Looks like Santa forgot me this year ... again. Next year I'll set up for some moonlight sporting clays practice ... from my chimney station. Better watch out, I'll make him cry ... fat bastard! Humbug.
Merry Christmas to all.
How's your weight? Gotta get it down if you have back issues. I've had arthritis in my back and neck for years and still relatively pain free. And very active. But no gut!
If not too late, have the taxidermist do a euro for you till he's ready to do the shoulder mount. That way you have something to look at while you wait. He should be agreeable. If he's cut the horns off, have a cap mount done with pleated velvet (see below). He can do that up quick and then...
I have never used a scale. I set the pull weight to where it feels good ... then take my hands out of pockets till I can find a dark room. This method does not stop jerking.
Glad it worked for you. I hunt everything with Dad's gun ... every year since he gave it to me in 1964. By then he had built a second Springfield 03A3 for himself. It shot five animals this year: impala, springbuck, gemsbuck, blue wildebeest, and muley buck.
Montana is in the toilet! I've never been partisan voter but I will mark straight Democrat on the next ballot ... even if the party can only get dead corpses to run. Rotting bodies couldn't do a worse job.
I second the belt buckle idea. Look at the Barlow scrimshaw collection. I actually have one with elk design that was a gift. I wear it with my shooting bag at trap range. My everyday buckle is the horse packer design from Montana Silversmith. My late wife gave it to me for Christmas more...
Back in the early seventies I had a chest xray as part of US govt employment. The Dr discovered I had an S-curved back left to right do to a short leg. "You will have back trouble by middle age." I'm now officially old age and still no significant back issues. I have always kept my weight...
Everything I needed for a successful fall big game hunt was packed in the game bag of my nearly worn out Browning upland vest: 1930s KaBar drop point knife, ceramic knife sharpener, dog whistle, ten extra rounds for 30-06 (deer) or five extra rounds for 404 Jeffery (elk), Snickers candy from...