You know you live in the country if......

['Boogieman']

Long gravel driveway

2 acre back yard

Surrounded by woods

German Shepherd who runs around freely

No bears in northern Indiana, deer and coyotes are very common.

 

[Microbeman]

The problem with black bears where I am is that they live on the edge of a large town surrounded by nearby mountains and are very smart.

They feel comfortable foraging for food in your back yard, know how to open car doors and one even came inside a house and ate the owners small dog.

........ I have a bunch of small dogs and frequently forget to set the lock at night.

Well if that's why you want a gun, then forget the little handguns. If you are light framed then a 20 guage pump or semi-auto shotgun with slugs or get a big dog.

 

[St. Phatty]

The problem with black bears where I am is that they live on the edge of a large town surrounded by nearby mountains and are very smart.

They feel comfortable foraging for food in your back yard, know how to open car doors and one even came inside a house and ate the owners small dog.

........ I have a bunch of small dogs and frequently forget to set the lock at night.

if your door is un-locked, i'd be more worried about the 2 legged burglars.

the trick is to not get the bear motivated.

maybe you should set up a bird feeder with cracked corn ($10).

An ambitious bear will rip the top off the bird feeder - and get a little bit of satisfaction.

It works better if you keep the bird feeder out doors


In a normal indoors, with sofa's tables etc., a small dog has an overwhelming advantage over a bear - if the dog doesn't want to be caught.

But if the dog has any normal protective instinct, they might charge the bear. When the food runs right at you ...

 

[Zeez]

Home made shotgun shell Christmas lights.

or


You go into town and you're the only one not wearing camo.

 

[flylowgethigh]

The problem with limestone gravel roads / driveways (mine is 1/2 mile long)... besides having to keep them smooth (rock rake behind the tractor), is the dust. I got pulled over once because a cop had snuck up close behind my PU, and the limestone dust on the back window made it impossible to see through because of the close headlights.

So keep the back window clean as the front one.

 

[KONY]

The problem with limestone gravel roads / driveways (mine is 1/2 mile long)... besides having to keep them smooth (rock rake behind the tractor), is the dust. I got pulled over once because a cop had snuck up close behind my PU, and the limestone dust on the back window made it impossible to see through because of the close headlights.

So keep the back window clean as the front one.

Everyone know someone that used one of these? Don't have a tractor yet, but curious if they work okay;
https://www.drpower.com/Power-Equipment/Power-Graders/DR-Power-Grader/p/PG21148XXN
Have about 1000' I want to grade atleast every other year, maybe once a year even.


Long term we will get a tractor, but it's 5, maybe 10 years down the road.

 

[star crash]

If you find old farm implements hidden in the overgrown growth ...

 

[flylowgethigh]

That's a good'un Star Crash, and it still has the seat! Those old metal seats are gold. get an old metal milk jug, cement in a pole, attach the seat. Perfect country chair, especially if the base is nice and sturdy.

 

[Zeez]

That's an antique horse drawn hay rake.

 

[CosmicGiggle]

My Brother just went back to check on his evacuated cabin on the edge of a forest fire in CO and said he found (brown) bear paw prints all over the outside walls and deck and stuff destroyed with bears desperate for food due to loss of habitat.

...... will hungry marauding bears be a problem for country folks in the PNW?

 

[St. Phatty]

My Brother just went back to check on his evacuated cabin on the edge of a forest fire in CO and said he found (brown) bear paw prints all over the outside walls and deck and stuff destroyed with bears desperate for food due to loss of habitat.

...... will hungry marauding bears be a problem for country folks in the PNW?

depends on the definition of Problem.

I can't leave food outdoors.

I can't leave food in my truck, without it getting chewed. There's a rat living in the cab area. I wonder if there's more than 1 ...

It would be a problem if a bear managed to get into the garage and knocked things over.

If the bear eats the other 1/2 of the one large watermelon in the garden, that would be OK, not a problem.


You know you live in the country if you can buy Large Rifle Primers over the counter at one of the last stores in America to have them in stock.

Also you live in the country if there is a Scheel's in your town.

They have Large Rifle Primers in stock, but you have to drive to Utah. No mail order.


When Manufacturers are selling out - isn't that sort of good ? Economy wise I mean.

 

[CosmicGiggle]

......When Manufacturers are selling out - isn't that sort of good ? Economy wise I mean.

...... been wondering that myself Phatty, could mean there's nothing coming in from China because of the economic legacy of Covid hitting there 1st or everyone in the USA is causing a run because of fears of economic/social collapse.

.......... I've been trying to buy a bread making machine for 4 mos now but most are/have been out of stock for just as long and for possibly the same reason.

 

[CosmicGiggle]

I've also been looking into the recommended guns to buy and so far they're all out of stock also.

 

[armedoldhippy]

I've also been looking into the recommended guns to buy and so far they're all out of stock also.

not really a surprise. women are the fastest growing segment of firearms sales, vast majority being self-defense pistol buyers. you will prob see many used firearms for sale if you look, but small carry-friendly pistols suitable for ladies will prob be pricier than a few years ago. rising demand and all of that...

 

[ElGato]

I've also been looking into the recommended guns to buy and so far they're all out of stock also.

what exactly are you looking for? handgun? ..rifle?

 

[St. Phatty]

I just talked to one of the guys at the local sporting goods that sells re-loading supplies, rifles, etc.

Normally this time of year they would be very busy, people getting ready for hunting season and all.

It sounded like he did not have a lot to sell, and spent more time than I expected answering questions.

"why is everybody out of stock" is the basic question.

He said the word they are getting from the ammunition supply folks, is that they US gov. placed an order for 4 billion ammo rounds.

Also that the max. capacity of the 4 US ammo manufacturers, is 4.6 million rounds a day.

So it will take about 90 days to fill that one US gov. order.

It doesn't all make sense but this is what I know so far.


https://www.midwayusa.com/rifle-ammunition/br?cid=690

They are out of stock on almost all ammo - at one of the biggest ammo etailers ?


Why this should affect availability of firearms, does not make sense at all.

Since they're in business to make money.


Looks like the US gov is buying up ammo and putting it in a warehouse somewhere.

Is it possible they're also buying firearms and putting them in a warehouse ?

The 10Q & 10K financial reports, where manufacturers like Federal/ ATK explain these things, sometimes, ought to be pretty interesting this year.

 

[igrowone]

government ammunition purchases, caught my interest, who wouldn't be?
I see this has happened a lot in the past
government purchases of ammunition suppressing the supply
sounds more like a perennial internet rumor
no specific knowledge of this current occurrence

 

[CosmicGiggle]

..... Thanks for the inside info. Phatty, if the USA Govt. is stockpiling ammo that's not a good sign, especially if they know or are preparing for something we don't!

Yanno, I was just thinking, it's nice to be a part of an informal network sharing info from around the world, I like that.

 

[sshz]

You know you live in the country if...........

You have yo drive 15 miles to the nearest store..........

 

[flylowgethigh]

Don't forget large pistol primers. My favorite tool is a .44 lever gun.

I remember the rumors of the .guv buying all kings and calibers of ammo back under oboma. Why now? What did they do with the last big buy that ran out retail supply?