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hotshot
11-19-2013, 04:25 PM
Things finally slowed down in my world for a weekend! maximized the opportunity. I shot my first buck in years. It wasn't a big one. I have passed up the same sized buck for at least 5 years..... I made a decision that the first critter with bone on his head was getting a slug in the boiler room. He was a 6 pointer.
Luke asked to sit by himself this year. I was in a stand 75 yards away and had 100% visual contact the whole time. My buck danced around with a doe for 10 minutes or so in front of Luke without offering him a shot. The two love birds trotted in my direction offering me an easy slam dunk. No tracking needed. He dropped on the spot.
Sunday was Luke's turn to shine. He sat in the same stand and sat through a drenching that left us wet and eventually cold. He had a huge buck chase a doe by him at 75 yards. He took a shot and missed at the buck who ran off immediately. He had the presence of mind to quickly reload his single shot and draw a bead on the doe. He hit her. front of chest and angled to the opposite shoulder. And yeah, his big doe was about the same size as my buck. The skins are about the same size.
Got both cut u in steaks, and all scrap meat ready for salami. Calling Pat's cousin tonight... He makes some tasty jalapeno/cheese sticks....
Got the skins salted and drying, and all the fat frozen for soap making over Christmas break.

Both kids are in full swing basketball season. Abby has spent the last 2 weeks fighting pneumonia.

Buckrub
11-19-2013, 04:44 PM
Out
Flipping
Standing

Captain
11-19-2013, 05:04 PM
Very cool! Good job on getting it done.
I sure would like to hear more about this soap making sometime. Sounds pretty cool.

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Bwana
11-19-2013, 05:57 PM
Congrats to you both!

Very impressive of the boy to have the presence of mind to reload and take advantage of the situation.

Thumper
11-19-2013, 06:04 PM
Darn! I thought this was about some new-fangled church key or sumpin'. Had to re-read the title ... thought it said beer opener. :(

Congrats to you and Luke ... sorry to hear about Abby.

Chicken Dinner
11-20-2013, 09:07 AM
Nice shooting. We need pics though...

Niner
11-20-2013, 09:18 AM
:withoutpics

...well, almost.

FooBang
11-20-2013, 03:09 PM
Great state of mind to be able to reload and hit his target like that! As for me, I we polished off my son's deer and my fridge is empty. Time to head out in the woods again!

--Foo

hotshot
11-20-2013, 04:29 PM
Soap.. ya boil the fat in water til it all separates from the other gunk. about 3 hours..... Let it cool. scoop out the clean fat. let it harden. scrape off any attached gunk. Boil it a second time and let cool. This time for an hour or so. Warm it up a third time, with no water. add Lye. This is harder to come by in the age of meth, but you are allowed to buy a small amount. I found a source on the internet from Florida I think. Mix the crystallized lye with a little water and a lot of ice cubes(amounts are on side of bottle). This is were the process gets interesting. The water and ice turns hot in a matter of minutes. pour it into the warm fat and stir, stir, stir. Add a fragrance that you are partial to. Mint, or lavender, etc... I used the candy making oil at the pharmacy. I also made a small batch last year with a product called "smells like a deer". It has several different deer scents in it and mimics a deer's smells. Seems to work. I take a green soap shower before deer hunting, the a quick scrub w the deer soap.
After making sure the chemicals and fat are blended together, let it set up for a little bit. then I use a wax paper lined shoe box to pour the soap into. Let it harden for a few days, then cut into bars.
Best soap around.

Captain
11-20-2013, 04:51 PM
Damn If that ain't just cool. A friend of mine grandmother use to make lye soap when I was a kid and I've seen her do it several times but back then that type stuff did not interest me. I think it is great that you take the time to make it.

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