The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles II

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Big Cutters, Rank Hogs, and Coffee

2011-01-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Big Cutters, Rank Hogs, and Coffee

© 2009, 2010 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

Hunting Big Hogs in Florida, Chronicles Style!

I had shot that three hundred pounder right through the cheekbone!

We had been hunting hog at a friend's ranch an hour or so from where I lived. We had been carefully stalking this bad boy for the better part of two hours. There were sows and piglets to contend with, mosquitoes, and the occasional pygmy rattle thrown in for fun. Actually, I was pretty sure those damned chiggers were, at that very moment, burrowing into my tender flesh and making themselves at home.

Skirting palmetto clumps, and patches of scrub oak, we finally got into position with out spooking him or the other hogs with him. taking a prone position in an open patch of sandy dirt, I took off my leather hat, laid it in front of me, and used it as a rest for my light hog hunting rifle, a 30/06 Weatherby Eurosport. I wanted an instant kill; I had had enough of chiggers, ticks and skeeters for the day, so I carefully lined up for a spinal shot. I was certain of my shooting ability, and I have complete confidence in my Weatherby and the Remington Safari Grade ammo I use.

180 grains of copper clad and partitioned lead went right under his left eye, through the hog's sinus cavity, and smashed right into his spinal column where it demolished nine inches of bone and nerves, disrupting much of his motor functions. But it wasn't enough. By the time I had crossed the forty or so yards between us, he had regained some use of his body. His jaws worked to and fro, slashing at the under growth, hooking roots, branches and the occasional shrub. Apparently he could use his back legs, and had some use of his front right one. He stumbled as he tried to charge me.

I had stoked the Weatherby with another Remington Safari Grade Swift A-Frame before I was even up. As I raised the Weatherby for a follow up shot, Matt put his hand on my shoulder. "Wait, don't waste the bullet, let me finish him with my .22." Moments later the big hog was down.

And what a hog! Scarred and cut up from slugging it out with the other males, he was a brute; three inches of whetted tusks stuck out either side. I had him mounted, but unfortunately over the years he has deteriorated to the point that it was, in my mind, disrespectful to his memory to have him displayed in that condition. So he now resides sealed in a large bin with a desiccant package and a pest control devise. Maybe, when times are a little better, I can have him refurbished, and he can take place of pride over my desk again.

I really need to get out hog hunting...

But that's not why I tell the tale. Cooking, that's what I want to talk about.

It all started, innocently enough, when I happened upon Miss Jamie's blog Borderland Adventures: Her Perspective and her post Stinky Little Pigs.

Now I like pigs. I like them as livestock, pets, and wildlife. I like them alive and I like them roasted. Now Miss Jamie is actually writing about the New World equivalent of the pig, that being the peccary also known as the javelina. Miss Jamie does an excellent job of explaining their natural history and taxonomy; and she does it with great humor. In addition you will find great narratives of the border area, posts on cooking both in the home and out in the field, and a product review. Not only that, but she has some great photography too! I heartily recommend visiting her Blog Borderland Adventures: Her Perspective.

Now back to the cooking. As it turns out both peccaries and that big ol' hog I took, have similarities. They both stink real bad. As in rank.

I don't like to waste game. But a rank old hog is unpalatable. Simple as that; just plain inedible. I had Matt carve out the tenderloins, if that's not a misnomer I don't know what is. I also got the two roasts. Matt got the rest to grind up for sausage.

When I got home I threw a box of coarse salt over the meat and ice in the cooler. I figured that would buy me enough time to figure out what I was going to do.

I've got one of those big enameled roasting pan, and I always have a lot of garlic. Work with what you got I always say. As I was trying not to pass out from the testosterone induced odor, I remembered reading somewhere that instant coffee neutralized the odor and helped to tenderize the meat. I couldn't remember how much was recommended, so I dumped a big handful in there. I mean I poured it into my hand and dumped it over the roast. With that done, I took a knife skewered that roast and stuffed garlic into every hole I made. I doused it thoroughly with some white wine, the cheap stuff I keep for those meddlesome neighbors, and put the cover on it.

I set the oven on low (325 F) and came back to it about four hours later.

Holy smokes! It worked! The smell was gone, and in its place a delectable and genuinely delicious aroma of cooked pork with subtle tones of garlic. After due deliberations though it was decided that a couple of more hours wouldn't hurt. I cut up some more garlic, potatoes, carrots, and celery, and poured in some more wine and water.

A couple of hours later we were sitting around the table enjoying a tender and tasty roast.

I've tried it out with other cuts of tough meat both wild and domestic with similar results. Oh and there is no taste of coffee either. What is in the instant coffee that does that is unknown to me. All I know is that it works.

Amazing what you can do with some coffee...

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Member: Shindand Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

Update:
While cruising the Blogsphere this morning, I came upon this "The Bacon Weave." For those of you that don't have enough cholesteral in your diet, this is a sure fire way to get it up there! Brought to you by the fellows at BBQ Addicts!

AAR

Scott Croner Albert A Rasch Albert “Afghanus” Rasch Albert A Rasch Scott Croner Nebraska Hunting Scott Croner, Merriam's Turkey Hunting Albert A Rasch Scott Croner Albert A Rasch Albert “Afghanus” Rasch Albert A Rasch Scott Croner Nebraska Hunting Scott Croner Merriam's Turkey Hunting Albert A Rasch

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Spoons: They're Not Just for Cereal!

2010-12-07T09:51:00.000-08:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Spoons: They're Not Just for Cereal!

© 2010 Albert A Rasch™ and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

"But do tell: A spoon in a bird's chest?

That is too damn weird - whatup with that?"

NorCal Cazadora

Couldn't resist it, honest!

After Holly's comment on the spoon in the pelican's chest, I promised to have a short discussion on the lures used for fishing that are called spoons.

My near-shore spoon selection:

Dressed nickel spoon, dressed nickel Krocodile, brass Krocodile, dressed nickle KastMaster, smaller dressed nickle KastMaster, hammer finished Hopkins spoon, brass Clark spoon w/swivel, and nickel Clark spoon.

To those folks that don't fish, it might seem a little strange when fishermen talk in their peculiar jargon. Plugs, streamers, midges, spinners, jigs, flies and spoons are all artificial lures used in the attempt to fool a fish into striking and getting itself impaled on a hook.

Who invented the spoon,
or the history of fishing spoons according to Albert.

My guess is that this all started sometime in the past when a Viking lopped the arm off of some other guy who was having breakfast on the deck off of his lodge. The spoon flew out of the now detached hand and fell into the water, whereupon the two were amazed when a fish sped by, and struck at the twisting, flashing spoon as it dropped into the depths.

That's why I think fishing spoons are probably among the oldest manufactured lure. When they saw that, they probably figured out that a shiny piece of metal might just get a hungry fish to strike. So they headed over to the smithy, fight and arm forgotten, and told the smith to hammer out a thin, oval shaped, concave dish of metal and attach a forged hook to it. Eureka, the spoon was born!

Spoons are generally either silver or brass in color, and normally come in either a polished, or hammered finish. Spoons wobble or dart depending on the retrieve, and the flashing and sparkling play of light off the body attract fish. There are painted and partially decorated spoons too, but I don't use them much, the nickel and brass ones pretty much working out well enough for me, thank you very much.

How do you rig a spoon?

Spoons do tend to twist and turn, usually in one direction. It's one of the things that makes spoons so attractive to fish. If you don't take the spinning or twisting action into account, you will end up with a spool of badly twisted line that will not retrieve properly, jump off the spool, and become weaker very quickly. Some spoons have a swivel built in to allow them to rotate without affecting the line. If your spoon is without a swivel, you will have to put one on the spoon, or better yet, rig one on the running line.

As I said, there are two ways to accomplish the task. The easiest way is to add a swivel right to the nose of the spoon. If the spoon does not have a split ring attached, you will have to add one. Go with a size larger than you think you need, it won't affect the action; quite the contrary, the larger size allows the spoon to flutter and drop much more convincingly without the drag of the line right at its nose. Next add the swivel to the split ring and call it done.

The way I prefer to do it is the following. I add a split ring to the nose of the spoon just as we did above. But this time add anywhere from twelve to twenty-four inches of leader to the split ring, and then tie the swivel to the leader. If you use Spiderwire, any of the braided lines, or one of those wacky colored lines, this is the only way to go. Fish can see those lines, especially in clear water and will veer off your lure when they catch sight of the line leading away from it! By the way, I only use the Uniknot for all my knots. That will be another post in the near future.

If you are using a light spoon, like the Clark spoons, you have to add a little weight to the rig in order to cast it, or get some depth to in the retrieve. Just add a torpedo sinker, or even an egg sinker above the swivel. Just a reminder, you do this with the second rigging method. I always add a small bead between the swivel and the sinker to protect the knot from any unnecessary abuse from the sinker.

If you are running into some Bluefish, Spanish Mackerels, or gator Seatrout, you may need to use a wire leader. The same rules apply. With spoons costing anywhere from $2.99 to $6.99 for the small to medium sizes, it doesn't take many cut offs to make you use a wire leader! Length can be as short as 2" to as long as 12". Try to use the finest wire you can find, and hope for the best! If the bite is hot, it probably won't matter what length the leader is. If the fish are running shy, you may only be able to use a short leader.

Maintaining your fishing spoons.

Like everything else, your fishing gear needs a little maintenance in order to last a good long time. The first thing I do at the end of the fishing day is rinse everything off with fresh water. Rods, reels, and lures get a good washdown and dry before being put up.

Spoons though, get pretty beat up with time. They get dragged across the bottom, banged against rocks, swung into pilings; after a while, they lose their shine. The first thing to try is a good old Brillo pad. That will usually get your nickel colored spoons shiny again, or at least less dull than they were. Brass lures get the same treatment, but then I finish them with Brasso for that extra shine. Wash them well with dish detergent when you're done, you don't want to leave any soap or polish residue on the lure.

If your lures are pretty bad off, or maybe you found one that is beat up bad, you can refurbish it with some elbow grease. Some fine wet/dry sandpaper and a buffing wheel on your grinder will bring a junker back to like new condition. And as I mentioned before, with the prices as high as they are getting, it doesn't take too many yard sale finds to make it worth your while.

I have a couple of old spoons that I need to refurbish and when I do, we will cover it here.

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch™
Member:Kandahar Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

Search word list:
Fishing with spoons, how to fish with spoons, rigging spoons for fishing, Hopkins spoons, clarke spoons, wire leaders and spoons, spoons for fishing, bucktails on spoons, circle hooks on spoons, rigging spoons, how to rig a spoon, best spoons for fishing, fishing in florida, hooked bird

Nebraska Hunting Company CupidFish.com Scott Croner

Hunting in Nebraska Nebraska Hunting CompanyCupidFish.comScott Croner Hunting in Nebraska Yo-Yos for Troops!Nebraska Hunting Company Mark Osterholt Scott Croner

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: The Range Reviews: Remington R-25 Multi-Caliber AR-10

2010-12-07T09:41:00.000-08:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: The Range Reviews: Remington R-25 Multi-Caliber AR-10

© 2010 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

The Range Reviews: Remington R-25

I recently had the opportunity to field test the Knight's Armament Company's SR-110 SASS here in Afghanistan. Unfortunately I was not permmited to take any pictures. Shoot, I couldn't have any civilian communications, recording, or even an IPod when I went into the camp I was visiting. No worries though, I had a good time!

That got me to thinking about Remington's offer, the R-25. I had recieved notice on the weapon some time ago, but being more of the wood and rust blued steel kind of guy, I had filed the email in the "From the Manufacturer" file. I burrowed through the file and pulled it out, and studied the information available on the net.

Let's check the specs out. The upper and lower receivers are made from aluminum forgings. The handguard is a turned aluminum tube. All parts are impervious to the weather, so weather changes will have no effect on accuracy. The Remington R-25 rifle has a free-floating 20 inch fluted barrel, that is button rifled in a 1:10 twist rate. Remington had the good taste to provide a recessed crown at the muzzle. Moving to the receiver, you will find a Mil-Std-1913 “Picatinny” top rail. You can mount any number of optics with standard MilSpec mounts on the rail. The gas block where the front sight mounts, has rail slots for mounting other accessories such as a laser. The R-25’s pistol grip is identical to the AR-15/M16 and AR-10 series rifles, as is the buttstock. On the bottom of the buttstock and forearm are sling swivel studs. The butt also has the standard hinged trapdoor lid designed to hold a military cleaning kit, but that is not included.

Just like your AR15 or M16/M4, a captive pin at the rear of the upper receiver pushes out, the upper can then pivot forward on the front pin. You now have access to the bolt and trigger group. With the upper receiver pivoted forward, pull back on the charging handle and the bolt slides out for maintenance and cleaning.

Now, to placate Kalifornia, the factory R-25 magazine's capacity is a measely 4 rounds for all calibers. That's still three more than my Ruger #1, but luckily the R-25 will accept standard 20-round AR-10 magazines. Overall length for the Remington R-25 is 39.75 inches, and the average weight for the rifle is 8.75 lbs.

Interestingly, Remington opted to make the R-25 available three additional calibers, all based on the 308 Winchester case. The R-25 is configured to allow users to switch between 7.62mm NATO/.308 Win., .243 Win., and 7mm-08 Rem., simply by switching upper receivers. For hunting applications, this might be an optimal solution for those that require a multi-calber solution for different hunting applications. In my opinion, the Remington Model R-25 multi-caliber rifle could stand to add a couple of more rounds to its repetoire: 358 Winchester, and the 260 Remington! Now we are talking versatility.

For those that are interested in the tactical applications of the rifle in addition to the hunting capabilities, you will find that the the AR-10/AR15 family does not require one to "refamiliarize" oneself with a completely different platform. Whether tactical operations or hunting applications, you can concentrate on what you are doing. Operation of the firearm, the ergonomics, and all the controls are identical. Furthermore as options are added to the rifle you can test them under real world, albeit non-threatening, conditions.

Now for the some of the less than desireable features:
-I am told that the trigger is lousy out of the box. Nothing new there, as most rifles exhibit poor, lawyer-proof triggers. Fortunately, there are plenty of aftermarket triggers you can install and make the trigger purr.
-There are many reports of the 308 version jamming with anything but commercial ammo.

Remington Model R-25 Multi-Caliber Rifle Features and Specifications:

- Free-floated button-rifled 0.680″ Muzzle OD ChroMoly barrels with recessed hunting crown for superior accuracy
- Fluted barrel design reduces weight and promotes rapid barrel cooling
- Clean-breaking single-stage hunting trigger (factory set to 4.5-5lbs)
- Receiver-length Picatinny rail for adding optics and accessories
- Ergonomic pistol grip for rock solid aiming and control
- Front and rear sling swivel studs
- Full Mossy Oak® Treestand™ coverage
- Includes 4-round magazine
- Legal for hunting in most states
- Compatible with aftermarket DPMS 308 Win Magazine Boxes
- Lockable hard case included

Company Contact Info:

Remington Arms Company, Inc.
870 Remington Drive
P.O. Box 700
Madison, NC 27025-0700
TEL: 1-800-243-9700
Fax: 1-336-548-7801
Email: info@remington.com
R-25 Info Page: http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire_rifles/Model_R-25.asp
Website: http://www.remington.com
MSRP is $1,532 USD.

There are several other semi-auto 7.62×51mm NATO/.308 Win.
tactical/sniper rifles that could conceivably be used in a hunting application. There are the AR-10 based systems like the Knight’s Armament Co. SR-M110 S.A.S.S. (Semi-Auto Sniper System), and Armalite's AR-10 SuperS.A.S.S. In addition there are the M1A variations like Springfield Armory's National Match M1A, Super Match M1A, or M25 Whitefeather Tactical/Carlos Hathcock M1A. Any of these have the capacity of being dual role rifles in your personal inventory.

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch™
Member: Shindand Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

Though he spends most of his time writing and keeping the world safe for democracy, Albert was actually a student of biology. Really. But after a stint as a lab tech performing repetitious and mind-numbing processes that a trained capuchin monkey could do better, he never returned to the field. Rather he became a bartender. As he once said, "Hell, I was feeding mice all sorts of concoctions. At the club I did the same thing; except I got paid a lot better, and the rats where bigger." He has followed the science of QDM for many years, and fancies himself an aficionado. If you have any questions, or just want to get more information, reach him via TheRaschOutdoorChronicles(at)MSN(dot)com.

Best Regards,

Albert A Rasch

Member: Shindand Tent Club

Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)

The Hunt Continues...

Search terms for the article:

remington r25, remington r25 review, remington r-25, remington r-25 reviews, r-25, remington r25 for sale, remington sr 25, remington r-25 review, 308 semi auto sniper rifle, remington r25 reviews, r 25, remington r 25 reviews, remington r 25, r-25 review, remington sr-25

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: The Range Reviews: Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn

2010-12-06T14:20:00.000-08:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: The Range Reviews: Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn

© 2010 Albert A Rasch™ and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

The Range Reviews

Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn

After watching me struggle, cuss, and hack my way through two powder horn projects, niether of which is really complete, and fill up my little corner of the living room with sawdust and horn detritus, my wife went and ordered Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn by Scott and Cathy Sibley.

I am eagerly anticipating going home next year and reading my new gift! In the mean time, I have to ensconce myself at my desk here in Afghanistan, and be satisfied to look at scans my wife has been sending me.

I was immediately taken by the clear photos and detailed instructions that made it easy to understand what and how to do any number different steps in the creation of an art quality powder horn. And not just one type mind you, but several different types.

The authors, Scott and Cathy Sibley are well known powder horn makers and scrimshaw artists. I Googled them up and found a variety of references to their work, especially at Contemporary Makers. Contemporary Makers is a blog that covers the contemporary artists in period gun work, including accouterments; well worth the visit!

Scott is both a retired soldier, and a retired teacher. Cathy is retired school administrator. They got started making powder horns and quill-work while teaching school in the outer most reaches of Alaska.

I have been diligently working on a powderhorn for one of my friends, and I am very anxious to complete it on my next R&R. I have already picked up quite a few hints and new ideas from the excellent explanations in the book. The clear and well posed pictures make it easy to understand, and the Sibley's skill is obvious. The photography deseves a mention of its own; the quality and clarity is superb!

The book is divided into 21 chapters. It starts off in logical fashion with "Tools and Materials," followed by "Selecting a Horn." Thereafter it explains how you should set up your work area, (Believe me, nothing like mine!) and then starts from the begining in a logical and step by step horn making manner. The photography complements the descriptions very well, and options are presented for different time periods or styles

Just to be clear, I don't work in any recognized style, period, or era. Shoot, until I started reading about 17th and 18th century blackpowder stuff, I didn't even realize there were different eras! Now I know better...

The scrimshawing section of the book is very well illustrated and explained. My next attempt at scratching away on a powder horn should be more successful than not! Selecting the proper tools for your project and clear, step-by-step directions are given. Something I appreciated was the scrimshaw patterns at the back of the book. It gives you some idea of where you might want to go with your scrimshaw.

The last two chapters have examples of original horns, followed by horns made by Contemporary Makers. It is an excellant reference to guide you to those styles and eras I mentioned earlier!

I have found powder horn making to be a rewarding combination of crafts. Not only are you working with horn, but you will pick out and work with wood, and possibly do some metal shaping should the mood strike you, to complete your horn.There are techniques discussed for using dyes or stains, many types of carving are covered, along with filing and shaping tools. The end result of the mess you are going to make, is a beautiful powder horn for your collection that will merit both artistic and practical praise.

For those of you looking for an entertaining and productive pasttime, maybe an activity to take your mind off of something, working with your hands to make a powder horn will be very rewarding. You will find Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn is an incredible reference for the budding horn maker. I would recomend it without reservation!

Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn

Softcover, $19.95

91 pages, 11" x 8-1/2"

ISBN 0-9765797-0-7

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Member: Shindand Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

Though he spends most of his time writing and keeping the world safe for democracy, Albert was actually a student of biology. Really. But after a stint as a lab tech performing repetitious and mind-numbing processes that a trained capuchin monkey could do better, he never returned to the field. Rather he became a bartender. As he once said, "Hell, I was feeding mice all sorts of concoctions. At the club I did the same thing; except I got paid a lot better, and the rats where bigger." He has followed the science of QDM for many years, and fancies himself an aficionado. If you have any questions, or just want to get more information, reach him via TheRaschOutdoorChronicles(at)MSN(dot)com.

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: After the Shot, Tracking and Trailing

2010-12-06T14:07:00.000-08:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: After the Shot, Tracking and Trailing

© 2009, 2010 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

Even with every preparation, proper equipment choice, and skill, there are always times when game is not killed outright. A moments inattention, or perhaps premature congratulation may allow an animal to run off when the hunter should have been preparing for a follow-up shot.

It's that time of year again, and folks are out there filling there tags. Recovering game that doesn't drop immediately after the first shot, requires a moment of thought, and the acknowledgment that the work is just beginning.

The first thing you need to do, even before taking the first shot, is to be aware of the surroundings. You have to know where you are, and where your quarry is. When you have the shot, and take it, know where the quarry is exactly. As the range increases the difficulty of finding the exact spot becomes more difficult.

Also watch the reaction of your game. Deer will take off at a dead run, or jump straight up and kick when hit in the ticker. Hogs turn on the afterburners when shot and then either pile up or get into cover. Watch where the animal goes and try to remember where you lost sight of it.

After taking the shot, crank your scope down as low as it goes. You'll thank me for it later if you need to get an animal in your sights quickly.

When you make your way to the spot where the animal was, carefully note any sign such as hair or blood. Also sight along the path it took on its way out. The blood left at the initial site may provide clues to determine where you hit. Bright red, frothy blood indicates a lung shot. Dark colored blood could mean the liver was struck. A heart shot will be bright red blood. Look for signs that may indicate a poor shoot. If there is digested vegetation mixed in with the blood it could very well indicate a paunch hit.

When an animal takes off, the direction it went will frequently be marked by blood spatters. At times it may diminish to drops. This is all too common with hogs, where the fat and hide will frequently stop the external bleeding. It is important to follow up slowly and carefully, noting every drop of blood and every disturbed leaf. Blood can be anywhere from the sides of the trail to the ground. Wild Ed of Wild Ed's Outdoors, reminds us also to keep an eye on the brush or grass on either side of the track, not just at ground level but higher. The height can indicate where an animal has been hit. Mark your observations with tissue paper or surveyors tape, (Make sure you pick it up when you are done!) so that if need be, you can retrace your steps.

If you lose the track, go back to the last sign you found and carefully start again. Remember look at it from the animal's perspective. This means get down on your hands and knees. You will be surprised what it looks like from down there! Follow the path of least resistance.

Always be on the lookout for your game. It could be that dark spot there, or the light line there. Always be ready.

Tracking a wounded animal is hard work and a grave responsibility. Every effort should be made to recover a lost animal. In many states there are tracking services available that use blood tracking dogs to find lost game.

Born-To-Track News and Views covers the Blood Tracking dog world, and in particular the Wire Haired Dachshunds. Look through the archives and you will find several posts on deer that have been found by these amazing dogs. And golly, they are cute as can be!

In those states where dogs cannot be used, then you must use every sense and every clue to find your animal. Perseverance and patience are the keys to recovery.

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch™
Member: Shindand Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

Though he spends most of his time writing and keeping the world safe for democracy, Albert was actually a student of biology. Really. But after a stint as a lab tech performing repetitious and mind-numbing processes that a trained capuchin monkey could do better, he never returned to the field. Rather he became a bartender. As he once said, "Hell, I was feeding mice all sorts of concoctions. At the club I did the same thing; except I got paid a lot better, and the rats where bigger." He has followed the science of QDM for many years, and fancies himself an aficionado. If you have any questions, or just want to get more information, reach him via TheRaschOutdoorChronicles(at)MSN(dot)com.

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Avoid Gettin' Snake Bit! A Chronicles' Classic

2010-12-06T13:55:00.000-08:00

"I did a little research when I got back in the house. The anti-venom for a Cottonmouth bite is called Crofab Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine). It is critical to get anti-venom in the patient as soon as possible to minimize necrotic damage to the tissue and coagulopathy."

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Avoid Gettin' Snake Bit! A Chronicles' Classic

How to avoid getting bit by snakes
What to do if you get bit by a snake
What anti-venom should you use
What antivenom should you use
What to do if you get bit by a snake.

Nebraska Hunting Outfitters: Last Chance Buck: Hunting Nebraska's Whitetail Deer

2010-11-23T12:52:00.000-08:00

My good friend Scott Croner called me all the way out here in Afghanistan to brag about a beauty of a whitetail that he was lucky enough to get a shot at!

Scott, an accomplished outfitter, field measured the buck. He estimates that it weighed 300 lbs, and green scored a solid 150!

Please stop by and check it out at:
Last Chance Buck: Hunting Nebraska's Whitetail Deer

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch™
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Afghanistan, Permaculture, and Beekeeping

Hunting in Nebraska Nebraska Hunting CompanyCupidFish.comScott Croner Hunting in Nebraska Yo-Yos for Troops!Nebraska Hunting Company Mark Osterholt Scott Croner

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: The Range Reviews: SiegeWork Creations Longbow Pt I

2009-08-25T06:11:00.000-07:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: The Range Reviews: SiegeWork Creations Longbow Pt I

© 2009 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
.

The SWC American Longbow

I have had a traditional hunting bow since I was thirteen years old. It's a Ben Pearson Flame Hunter recurve take-down, drawing 50lbs at 28". I shot that bow religiously throughout my teen years until I was a senior in high school when I bought a Browning Compound Cobra. Try as I might, I never had the opportunity to hunt deer in all those years.

Every so often, I pull those bows down off the shelf, and after looking them over and dusting them off, draw them a few times, and maybe shoot a few arrows and then unceremoniously put them away to gather dust again.

I really have been meaning to get around to shooting the bow again, specifically traditional archery, but it seems that there is never enough time. Figuring that I would be long gone, dead and buried before I ever "got around" to it, I decided that I was going to make time and rekindle my love affair with the bow. Remember, unlike my Ruger 458WM #1, a traditional bow is quiet, relatively non-threatening, and I can practice with it anytime I have fifteen yards of space available to me.

I looked around Al Gore's Internet and found dozens of traditional bow makers of all shapes and sizes, strewn throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, and some places even I didn't know existed.

Digging in a little deeper, I narrowed in on a great little company out of Texas. Named SiegeWork Creations, in reference to their medieval roots, they still handcraft traditional wood bows for the hunter and target shooter.

A few things attracted me to them. First and foremost it's an American company using American materials wherever possible. Secondly, the bows are handmade one at a time. Some machine work is done of course, but it is done by hand. Third, the prices are very reasonable. You could save your lunch money and spare change for a few weeks and get a full set up. To top it all off Dave, the owner of SiegeWork Creations, rides a horse and shoots with his bows. That's just too cool in my book!

SiegeWork Creations is owned by Dave Ruff and his wife Sara Ahlers. SWC actually originated from Dave and Sara's medieval faire vendor business. Selling bows to re-enactors and fans of the medieval era, they did pretty well, but Dave, having shot bows since he was a young man, wanted something more.

During the winter of 2000 Dave started building bows, and after six months of “practice” (also known as making kindling), he was carving out some pretty good bows. Before long he was selling them locally and garnering a reputation for a good dependable bow, at a reasonable price.

So light, she floats!
“Our mission is to provide a good and dependable bow without the high dollar cost that they seem to bring.” Dave said over the phone. “Let’s face it; the cost of materials is equal in a $700 custom laminate bow that has a big name and a $300 custom laminate bow that has a small time maker’s name.”

Dave continued, “No need to spend hundreds of dollars more on a custom bow, when our bows are custom made using the same materials that the higher priced bows are made of, using the same methods of construction, but are 30 to 50% less in price.” He paused, “And why is that? We don't believe in over-charging our customers for them to get into a great all round bow.”

I was intrigued. I’ve coveted a long bow for as long as I have been using a bow, and in particular I’ve wanted a Howard Hill laminate long bow. I remember watching Howard Hill when I was a little kid, and being mesmerized by his abilities. I mentioned it in passing to Dave.

“Albert, we also make the SWC Long Bow in a wood and bamboo laminate. We have a wood supplier here locally that runs a mill, and we have access to well over 3000 board foot of lumber that we crawl through every month looking for bow wood. I can guarantee you a bow as good as anything coming from any manufacturer without the high price tag for the signature. And they are all handcrafted, one at a time by our master bowyer.”

Well, I really wanted to try one now! So after consultation with Dave and some deliberation I decided on the SWC American Long Bow… Just a plain Jane standard model to start with. In a few months I may decide on something a little more extravagant and with more weight.

Fast forward a couple of weeks. From the vantage point of the "office" window, I saw the postman drive up, and I could also see a long narrow package on the dash of his vehicle. You know what that was! Heedless of dog, cat, and prostate children, I rushed down the stairs taking the steps in bounds of two and three. Seeing me coming up fast, the postman quickly stuck the long, narrow box out the driver’s window, knowing full and well that I was quite capable of climbing in and claiming what was mine.

Eagerly opening the end of the box and sliding out my new bow, I carefully unwrapping it from the packing material. I was immediately taken by the well crafted string nocks. As I peeled the paper back from the limbs, I noted the smooth satiny finish, the even laminations, the color contrast, and the weight - boy was it light. Even my jaded postman was impressed.

I noted the writing on the lower limb. 51# @ 28. I have a slightly longer draw length just shy of 30”, and Dave has assured me that I can draw it to 31” without any problem. That should put it at about 53# to 55# at my draw length. And that my friends, is more than adequate for any pig that crosses my path.

Let’s take a closer look at the bow itself, before we go shoot it.

The SWC American is 70.75 inches overall unstrung, and weighs about 16 ounces. Dave suggests a minimum brace height of 6.5 inches and up to 7.5. Strung to 7.0 inches the overall length is 67 3/4th inches.

The grip transitions smoothly to the risers, and they in turn transition into the limbs with no abrupt change in geometry.

The grip and riser length is 18 and 1/4 inches from the point it narrows at each limb. The grip is made of walnut with three laminates of maple on the outside. A layer of black e-glass goes over all, and at the grip there is a walnut addition of finger grooves. Above and below the grip there are an additional two layers of maple for the limbs plus the belly layer of e-glass. The total depth of the grip is 2 and 1/16th inches, and it is what I would describe as straight. The sight window is 3 and 1/2 inches, and the arrow shelf is 7/16th of an inch in depth. Dave includes a calf hair pad on the shelf and side plate.

The limbs are 26 1/4 inches long from the riser’s end to the tip. As it is a long bow, the limbs are perfectly straight. The draw weight is, as I mentioned, 51# at 28 inches, and it will draw to 31”. The limbs have a rectangular cross-section, and are 1 and 5/16th inches at their widest. The bow nocks are made of walnut, and are handsomely carved out of the tips.

The string is a standard 3-ply Flemish in brown and green, and is as good a looking piece of woven string as any I’ve seen.

The draw is smooth with a constant increase in poundage.

There is no hint of stacking at the end of the draw. Stacking is when you hit a point where the bow is not going to bend any further. The fibers on the back of the bow are as stretched out as they will go and the ones on the inside are at maximum compression. The American is smooth all the way back, with room to spare for those of you that are longer reached.

I also draw with three fingers, no mechanicals for Albert. As it is a long bow, the string angle is great enough to make finger pinch a none issue. For shorter bows a release might be necessary, or a different gripping method such as a thumb ring.

Those are the physical attributes of the SWC American Long Bow. I am really impressed by the fit and finish, the quality of the materials; for the money you cannot go wrong!

In the next couple of days, I’ll delve into my impressions from the initial shoot, and what I am going to need to work on.

SiegeWork Creations is open from 10am to 4pm M-F and closed weekends. On the off chance that they can not answer the phone, Dave and Sara do return ALL phone messages left. Call them at 903-285-4347.

The SWC American Longbow
Base Price: $189.00
E-Mail: office@siegeworkcreations.com
Web Store: SiegeWork Archery

Post of Interest:

The SWC American is Here!

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles Index

2009-08-25T05:13:00.000-07:00

© 2009 Albert A Rasch
.
I thought it was time I put together an Index to all the great posts on The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles. With over 250 individual posts, some of them are becoming increasingly hard to find. This should help! I will update it regularly to keep it current.

The permanent link to the index page will be over there to the left.

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Hunting Fallow Deer: Tips and Techniques

2009-07-30T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Hunting Fallow Deer: Tips and Techniques

The Mark Osterholt Files: CupidFish.com = Putrid Fish

2009-07-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

The Mark Osterholt Files: CupidFish.com = Putrid Fish

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Better Blogging or What if my Brain Explodes?

2009-07-27T20:22:00.000-07:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Better Blogging or What if my Brain Explodes?

© 2009 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
.
"With some luck, the framework you have built will stand up to the pressure and keep you from becoming another skid-mark on the underwear of life experiences."
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5
Things have been a little different lately. With over 8000 unique hits per month and almost 12000 page views, I’m beginning to feel some pressure to up the writing ante a little more. After a long discussion with my good friend Mike Riddle of Native Hunt on the music industry and issues of marketing, and then working with and doing the interview with Scott Croner of Nebraska Hunting Company, I was doubly convinced that the time had come to really push and try to create something with even more value for my readers.

My buddy Rick over at Whitetail Woods happened to respond with a comment on the interview post. It got me thinking deeply about the following. I’ve been blogging seriously for about six months, and the question before me now is where and how do I go from here.

Rick made the comment that we as bloggers can bring business to people in the outdoor industry, and the unspoken converse is that we can just as easily demolish them. I hadn’t really thought of that with any intent. But as many of you know, I did both over the last few weeks. And when you stop to contemplate that, you find yourself realizing that you wield an enormous amount of influence when you write about someone or something. That’s quite a bit of responsibility. It is a lot of responsibility not only to the subjects of your articles, but especially to your readers.

The folks that read your blog are certainly expecting you to give them something of value. The desires may be different, and whether it is information, a respite from the day’s trials, humor, or moral support, they want value for their time. You have worked hard to build up that trust and relationship.

At a certain point though, you have to determine what it is that people come to you for. I really like the issues related posts like the high fence ones, and product reviews remain a favorite too. People really like the gossip ones, and the how-to articles also. It is the combination of those genera though that has made me a somewhat popular blogger. And it has brought me some attention from the bigger fish in the outdoor industry pond.

The one thing I have tried to do is stay honest with my writing. I write in my own voice, from my own experience, and using a style that I have developed over time that communicates in what I think is an effective manner. Now as my writing has matured, and the demands become greater, I find myself wondering how am I going to keep the Albert Rasch that everyone knows and either loves or hates, speaking to them.

When I found myself this past weekend wondering about that, I stopped and considered the ramifications. As you start to push the envelope, one of three things will happen: you throttle back to a comfortable range, keeping satisfied with what you have and the status quo. You break through and find a new pace in this new region, completely foreign to you, but exhilarating in its new opportunities and horizons. Or you get torn to pieces, burning up through the atmosphere as you splatter and crash in an uncontrollable wreck of furious destruction, to be forgotten in a couple of days.

Well, I’ve done the latter all together too many times, and the former is not that appealing; I mean really, I’m middle aged not dead. The middle choice though seems just about right. Fortunately having just about made it to the mid-century point, I have learned that it never hurts to lay off the throttle a moment, size up what is going on around you, then punching the afterburners. With some luck, the framework you have built will stand up to the pressure and keep you from becoming another skid-mark on the underwear of life experiences.

You might have noticed that I’ve been feathering the throttle on occasion here and there. Link posts, silly post and things of that nature. Those are the days when I am either working my way through another project, or setting up a project. Those lightweight posts, they serve a purpose too, they don’t just take up space. The link posts in particular are important in that they are there to help everyone, but they are pretty easy to put together and they give me time to work in depth and breadth on other things.

Going back to the framework, I think that as you mature as a blogger, and the assignments get tougher, you really have to sit down and decide what your core values are. I think I am fair, honest, flexible, hard driving, combative, credible, and honorable. And I think my writing reflects that. When you’re wondering how you should handle an opportunity or assignment, your stated values help you determine how to handle them. It really has made a difference for me to frame and build a structure around many issues by falling back on these values. I’ve also avoided a few things because there was no way to work within my values. The ability to walk away from things is what keeps you credible.

I have had the opportunity to work with several professionals in the outdoor industry recently. What I can tell you is that the last three weeks or so have been an altogether cram course in Al Gore’s Internet, marketing, SEO, Google, and stuff that I can regurgitate if not expostulate. I have learned about e-mail, g-mail, snail mail, and chain mail. The last one was coincidental by the way… along with SEO, B2B, B2C, CNC, NBC, AWHFY and assorted and sundry other shortcuts and what not. This past weekend though I hit the saturation point and I just had to slow it down. There are only so many acronyms you can remember, and only so much ingenuity at any given time in this brain.

Working with others in the outdoors industry has been a great experience for me and has added immeasurably to my ability to communicate with my readers. I am on my way to being able to put together better and more useful content that helps you be a better sportsman and outdoorsman.

A little introspection, some analysis, defined values, and a few clear goals will really help you focus on any project you may have in mind. Whether it is the next step in your plan to conquer the Internet, or your next post, having though about it with a little more structure can only make it better, and perhaps easier on you. Reach out for advise, and be willing to stretch and learn new things. As I am fond of saying, the best investment you can make is that in yourself.

And of course I invite all of my fellow outdoor bloggers to always feel free to ask me about anything. Any time you need a hand I am always available and ready to assist, if you want to do a guest post, if you want me to do a guest post, blogging advise, some linking, or just to throw the bull around. The campfire always has space for one more, the pot of coffee is always fresh, and a tumbler of Bourbon is always handy.

Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Outfitter Chronicles: J Scott Croner Part II

2009-07-24T22:42:00.000-07:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Outfitter Chronicles: J Scott Croner Part II

The Outfitters Chronicles an Interview with Scott Croner
And Nebraska Hunting Company: Part II

Folks, hello and good hunting to you, this is Albert A Rasch of the Rasch Outdoor Chronicles. We are back again with J. Scott Croner, Outfitter and owner of Nebraska Hunting Company.

TROC: So how did you get started hunting?

JSC: I started hunting with my dad and grandpa from the time I could walk. I learned all of the little things that keep you safe outdoors and have fun at the same time. Some of my fondest memories are of the discoveries I made when I was just a little kid.

TROC: Like what?

JSC: Albert, you must remember the first set of tracks you ever found, or the hawk’s feather, maybe you found a bone or antler! Those are priceless experiences and set the stage for both of our love for the outdoors.

TROC: You are absolutely right Scott. I remember a cat's paw print that I cast, and a rabbit skull that I happened to dig up. So what made you start an outfitting and guiding service?

JSC: Having been in the outdoor merchandise field, and as I became more adept at using the internet, I felt that there was a need for an organization to help guides and outfitters market themselves. I went and founded the Nebraska Outfitters and Guides Association (NEOGA) and built it up to almost fifty members. For reasons that aren’t important to discuss, they decided that they did NOT need an executive director. Feel free to look them up; you can decide how well they are doing on their own without any help from me. By the way, I bear no animosity to any of the members, none.

TROC: Really…

JSC: I had already decided that I wanted to be in the outdoor industry. Since I had been in Nebraska all of my life and was a fairly successful hunter I thought that taking people out and getting paid for it would be fun and easy. Ahhh…OOPS! It has been a lot of fun, but never guaranteed or easy.

TROC: I bet it was rough going at first. How did you manage?

JSC: Albert I want you and your readers to know that I have succeeded in this business by offering excellent service at a fair price and by having an above average success rate. Sometimes I feel like one of those financial services ads that say “Past performance is no guarantee of future profits…” But the truth is that I work harder during the off season so my clients have a good season. They pay hard earned money to have what may be a once in a lifetime hunt, I don’t want to be the one to disappoint them.

TROC: Now looking at you website NebraskaHunting.Net, you seem to be having quite a bit of success. Tell us about some of highlights. Actually, what I really want to know, is it true that you got 87 turkeys in 28 days? I mean it seems unbelievable and quite frankly, it sounds biblical!

JSC: We had more clients than usual due to some larger parties, but we put them in great spots that I personally scouted throughout the year. We harvested 87 toms in 28 days with 40 clients and we all thought that was one for the record books. And I’m not kidding Albert, the weather has been particularly good this spring and summer, and I think next year, (the 2010 spring season), will be even better.

TROC: How about the melanistic Merriam’s turkey; that must have been a once in a lifetime trophy for the lucky hunter!

JSC: Well you would think shooting a rare bird one year would just be luck, and I would agree, especially since it was only the that hunter’s second bird. This year it happened again with Todd Ried, and we already know where a couple of more melanistic Merriam’s are hiding out. The year round scouting really pays off for the client.

TROC: I see you guide for deer, pheasant, and snow geese also.

JSC: We have really concentrated on turkey, deer, pheasant, and snow geese. The deer have been a real highlight for us. We have been outfitting for whitetail deer for five years now, and each year we have shot a few big deer in the 140 to 175 inch range. And you can’t appreciate Snow Goose hunting without actually experiencing it. It is indescribable!

TROC: Merriam’s Turkey, pheasant, duck, snow geese, and whitetail what a variety! What is your favorite?

JSC: It is really hard to pick one favorite, but you know, a gobbling, strutting tom is hard to beat. They all make you heart pound deep in your chest.

TROC: That’s fantastic. You are very fortunate to live in such a game rich part of the nation, and to be able to put together hunts for folks from all over.

JSC: Well I have to tell you that I could not do it without the great clients I have had the opportunity to guide. They are the ones that allow me to watch them do something they love to do, and that is typically reserved for family, friends and hunting buddies. I also get to take all of the photos and relive the memories that we all shared. I have had more than my fair share of outdoor celebrity hunters too, but it's the guys like you and I, guys that work for a living, that I appreciate the most.

TROC: That must be awesome. Let's shift gears a little. Tell me about your tri-athlete hobby.

JSC: Yes, I have been a Triathlete for over 30 years. The swimming and the biking are not much help for the hunting season, but the running really pays off big. I think it is always an advantage to be in a little better shape than your clients. I don’t think you need to run to be in the right place all of the time but getting there in a hurry can sure keep the animals guessing.

TROC: Did I mention I swim like a stone? Throw a lead weight in the water and it’s a better than 50% chance that I’ll beat it to the bottom.

JSC: Uhh, do you want me to comment on that?

TROC: No. Not really…

TROC: Now Scott, how can someone get in touch with you? Are you booked solid already for the year, or do you have some slots available for this coming season.

JSC: Albert, folks that are interested in seeing what packages I have available can go to our website Nebraska Hunting Company, and check out our Hunting Packages . I also have downloadable PDF brochures for the spring snow goose, turkey, and deer hunts. When they want to get in touch with me they can email me at Scott@Nebraskahunting.net or call me at 402-304-1192.

TROC: Scott I want to thank you again for taking the time out of your busy schedule and talking with us.

JSC: Albert, it was my pleasure!

I want to thank Scott Croner of Nebraska Hunting Company for joining me here at TROC and telling us a little about himself and his company.

Folks, thanks again for stopping by at TROC. I hope you have enjoyed this new segment, we are definitely going to start to do some new things; who knows maybe some podcasts are in order, or videos too.

Best regards,
Albert A Rasch

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: The Outfitter Chronicles: J Scott Croner Part I

2009-07-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: The Outfitter Chronicles: J Scott Croner Part I

Outfitter Chronicles: J Scott Croner Part I

2009-07-24T00:26:00.000-07:00

The Outfitters Chronicles: An Interview with J Scott Croner
And Nebraska Hunting Company

$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5 Outfitter Chronicles: J Scott Croner.
Folks, hello and good hunting to you, this is Albert A Rasch of The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles. Today we are starting a new series “The Outfitters Chronicles” interviewing Outfitters and Guides as only the Chronicles can.

Our first official interview is with J Scott Croner of Nebraska Hunting Company. I recorded this over the phone and the only editing done was getting rid of my “uhhhhs,” "Hold Ons," and awkward pauses as I shoved the cat out of my way any number of times. I really need an office…

TROC: First off Scott, I would like to thank you for extending me the opportunity to interview you. I hope you’re not too nervous. I am.

JSC: No Albert, I’m fine. I have been looking forward to the opportunity to reach out to all your readers and talk about Nebraska Hunting Company and some of the issues you have been contending with.

TROC: Well let’s just start right there. Readers, as you know many posts from The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles and Outdoor Bloggers Summit were plagiarized and placed on several aggregator sites. Scott, how did you become aware of it?

JSC: Well Albert, in June when you and I met, Jesse of Jesse's Hunting and Outdoors had called me to tell me what was going on with the Outdoor Bloggers Summit people. When Mark started his on-line assault on me back in April of 2005, I contacted Jesse because we had worked together when Osterholt was at it before.

TROC: Why did you want to get in touch with me and TROC?

JSC: When I went on your Blog, TROC, I was really surprised by the great writing and stories I found there. Really, and I mean this sincerely, you are a great writer!

TROC: Jeez… Enough already! I mean don’t get me wrong…

JSC: No, you do a great job at writing about the outdoors. Anyway through Mike Riddle of Native Hunt, I was able to at least get a message to you. At first I wanted to warn you about the plagiarizer Mark Osterholt. But by the time I got to talk to you, you were already tearing up the Internet looking for him.

TROC: Yeah, I waste no time…

JSC: When I did speak to you, I felt like finally someone else was willing to take on Osterholt besides me. And as I told you I have had my fair share of run-ins with him, as has Jesse over at JHO.

TROC: Tell us about it, and tell us about him.

JSC: I got started in the outfitting business in 2003. I decided that I would try to make a living out of something I really loved and enjoyed and that is to get outdoors and have fun with friends and family. I had very little experience on the internet and none in the marketing aspect of it. I received an email from Osterholt offering mass emails to hunters and fisherman. I also needed a website designed so he put me with Bluewire Studios from Seattle, WA. We cut a deal and I forwarded $1000.00 to Osterholt and his company Internet Concepts. Osterholt was suppose to forward part of the $1000.00 I sent him to them to get started on the new website. I was in touch with Bluewire on a number of occasions while they got started designing my new website. It didn’t take long for both Bluewire and I to figure out that Osterholt was running a scam. Neither Bluewire nor I ever got anything from that $1000! That’s when Mark and I started to go head to head.

TROC: Scott as I mentioned before we started, I did my research and checked everything to the best of my ability. A couple of other things came up at about the same time right?

JSC: Well Albert, I was getting a real lesson in internet marketing and decided to put it to use. I did work for some real estate companies. Long and the short of that is that I got into legal trouble on some technical issues that proceeded to get worse before it got straightened out.

TROC: How bad?

JSC: The real Estate lawsuits were filed because another realtor and I were using an URL to promote her. We informed the parent realtor company that we were doing it within the Real Estate Commission laws however they wanted us to stop. I got a little cocky and we said no, as we were completely within our legal rights. They said it was a trade name violation and filed a lawsuit. The odd thing was that the agent worked for the company, but the URL’s were registered in my name. I believe that the problem was that we out-marketed their marketing company. It was a typical business lawsuit, we turned over all the domains and promised to never use them again. There was NO money paid out.

TROC: During my research I also found this case in particular. There are harassment orders that were then dismissed when everything else was worked out, correct?

JSC: Yes that is right. Like many things in life it started out as a misunderstanding and escalated. I still have a counter-harassment order in place in Douglas County Nebraska to prevent the other individual from bothering me. The person that I was in business with kept receiving phone calls, anonymous emails, and mail. We were trying to come to an agreement to sell the business and she thought that I was somehow involved. After a lot of legwork and a few thousand dollars my name was cleared and we found out that Mark Osterholt was behind much of this.

TROC: That SOB! Here you are embroiled in a business issue, and he uses the information, puts a twist on it, and tries to blackmail you!

JSC: Yes that’s right Albert; I can’t tell you how many nights I’ve stayed up thinking about how Mark Osterholt has tried to use it against me repeatedly!

TROC: Let’s move on to Osterholt. How the hell did you get involved with that lowlife?

JSC: As I mentioned before, Mark Olsterholt and his companies Outdoor Concepts of Las Vegas, NV and Internet Concepts of Aloha, Oregon was presented as a marketing and advertisement firm. Mark is quite convincing…

TROC: A confidence man!

JSC: Right. I thought at first that he was straight up and a legitimate businessman. Boy was I wrong!

JSC: When I called him on the carpet about his scamming me, he started the Nebraskahuntingscam.com website to try and discredit me and ruin my business.

TROC: Hold on Scott. I’ve seen the site and it has some pretty damning information. We have already covered some of it, but how about this client that you allegedly took advantage of.

Joseph Jackson was a client that booked a hunt. When he did book a hunt his first check bounced. I have copies of it, by the way. He would NOT get up to hunt on any morning and was NOT in shape to get in an elevated tree stand. However, I did make him an offer to come back and hunt again at NO charge. His cabin was NOT burglarized at all and NO police report was filed.

(Albert’s Note: For everyone’s information I have had a series of web gurus do some forensic investigations. Interestingly enough the correspondence by “Joe Jackson” originated from Portland, Oregon. The IP # used in that correspondence is identical to, you guessed it, Mark Osterholt's.)

TROC: Ok Scott that’s enough of Osterholt. Look I have been personally investigating Mark Osterholt and besides the fact that he is a known plagiarizer, he is also a convicted animal abuser. He has a terrible reputation on many hunting, fishing, and hockey forums and BBS’s…

JSC: He (Osterholt) just takes advantage of everyone he comes in contact with, and the sad part, is that he really is pretty smart at the marketing aspects, he just can’t seem to stop from trying to scam people. As you are aware, he has scammed Willie A. Vermaak of African Feather, Fur and Scale out of a substantial sum, and Osterholt’s former “roommate” had her identity stolen and several credit cards run up in her name. It is currently under investigation.

TROC: Scott it seems you just had a streak of bad luck exacerbated by Osterholt’s scams and interference.

Personally I am glad he crossed my path.

Scott let’s take a break and come back to talk hunting, outfitting and your competitive tri-athlete hobby.

Folks, Part II will be posted tomorrow. I have to say that this was quite a fun and enjoyable. I'm looking forward to doing more of them in the future and I do have another lined up already.

Cowtown Cop: The destruction of a good man

2009-07-23T20:39:00.000-07:00

Cowtown Cop: The destruction of a good man

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Senator Bill Nelson Writes Back.

2009-07-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Senator Bill Nelson Writes Back.

© 2009 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
.

Albert Rasch Announces a Run for the US Senate

(Just kidding... Really.)

As I mentioned in my post Right to Carry in your Hands, I wrote my Senators about the issue and how I expected them to vote.
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.
Senator Mel Martinez came through and voted affirmatively on Senate Bill 1618. Bill Nelson on the other hand refused to help protect law abiding citizens from the ravages of criminals, murderers, rapists, and sociopaths.

He wrote me a note explaining his position, without actually telling me why he was against the Right of Americans to defend themselves from predators that prey on the elderly, children, and those unable to physically defend themselves!

He starts with, "Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns about gun control. I support the constitutional right to bear arms. I grew up on a ranch in the Florida countryside and have been a hunter since I was a boy."

Well that's good news! I am glad to hear that.

But then he starts to dissemble, "I also support efforts to reduce gun violence and promote firearms safety. We should close the gun show loophole and take other steps to ensure that felons are not allowed to buy firearms. Running background checks on prospective gun purchasers is a practical way to ensure that guns do not fall into the wrong hands without unreasonably burdening citizens' 2nd amendment rights."

Bullshit meter pegs full right on high!!!

Gun Show loophole? What the devil are you talking about? Hasn't that been beaten into the ground and proven a red herring?

So what is it Bill? Are you voting for the Right of American Citizens to protect the lives and property of their loved ones and fellow Americans?

I got my answer yesterday.

No.

Bill Nelson has no interest in allowing responsible, law abiding, productive members of society to defend themselves and their loved ones regardless of where they are. He would much rather pander to the extremists of the Democratic party than allow Americans to defend Americans.

I now hereby announce that I will do everything in my power to bring about the removal of Senator Bill Nelson from the halls of the Senate.

I will promote any opponent that meets my criteria of being a defender of the American People.
I will donate to the political campaign of those that oppose him during his next political campaign.
I will dedicate my meager resources to remove his name from the rolls of the Senate.

And everyone knows I put my heart and soul into everything I do.

He can go back to his childhood ranch and contemplate why he would choose to support criminals against his fellow American.

Regards,
Albert A Rasch

Game Reserves, Preserve Hunting, High Fence Hunting, What are the Facts?

2009-07-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Game Reserves, Preserve Hunting, High Fence Hunting, What are the Facts?

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Bluebirds are Making a Comeback!

2009-07-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Bluebirds are Making a Comeback!

© 2009 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles Bluebirds in Florida, Making Nest boxes for bluebirds, bluebird nest boxes

Bluebirds Making a Comeback in West Central Florida

$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

Thanks again to the keen observations of the Portly Pirate at The Drawn Cutlass, I have been made aware of the Eastern Bluebird is making a comeback here in my neck of the woods! One of the members of the Thrush family, the Eastern Bluebird is welcome visitor in anyone's backyard. Insectivorous, they nest in tree hollows on the edges of open fields and pastures where they can capture their meals.

According to the UPI article there are over 100 nesting pairs in the suburban and rural areas east of Tampa.

Nest boxes are easily made, though the entrance hole needs to be a snug 1-1/2 inch round hole to prevent starlings from using the nest box. There is a set of specs for bluebird boxes at the North American Blue Bird Society website: Nestbox Specifications. They can be easily handcrafted from untreated 1/2" material that is 5 1/2" wide. The Missouri Dept of Conversation has nice plans that are easy to follow, along with good information: How to build a Bluebird House. Unbeknownst to me, they can also be fashioned out of 4" PVC. (Though they are better for tree swallows than the bluebirds.) Now I have an excuse for bringing some home with me! In fact it can be one of the Chronicles projects in the future. Great project for the kids too.

It pleases me to no end to hear of the success of the many volunteers that have put in the time, energy, and effort to make and put up boxes for the Bluebird.

A tip of the hat is certainly in order!

The July Outdoor Bloggers Rally

2009-07-22T19:28:00.000-07:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: The July Outdoor Bloggers Rally

Great Outdoor Links from outdoor Bloggers

Thank you all for participating! Here is how this is going to work. I will post it and then forward it via email to a person that linked here, and to someone that didn't. The e-mail will consist of the html version of the post, so it will be easy to cut and paste and get all the links in right . I'll explain on the email what to do and how to do it for those that may be unfamiliar with posting in that fashion. When you get it, add a link to the bottom, post it, and within a couple of days forward it to someone one on the post already, and to someone not on the post.

It doesn't matter who you send it to, so long as you are fairly confident that they will continue to forward it. It will get some links pointing back to you, and maybe a few new readers.

So here we go!

Great Outdoor Links from Outdoor Bloggers

Rick K. at Whitetail Woods sends us this popular How-To: An Inexpensive Gravity Deer or Hog Feeder.

Outfitter/Guide Dennis Carroll of Montana Elk Hunting forwarded "Skellum," a great mini bio on a great Vet from Zimbabwe.

Julia, the Mother Hen at Henhouse Pottery, feeds her family, raises chickens, and throws clay on her homestead. She sends a great Q&A about chicken poop, compost, Raku firing, and common sense in her post "Raku, Chickens, and Compost."

Snakes and their identification are on Wild Ed's mind on his Texas Snake Roundup, where Ed helps us identify snakes that reside in his home state of Texas. Wild Ed has lots of great posts on Texas fauna on a regular basis as in Proof is in the Pictures.

Our fearless correspondent from Tennessee, Gabe over at EnviroCapitalist, likes his frog legs fresh, and goes about it with relish. Get into it with Gigging!

The Black Rabbit is a knife maker and by golly a good one at that! He has a two parter on making knives that is really a treat! Utility Knife Step-by-step: Part 1 and Utility Knife Step-by-step: Part 2

The truth is that Hunts Like a Girl at Scent Free Lip Gloss is so cute that I'm embarrassed to go to her website. I worry her husband will see me looking at her posts, figure I'm oggleing her, and then beat the bejeebers outta me. A Diffent Kind of Bull and Lanterns and Poop Chairs are her choice for a good read!

Albert at The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles and The Range Reviews: Tactical, did some post-graduate schooling on Real Men Hunt.

Don't forget to add a link or two when you get this yourself!
.

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Feral Hogs Invading the Great Lakes

2009-07-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Feral Hogs Invading the Great Lakes

.$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

Snowbirds Get Their Comeuppance!

It seems that the South is returning the favor. Instead of sending all the snowbirds back, it appears that wild hogs are taking their place on their way back to the Great Lakes regions.

"In Michigan alone there were 200 sightings of these animals in more than 60 counties as of late 2008. "
Great Lakes Echo

I found the article during my nocturnal wanderings last night:
Big pigs, big problem: Feral swine spread to Great Lakes region

I would suggest that they institute a shoot on sight policy to avoid the problem of having them overrunning their lands. In a few short years, they could be as common as they are here!

Uhmm, I mean the hogs not the Snowbirds...

Best regards,
Albert

Nebraska Hunting Outfitters: Frequently Asked Questions: Part II

2009-07-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

This is Scott's follow up on Part I
Nebraska Hunting Outfitters: Frequently Asked Questions: Part II

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Attention Bloggers: Send Me Your Links!

2009-07-21T08:53:00.000-07:00

© 2009 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
.
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Attention Bloggers: Send Me Your Links!
.
So I'm mulling around a couple of ideas and this one came to the surface.$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.

I need as many of you to send me a link to one of your posts that you would like to see passed around. It could be your best, most popular, least popular that really deserves a second viewing, which ever post you want sent around.

I'll put it all together and post it with all the links. Then I'll e-mail it to the next person on the list who will then add a new link to the bottom and post it on their blog. Then they will pass it on to the next blogger who will do likewise and so on. When we get to thirty links or so, we will take one off the top and add a new one to the bottom.

I think that will work! We need to start linking more to each other and get people noticed!

Best to all!
Albert

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Protect Yourself from Plagiarism: Part II

2009-07-21T01:01:00.000-07:00

Mark Osterholt, Wayne Rommel, Plagiarism, How to file DMCA complaint, Cupidfish.com, Hunt101.com
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: Protect Yourself from Plagiarism: Part II

© 2009 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
.

How to Protect Yourself from Plagiarizers and Plagiarism

So now you have placed in the basic protections against copyright infringement. What do you do if you find your materials on a website like with or without credit?
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.
I found several great web sites that have all the information you will need to exact swift and terrible vengeance upon the plagiarizer! Ok maybe not swift and terrible, but at least you will get your stuff free and clear of their nefarious grip. PlagiarismToday.com is an excellent site and has step by step procedures to follow. I will cover them briefly . You can also go to for similar information How to File a DMCA Complaint as well as What Do You Do When Someone Steals Your Content.

After you have found out that your material has been taken, contact the Plagiarist. Leave a comment, or look for their e-mail on the site. Tell them you would like your material taken off of their website if that is what you want, or add the credit and links. Most of the time, especially if it's an aggregator, they'll never answer. If after a day or two you haven’t gotten results…

It is time to step it up a notch and send a Cease and Desist order.

This is to advise you that you are using copyrighted and protected material on your website/blog. Your illegal use of my article at this url is originally from my website/blog called Title of Work at my works url. This is original content and I am the author and copyright holder. Use of copyright protected material without permission is illegal under copyright laws.
Please take one or more of the following actions immediately:
• Re-write the post to include excerpts with a link to the original content.
• Credit the material specifically to me, as author, and my website [be specific].
• Provide compensation for use of my copyright protected material of $????.00 USD paid via [payment method].

• Or remove the plagiarized material immediately.
I expect a response within 3 days of this issue. Thank you for your immediate action on this matter.

Let’s say you have tried to contact the plagiarist or you just can’t find the plagiarist, then pull out the big guns! Contact the Host and make them take care of it. Use a service like whois.net to find out who the host of the domain name is. Then it is just a matter of going to this site, DMCA Contacts and filing the appropriate DMCA paperwork via e-mail.

Here is an example, I emailed Wordpress:

My electronic signature

http://trochronicles.blogspot.com/2009/07/real-men-hunt.html
http://trochronicles.blogspot.com/2009/07/mike-riddle-and-native-hunt-on-sci.html
http://trochronicles.blogspot.com/2009/07/burmese-python-kills-toddler.html
http://trochronicles.blogspot.com/2009/07/cracker-cooking-alligator-tenderloins.html
http://trochronicles.blogspot.com/2009/06/peta-files-cowards-one-and-all.html

Name
Address
Phone#
Email address

I state in good faith that the use of the content I claim to infringe upon my copyright is not authorized by law, or by the copyright owner Albert A Rasch; and (b) under penalty of perjury, that all of the information contained in this Infringement Notice is accurate, and that I am the copyright owner.

That's pretty much it. I recommend that should you run into this problem, you start your offense immediately and without remorse. The website Plagiarism Today is great source of step by step instructions.

All in all, this experience has taught me a great deal about Al Gore's Internet. I've also met a lot of new people and made some new friends. So something good has come of it regardless!

Best regards,
Albert

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: New Blog for my Friends who are on Dial-Up

2009-07-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles: New Blog for my Friends who are on Dial-Up

Howdy Folks,

I received an e-mail from one of my blogging friends today. It seems that all the pictures I put into my posts are making the load up times well nigh unbearable. Well, I think he could bear it, I mean who wouldn't stand just about anything when it the TROC we are talking about!

Being the attentive sort of editor I am, I put together another blog just for dial up. The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles II. I'll put a banner link over to the right there too.

What I'll do is post all my posts as I create them on TROCII but without the pictures. That way you don't end up waiting for five posts trying to load all there pictures. If you want to see what I have then just hit the link back to here for the individual post with everything in it.

I hope this is of some help for those of you that have to use slower connections.

Best regards,
Albert

Internet Security: The Chinese have Us by the ...

2009-07-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

"When you got them by the nuts, their hearts and minds will follow."

LBJ

$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.
Ever since I got my first virus from having unprotected surfing with an Internet Explorer connected computer, I've been on the security bandwagon. I run an anti-virus program, trojan hunter, and several malware and spyware catchers. All in an effort to keep the bad guys thwarted in their evil attempts to take control of my computer.

Now it seems that not only do I have to fight the Russian mobsters and porn merchants, but the Chinese as well. Whereas the Russians only want to spam e-mails and make or steal money, the Chinese are out practicing Cyberfare (Computer Warfare) for when they decide to try to smoke us. And believe me, it is going to happen sooner or later.

I for one, do not wish to be even the tiniest cog in their machinations.

I keep a close tab on anything Mr BorePatch has to say. BorePatch has regular security updates that are essential, hints and layman's tech talk on a regular basis, and the occasional post that has nothing to do with security, but is fun to read anyway.

First of all, if you are not running Firefox, you are just helping evil doers that are trying to either milk us dry, or ultimately dominate us. It is a ten minute process to download and install Firefox, and quite frankly inexcusable not to be running it. You might as well do it now, and install it while you read the rest of this.

For those of us that are trying to step it up another notch, Borepatch has written a series of articles on the Linux operating system that is the most secure method for running your computer. It is neat, tidy, efficient, and above all secure. Not only that, but there are applications that are identical to all the offerings from Microsoft (Word, Excell, Publisher, etc,etc,etc.), and they are all free! Not only are they free, but they are in used by many professionals in their fields. Open Office is the best known, and the look and feel is so close to MS Office, that you will barely notice the difference.

The first step of course, is to install a version of Linux. BorePatch wrote a series of posts to help you through the process:

Why Internet Security is a Mess, and Why it Matters to You
Why it is Hard to Secure Windows

And finally, the solution and how to:
Using Linux to Increase your Windows Security

I am in the process of partitioning my hard drives for the installation and will report on it as the process evolves.

If I was you, and I cared about what happens in this Nation, I would follow BorePatch and keep up with his suggestions.

But first, install Firefox. Seriously.
Don't force me to come over and do it myself.

Albert

Related Posts:
Which Laptop? Which Linux for It?