F-Troop Est. 1968

F-Troop at The Hilton 11/20/2013

The Well is frozen.

Christmas Tree in The LD’s

NEW BADGE! Moonrise from the DuckHole!

Headlamps were brought out by some, others used their iPhone’s Flashlight instead.

Friday:
Three members (in good standing) of the FAMHC gets into camp the night prior, and discusses the next days hunt. Two other members (in good standing) joins the crew in the morning and decides to hunt the newly annexed portion which lies to the west of camp. A drive to the area leaves the three amigos up top, with Hobbit and Probie on watch below. As the hunt begins, the three amigos split up, and immediately the “fun” begins.

Robba splits and hunts just out of Polecat and Leaddogs view, when a flag is seen heading for Robba from a multitude of tracks and sign observed by Polecat and Leaddog. Anxious seconds are endured followed by a single shot. More time is endured, and the statement of “I got a F%$#@%^ jammer” from Robba. The antlered topped mule of eight points would not stop from various attempts by Robba, so the last ditch method of throwing a shot out in front of it worked. The follow up shot did not work however due to the jammer in the rifle.

Mules were pushed all about the annex, the crew could hear the laughing that only mules can make.

A gun cleaning clinic was promptly held at the return to camp.

Saturday:
A full compliment of Rangers and guests prepare for the long awaited confirmation hunt-hike that may prove if the Beast O’ Mighty lived through Lindy’s attempt to bag said beast from last week.

NEWSFLASH! Chip brings the NY SAFE ACT to a new level!
As the gang prepares for the trek at hand, a situation occurred that would pass the granola out of the nose of a treehugger! Chip, being a conscious and proponent advocate of gun safety, brings his rifle to camp in a case with a trigger lock fully deployed on said firearm. Problem was, was that the device to free said lock from said firearm, was safely left at home 75 miles away – making this rifle one of the safest in camp, or in the state! Chip vowed to never let this happen again.

The crew heads for the back country – tracks, tracks, and more tracks are seen. Bears appeared to have had a barn dance throughout the territory. Very large tracks are seen up top where the Beast was heading last week, hopefully belonging to said beast. The mountain was assaulted, and mules were moving about, but the mule in question did not want to engage the “wolfpack” now present in his haunts. It appears to live!

Back to the show

“Chip, it’s your turn to go first in Double Jeopardy, so choose a category”
“I’ll take Gun Safety for $400, Alex”
“The clue is: This item is required to remove a trigger lock from a firearm before it’s used”
“What is a key, Alex?
“Correct, for $400” 🙂

Back to the hills:

A tired crew returns to camp in moonlight conditions, with some Rangers completing a 12 mile trek to nowhere to stop any mules from using the back door. It appears that no mules were home, and the door was locked. A disturbing development has occurred however. Upon setting foot on the hill in the backcountry, it was observed that “others” had attempted to find the Beast of F-Troop’s desire. This crew of three to four knew what they were doing, as observed by their ingress and exit to and from the hill. It appeared that this rogue crew was in there earlier in the week from an alternate starting point. Either they were blissfully unaware of the Rangers engagement of last week; or it was “Icicle Al” who listened to the whole exchange of last week and tried to covertly bag the beast. There may be trolls on this website! 😉

Toucher, who is still recovering from a wobbly knee sets up shop in the 10.2 watch, where he encountered a big, bad, mean ‘ol bear, of at least 2000lbs….probably more. The bear came from above, snarling and snapping his sharp, blood stained teeth at the Toucher, who due to his wobbly knee couldn’t climb a tree or run away – so he threw his gun right at the beast. The beast grabbed his gun from the mud and shook it like a dog with a newly caught squirrel, breaking it in three pieces and running off into the wilds with the shootin’ portion. All Toucher has now is the stock and forepiece, the bear even took all his bullets.

Poor Toucher!

Back to the show

This puzzle’s clue is “Thing”

“Ok, Chip – your turn to spin the Wheel”
-Sound of spinning wheel-
“Ok – $500”
“Pat, I’ll take a K please!”
“Vanna, indeed there’s a K!
“Spin again, Chip”
-Sound of spinning wheel-
“WoW – $1000, letter Chip?”
“I’ll buy an E, Pat”
“There’s an E!”
“I’ll spin”
-Sound of spinning wheel-
“$200 – Chip”
“I’ll take a Y”
“I’d like to solve, Pat….ummm…KEY?”

Dat-dat-da,da,daaaa! 😉

Sunday:

The crew wakes to grey skies and the threat of rain – which appears now to be an every Sunday event. The crew deploys to one of the bunny hills, and a drive commences but not as directed by the Denmama. Mules are actually seen and verified, with Chip getting a handle on this whole deer hunting thing, by pushing and viewing the mules. The drive seems to work as mules, all flat topped fly off the hill as usual. Steven sees a small bear, probably not the one that Toucher encountered – it wasn’t sporting a bandoleer of 30.06 bullets. Robba see a future buck down by the water edge, with lots of sign as well.

The Piewhore gets a treat and has a flatopped mule joins him in his watch as the crew nears on the way out.

All gets wet, and the woods are left again to heal for the week, as well as the legs, feet and backs of the crew.

A tired polecat enjoys the couch for the first time in years.

Mule steaks three weekends in a row! Trailhugger would have been proud of how these rare ones turned out!

Friday:

Global warming strikes again, with three inches of partly cloudy being deposited across the happy hunting grounds. Leaddog has the woods to himself, which apparently was the case indeed. Just one mule track was observed, heading away from the intended solo hunt. Many hours were spent in several watches, with not one additional mule track or associated mule in it observed. Polecat shows up, but is hindered by yet another gas delivery.

Saturday:

With a almost full complement of Rangers, sans the Probie and Steven, The crew heads for the back country to verify the existence of the Beast O’ Mighty. The main assault commences from the alternate ingress route, with Leaddog and Digger having blocking guard duty up above on the Thumb and the Escape route. While both were contemplating the next task at hand, two shots were heard from down below, where the spearhead assault was underway.

Radios proved to be somewhat useless, as garbled transmissions were heard with comments such as “A Racker Buck”, and “Lindy”! The excitement was short lived however due to what was heard in the next transmission as “Crossed the Creek, and heading to Stayaway”.

Let loose the Hounds!

Lindy has finally seen and confirmed the actual existence of the “Beast O’ Mighty”, and what follows next was the emotional rollercoaster ride of hunting. Robba and “Junior” finds blood, and then tracks the now somewhat wounded mule to the top of Stayaway, where apparently it’s bullet proof armor worked in fine fashion. With a grazing wound, the mule digs a trench akin to what National Grid would dig to lay cable, as observed by Robba – (aka:The Bloodhound). Feeling confident that the mule is just pissed and not mortally wounded, the crew suspends operations vowing to return bright and early next Saturday.

According to Lindy, the mule encountered was indeed “Da thirty-six point buck” of hunting lore. Lindy drowns his sorrows and relives over and over in his mind the prior exchange, with copious amounts of “kerosine”.

Junior earns inadvertently, his “Cross the Creek” and the coveted “Stayaway” badge with Robba on Saturday, and even earned the “Bernie’s Mystery Trail” badge on Sunday, by soloing and navigating the trail.

Sunday:

The crew decides to put on drives in familiar haunts, due to weather uncertainty, which certainly exercised it’s uncertainty. The drive commences, as does the rain, snow…snrain!
Much sign is observed by Digger, who was being observed as well by a non-conforming hunter of a different crew. Mules were pushed off the hill, with a spike and a fork horn being passed by the now picky watchers. Part two of the hunt has “Darren’s Dates” flying off the hill as usual, but no buck in the mix this time.

idk what ruts are present by the humphry house. I showed up today and the ruts are fixed,  with orange cones upon said ruts, and all the leaves on the drive way are completely blown way off the road. Sounds like the email fairy listened to polecats rant and fixed the issue and them some!!!

Friday:

Weather- Monsoon conditions were encountered, which required yards of Goretex and weatherproofing gear until all were 20 minutes out on the trail, when the clouds and associated rain literally disappeared and gave way to blue sky and sun. Lugging all that foul weather gear for naught, was an exercise in futility – as was with Saturdays hunt. Class VIII rapids were present on all streams.

A strong turnout of the esteemed FAMHC (still missing the Toucher who had a valid excuse this time) resulted in a “local” hunt where the few buckrubs of last week in the 10pt watch and surrounds, turned into a multitude of shredded and damaged trees. No less than 25 rubs at the 10pt watch, and at least 25 more in the general area gets the troops very excited. Whatever mule is making these rubs is either ADHD (“Active Deer, Hyper Deer”), or looking for love in all the right places. Being close to camp, a saturation hunt was in order. More and more rubs and scrapes were encountered throughout the day as terrain was covered, with mules being penned and released at the very last drive – as always.

There’s more than one buck sparring with the troops it appears.

Saturday:

Polecat’s new hybrid bionic hip is now allowing him to access those places again where no mules are ever present. The crew hunts the outback – which is way out back! Rubs on old rubs by the mega-monster-mule is a slap in the face of the crew, who should have all of their faces slapped for leaving the area of Fridays hunt. It was again confirmed that all of the mountains, behind the mountain blocking their view from camp – are still there. One last drive on the way out results in dinner being pushed back two hours.

Sunday:

A repeat of Fridays hunt was in order, with an additional drive in the mix. More and more rubs and scrapes were observed, and flat topped mules plays pinball with the watchers. Still, the mule in question evades the crew – for now.

Next Friday, Leaddog hunts solo!

Opening Weekend 2013

The boys enjoying hotdogs while warming up. The hotdogs were actually name brand and not expired!

Den MaMa forces all in attendance to eat two dogs each on hamburger rolls with no condiments!

Saturday:
The gang assembles once again at the happy hunting grounds and finds winter conditions present already. Six inches of global warming created a winter wonderland, that proved the presence of mules, bear, and coyote.
A big push was in order, since the Polecat has his new bionic hip installed and seems to be in good working order. A drive up from Billy’s Watch Trail to the watch line on Hooter Ridge Extension resulted in a good shakedown cruise for the gang. A feast of tube steaks was consumed at the Hilton, with part two of the day consisting of a drive across Liz to the “frozen all day watchers” at Piney Knob and the 10 point watch. A bedded mule was kicked out of it’s bed and departs the area, as well as the bear that laid fresh tracks in the snow. Copious amounts of beech nuts are keeping the mules from fleeing the area, as the ga-zillion tracks prove. One mule is kicked out of the Knolls by Probie, that runs the Toucher over, and stealthily sneaks by Digger and the Leaddog. All returns to camp and partakes in the opening day feast of mule steak and mac n’ cheese. And of course, some beer.

Sunday:
Waking up to “snrain” the crew contemplates a hunt in the bunny hills. The gang disperses to the hill behind camp, with Ray cheating with Toucher’s does up top. Since Toucher has a bum knee due to all the firewood cutting over the summer, he’s placed on “watch in da’ notch.” Robba and Chip performs the drive in place of Toucher, with Chip actually completing the drive as instructed; a first for the Chipster! Many mules observed, scrapes, feeding and their exodus as always.