I just saw a picture that my nephew Jay posted on Facebook and he made the comment “Don’t run with that pencil, or stick in your hand. But I will hand you a 12 inch spike with a welding tip on the end and say HAVE FUN”!
The picture he posted was of 3 little children, the oldest being maybe eight, each with a “sparkler” spritzing away.
Over my many years I have seen so many children, and adults, burned by those nasty little wire creations and for the life of me I can not understand why they are not banned from production.
As children we would light them and throw them up in the air and then run over to where they lay and pick them back up and toss them again. How many times did I pick one up by the blackened hot end because it was dark outside and all I could see was the sparkling spitting part on the wire? Once! And then I quite playing with those stupid things forever.
How many lighted and sparkling little devils landed on unsuspecting people and burned them? LOTS! I even saw a fist fight between two fathers because of that very thing.
Sitting at the park waiting for the fireworks display the evening of the 4th of July. Observing all the people and everyone having a really good time. Lots and lots of parents lighting up sparklers and handing them to the children. The children chasing each other with those hot babies and when they did touch the other kid, OUCH ! a burn was had! And bad burns at that. And then there are the ones not wearing their shoes, because it was such nice cool grass they were playing on. One step on a recently extinguished sparkler and there is a nasty burned foot.
When it came to clean up time the lawn was loaded with those little #20 wires all over the place.
Yes, I would certainly like to see them banned. But until parents decide for themselves what is good for their children we will continue to see them sold in supermarkets, novelty stores and those wonderful parking lot tents. OOOOO, here is one that is 4 feet long! That is the one I want.
So much for my rant. I’ll get off my soap box now.
Utah is beginning a program in which they will pay hunters and trappers $50 for each coyote that is killed in the state. They have produced a map of the target areas and have recommended the dates of removal to be the months of December through June. These dates are when the coyote is most likely to be the most detrimental to the deer herds.
Their long range plan is to track the harvest of coyotes by areas and then see how the impact of harvest has impacted the deer herds in areas of high coyote kills. They will then contract out coyote harvest through private business’ designed to capture and kill coyotes in areas where high populations of coyotes are effecting the deer in those areas. This program is the beginning of a bigger picture and will a great source of data.
$50 is much more than what a pelt is worth today in the fur market, but that fur price would be in addition to the $50 if you want to skin and process the hide. Hides would probably net you around $10 if properly put up.
So, with this program, you have to complete an on line training and pass it with 100%. It is only about 10 questions long and is very easy to pass. Once passed you can download your certificate of passing the course and print out a form that needs to accompany the coyote carcass or ear to eat scalp and lower jaw. You have to provide the date of the kill, the GPS coordinate of that kill or the UTM coordinates of the kill site and of course your name, address and certificate number.
Go to this site and take the course to prepare to gather up you many bucks. Payments begin Sept. 1, 2012.
You will have to all figure this one out: Today is National Visitation of the Virgin Mary Day.
My take: It was the first time someone made up a Bloody Mary drink and didn’t have any vodka to put into it. They made the pitcher up anyway and everyone at the party had a wonderful time.
The central part of America is covered with grasses that sometimes grow to two feet tall. In the early days of the white man they were covered with buffalo and other prairie animals. Much of this area is now considered the American wheat belt. But, back then and even before the white man came onto the scene, the Native Americans that lived there had to be very careful with fire. We all know what a wild fire can do when burning in tall dry grass. Fires tend to create their own winds and those winds whip and throw ashes and burning debris for miles.
Alright, think of your self as a Native American way back when. You have a buffalo down that you and your buddies just killed. You all have worked up a tremendous appetite and would like some buffalo strips cooked up just right. Since you guys have been so busy with the killing job, your mother or wife or girlfriend have been watching and know that once the animal is down it will be their job to get it all cut up and some of it served to their strong, brave men.
But, a fire built out on the ground, even if it is surrounded by a ring of rocks will only catch the dry grass on fire and burn for days and days. Scattering the large herds of buffalo that you so much depend on for your own survival.
So, how do you build a fire in order to cook some meat and keep the flames from catching the grass on fire.
You dig a hole in the ground that’s what you do. A small hole say 8 inches across at the most, smaller is a bit better say 5 inches across. The depth? Probably from your finger tips to your elbow would do.
Now let’s think about this for a minute. In order to burn properly, a fire needs oxygen right. How on earth will the fire in this hole get oxygen? It will just sit down in their and smolder and smoke and do us no good.
Ok, let’s dig another hole next to the one we just dug and connect the two with a “tunnel” hole near the bottom of each hole. Get to work. Dig, dig, dig. Now for the tunnel hole, be careful not to cave in the tunnel.
In practice you will get to know just how far apart these two parallel holes should be. Now you can start a fire in one of the holes and the oxygen will be drawn in and under your fire from the other hole and through the tunnel. This fire will burn very efficiently and with little or no smoke. All of the fire building material you toss in on the fire will burn up leaving just fine dusty ashes.
This small opening fire will allow even short sticked hot dog cookers to be used without burning up your expensive gloves and so, you can now trust Edjukateer to once again employee his unique abilities to gather a few hot dog sticks.
Another plus for this sort of fire is your ability to fill the holes up after you are done cooking your meal and you will know the likelihood of the fire rekindling itself after you leave the area is pretty close to nill. And after you have filled in the holes and kicked around any loose dirt on the surface, you can rake the area with a fallen branch or sage and completely cover any tracks of you being there.
Trust me on this one, you will play heck getting to use this technique on a late muzz mule deer hunt in the Crawfords, but it get your noggin thinking about how you might be able to build one using other materials to acquire the same end result.
It’s called a “Dakota Hole Fire” and here is a video to show you how it all works.
Actually, I think I prefer the hot dog sticks I already have so Edjukateer, never mind.
I have been on an email list from Stepp Ladder Company for some time and thought it appropriate to let you all know where you can get this incredible climbing system! Check out this video!
For those of you who like to hunt out of tree stands or from up high. Bears Butt has found a nearly perfect set of tree climbing steps just for you. Well, your buddy too if he likes to hunt like you do. As for me, I think I’ll just stay on the ground.
This is a rather lengthy video, but it sure shows you how easy it is to use these things.
I have emailed the inventor and will pass onto you the price of a set of these little guys!
Bears Butt
June 29, 2012
I received an email from Mr. Stepp himself today and so I decided to post up his response on here and then if you want to order steps from him, please print off the liability waiver and send it with your order to him.
Wynn,
The video clips on YouTube featuring Harry Vanderweide were done almost 14 years ago. The ladders were being sold by L.L. Bean and several other retailers. But the steps were expensive to have made and liability insurance was also very costly. After about four years I decided to quit selling the ladders because it was a lot of work for a small return.
A few months ago a local businessman approached me about doing a new video and reintroducing the ladders to the market. I gave him the old videos to work with and was surprised when he posted them on YouTube. I had expected he was going to do a new one with his phone number instead of the old business number that had been disconnected long ago. Anyway, there has been quite a response and I’ve received many inquiries. I have refrained from selling the steps all these years because I did not think it wise to do so without product liability insurance. I still don’t. But several people have volunteered to sign a liability waiver if I would consider selling them a few steps. So I talked it over with my attorney and he drafted a waiver. I’ve attached a copy for your review.
For insurance purposes I’m selling the remaining inventory components, not complete ladders, so some assembly is required. The individual steps are $6.00 and the camo cords are an additional $1.00. Also included is the fid tool to do the splice and an instruction sheet. I’ll do one splice completely and another halfway so you can see how easy it is. The shipping will be parcel post, my zip code to yours. If you want quicker delivery, priority mail is an option – just more expensive. Once you’ve decided how many steps you want, email me with your shipping address and I’ll calculate a total price and email it back to you.
Print and sign the attached liability waiver and send it with bank check or money order to:
James Stepp, P.O. Box 118, South Casco, Maine 04077.
I made the first set of these steps in 1991 and have climbed hundreds of trees over the last twenty years. I’ve never used any other climbing system. Once you learn to adjust the tension correctly, it quite likely will be your favorite climbing aid too. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Best Regards,
Jim Stepp
Waiver and Release from Product Liability
I, _________________________________, hereby acknowledge that I understand the inherent risks associated with treestand hunting and that such activity may result in serious injury or death. I further acknowledge that I am aware of and understand the types of hazards and dangers, both real and hidden, involved when climbing up to and down from elevated stands. I understand that the Steppladder rungs manufactured by Jim Stepp and Sppets International, Inc. are not covered by any product liability insurance, nor have they been designed, manufactured or tested to meet any federal or state government climbing aid standards. I understand that any use of this climbing aid requires an exceptional level of attention, judgment, maturity and self-discipline, and that I must make a conscious and continual commitment to my own safety. I understand that the use of any treestand climbing equipment and the Steppladder in particular must only be done while I am secured by a fall restraint and climbing belt system.
I HEREBY RELEASE, AGREE TO HOLD HARMLESS AND INDEMNIFY James L. Stepp and Sppets International, Inc. for any and all liability for any loss, damage, injury or death to myself or to any other person or property resulting from the use of this equipment and I further agree to waive, and not make any claim or file any suit based upon negligence, breach of warranty, contract or other legal theory. This release, agreement to hold harmless and to indemnify shall be binding upon me, my legal representatives, heirs, legatees and assigns as well as upon all who may be dependant upon or entitled to my services, consortium or support. Should I breach this agreement by filing any such suit or making any such claim, I will pay all attorney’s fees and costs of the released parties. I agree that this release shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Maine. All disputes and matters whatsoever arising under, in connection with or incident to this agreement shall be litigated, if at all, in and before a court located in the State of Maine, USA, to the exclusion of the courts of any other state or country. If any part, article, paragraph, sentence or clause of the agreement is not enforceable, the effected provisions shall be curtailed and limited only to the extent necessary to bring it within the requirements of the law and the remainder of the agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
I VOLUNTARILY ASSUME all risks, known and unknown, of any injuries, personal or financial or of wrongful death, however caused, even if caused in part or in whole by the action, inaction or negligence of the released party named above to the fullest extent of the law. I represent that I am at least 18 years of age and I acknowledge that I have read this agreement, fully understand the potential dangers of using this product and am fully aware of the legal consequences of signing this agreement. I understand and agree that this document is legally binding and will preclude me from recovering monetary damage from the James L. Stepp, Sppets International, Inc., or Steppladder for personal injury, bodily injury, property damage, wrongful death or any other personal or financial injury sustained by me in connection with the use of this product.
WARNING: BY SIGNING, YOU ARE WAIVING SIGNIFICANT LEGAL RIGHTS. DO NOT SIGN WITHOUT READING!
Like a lot of outdoors men I have a very tough time keeping my knife sharp. I’m real bad about knife abuse and that doesn’t bode well for a sharp knife. So, to help us all out I went looking for the best video I could find to help us learn how to sharpen our knives and to keep them sharp while afield.
For me, sitting around the campfire is a good time to take the old knife out and give it a good strapping to fine tune that edge. But, I don’t always do it while sitting around the fire and so I find myself having to do something with the knife before I can take care of the deer I just shot. The information in this video just might lend itself handy someday and I hope it helps you as well.
When all else fails I just call on my knife professional friend Magpie to do the sharpening for me!
I’m always interested in mule deer bucks and I just love to look at pictures of them. Pictures are pretty much how I get to see the really big boys anyway. When out hunting I don’t usually get far enough off the road to be where they are and if I do get a look at one it is usually as it is running over the crest of a hill.
There is a lot of talk today about how Utah can manage our deer herds and get the buck to doe ratio up so that we might all be able to take a “keeper” type buck. Frankly I could care less about a set of racks on the wall, I have plenty, even spikes are trophies to me. I’ll shoot the first legal buck I see normally.
In my search for muley antler growth I came across a very interesting article written by a man named Charles Kay. I know nothing about his back ground as I did not investigate that. However, you might be interested in the article he wrote and is published on “wildlifeforidaho.com” A very interesting read and the author writes as if he knows what he is talking about.
It at least makes me think about how Utah is going about things, good or bad.
The last picture in the article looks just like a big bruiser of a buck that could easily be found in the Crawford Mountains this fall…No Grimace, Baby Boy, would either of you take a shot at this one?
Have you ever wondered how the pioneers doctored themselves? When you think about it there weren’t a whole lot of doctors around back then, so they had to pretty much rely on what they knew, thought they knew or just plain figured out on their own. Maybe something their father, mother or grandparents told them once.
Let’s see, didn’t grandma tell me that for a large cut on the head I need to wrap little Johnny’s wound with grape leaves and smack him on the butt a few times?
Where would I get grape leaves?
In the mean time little Johnny just might die. So they would react the best they knew how and most of the time logic would win out and little Johnny would come out a winner. Midwifes were just common folks who may have already gone through a child birth themselves and so instantly became a very knowledgeable person who could help another woman give birth. They often times were a little older in the community and with age comes knowledge about all things medical. That made them the go to person for help when people got sick.
So, what would you do if you were called upon in the middle of the night. Here is a person desperately in need of help. They are down, shivering and have a bad cough. We must make them sweat and break the fever. Go git me that jar in the back of the cupboard. I’ll pour him a cup of this and he will begin to sweat almost immediately. He will be better when the sun comes up.
Well, what is in that magic concoction in the jar at the back of the cupboard?
I found this on a website called “Pioneers West.com” and on that site there is a part for medicine. I emailed the owner of the site for permission to use items from his site and he was very gracious to allow me to use it.
For SWEATING Take a lump of cow excrement as large as a hen egg from a cowpie dropped in the month of May. Wrap it in a rag and put it in a pitcher with a little sage, horsemint and other sweating herbs. This will produce a half-gallon of strong tea, but not so strong as to make the patient sick. Drink plenty to cause sweating.
I think that sometimes perhaps the cure is worse than the ailment.
Log cabin day started back east in Michigan to celebrate the home of the era way back when. No glass of screen on the windows, just openings. Most did have a door however. So a burglar could just enter through the window rather than open the door, however the shotgun over the fireplace would probably meet him post hast.
My research shows quite a lot of celebrations that surround National Log Cabin day. Most of the celebrations were held over the weekend with craft shows, articles and plays having log cabins as the theme and of course lots of food that was common in the log cabin days. Have you ever heard of “hard tack”? And did you know it is nothing more than flour and water mixed together, spread out and cut into circles about 3 inches across and then baked until it’s hard enough to use as a hockey puck? Here you go little Johnny, I know it’s only 7 a.m., but chew on this until supper is done.
What we havin fer supper ma? We will be having “Pease Porridge” son, now git along.
I’ve often wondered what Pease Porridge was and now I know, so I’ll share it with you. Start with peas and mash them little suckers up until they are not identifiable as peas anymore. Now mix in a couple of eggs, some butter and salt and pepper and mix that all up. In your mind can you see the green mucky looking mess in the bowl? Now transfer that mess into a dish that can stand to get real hot and also will fit inside your dutch oven. You are going to heat that bowl up in a dutch oven that has about 1/2 inch of water in it. Put the lid on the dutch oven and heat that baby up until the water boils and steams. They say about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Of course the cooks back in the day didn’t have thermometers, but they were pretty dang good at figuring it was just the right amount of heat to get the job done. After all, little Johnny is just about done with his hard tack biscuit and he will be hollerin fer food.
So when this mix is all cooked it will be like the consistency of rubbery mush. If there is any left after eating supper, it can be sliced and fried for breakfast the next morning. As for breakfast you would want to cook up some sort of meat like bacon or sausage to go with the fried green stuff. I think I’ll just eat the meat and let little Johnny have my fried green stuff. And it sure makes me NOT wonder about the little saying “Pease Porridge hot, pease porridge cold, pease porridge in the pot nine days old”. I guess after nine days of nobody wanting to eat it you would toss it out.
Well, so much for log cabin days. I think National Catfish Day sounds a whole lot more fun than kicking around a hockey puck and trying to gag down some pease porridge.
Utah Fishing Reports