Memories of the Wild

[Dee]

Well we got about 2 more inches of rain today that we didn't need. The spring on the east side of my front yard is running instead of tricklin, and it's supposed to snow startin tomorrow.
I thought I was gonna order a Marble's Tang sight for my ole Winchester today, but I was too late. I'll order it first thing in the morning. That aperture sight on the receiver just wasn't workin for my old eyes anymore. I tried a temporary tang on it, and bingo. Cured.
I have carried that ole rifle to the woods and on man hunts for a little more than fifty years, but in the last year or so have had to carry a longer barreled Model 92. When I get that tang sight put on, my life long running buddy will be back in the woods with me again full time.
Every now and then, I get the news paper clippins, and news photos of me doing a track huntin some body, carryin that rifle, and I remember the days they were taken, when I was young, and there was a lot more bluin on the rifle and the stock wasn't as scratched and worn.
Might even get up to Colorado to a friends house and get an elk with it, before I get too old to climb around up there.
I don't have any idea how many times that rifle and me have been in the Red River bottoms huntin men, and marijuana plots, or just settin with my back up against a tree with it in my lap drinkin a cup of coffee, something comes along and gives you a few more years with something you always loved. Maybe my eyes will hold up long enough I won't have to change rifles again, until I'm too old to hunt, or dead. God knows, but he ain't sayin just yet.
Well, I'll shut up, I just got wound up about that rifle. I missed not usin it so much as I used to.

[williamlayton]

Coffee talk is good for the soul and eases the pains.
Blessings

[bearmgc]

Just ground some more 8 O'clock coffee beans for a fresh pot, for refills if anybody needs a warm up
A 92 or 94 for a traveling or work gun sounds pretty wonderful to me. I've got a Marlin 94 in 44mag right now at the gunsmith. Felt like it needed a new lifter. Its an oldie that been duracoated, and the duracoating even wearing off. Its my truck gun. It hasn't been near the places yours has, Dee, wow.
But yes, weird not to have it in the truck right now. Habits and routines....

[Dee]

With any luck, one of my younger family members will wind up with that rifle, and the history of myself and that rifle together. I have no idea if it will mean anything to them.

[bearmgc]

You might get pleasantly surprised by one of those young family members, who shows interest.
I was thinking about the comparison of young bull bison hide to grizzly hide size. Was thinking an Alaskan Grizzly surely bigger than a Wyoming Grizzly at full grown. My old lab claimed the Bison hide for his bed years ago and is quite fond of it. He never cared to be around a bear hide, beyond initial curiosity. A 16 yr old girl has the record for largest black bear here in Wyoming. She broke the previous record 2 years ago.
Fellow last year bought my Marlin 45-70 in town from me, said he was gonna break that record, because  of a really big bear that was coming to his son's bait site. Well, maybe it will happen this year... hope he knows his bears. I've no reason to think he doesn't, but around these areas you see more Grizzly lately.

[Sweetwater]

Ya never know about younger family members. I have a 3 year old grandson with more interest in Grampie and his guns and convertible ('94 Olds Cutlass) than all 7 kids combined. (His, hers, ours, theirs, and mine - LOL) His mother, just last year, expressed interest in my Ruger 22 Pistol MK1 and I left it with her in Rock Springs. It's a tack driver and my best shooter, but then don't you give your kids your best? My youngest son, just turned 20, is the only real shooter in the family. Not sure that he cares "where they came from" as long as they go bang.
Hope someday he cares that:
that the old '94 Winchester belonged to his great-grandfather and shot an elk in 2001 by his Dad;
that the Interarms Mark X was custom barreled in 30-06 and custom stocked by his grandfather for him;
that the Remington 870 Wingmaster was his late Uncle's only weapon and left to him;
that the Belgian Browning 22 Auto rifle was bought for him before he was born by a very close friend;
that the Marlin 1894 41mag was bought for him when he was two weeks old and the Ruger Blackhawk 41mag that goes with it was the first purchase after moving to North Idaho - with no waiting!

It's about family and traditions. Don't see much interest in any of that in many of our children...

8 O'clock beans? That's what goes in the grinder on my coffee pot!! Spoiled Rotten! LOL

Happy Tuesday....

Regards,
Sweetwater