Finally Starting on the Berm

[Vaquero]

When you dump the carcass here, it's gone the next day. The only thing we have to notify for is if we are shooting at night. Just send a text. That way if the game warden gets a call, he just says, "I was notified a farmer is shooting coyotes over calls in that area tonight." His caller will usually say, "Cool."

No night hunting here for them,
We don't have to notify anyone, and like you said the carcass is usually gone by the next day.

RP

The only restriction is you can only use shotguns at night, #4 shot or smaller, no slugs. The wardens don't agree with that rule, but it's the rule. If you are hunting feral hogs, you can use slugs, rifles, bombs...

Well, luckily we don't have any of the feral hogs around...Yet.

RP

[Vaquero]

On the rain, if like around here it usually goes from a bit of rain here and there, and wishing it would stop.
To we sure could use a little rain.

RP

[BrokenolMarine]

No night hunting here for them,
We don't have to notify anyone, and like you said the carcass is usually gone by the next day.

RP

The only restriction is you can only use shotguns at night, #4 shot or smaller, no slugs. The wardens don't agree with that rule, but it's the rule. If you are hunting feral hogs, you can use slugs, rifles, bombs...

Well, luckily we don't have any of the feral hogs around...Yet.

RP

In Oklahoma and Texas both there is a serious HOG problem. WE are lucky as well, and don't have that problem, but were told by the seller of the new farm that there were "Lot's of Hogs" on the place, when Tina asked. He thought I wanted there to be, so to increase the chances of a sale, he said there were. NOT. Not complaining, but I did add a .308 to the safe when I got to Oklahoma to insure the porkers wouldn't do any more damage. Haven't seen a single one.

[BrokenolMarine]

On the rain, if like around here it usually goes from a bit of rain here and there, and wishing it would stop.
To we sure could use a little rain.

RP

Know what you mean. We started off the year with little to know rain, and had very little at the end of last year. Combined with little to no snow over the winter, the pond had gotten VERY low. It was advertised as a spring fed pond, twenty feet deep. Doesn't look like it in the picture does it?
Tina took advantage of the low water levels to take the grader box and blade and cleaned up the edge of the pond that would normally be under as much as two feet of water.

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With three major thunderstorms in the last couple weeks, the pond is not only full, but the overflow to the creek on the right has been running. That dumps into the smaller of the two creeks which joins the main creek down below the barn. Then that creek flows under the road about two hundred yards farther down.

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The two creeks that run thru the property almost reached their banks as well. Sissy, the young calf is joyous. She loves the water. Every low spot in the pasture is a wading pool and she splashes through every one. Last year, with the monster rains, they were up over the road, and halfway across the orchard.

[Hatchdog]

Beautiful pics BOM. I can just see that calf splashing in the water.

Heard on the morning news that Eastern Washington is officially out of severe drought. Been a wet cool spring which has helped fill the ponds and reservoirs plus the cool temps have slowed the snowpack melt. Looking good for now.

[BrokenolMarine]

If you look closely, you can see the beginning of the berm wall to the left of the end of dam pond in the full pond pic.

[BrokenolMarine]

Got out early this morning, before the real heat set in. Got two more levels done. I forgot my phone, so no pics right now, but I'll slide down and get some later after I cool down. It got hot and humid quick and I'm not taking chances.

I'll work a short session each morning, and maybe another in the cool of the evening. We will git er done.

Pics will follow.

[BrokenolMarine]

A couple pics of the range work from this morning. The first from the pond dam.

WE are still going UP. She's about chest high now. Have to use a ladder to get high enough to drill down into the ties to spike them. Yup, I know there is a crack in the wall. That top tie is a bit warped, but I'm hoping the weight of the next four or five ties will push 'er down. If not, no big loss. The wall is NOT the backstop... the Dirt piled in front is, and that warped tie is on the wing, to catch splashes.

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Here is a view downrange from the fifty yard line. I ZOOMED in a bit to give you a good view of the wall, so the perspective is skewed, but you get the drift. It's hot and muggy out in the sun, but it's a good twenty degrees cooler on the range. Hopefully it will work that way all year in to the high summer. I can't wait to get the dirt in place and do some shooting. I'm getting antsy.

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[BigAl52]

Lookin great Marine Im jealous

[BrokenolMarine]

Went out this evening before it got dark, but after it cooled significantly...





... And cut another fifty rebar spikes. Same as before. Cut twenty five at 25 inches with square ends, then cut them in half at 45 degrees to create a cutting edge.

[graywolf]

Looks like you’ll be shooting before long.

[BrokenolMarine]

I'm sure hoping so.

[North Country Gal]

Looking forward how the range works for you when it's done. Quite the project.

[BrokenolMarine]

Looking forward how the range works for you when it's done. Quite the project.

It is. I find it hard to limit myself to two levels at a time, but I know what will happen if I push my limits. I'll be flat on my back in bed at least two or three days, perhaps a week. But, as a childhood tv hero used to say, "I love it when a plan comes together."

Funny thing, when I first started planning the range, several people (who want lessons for wives or personal coaching , ) said, "When you start, I'll be right there for the heavy lifting.". Haven't seen anyone.

[BrokenolMarine]

Headed down to the range this morning to work on the berm wall again. We are getting close to being done. The main part of the wall is over six foot high and I am going to go with that, as we can't work any higher than that without a scaffold. We may be able to add to the wall later, once the dirt berm is built up, but for now, it's done.

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On the way down, I turned in at the range house and took this shot from about 100 yards up range. This is looking downrange from in front of the range house. It's a measured 95 yards. If I set up the table inside the range house, it's 95 yards. In front of the range house, just under 90 yards. I can set the shooting table up behind the range house and still shoot safely into the berm and shoot as much as 120 yards.

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Yes, I'll need to trim the one tree's low hanging branches, or shoot just in front of them... however most of my shooting will be at 25 and 50 yards, or with the handguns, 7 and 15 yards for defensive training. Longer distances I always taught my students in concealed carry classes they should be looking to evade and escape the threat. I did teach them to shoot at up to 25 yards in case the threat was armed with a long gun, but...

[BrokenolMarine]

We are adding interlocked second wings to each side at 90 degrees to the center berm. About 7 ties high. This will form a nice "U" shape. With the dirt fill, the berm should make shooting very safe, especially containing the "splash" from the steel targets.

[Sir Henry]

It’s looking good. I can appreciate all the work you are doing.

[BrokenolMarine]

When we bought the tractor, two years ago, I insisted on pallet forks in the package just for this project. I had a real rough outline in mind even then. We have used them a lot more than we thought in the last two years, even to move pallets. But, THEY have proved to be worth every penny in this job.

[BrokenolMarine]

Worked in the cool of the morning this morning, and finished the right hand 90 degree leg of the berm wall. At least for now. May add another tie or two later. But for now, Here she is.

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Here is a look from the back side. As you can see, this will make a nice deep U shape as I planned. Nice coverage from lead / copper splash if shooting steel.

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Before starting on the left side 90 degree leg, Miss T went ahead and started moving that dirt pile into it's position. Mostly. I cautioned her against putting pressure on the berm wall before we put the vertical supports up behind the wall. Didn't want to weaken all our work.

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I COULD have moved the dirt, except Miss T has a lot more experience on the tractor from her work as a landscaper... and ....
She doesn't like to give up her seat.... and...
She doesn't like me climbing off and on the tractor with all that hardware in my leg. (She has ALL the fun.)

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After about forty five minutes of work, we had a good start on the dirt portion of the berm. We'll try and get the neighbor over with the three point post hole digger. If not.... (sigh) ... post hole digger and sweat... we'll dig the three holes and put in the supports behind the wall then move another big pile of dirt from the other side of the pond, then find more dirt and move that. We'll get the berm built up. Might have to break down and order a dump of fill dirt.

But, it's a start.

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Weather permitting, we'll work on the berm more tomorrow.

Look for the fishing post... the pond was calling.

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[BrokenolMarine]

Back at work on the berm this morning. Nice day for it. Just about 80 degrees and a light breeze. Got a surprise when we got down to the range with the loaded UTV. Found two armored Trespassers on the range. As brazen as you please... like they owned the place.

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I think they were laying eggs in the cool of the morning. Miss Tina snuck up behind them and picked them up CLOSE to their tails, and placed them on the top of the dam. One stayed hidden in the shell. The other tried continuously to bite her. Ungrateful wench. Miss T could have run her over with the tractor.

The task this morning was to install the left 90 degree leg on the berm wall. Knocked it out in about an hour. Cooler temps aside, I was hot, sweating, and glad to be done when it was accomplished. But now we have a berm wall up. Still need the rear braces. Talked to the neighbor and they should reinstall the post hole auger soon and we can knock that out.

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It's nice to have the leg done and have that behind us.

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The view uprange from the berm.

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