What have you done to prep this week?

[Kodiak]

Got some plastic sheeting and duct tape in case i need to seal off a room or two this winter if/when we lose power. Also bought a snow plow for the ATV.

[ladyhk13]

Got some plastic sheeting and duct tape in case i need to seal off a room or two this winter if/when we lose power. Also bought a snow plow for the ATV.

How fun is that!!!!!! Wish we had that much snow....can't justify buying something like that just to play with though, bummer.

[mollypup]

I got a couple more books: A first aid book and PDR about pills. I figure if I'm storing antibiotics I really need to know how and when to use them so I don't kill anybody.

I also filled up several more 2 liter soda bottles with water.

Oh yeah! Hubby and I cleaned out the walk-n pantry yesterday and while everything was out and on the floor and tables it almost looked like an episode of hoarders lol! I was able to see exactly what we had in the way of food and supplies and get the space neatly organized again. It was a haphazard mess before we cleaned it out. I thought I had a lot more food in there than I do. I've got lots of new empty shelf space that I should fill up with food.

[mitunnelrat]

I finally got my small game license and went out squirrel hunting. I was just walking the trails with a shotgun, and never did get a clear shot, but found a good place to still hunt for them with my .22. I just scoped it, so as soon as I get it zeroed I'll be sitting out there.

I'm also gonna plug LUNCHBOX again. Thanks to his having two magazine pouches I needed I was able to continue reconfiguring my MOLLE belt. The weight is now more evenly distributed, and my rifle mags are much easier to access. I also learned those same pouches will hold either 9x, 20 ga., or 8x 12 ga. shells in 2 3/4".

I learned you can stuff all 3 parts of the USGI MSS in a frame less, medium ALICE pack, and that it will ride above my belt setup, so my BOB is (yet again) going through a major revamp. I'm on a serious weight reduction kick right now. I'll know how I'm doing with that in a couple of weeks, I believe. Its time for another outing.

Its otherwise been very slow for me right now.

[ladyhk13]

I finally got my small game license and went out squirrel hunting. I was just walking the trails with a shotgun, and never did get a clear shot, but found a good place to still hunt for them with my .22. I just scoped it, so as soon as I get it zeroed I'll be sitting out there.

.

Ok, I have to ask since I'm not origionally from an area that shoots squirrels...what do you do with them? Poor little things are just so cute, why would you shoot them? There can't be much meat on them and please don't tell me they taste like chicken!

[mitunnelrat]

I haven't eaten squirrel in many, many years, (and have never yet shot any, I'm largely a new-ish hunter) so I can't tell you how it tastes, but I have 9 different recipes for them in a wild game cookbook, with one in particular I'd like to try first. I really, really want to collect and produce as much of my own food as I can, though, and squirrel are plentiful in my area.

You can also sell squirrel tails to a lure company, though it would take forever to make any real money at it. I hear some fishermen will send them in to get the lures though, and not for the cash.
Squirrel Tail - Selling Squirrel Tails - Squirrel Hunting | Mepps

I also see them as a means of improving my hunting abilities. Squirrels are the smallest animal I can hunt, and I keep hearing if I get good at cleaning them I'll be able to clean anything.

[Sniper-T]

Squirrels taste similar to rabbit, although unless you get a bunch of them, it's tough to make a meal. although they can be added to a meal easy enough. They are quite easy to clean, but due to their size, they take some finese. Around here we basically cull them for pest control; they can do huge amounts of damage to insulation, walls, and attics. If you are allowed to bait them, buy a bag of sunflower seedss (in the shell), and when you get into your area, place some in strategic locations (shooting lines). then kick back and start munching some yourself. Just keep an eye on the bag, as you could be looking out at your baits and them sneaky little buggers could be eating out of your bag right beside you.

lol

In the meantime, enjoy being outdoors

[mollypup]

I'm with you Ladyhk13 - squirrels are so cute!!! At a local animal rescue ranch the squirrels are so tame that they come right up to you for food. So do the chipmunks!

[Sniper-T]

^ and that is part of the problem around here. they are trained to think of people as a food source, so they are not afraid of people... they come right up to you... right into your garage/home/vehicle.

My buddy's wife thought they were cute too, until it cost her $1200 for a new wiring harness, and $600 for new seats for her car

My wife took her car in for a tuneup last week... the mechanic asked her to come to the back just after he started... every nook and crany in the motor comppartment was packed solid with nuts and seeds. There was a chipmonk nest inside her airfilter (which was also chewed up), and a couple places that they started chewing on the plastic sheaths on the outside of the wires.


That said... when I'm out camping or hunting, and MILES away from anything... I'll feed them too, but from a distance.

[Sniper-T]

In addition to dehydrating 20+ pounds of mushrooms...

Spent some time on the weekend, cutting firewood, splitting firewood and stacking firewood... with my Wife..

I had about 2 cords cut and stacked in 4' lengths, so we had to pull them from the pile and set them on the sawhorse, and slide them off the end while bucking them up.

We started with my wife loading the sawhorse and me on the chainsaw, until I could see her fatiguing, then I gave her a refresher on the saw, and loaded for her. We alternated as necessary, and took breaks as necessary. And by the end of the first day, we had all the wood bucked up on the ground.

The second day, I pulled out the splitter, and again we took turns feeding the machine, and tossing/carrying sorting and stacking. She took breaks when she needed to, and we got everything split and stacked and tarped. With what I had ready already, we can now burn 24/7 all winter if we wanted to.

My wife is fit, muscular and strong. and determined to do whatever she needs to do. She runs on a regular basis, has completed several 1/2 marathons and is now contemplating doing her first full. while still training for triathalons.

Yet, even with this level of fitness, by the end of the first day (that evening) she could hardly close her hands (forearms sore), could hardly stand up straight (lower back), and could hardly walk (hamstrings). After we finished our chores on the second day, she was in roughly the same (little worse shape) and I suspect that by the end of today, she'll be mighty sore.

BUT!!! she worked hard, we had fun working together (as always), and we accomplished a pile of stuff.

So keep in mind, that even though one person is "fit" in doing somethings they may not be in others. I did the same (more) than my wife did, and felt great. I also moved a pile of other wood (building materials), moved a bunch of 'stuff' etc, and I felt 100% after this.

A couple months ago, we did an adventure race... and she did great, and it kicked my ass.

Aaaahh... the importance of crosstraining.