Hiking with Guns, continued.

Monday after school. It was just barely 4 o'clock and here he is hiking away into the grass. At 430 I heard two shots. Several minutes later I saw Jon hiking back, almost running. Sans coat, hat, gun, and with a huge grin. Yup, he got a deer!

However, it was a bit of a ways away and in a gully. He did drag it up from where he shot it, but it was still on a hillside. The first photo shows about the location of the kill. (the lighter green bushes near the darker ones by the taller lone bush..kind of in the upper right of the photo.....got that?) He did say it was a 'Forrest Gump shot' and he managed to avoid all the guts. He thinks he is going to write to Remington because their core lok bullets don't expand when they hit bone, they explode. Which did ruin a bit of meat, but not much. They did find one fragment.



The deer was, they think, an older one. Steve says it was a 6 by 4, including the eyegaurds, and the antlers were thick and spiky. The ears on the deer were notched in at least 3 places by what we think were previous fights. It was a pretty big and heavy buck.

This was the first 'knot' made to haul it the rest of the way out of the draw. Things actually went more downhill from there. It didn't take long to get it cleaned out (via cell phone instructions by dad), but the hard part happened when we tried to get it in the truck. We used several methods and ended up calling for dad again. We were planning on meeting him partway and dragged the buck several hundred yards through the grass. However, we hit a snag. Well, more of a ditch than a snag. And since I am the mom, I had to check out what happened and fell in the ditch also. By this time, it was dark. If we had gone 6 feet on either side of the ditch, we would have been fine. But, we didn't.


As you can see, it was a bit of a jarring experience for all involved. The tire is off the ground and the truck was sitting on the bumper and the leaf springs. The driver's door would not open because the cab itself slid forward on the frame. Other than that, they were able to dig it out and it drove home fine. But apparently, getting stuck on the ranch is a Hansell tradition. So, Jon has officially joined the club.

The deer is now hanging and Jon plans on putting this European mount (he wants another one) opposite the one in his room with the coyote tail hanging from its antler. Go Rednecks! We were all pretty sore on Tuesday and my ankle is swollen, but on the whole, it was an eventful afternoon and evening that we will never forget!

Hiking With Guns-Part 1

The scenery was lovely, the weather was amazing, but the deer were scarce. I was told they saw one, but he scented them and was hot footing it elsewhere. It could have been the sounds of WW2 in the hills around them, too! It appeared that everyone was out in force this weekend. It is frustrating to see so many deer and then when you need to see them, they are gone!

Jon did get a coyote. It was sort of cute, he told his dad how he shot it by using Teddy Grahams as markers. That, I think, was one of the key notes of this first part of Hiking with Guns. They REALLY liked Teddy Grahams!

Round Up-100 years!

Saturday started out a bit damp, but quickly warmed up to tank top weather! All along the street were no parking signs and a man in a tow truck drove past often warning, "all cars parked along the parade route will be towed." He wasn't joking! After the rigs were moved, these guys came by to pick up the signs. The one the man is reaching for also had part of bumper near it. A lady came by and knocked it over, bumping off a piece of her car. She got out to put the sign back up, but didn't know what the black thing was. She drove off before anyone could tell her it was her bumper.


At the beginning of the parade there were 100 people on 100 horses carrying 100 American flags. It was pretty impressive! Rumor was that these flags were flown on bases overseas, but between you and me and the internet, the flags looked pretty pristine for being flown in a desert! After they rode past, a wagon of people came by. I don't remember who they were, but obviously a wagon was a great place to talk from!

These pretty horses have tiger stripes on their legs. It is a particular breed that I don't remember, but they were very striking. Almost as impressive as the band that played while riding horses!! Doesn't that tuba player look like he has his hands full? The people next to the players are leading the horses in case one of them takes offense at the odd noises coming from their backs.

These oxen were also very cool. They, too, have handlers in case of unhappiness. I was told by a fellow spectator that one year the handlers gave them too much relaxant (they have to because they can get a bit out of control) and the beasts lay down in the road and wouldn't move!
I also took a photo of this stunning black and white horse and rig combo because it was so pretty!


There were a LOT of horses in this year's parade. It is completely non motorized, although I did see at least one gator scooping! I liked the fringe on this one's harness and the large ones pulling the fake wool bags are very stately creatures.

These two signs made me laugh. The first one is on an oil rig proclaiming use in motor cars! The second is just funny!


I loved this little guy and his mining couple! Except the lady was way too far behind and almost as overladen!

And at the end, is the hearse! I am not sure I'd want to be carted around in a glass hearse, but then..I would be dead, so maybe I wouldn't care! Actually, the very last thing in the parade is a steam calliope, but none of the photos of that came out very well!

Oregon Live has some stats on this and if I knew how to post a link, I would do that! The hope this year was that the parade would make the Guinness Book of World Records for a parade with the most horses in it. And apparently it did. Don't know how many there were, though. There were 188 or so entrants in the parade and most of them were horseback or rode in wagons! Some of the more interesting entries were the rodeo queens from ages past. And many of them were still riding and they had on the most amazing outfits! The horses did not stand still enough for photos, though. And I am pretty sure the horses were not the same ones they rode from 1950 or the 60's!

Mtn Ranch (Jon's pix)

I figured that will all the interesting things we have been up to, it might be a good idea to post the photos that Jon took on our camping trip. Well, not all of them. I am just posting the animal ones..and well, one of Steve and I.

This deer photo was of the deer we saw on that first night. As you can see here, they were in a line: 4 point, 3 point, two point..and the last one did not get in the picture. He was a spike. So, as we keep saying-the deer are there. We only hope they stay til October when Jon and Steve will go 'hiking with guns' (deer season). The next morning, after the cows woke us up, Jon got up first and proceeded to wander around with his camera.


He found this teeny tiny frog that was about the size of his thumbnail..and took photos of it after he 'released' it.

He also learned where grasshoppers sleep.

This top one is guaranteed to make one feel VERY VERY small! It is where we are going to go for our Youth service next Sunday morning. It is on the 'upper place'. While up there, we visited a teeny pond that was so covered with water skippers it looked like a convention! Jon also found a Hairy Woodpecker. They look exactly like the Downy ones, but are bigger. Of course, on the tree, they look small!

Last weekend of summer vacation-mom's photos

Jon has wanted for ages to camp up on the ranch, so for the last weekend of summer vacation, we did! We only stayed up there one night, but with all the dust blowing around making us sneeze, it was long enough. Next time, I'll bring more tissue or take allergy meds and we can stay longer!

Jon, never a child to travel the beaten track, took the road less traveled to get to the pond..needless to say, it was very adventurous! The first photo does not do justice to the ruts, rocks, and washouts we encountered! I am not even sure what trees we started between. The second photo was the path we should have taken!


We got up to the area a little late in the day for much activity, but Jon unloaded the wee boat and took it out on the pond. Yes, that is a pond. We forgot the rake to use on the rather aggressive weeds choking it! Next time! Steve and I took a walk and found a couple of the willow trees he planted. The deer had eaten them, so we collected the wire holders and will plant some more next spring.
Speaking of deer, this was one of 4 or 5 bucks we saw. It is a grainy picture as they were about 100 yards away or so. At one time we saw in a row points of 4, 3, 2, and spike buck! So, we know they are there, just gotta wait for hunting season. We are hoping they stick around!!!

The next morning we were awakened very early by a cow alarm! In a city you have car alarms..in the woods, cow! They had finally gotten out of the grass where they spent the night to come down to the pond for a drink. On the good side, because they broke the fence we were able to go for a night walk in the CRP (Conservation Reserve Program-for farming areas that are not able to be farmed anymore). The Toyota is where Jon spent his night. Tents are not a good idea here due to the cows. The ground is really torn up and there are 'pies' all over the place!

One of the things we did on Saturday was go to the 'upper place'. It is totally amazing up there and I learned that this is where the guys sight in their rifles. And after a bit of a hike, that is what Jon did.

We got back to camp for a spot of relaxation and some lunch. Jon had with him approved camp out reading, especially nice for use in a kit bashed together hammock! (rope over 20 years old is not good hammock rope!) Lunch was hobo veggies and pork steaks. I had forgotten the salt and pepper, but BBQ sauce worked very well along with the Ranch dressing. Steve added a side of Mtn Dew to his.

We were planning on doing another longer hike, but I was very sneezy by this time and since the cows were out of the CRP, they decided to fix the fence (note, they are not our cows. the owner rents the land for them). It was a lot more work than they had thought it might be!

On the way back home, Jon had to take a 'vista' shot of the world below us. It is pretty incredible what you can see and my next blog will be the same weekend, only from Jon's point of view!

I did bring a book-NEVER go anywhere without one! And was able to read one of Tamora Pierce's books about Tortall (Protector of the Small-Squire).

Camping on the Umatilla

The first weekend in August, Jon went on a Scout camp out up the Umatilla River. The most unusual thing happened on the way up, they were stopped by GOATS! He had to take the pic thru a window, so it was not as nice as it could have been.

But, after the goats and a bit more of a drive, they reached their destination. Home sweet home for the weekend!

While up there, Jon found all kinds of critters! Here are just a few of them!



Aren't they fun!!!??


Trees are so amazing! And the second one is a bridge the boys fixed up after it fell apart (they camp up here often) and I was told it survived this last winter.


One of the things Jon was annoyed about was the fishing. It was above the hatchery and they were tiny, he was swimming with them and none of them was 'bigger than my hand.' So, he caught and ate crawdads! Fried in oil after boiling (because by the time they were all cracked out the critters were all cold..so they recooked 'em!). Everyone tried some and no one died, so Jon figgers he was a pretty good cook!

Missing the Tillamook Fair this weekend. There are some GREAT photos on Face Book if you are interested! And THS VE is going to sing the National Anthem at the demo derby tonight!