45-70 before he went down.
All told, me and Brian ended up with with about 100lbs of meat each. So far what we have eaten has been really good. Lean, good texture, not too gamey tasting. Brian donated a good portion of his, and we are both smoking a lot of it this weekend. I'll post updates. Here are some pics to keep y'all entertained.
This is mine after he finally went down. That exit wound is from the first shot, is the size of my fist, and he ran 200 yards after that. It was the only bullet to make it all the way through. 150grn Core-Lokt in 30-06 Springfield.
This is my pig up on the log before the real pictures started.
Brian's pig up on the log getting ready for pictures
Look at the cutters on Brian's pig! Those are real sharp and real thick. They will tear you up quick.
A week from today, Brian and I will be Boar hunting in Middle GA. This means several things: 1) I'm so excited that I feel like a giddy little school girl. 2)There will be pork in the freezer. 3) I need to sight in my gun.
How do you sight in a gun? Well I'm glad you asked and fortunately for you, that is what today's post is all about. Sighting in a gun, also known as zeroing a gun, basically means you make the crosshairs on the scope point to where the bullet is going. With the exception of some really nice scope mounts(that are stupid expensive), every time you switch scopes you have to re-zero your setup. Aside from the fact that it's a little time consuming and can be a bit frustrating, it isn't inherently hard. They also make laser bore sights, such as this one by AimSHOT. I've never used one but would definitely love to have one. Even with with bore lasers, you should always spend time at the range to make sure that your bullets are in fact going where they are supposed to.
Keep in mind that the method and results I'm going to show you are not professional. I'm going pig hunting, not trying to shoot like Jackson in Saving Private Ryan.(FWIW, that shot through the scope is damn near impossible. I believe it was mythbusters that tested it) I am looking for decent groupings and a minute-of -kill accuracy. So basically, if I put it in the 6 inch ring inside a paper plate, that is most definitely a vital shot on a boar. When I break down and buy better optics, a bench rest, and a whole bunch of ammo to waste, I'll try for one of the perfect accurate zero's.
Things you will need:
-Patience
-A rifle
-Plenty of ammo
-A target
-Some way to measure distance(nice but not necessary)
-A person to help you spot(again, nice but not necessary)
My choice for outdoor ranges is Charles Elliot WMA Gun Range. Mainly because it's free, and it is actually a pretty nice range. Make sure to obey all of the range rules a) because it keeps you safe and b) because they WILL make you leave if you don't. I grabbed a spot on the 100yard range and laid out all of my stuff.
So that's my Mossberg 810AHT (Technically it's my dad's BUT I've put way more rounds through it, and possession is 9/10 of the law). It's chambered in 30-06 Springfield. It's a plain-Jane bolt action rifle that came from KMart back in the day and it has a really crappy Simmons scope on it. But it more than gets the job done. The action is smooth, the trigger pull is decent, and it groups shots real nicely. On the table you'll also see a stapler, a pile of plates(targets), a pen, a screwdriver, and a box of Remington Core-Lokt 150grn bonded core bullets. The pen and screwdriver are a must! The pen is used for writing down what you adjust and how much you adjust it(in case you need to go backwards) and the screwdriver is for clicking the scope.
This is my target. It's an 9 inch paper plate and the flat part before the ridged edges is about 6-7 inches in diameter. That is a good reference point for the vitals on a pig. Is it scientific? No. Is it fancy? No. Does it work? Yes.
These are the caps on the scope adjustments that need to be removed so you can access the adjustment screws. They are threaded and screw right off. When removed you see this:
Each of those little marks represents 1 click. As you can read on the adjustment screw, 1 click moves the crosshairs 1/4inch at 100 yards. Therefore, at 50 yards(which is where I sighted my gun in at) 1 click would be 1/8 inch. Keep this in mind when you start changing things. and COUNT the clicks!
At this point, place your target and fill up the magazine. If you have someone that can help spot where your bullets are going, this process becomes A LOT faster. Also, for the initial shots, using a HUGE piece of paper is helpful so that you have a bigger area for the bullets to hit. It eliminates some of the guess work of trying to figure out how far off of the target you are. Switch to the plate once you get it close. I didn't have a bigger target or a spotter, so needless to say, it took a few rounds to get on the plate. I started off at 100 yards, but being that I have poor eye sight and a cheap scope, we moved to 50 yards so I could see where my bullets were going a little easier. According to Brian, in terms of ballistics, a 30-06, .308/7.62 NATO, or 7.62X54R Russian all shoot almost perfectly flat to well past 100 yards. Zeroing in at anywhere between 50-150 yards is acceptable with no worry about bullet drop.
I find it best to start by getting the rifle adjusted up/down first, then switching to the left/right adjustment. I do NOT advise trying to do them both at the same time. Changing more than one variable at a time is just a recipe for frustration. Get one direction correct, then work on the other one. Write down how much you change each time. Trying to remember the numbers while you are concentrating on shooting, other people are shooting and talking around you, and you are reloading is very difficult and unnecessary. You brought a pen, use it.
This is the target I was using to get the up/down direction fixed. I started out low (bottom left hole) and then moved up about 1.5 inches. The deviation left and right is not me adjusting the scope, but rather me not breathing correctly on the first shot. The groups tightened up real nice: 3 shots in a row, all touching, in a grouping the size of a nickel.
That is a close up of the 3 shot group with a nickel next to it for a relative size. Not bad for shooting propped on a wood table with a crappy scope. That high shot was an over adjustment of the scope. It was fixed on the next target.
I didn't take pictures of the other target, mainly because the grouping wasn't as good. The up/down was dead on and it took about 8 shots to get the left/right how I wanted it. The last shot hit square in the center of my hand drawn bullseye and I decided to call it a day.
As I said before, it isn't hard, it's just time consuming. Take a buddy, have some fun, and learn your gun. You'll be glad you did.
It's a simple sentence. It's a powerful, yet simple mindset. It is me.
Look around you. Do you notice the changes that are happening? Do you notice the ways you are changing? Do you notice the way society is shifting to a child-like form? Do you see the dependency that has perverted the American way of life? Are you OK with it? I'm not.
Our society is growing more and more dependent. We depend on the government, we depend on other governments, and we depend on everything but ourselves. We are being Reconstructed to think that this is OK. It's not OK. At all. There is a school in Chicago that won't even allow students to bring their own lunch from home to "protect students from their own unhealthful food choices". Do you really want anyone, let alone a government, telling us whether or not we can pack our own lunch? I don't.
I will not be Reconstructed to think that it is OK to have someone decide what I will eat for lunch. I will not be Reconstructed to think that it is OK that 5% of people pay 95% of the taxes. I will not be Reconstructed to think that if I make poor financial or life decisions that the government will be there to bail me out. I will not be Reconstructed to think that personal responsibility and individual liberties are a silly idea. I WILL NOT BE RECONSTRUCTED.
This blog is about being prepared for anything that may happen. Part of being prepared is an idea that I call "(wo)man-ing up". Man up! I don't need anyone telling me what I can eat or drink at lunch. I don't need someone telling me if I can buy beer on a Sunday. I am a citizen of a country that got tired of England telling them what they should do or shouldn't do by micromanaging everything. I am a citizen of a country that values(or valued) individual liberty and personal freedoms. I am a citizen of a country that was founded, protected, and filled with people who DO, not people who wait to be taken care of. I will not be Reconstructed to think otherwise.
I am not naive enough or in enough denial to think that I don't use government services: Having roads is a beautiful thing, having a military that secures my liberty is amazing beyond words, and having a governing body that enforces the rule of law is a blessing that I always count. But enough is enough. I don't want or need to be dependent on the government for every aspect of my life. And I'm ashamed that many people seem to be OK with this.
Then again, maybe I'm the crazy one. I worked all through high school and college, graduated from both and after 7 years in the industry finally have a job where I am moving up. Maybe I'm crazy for thinking that I am responsible for my basic necessities, my retirement, and my health. Maybe I'm completely nuts for thinking that it was anything other than sheer luck and good fortune that in this awful economic time I got a job before I graduated, and then less than a year later had a company offering me more money and better hours. But even if I am actually crazy for thinking these things, I won't be Reconstructed to think otherwise.
I made The Choice. I'm prepared for situations my life throws at me. I take responsibility for decisions I make. I believe hard work pays off.
I'll end with a song lyric that Dr. Bob Wilson showed me while I was in college.
"I do not want no pardon for what I was and am,
And I won't be reconstructed, and I do not care a damn"
I like food. In fact, I LOVE food. This being the case, and the fact that you have to feed yourself to survive, this post is going to be about gardening.
Fact: I know absolutely nothing about gardening. Clean slate. I started doing my research, discussed options with Brian, and finally decided that a raised bed garden was my best bet. Raised bed gardens have many advantages, but the two biggest advantages are that the soil quality is easily controlled and that you have very little, if any, weeds. I hate pulling weeds, so this seemed like a very good option.
As I do with most things, I jumped right in. I picked a spot with full sun next to my driveway. There was already a mound of top soil close by so I began construction. I cleared a spot and grabbed some left over 2x6 boards that were 10feet long. The idea was to build a 10x10 raised bed and fill it in with the top soil. After 7 hours of killing myself in the sun, it was finished. The following pictures will explain the process.
This is what the plot looked like before I started. I grew to hate that mound of dirt very quickly.
Alot of dirt moved and one corner of the bed built. Progress is slow.
3 sides done and a whole bunch more dirt moved. By this point I have realized that I never want to be a farmer.
All of the sides done but still shoveling dirt. Trying to smooth it out. I've given up on it being level at this point and have tried to set up an effective drainage solution.
Finally done with everything. Now it's time to find some plants and get everything in the soil.
So the squash, both types of peppers, the eggplant, and the chives are in the ground. More vegetables will be planted throughout the week. Stay tuned for updates.
So it occurred to me today that I referenced Brian several times in the last post and that he posted responses to my post but most of you(if not all of you) have no idea who Brian is. I'm going to fix that.
Brian is my longest friend. He has known me literally since I was born. He is a man of character, Second Amendment rights, great food, culture, and doing things. He waits on no one and does what he wants, when he wants to do it. I have traveled with him both in and out of the country, have fished with him ever since I can remember, and shared more good meals with him than any person should rightfully have in their life. Let's face it: We flew 4000 miles for a steak dinner. It's who we are. I put him on his first buck(granted it wasn't how most people get their first deer) and he took me on my first deep sea trip. On May 1, we are both going hog hunting for the first time. We DO things.
Currently he is going back to school for a degree in business. He graduated from culinary school a few years ago, externed at Disney, and makes food that is so good I can't explain it.
That is a very brief overview of my good friend and I hope it helps shed some light in to my blog.
So I never thought I would make a blog, but given my love of writing and my need for some sort of creative outlet, here we are. This blog is dedicated mostly to my Preparedness Initiative, and partly to fun things I happen to do and feel like writing about.
Disclaimer: If you don't like what you read, stop reading. I'm all for criticisms, disagreements, and discussion. I'm not for "You Suck", "You are a right wing nut job", "You are stupid for believing this", etc. 'Nuff said.
So what is "The Preparedness Initiative"? To put it as simple as possible, it's a mindset really. I will be prepared for whatever happens: War, an over reaching government, riots, food shortages, and so on. Am I crazy? Absolutely not. Do I want that to happen? Not really. But if it does happen, I WILL be ready.
Being ready is the first solution to a huge problem facing the American people today. Entirely to many people depend on the government for basic aspects of their existence. My goal is to rely on myself for my basic existence and no one else. To quote Ted Nugent: "I am a free man. Don't tread on me."
So how am I becoming self sufficient? Well first off, I made The Choice. It's a big step, but one I made and never looked back on. I am a Libertarian. I am for a small government. I believe in having unlimited rights and freedoms so long as they don't infringe on anyone else's. You don't wanna wear a helmet on your Harley? Fine by me, just don't expect my tax dollars to pay your hospital bill. You want to do heroin? Cool, just don't steal from, abuse, or neglect anyone and don't ask me to pay your medical bills and we are ok in my book. The government shouldn't legislate morality. I may not like it, but as long as it doesn't cause me any harm, more power to you.
After deciding that you are indeed a free man(or woman), you need to evaluate your position on things. I outlined some of mine in the paragraph above. There is obviously more, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. After you find out where you stand, watch Ted Nugent. Love him or hate him, the man speaks his mind, backs his facts up, and doesn't give a damn about what anyone else thinks. Embrace it. Start with this clip:
At this point, you need to learn the word "Non-Documentarian". If I have to explain it, you didn't make The Choice. Try again.
Now comes the fun part. Learn things! I can't tell you what you need to learn because I don't know what you already know how to do. But being that this is MY blog, I'll talk about what I am doing and learning and maybe that will guide you to what you need to do. At the moment, I'm learning several things. First and foremost is learning a skill. I'm currently going back to school to learn how to weld. I believe that everyone should learn a trade. College is over-rated.(I've been there, done that, graduated with a 3.4 in 4 years while working. I'm allowed to say it.) This economy does not lend itself it documents(i.e. college diplomas). This economy lends itself to doing. What can you do? Do you know a trade or defined skill? I didn't, and I was ashamed. I had absolutely nothing to barter with, nothing to use to produce anything. NOTHING. I found this unacceptable, after all, I have dreams of excellence. If the economy tanked, the government went AWOL, or we went to war, my business degree wasn't gonna mean a damn thing. But having a skill, on the other hand, is extremely useful.
Let me back track a minute. Before the learning, you need to be able to defend your gift of life and your property. Period. Buy a gun, and more importantly, learn how to use it effectively. Me and Brian have differing opinions(along with every other gun owner) as to which gun is the best for certain things, but at the end of the day, we(and I believe most other gun owners) agree on which criteria your guns should fit. Purchase #1: A handgun. Me and Brian both made the mistake of buying a gun too large to conceal so that we would have firepower. After living with that choice for awhile, we learned that while decreased firepower has disadvantages, not taking your handgun with you is the biggest disadvantage. Buy something you WILL carry. I'm partial to .45acp, Brian is a firm believer in 9mm. But if you feel comfortable carrying a .380, a .22mag, or a .357mag, BUY THAT! Get a good holster, spend time at the range, and get comfortable. This is your everyday protection. Love it, cherish it, protect it. Purchase #2: A bolt action rifle with a quality scope. There are tons of options on this one. I personally favor military surplus for the inexpensive ammo and inexpensive guns. My preference is Russian. The problem with that lies in the availability of ammo locally. Inexpensive in bulk online(1080 rounds for ~$150) but limited local supply. Brian favors US mil surplus in 7.62 NATO or .308. Not quite as cheap, but more accurate and more readily available. It's a personal choice. Also, don't get caught up in the MOA(minute of angle...1inch groups at 100 yards, 2inch groups at 200 yards, etc). For this purpose, all you need is Minute of Person. If you can shoot it accurately to 200 yards and hit a life size target, the gun is fine. Purchase #3: A combat weapon. Some sort of assault rifle. Brian prefers AR15's in .223(5.56 NATO). I'm partial to 7.62x39, such as an AK47 since ammo and guns are cheap(but you give up accuracy, while gaining some level of reliability to shoot ANY quality of ammo) or 5.45x39 Russian(such as a Saiga or an AK74). Again, either one will do. You are looking for high capacity, high rate of fire. Some would argue a combat ready 12 gauge would also be sufficient. I'm inclined to agree with the exception of effective range. The accuracy is tremendous IF you stay within the bounds of the weapon. Regardless, it needs multiple magazines, plenty of ammo, a light, a scope(Aimpoint or ACOG), and a sling.
At this point you can defend what is yours, and for the first entry, I think that is sufficient.
Stand strong, be prepared, and protect your rights!
