National Cotton Candy Day!  What a wonderful thing to play with.  Cotton Candy is sticky, gets everywhere as you try and eat it and it melts so quickly in your mouth you aren’t really sure you just ate some.

Well, we just don’t have a carnival anywhere close by right now, so let’s see if we can make some at home.

Make sure it’s ok with the mom or wife or make sure you have LOTS of time for clean up after you try this at home.  Remember just how sticky it is when you are at the carnival…well this is the real thing and it’s going to be just as sticky and you are going to have it everywhere.  Maybe you should make a party out of it and you and your spouse just don’t wear any clothes while you are making this.  Then after you have made it and eaten it all, just go jump in the shower.  That would be the easiest way to handle it.

Enjoy the day for sure.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/easy-homemade-cotton-candy/28833.html

Bears Butt

Dec. 7, 2012

Sometimes things happen by accident that can cause a whole heap of problems and I have just heard of one.  In this day and age you would think these things would have already been ironed out, but not yet on this one.

I heard about this on the Utah Wildlife Network Forum just this very day.  It involves the border between Utah and Idaho, not far from where I am sitting right now.

A little history:  Utah was made a state in 1896 and of course there needed to be a defined boundary of the extent of the states exterior.  After all Utah could have stretched all the way to the Pacific Ocean if the political powers had wanted it to.  But because of the nature of the people residing there, they wished they could contain them in as small a space as they could.  And besides, there wasn’t much good land West of Salt Lake City anyway, so let the boundary be way out there in the salt desert somewhere.  Let the Southern boundary be covered by the deep gorge that is naturally down that way and then because the Idaho territory had already defined  its Southern edge as the 42nd parallel, let the Northern edge of Utah be that same parallel.

Yes, there are some other adjustments needing to be made, but we can work them out later on.

So, the boundary between Colorado and Utah was defined and surveyed beginning at the point where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah all come together.  The four corners…Someone piled some rocks up there and said…this is it!

Then the survey guys started to head straight North from there…oops…they got off a bit somewhere when someone during the night tripped over the survey dealie they had been working with during the day causing it to point in a slightly Westerly direction when the work resumed the next morning.  Nobody was to the wise and so that border got all messed up and still is today.  That is not the point of this writing.  What is, is about to be divulged.

Just East of a point slightly North of the town of Portage, Utah on the East side of Interstate 15 is the point of this discussion.  It was said that the 42nd parallel would be the South border of the Idaho territory at the time.  That seems like a reasonable thing to be saying and for a surveyer to define and poke sticks in the ground marking such a nice straight line  that extends all the way around the earth, I might add, would be an easy thing to do.

BUT….right where I just pointed to is a mistake.  By whom?  I can’t say but I’ll tell you about it and you decide…I like things that happen and you decide, because it takes the blame off me.  I’ll tell you what I think later on.

Ok, so here are these survey guys called “Hansen”, they have been surveying for a whole lot of years and they know everything about the job they do.  They have specialists that do nothing but call the shots and others who run and poke sticks in the ground and they charge a lot of money to do just that.  On this particular surveying job they were high up on the mountain trying to figure out how to go in a straight line across a deep gorge and get exactly where they needed to be on the other side.  It’s rocky and craggy and filled with poisonous snakes and wild critters and so they decided to cross at a point somewhat sooner than perhaps their instruments were telling them they had to cross.  It was easier that way and safer too I might add.  (All of this is my speculation, because the instruments they had were the best of the best at the time even for 1896, the year the survey took place).  So, they poked their sticks in the ground and went on about their business and reported to the authorities their findings, collected up their cash and headed out the door.

But HOLD ON a minute here.  Something does not look right.  I’m standing on the 42nd parallel and it aint straight.  There is a crook in it right here in front of me.  And it goes to my right as I am looking due West along this 42nd parallel line.  What is going on?  I will need another survey company to come and check this out.  So I gather up another bucket of cash and call on a guy named “Sonnenkalb”, a German survey guy who knows EVERYTHING there is to know about surveying and he and his company have the “German version” of the best of the best in surveying equipment.  It has to be better than what Hansen had and he will make sure the line is good and straight and he will pick up all of Hansens sticks that were poked in the ground and everything will be a good as it can be.

So Sonnenkalb goes out and uses his vast knowledge to survey the 42nd parallel as best as it can be surveyed only it is now two years later than Hansens time at it.  The year is 1898.  What could have possibly changed in two years?  Maybe climbing equipment, or men with more courage than two years earlier.  Perhaps they were being paid more to do more daring things.  Whatever the reason, Sonnenkalb and his crew made their line really straight, long past when Hansens crew decided the snakes and critters were too much to handle if they continued to go straight, and they ended up coming across Hansens sticks poked in the ground and their equipment was telling them all was well and they had marked the 42nd parallel perfectly straight and so, this new series of poked in the ground sticks is THE place that marks the exact border between Utah (the new state) and the territory of Idaho.

HOLD ON AGAIN!  Ok, so I walk West along Sonnenkalbs line, I pass the place where the Hansens went to my right, but now Sonnenkalbs line is going to my right just like Hansens did.  What is with this?  Isn’t the 42nd parallel parallel?  How can something that is parallel with something else have a jog in it?  Mathematically it can’t.  Logically it can’t.  According to Martha Stewart it can’t.  According to my gut it can’t.

And so, the money divy-out-ers decided that two survey companies did the best they could to define the 42nd parallel and both of them have jogs in their lines, and they are not about to pay a third company to try and straighten out the 42nd parallel with sticks poked in the ground.  So now the dilemma.  Is the Hansen jog correct or is the Sonnenkalbs jog correct?  Here is what it looks like via Google Earth…the lines are approximate according to my survey eye….I think as closely approximated as both Hansens and Sonnenkalbs….of course in my humble opinion.

Let’s look closer at the issue:

Hansens line is the yellow one, while Sonnenkalbs is the bluer of the two.

A trapezoidal piece of ground that could put you into Utah, or it could have you paying taxes to Idaho.

I looked extensively at the internet and could not find where either state had agreed to which survey was the most accurate, however someone on the forum said that Idaho honored Sonnenkalbs and that was probably because Sonnenkalb was a company licensed in Idaho and the company president resided in one of Idahos favored cities.  On the other hand Utah had the Hansens licensed and living in their fair state.

I question now, why the two surveys were not just averaged and that piece of jog agreed upon by all parties concerned, but it has not been averaged and to this day the folks at the U.S. Geological Survey office and all their Geographic Information Specialists are accepting Sonnenkalbs survey as “The La One” that is the most accurate, mostly because it was “the last one done”, with no regard to the Hansen survey…was their any dispute handling in court?  Were the Hansens even brought in for questioning and given a chance to prove their survey is the more accurate?  I think theirs IS more accurate than Sonnenkalbs and that means a lot to me.

So, if my judgement holds true that Hansens survey is the more accurate and Idaho people think Sonnenkalbs is more accurate, that would make this trapezoidal piece of ground located in neither Utah nor Idaho and if I wanted I could go and claim it as my own state, make myself governor and grow a cash crop on it,  if I so choose…right?   The Trapezoidal State of Bears Butt.  No roads, No taxes, No nothing.  A right to work state where everyone is required to carry a side arm and speak English.

Maybe I should check the county records of each state first to find out if someone owns it before I go put up my sticks and begin protecting my borders.

Bears Butt

Dec. 6, 2012

Utah Wildlife Board meeting today…Wapiti and I are heading down to see if they assign the DWR my proposal to study…..More to come after the meeting.

Bears Butt

Dec. 6, 2012

1:15 p.m.

Wapiti and I had a safe trip down to SLC for the meeting.  It was already well underway when we arrived, but we got there in time for the RAC’s to give their reports.  The Northern and Central RAC’s reported what they did and both reported my proposal action item.

When the Wildlife Board got to it, they unanimously approved the proposal to the DWR as an action item and so it will be investigated and later brought back before the Wildlife Board for an action on their part.

When the meeting broke for a short break I was approached by Robert Byrnes, Northern RAC chairman and he explained the steps that will follow via the DWR.  He expects the proposal to be assigned to a DWR specialist who will begin the actions necessary to conduct the investigation.  We talked for almost the entire break time about the things needing to be done.  He said that when he hears of who the person is that gets my assignment, he will email it to me and then I can stay in contact with them about the progress.

So, things look pretty good to have antelope hunting on the list of animals to hunt with a muzzleloader beginning, quite possibly by 2014.

YEEEHAAAA!

Later, outside the DWR office we were met by Tye Bolter and Jason Lowe, who were both just getting to the meeting.  Tye said that before long he thinks the United Wildlife Cooperative will get behind my proposal in an official way.

Another big plus for support!

Thanks to all!

Bears Butt

Dec. 6, 2012

We had some smoked clams while on the dream hunt last week and old Bears Butt wondered how in the heck do they harvest clams.  Now we had baby clams on the hunt and they were pretty dang tasty.  They were also in a can and they were smoked.  So, for sure some commercial outfit got them and processed them.  In no way do I think they send out a few thousand people with bent fork tools to hand dig clams, but they must have some sort of quick way to gather a bunch of them up.

But, more important in my research are the folks that go about getting a hold of clams for personal use.  I found this video to be the most informative, even though I did watch some that had some real characters in them.

This video takes place in Alaska, but I saw videos from nearly every state that comes in contact with an ocean and some with inland fresh water clams being gathered up.  I know that Willard Bay has clams in it, but how to gather them up might be a trick.

Hunting is hunting to me and this looks like it would be a great hunting trip.  Maybe I’ll put it on my bucket list.

This guy not only shows you how to collect them but also how to cook them up.  I think with a few beers that would be some really good eating!

Bears Butt

Dec. 5, 2012

It’s getting close to Christmas and you are probably worrying about decorating the house and yard, but then money is tight and things just might have to be put off as far as decorations go.

But wait!  I’m here to help you!

You really don’t need a tree stuck in your house you know.  I don’t know where that came from, but you don’t need a tree, I’m telling you!

Once a long time ago, Sherry and I decided to heck with a tree and we saw a tumble weed stuck in a fence….I got it and we just laid it on the table and decorated it.  It was pretty cool too.  That got us to thinking and the next year or so, we cut a sage bush down that was all dead, I stuck the base in a 3 pound coffee can filled with dirt, for weight, and we decorated that up….Now that was really cool, because it had some way cool scent to it.

Even another year, I gathered up all the drop horns I had and we piled them up on the table and decorated them with lights and tinsel and ornaments.  Now THAT was cool.

So, what I’m saying here is you DON’T NEED A TREE!  Why waste good money on a stupid tree?

Ok, so you have something ready to decorate and you don’t have anything to decorate it with.  BS is what I say.  Every house has something to decorate with and if you don’t  then let’s go get some things.

Look around almost any camp site…empty shells of all sorts.  Gather them up.  Shot gun shells are the biggest and best, but 30-06 shells are great too.  You tie strings around the bases and hang them in the tree or bush or whatever you are decorating.  Need tinsel?  Probably not, but if you do, go get some baling twine…it seems to be almost everywhere.  Live in a big city?  Gather up some of that skinny flat plastic packaging wrap stuff.  That will work.  Heck, even the shrink wrap stuff and that will add a little sparkle too.  The pop tops off soda and beer cans are nice little sparkly things when they are tied on the tree too.  String a bunch of them together and you will be the envy of the neigh-bor-hood I’m tellin you!

If you’re decorating thing is really big, why not tie on the whole can?????  Or better yet, stack up the cans and let that be your tree?  Heck yes!  Maybe even buy some duck tape and tie it all together solid like.  Stick a mag-light on the top with the twisty end taken off and there you go!  Christmas at your house!  I like it.

Start now for next year and you could have one of the best decorated houses that would be the most envious of the entire town!  Just use your imagination.

How would it be if there was an old used toilet sitting on old broken snow skis, in front of  your place, hooked with baling twine to nine old snow ski poles stuck in the ground at angles away from the toilet seat.  Each pole decorated with hanging table forks and knives and the lead ski pole had a flashing barricade light painted red on it?   I really like that idea.

On the toilet seat you could put a scare crow looking dude all dressed in red and white.  You could even use your old flannel shirt…you know the one…the one you just can’t toss away yet.  Who says it even has to be red and white?  What’s wrong with plaid?  We are talking Christmas here aren’t we?  Who decided on red and white anyway…..let’s change that….right now….here in a minute!

So, get busy finding just what you want to decorate your house, apartment, yard, car, whatever….there are plenty of things out there that will work just fine.

Oh and for a gift…get some old used eating utensils; knives, forks, spoons and the like.  Drill holes in the handles, up near the end.  Tie on some heavy fishing line.  Get a good solid stick and tie the other end of the fishing line to it so that you have three or four or five (or more) of them utensils hanging down close enough for the wind to make them touch when they move….There you go, a redneck wind chime!

I have to add:

Let’s make a “manger scene” using spent bullet casings:

Mary – 30-30 casing, Joseph – 30-06 casing, Jesus- 22 casing, 3 wise guys – 30-06 or 7mm casings, Camels, donkies – 410 casings, Shepard- 30-30 or 30-06 casing, three or four sheep-17 hmr casings.  Oh ya!

I really like this time of year!

Bears Butt

Dec. 5, 2012

On the Dream Hunt we met one of the tag holders for a brief time and he said that he was not camping in the area but would be driving in each day until he filled his tag.  He made a comment about even being allowed to hunt on Thanksgiving Day if he chose.  Tracker asked him how much that cost him…he replied…”A LOT of money”!

I’m not very good with peoples names, especially just after I have met them.  The name usually goes in one ear and out the other and so did his.  I did manage to give him a Dream Catcher for this hunt and wished him well.  He was quite appreciative.

After the hunt was concluded, Baby Boy looked his name up on the computer…lo and behold…This man teaches a “long range” shooting course here in Northern Utah.   On the site he  says he “GUARANTEES” you will be grouping shots at 1,000 yards by the end of the second, and final, day of the course.  Now to me that is one heck of a statement to be making.  He also says he will refund your money if you are not grouping those shots at 1,000 yards.

It sounds like a great course and I’m sure it is, but as for me, it is way to pricey.   Part of the deal is you are buying a special rifle and scope along with the course.  It sounds fun.

I looked up the caliber of bullet the rifle is made to shoot and to buy factory ammo it will cost you anywhere from $140 to $155 for a box of 20 bullets.  OUCH!  I’m sure reloading your own would save a lot but would still be expensive.

And how about the recoil from that rifle?  OUCH again!  I suppose the cost of the bullets would not be too much of a deal over the long run, say a year.  I could only imagine myself shooting one time every month at the most, and that would be if the doctor allowed me to shoot after my shoulder surgery.  That being said, 20 shells would last 20 months.

The recoil reminds me of the first time I used 425 grain conicals in my muzz and I followed the manufacturers recommendation to use 120 grains of ffg powder to push it out the barrel.

I spread out my blanket on the ground, got two pillows to rest the rifle on, laid down prone, took careful aim and fired the first shot.

My GOD did that hurt!  I rolled over on my back and started to rub my shoulder thinking I had just broken my collar bone.  Tears welled up in my eyes and there I laid moaning.  After a bit I got up and went to see the enormous hole in the target only to discover I missed the target and the large cardboard backing it was mounted on.  I had no idea where the bullet had gone.

Reluctantly I went back and reloaded only this time with 90 grains of powder instead of the 120 they recommended.  It still hurt like crazy causing a second bruise on top of the first one.  I still missed the target and picked up all my stuff and went home crying.

Shooting should be a fun thing.  So, when you are viewing this long range target shooting site, and you see the guy laying on the ground shooting time after time, pay close attention to the size of the guy.  He isn’t a little guy like me and he obviously has had some major surgery done to his shoulder.  I think he has had a metal plate installed.

http://thompsonlongrange.com/

Check it out.  Mr. Thompson seemed like an OK guy and I’m sure he is teaching a lot of people how to hit what they are aiming at out there at 1,000 yards.  He is also making Weatherby and Leopold some good money as well.

Bears Butt

Dec. 4, 2012

I’m sorry, but todays national holiday is rather dumb.

It’s National Wear Brown Shoes Day.

I reckon if I put on my black shoes and walked out among the cow crap they would look brown.  And then go into the local popular restaurant for coffee and a donut I could celebrate it pretty good.

So, that actually sounds like a good thing to do.  I’ll wear my black boots and head out to the farm to check on the horses and such and really get down and dirty with them droppings and then head over to J&D’s for breakfast….that should get things going!

See you there!

Bears Butt

Actually Dec. 3, but this is for tomorrow morning.

Dec. 4, 2012

The Utah Wildlife Board meeting is this week and after receiving an email from the Chairman of the Board this morning, it looks like my proposal to expand the muzzleload opportunities for hunting antelope will be passed on to the DWR for further investigation.

I plan on being there even if it only takes a 2 minute discussion by the Board to approve it.

Life is good!

Bears Butt

Dec. 3, 2012