Hide Site/Bug out location Part 8

[Flyin6]

I located my first candidate, a huge old cedar. Luckily (or so I thought), I got exactly 13.5' where it split into two lobes.

[Flyin6]

At first I thought I had a keeper when it was at this point in the sawing process.

[Flyin6]

But as I milled the last two sides into a bunk, I found a rotted hole, and while cutting several times the blade made a high-pitched sound.

When I removed the board I just cut, I could see three areas where what I thought were nails had been cut through.

When I tried to dig the "Nail" out, a bullet popped right out. Looks to be .30 cal FMJ.

[Flyin6]

Every tree tells a tale and this one's story revealed it was once when someone hung a target and shot into the tree for a while. I found bullets all over it. I am guessing the large, damaged area must have been where the bull's eye was located. Notice how the bullets tore deeply into the tree, opening it to insects and rot.

I found an active black ant nest and a ton of roaches living in the cavernous voids that those bullets caused.

After all that work, I was only able to grab a few boards out of the thing. The rest was waste. What a shame!

[Flyin6]

I cut a lot of it up into the 1" square sections I will use to sticker the red and white oak that is still on the barn floor.

[Flyin6]

I framed out the first "Mechanical" work bench. So far all the bench space is dedicated to woodworking and construction projects. This one has one toolbox and the small compressor.

[Flyin6]

I mounted the airline reel and created a shelf for the construction-grade job box radio thing.

[Flyin6]

Still have plenty of room for the machines to be parked

[JR]

Did the bullets ruin any blades?

[Flyin6]

And I'll have a bunch more as soon as this massive pile of wood is moved!

It is hard to stay ahead of the mess :-(

[Flyin6]

Did the bullets ruin any blades?

Didn't hurt the blade at all. Brass and lead are soft. Softer than hard oak, I wonder??? You can get sparks sometimes from old dried oak and ash!

[Flyin6]

I haven't posted here for awhile

With the winter now over and back into warmer weather I can get back on the place.

I made some big changes over the winter. First of all, I sold the compact track loader and the Kubota tractor.

That was a part of some restructuring as it were. Our priorities seem to be slowly shifting from wanting to move down there permanently to having it as an option.

The new 60HP hydrostat Kioti tractor is smaller, but has a cab and lifts 1000 pounds more with its capable loader.

I was able to sell the track machine for practically what I had paid for it, so that was a good thing.

I kept the implements I will need to maintain, going forward. And since last year my farm is now in hay production, producing right around 100 round bales a year.

The pond is now ready to fish with what looks like mature bass and a bunch of them. The fields are in great shape and after cutting for hay, I will dress up with my bush hog. I sold the saw mill (Again) because, really, I just don't have enough time in my life to be doing that also.

The barn sustained some wind damage over the winter, so I'll have to get in and fix that.

We are traveling a bunch this year and now the boys are scattered all over this country following military careers and we travel regularly to visit with them. In June I will drive down to place a Ranger Regiment scroll on my youngest's shoulder.

So that's that

Future plans other than general cleanup and maintenance is to create a much improved rifle and pistol range and to start having regular shooting events down there with couples. I think I will need to make an effort to teach the grandkids the joy of woodsmanship. tracking and small game hunting. I have long wanted to buy a .410 shotgun for at least two of them. It has become a thing for we Harwards to give guns to each other. It seems a gun will stay around forever. A couple of .410 shotguns for the grandkids along with using them with me in my woods will cement a memory forever. That farm will continue to serve to build lifelong memories that will outlive me.

[Flyin6]

I chose a cab because I can work regardless of the weather in relative comfort. I had become used to a cab with the track loader, so I went with this new Kioti machine.

I will be getting back to the basics with a bush hog in lieu of that fantastic front-mounted cutter. but you will note that I built the majority of that farm with my old John Deere 4720 hydrostat 66HP tractor.

Now that all the heavy building work is complete, this maintenance-type machine will work fine.

[JR]

I would love a cab on mine, now I have one on the 305.

You talk about me buying and selling!!!

Like to see the place cleaned up and a pic of a bass or 2.

[Flyin6]

I would love a cab on mine, now I have one on the 305.

You talk about me buying and selling!!!

Like to see the place cleaned up and a pic of a bass or 2.

The first hay cutting is set for 3 weeks from today...that week.

I'll bushhog the place after that which will clean it up nicely

Pic of bass...Have to catch em first. The glare on the water makes it hard to see them, but every once in a while, I see them cruising around. The grass carp is over 2 feet long. Time to get new ones. They eat a lot when growing but stop when they get fully grown. Those carp will go somewhere from 5-10 or more pounds, I'm guessing.

Plan to put them in the lower pond where the pistol (steels) range is going in.