It is 6:20 AM, Tuesday, 22 November 2022. And the Wind is blowing yet again. This is the last day of the Regular Firearms Deer Season here in Missouri. I have decided to use the day building up my wood pile, and repairing a leaking stock tank. I need to build up my wood pile, and tagging a deer today would end up being a problem processing it. Between Work Wednesday, Thanksgiving Thursday, and Visiting with the Kids that we do not see very often, processing a deer would end up being a problem. With any luck things will be back to normal by 24 December when the Alternative Methods Portion opens. Handgun Season as I like to call it runs from 24 December thru 3 January. We also have the Antlerless Portion running from 3 thru 11 December. I can only tag One Buck, so I would need to tag a Doe to use my second tag.
I have pretty much worked all the bugs out of the new Tower Stand. I have a problem looking West into the Sun of an evening. I ended up moving my 12" X 26" Handgun Case for my Nosler M48 Right and hanging it by the Carry Strap from the hook located in the Southwest corner of the stand. It hangs down approximately 8 Inches below the top of the window opening. This does a good job blocking the Sun out of my eyes just like the sun visor in a car.
I sorted through Seat Pads left over from several Ladder Stands, and found one that will work well on my Swivel Chair.
The Hand Warmers and Toe Warmers work well. It is easier to stay in the stand longer with Warm Hands and Feet.
Between now and Handgun Season I will try and spend some time confirming my come-ups at the Range in Cold Weather. I have a High 90's Zero on the Nosler M48 in 6.5 Creedmoor. I am running Hornady 120 grain ELD-M bullets over RL17 powder. I can tell that my speed is down from a High 90's zero. This is not a huge problem as in all probability my shots would not be over 150 yards. However they could be. I have lasered the hay field, and I could shoot all the way out to 400 yards. My last Range Trip, I had to add 1/2 Minute Up to be on at 400 yards. That was with temperatures being much warmer than 20 degrees. I have a Drop Chart with Come-Ups to 400 yards stapled to the East wall of the Tower Stand above the window covering the Hay Field. Correcting the Drop Chart for Winter Weather would be handy if I ever do decide to make a long shot. I would not attempt a long shot without correcting the Chart for Cold Weather. One thing I did verify was that I can read the Chart pretty much till closing time. I do need to Type the Chart up on the computer with large Numbers so that it is even easier to read from Three Feet away.
The wait is on for the next Portion of the Missouri Deer Season. With any luck the bucks will be back in my area from where ever they went.
Bob R
