Son Of Squiggly

[kevinlg]

Ran across an old pic of a Kimber Custom Match 22lr.
Years ago....I actually fired it, while helping reduce a turtle infestation on a friends stock tank.
I had sent the Leupold 2.5-8 back to the factory for a fine duplex reticle and a parallax reduction to 75 yards.

 

[icebear]

Nice one. And this is the first time I've heard about a turtle infestation in a stock tank. Just when you think you've seen everything...

 

[kevinlg]

Nice one. And this is the first time I've heard about a turtle infestation in a stock tank. Just when you think you've seen everything...

It's pretty common in north Texas/southern OK. If it gets bad enough......can kill off a lot of the fish.
BTW.....to clarify, our "stock tanks" are not just the "metal" kind.

 

[douglastwo]

In the west Texas desert where I grew up, the above ground open top concrete or steel water tanks at windmills usually did not have any turtles in them. But the small stock pond (usually 50' or so in diameter) the rancher dug by the windmill that caught the overflow water from the above ground tanks (holding tanks) would literally have hundreds of turtles. We could shoot turtles in the stock pond everyday and have more to shoot the next day. Thank goodness for cheap 22 shorts.

 

[paulsonconstruction]

In Texas a farm pond is called a "tank". It's not like a steel tank under a windmill, but rather a small water hole in the dirt. Used to shoot Water Moccasins out of them for the ranchers & farmers around Hockley & Waller back in the 70's when I lived in Houston. Doves used to come into them as well. Good times!!

 

[icebear]

Here in Arizona a tank can also refer to a natural pond, as well as a man-made one like a cattle tank. The term dates back to when Arizona was still part of Spanish America. I live in the vicinity of Tanque Verde ("Green Tank" in Spanish, named after a natural pond that the first explorers found to be full of algae). In addition to the tank itself, there's a Tanque Verde Creek, a Tanque Verde Wash, and Tanque Verde Road. Not to mention the Tanque Verde School District.

I've never looked to see if there are turtles in Tanque Verde. For that matter, I'm not sure it's even still there. We've lost a lot of natural water features due to excessive groundwater pumping. Some that were year-round are now seasonal, and some are just plain gone.

 

[douglastwo]

Here's another reason we liked to camp by a windmill. There were no trees large enough to hang the 20 or so deer we shot. Six or so of us made a yearly 1 day hunt on property what was referred to as a day lease. We were paying $100/day/person when this picture was taken about 40 years ago. We shot does, spikes and mature bucks and almost always got our limit of 2 bucks and 2 does each, I think there is 19 deer in this picture that we shot before lunch and then we spent the rest of our day skinning, quartering and icing down. In west Texas it's usually hot in early November. Notice the large concrete tank by the windmill. Since most of west Texas is oil field country, some ranchers had access to 500 bbl steel oil field tanks that they could cut and make a tank about 4' high. These would overflow into the stock pond that was usually about 20' from the tank. The stock pond in this picture is hard to see because the ground slopes away from the tank and the Ranched diked the pond on 3 sides. I guess he hit solid rock trying to dig the pond. Look closely at the picture showing the entire windmill and you can see the dirt dike. The Rancher has removed the blades and installed a pump. That power must have been close by, I can't remember.

 

[douglastwo]

I forgot to say, most of these deer were probably 80 to 120 lb. Yet the mature bucks often had an 18" to 20" spread, and man did they look big running away.

 

[kevinlg]

I've a few more stock tank/farm pond rifle/pistol stories to tell.......most were long ago, with my uncle(more like a brother.....lost too soon to a tragic farm accident). Great times roaming southern Oklahoma.

Just gotta dig out some old pictures to go along with them.

Question.....does anyone still use "PhotoSuite" to scan pictures and make jpegs?

 

[temozon]

Here in Arizona a tank can also refer to a natural pond, as well as a man-made one like a cattle tank. The term dates back to when Arizona was still part of Spanish America. I live in the vicinity of Tanque Verde ("Green Tank" in Spanish, named after a natural pond that the first explorers found to be full of algae). In addition to the tank itself, there's a Tanque Verde Creek, a Tanque Verde Wash, and Tanque Verde Road. Not to mention the Tanque Verde School District.

I've never looked to see if there are turtles in Tanque Verde. For that matter, I'm not sure it's even still there. We've lost a lot of natural water features due to excessive groundwater pumping. Some that were year-round are now seasonal, and some are just plain gone.

A minor correction for you Icebear - our term stock tank does not come from the Spanish word "tanque" which means large recipient or military tank, but rather from the Spanish "estanque" which translates to pond, and by the way, here in South Texas near the coast, our estanque/stock tank tends to have more of an alligator problem than turtle problem!

 

[icebear]

True - estanque is a better translation for pond than tanque. My Spanish-English Larousse does list reservoir as a primary meaning for tanque, though, so there is some overlap. I don't imagine the early settlers were much concerned about the distinction, and so the shorter tanque came into common use for a pond or stock tank - at least in these parts.

 

[kevinlg]

Ok.....seems I'm having more luck retrieving pics from my old computer.

The pictured gentleman was noted for having a nice collection of fine shotguns and rifles.......some from Vern O'Brien. I've a few of them, from his estate.

.......not this one......despite the squiggly.

(sorry for the poor pic quality, but it's a printer scan of an 8x10 glossy)

 

[bloorooster]

bloo

 

[Bucktote]

I met him when he came to Savannah many years ago, A tall man, a gracious man & got his autograph on a "Score Better at Skeet" book. Never resorted to profanity in his comical performances, always a true gentleman Mr. Red Skelton

 

[bloorooster]

My Grandad introduced me to the “Red Skelton Show” as a child. Good honest humor and clean fun.
“Hobo the Clown” was probably the most likable, non-scary clown on the planet!
I didn’t realize how interested He was in shooting sports until I became addicted to this Sako stuff.
I remember seeing a rifle for sale long ago that was documented to have belonged Mr. Skelton..how cool would that be!

bloo

 

[kevinlg]

I didn’t realize how interested He was in shooting sports until I became addicted to this Sako stuff.
I remember seeing a rifle for sale long ago that was documented to have belonged Mr. Skelton..how cool would that be!

bloo

Bloo......

Yep......they were documented via his widow....and, for myself, documentation from the Vern O'Brien estate.

By virtually all accounts, Red was a first class gentleman and kind soul.

I will always recall......
"..........and may God bless."

 

[kevinlg]

Ok......now for some lessor, but faithful, squiggly.

On most trips I'd like to take a "back-up" rifle........which sometimes became the primary rifle.

One of my old reliable H&R 317's is this 223. It has a Leupold Compact 3-9xAO scope in Leupold STD rings, on "old style" Redfield bases.
Even though I had to restore some of the stock finish, overall it turned out very well.

 

[icebear]

Ok......now for some lessor, but faithful, squiggly.

On most trips I'd like to take a "back-up" rifle........which sometimes became the primary rifle.

One of my old reliable H&R 317's is this 223. It has a Leupold Compact 3-9xAO scope in Leupold STD rings, on "old style" Redfield bases.
Even though I had to restore some of the stock finish, overall it turned out very well.

Beautiful wood on that one.

 

[Charles Witt]

I always felt that this L46 Bofors Deluxe had nice wood. 222 Rem Mag
Second pic is an L461 Bofors Deluxe in 222. Always liked the wood on this one, too. The checkering on this one is especially sharp and aggressive, more so than my other deluxe's. I really love this one. Shoots straight.

 

[dustinga]

Two great looking rifles. Widest white spacers I've seen, on the 46. Really sets it off