fins wrote:

Didn’t want to derail the other thread any more than it already was so I’ll ask again here. What do you guys do for service? What intervals? Costs involved with it? Be honest, how long does your average transmission last? I’ll start first. I’ve had quite a few trucks in my somewhat short lifetime at 38 years old. All the trucks I have had were bought used with anywhere from 40-80k miles on them. By no means saying they are the best but all have been GM products. All of them have pulled heavy stuff all over the countryside and we put on lots of miles pulling a 20 foot boat and a 24 foot ice castle. I’m not proud of it but I can say I’ve never got a transmission service on any truck I own and I usually drive them until they have give or take 200k on them. The truck I have now, a 2500HD Chevy I got with 35k on it was the first one I ever had a transmission issue with. It completely fried just shy of 200k miles. I searched around and found a retired local guy that has been rebuilding the tings for ages and it cost me $2800 to get it taken out, everything rebuilt and new what needed it and put back in. To me it almost seems like paying insurance premiums. Is it really worth putting money into something that isn’t broke or just save up for when it does happen? Maybe I just have good luck? I’d like to hear what everyone else thinks and does?

I’m going back and forth on this right now with my 2015 Silverado. Have a 2000 Silverado that I changed the transmission fluid at 60,000 and no problems. 200,000 right now.

The 15 has 130,000 and friends are saying just leave it, truck transmissions are made to not be changed and you don’t want to disturb the metals.

Mechanic of course says to do it and offers tranny and differential drain as a package, or tranny flush and filter replacement. The lifters are supposed to go out before I would need to worry about the transmission? I did the tune to turn the cylinder deactivation off.

Full draw wrote:

30 years ago a friend told me a boat was nothing but a hole in the water you throw money into.
He was 100% right.
But without the hole and the money you don’t have the enjoyment or the memories.

I think it all depends on how much time a person spends on the water and how much they spent or continue to spend on the boat. For people that buy a $20,000 and fish 4 times a year, definitely a waste.

I store my boat on my property, do all routine maintenance and upgrades, and I consider my boat a bargain. I also toe the line between hours on the water and divorce, so that helps things pencil out.

I don’t think boat loans are the worst thing in the world, if you get a good deal on the boat, actually use it, and take care of it. Got a loan on my first boat, paid it off early, used it a lot, and sold it 13 years later for $200 less than I paid for it. Same trolling motor, just 2 new graphs.

Stanley wrote:

Having my 99 GMC 2500 that I have had for 18yrs restored is sounding better all the time. Besides the usual rust it has been a great truck. I’ve been looking at replacing my f-150 due to lots of issues but it seems like it’s all a crap shoot if you get a good truck or not and it’s paid for.

I have a 2000 Silverado, 2nd truck for plowing, going to landfill, etc, more time goes on I wonder if I won’t end up using it as my main truck again.

Youbetcha wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>smallie83 wrote:</div>
Typically 1800’s land surveys.

Most USFWS Waterfowl Production Areas were purchased with duck stamp dollars. Goal is usually waterfowl habitat with an emphasis on nesting. Goes against what a lot of minnesotans want for deer hunting, but deer isn’t the goal.

I bow hunt some wpas. They can hold piles of deer…

Deer aren’t the goal for WPA’s. Same for pheasants, but they all benefit from the habitat.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>smallie83 wrote:</div>
Most USFWS Waterfowl Production Areas were purchased with duck stamp dollars. Goal is usually waterfowl habitat with an emphasis on nesting. Goes against what a lot of minnesotans want for deer hunting, but deer isn’t the goal.

These aren’t WPA’s. One is a MN River Valley WMA that was purchased by funds from the airport. The other is a private farm in the driftless area.

Wma is dnr. Not sure why you would be talking to fws about dnr land. Private land likely had a habitat easement on it if fws was involved.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>smallie83 wrote:</div>
You should go talk to one of the biologists at the agency who did that work. They can explain the goal. Trees aren’t all good, most agencies are trying to match the original habitat.

I spoke to USFWS on the land by me and the celebrity hunter about his USFWS project. In both cases it was to rebuild the grasslands more pollinator friendly and rebuild/help the oak Savannah. On the public land they killed dozens of old, huge and healthy pin oaks in order to grow more burr oaks. And I’m not sure what moment in time they look at as “original habitat” as this stuff is always evolving.

Typically 1800’s land surveys.

Most USFWS Waterfowl Production Areas were purchased with duck stamp dollars. Goal is usually waterfowl habitat with an emphasis on nesting. Goes against what a lot of minnesotans want for deer hunting, but deer isn’t the goal.

BigWerm wrote:

I agree there is a lot of irony in our broke govt funding Big Ag to drain every possible slew and pond, fertilize it all and grow row crops everywhere possible while at the same time subsidizing all these other “conservation” programs to protect our air, land and water.

Even more ironic is the celebrity hunter with the inherited 450 acres on multiple govt subsidies, in partnership with USFWS just cut down a huge patch of woods and brush, treated portions of it so it won’t grow back and burned it off (pretty sure that’s not good for our land, air and water) so that they can restore it to polinator friendly prairie grass and an oak savannah. The same process has happened on my local WMA over the course of the 4 years I’ve lived there as well. To add insult to injury on the WMA they do the tilling, burning and treating right before hunting season, and it’s gone from seeing deer and pheasants frequently, to not at all.

You should go talk to one of the biologists at the agency who did that work. They can explain the goal. Trees aren’t all good, most agencies are trying to match the original habitat.

jimmysiewert wrote:

I’ll go with that. Big Ag, drain tile and ethanol plants are destroying the ecosystem. One can plant all the trees you want – but if you don’t have the ecosystem to go along with it – well, we are finished. Around my area I watch great habitat fence lines being tore out every year – more and more by these big ag/dairy farms. And it’s true as true when I stated that farmers are getting grants to tear out trees on subpar land to put in more crop. As they say – “just put more fertilizer down!” I am assuming these grants are from Ag Dept. The farm owner and cat operator are good honest people. As he told me, “you can’t lose being a farmer right now. They just keep giving me free money!”.

Where can I sign up for this grant? What’s it called?

Brittman wrote:

Looking at CREP from a SD vs. MN basis. Both appear to be a coordinated effort between the state and the USDA and is generally a step up in habitat formation/protection from regular CRP.

SD requires CREP participants in the James River Valley to open that land to public hunting. MN does not.

Crep is where you jointly enroll land in CRP and a permanent easement. You get the lump sum payment, plus the annual crp payment for the length of one crp contract.

B-man wrote:

Bucky, I have the same question as Joel.

Do you know if there’s any tax breaks if land is enrolled in CRP??

I have 7 acres of low production hay field that only costs me money and doesn’t do much if anything at all for wildlife.

Since it’s less than 10 acres I don’t qualify for any ag breaks.

Up to each county, but generally CRP is just treated as cropland that is temporarily in idle grass. So not usually a tax break.

jimmysiewert wrote:

I just love that I have to pay for the trees from the DNR nursery to plant on my land – but then the DNR / Ag Dept. gives grants to farmers in my area to tear trees out to plant more crops. Makes a lot of sense

What DNR or MDA pays farmers to tear out trees and plant crops?

isu22andy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Brittman wrote:</div>
CRP payments were competitive a few decades ago, but at this time a landowner usually can get a better return farming or leasing than CRP payments offer.

CRP can offer landowners a fixed income when weather takes out their crops (flooding, drought, hail). Also provides a buffer when grain prices drop below the price it cost to plant, nurture, and harvest.

CRP grass can provide an emergency hay buffer in drought years. Pheasant hunters know this all too well when you drive up to a WIA and it is hayed.

Emergency buffer for hay – my favorite is when they enroll in the emergency program then sell the bales for profit . Double dipping .

Right now the CRP payment is not great – but around 10 years ago it was 3-400 dollars an acre while crop rent was 250-300 in the area I grew up in – for select parcels .

When corn was 7 bucks in 2007- 2010ish ? I thought I’d never see CRP make a comeback but it did in Western IA.

Are they not still taking a rental rate reduction for the emergency haying or grazing? It wasn’t market rate, but that wasn’t the point. Haying CRP and other program land isn’t just for a local farmer, the overall effect of the hay keeps livestock guys in business around the country. Think what the price of hay would be without that additional hay on the market.

Permanent conservation easements save taxpayers way more money in the long run vs. cropland. A lot of the land going into easemenents is environmentally sensitive, i.e. valuable drained wetland complexes, riparian areas, threatened or endangered species habitat

Direct payments are still a thing, even though they were supposed to be done with the 2014 farm bill. Congress has approved direct payments for low crop prices and the Trump administration has already indicated another round is likely. Those payments stop when land is permanently protected.

Have to take care of the seed bearing trees first. I would use garlon and diesel for painting on stumps. Garlon, or someone mentioned crossbow, for foliar or basal treating. I’m a fan of spraying, verifying they are dead, and then cutting later.

U of M has a paper out saying seed is only viable for I think 3 years. We’ll see on that. Really helps to coordinate with neighbors to slow down the re-spread.

Dutchboy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Alagnak Pete wrote:</div>
I agree with B-man. I told my wife yesterday- every time I hear the word BRO it triggers me at this point (my own kids/friends, work, whatever). You do you! If you watch so many online videos that it alters how you talk or dress- it’s sad.

Add the word “Dude” to my trigger list.

The dude abides, man!

Zach Bryan
Charles Wesley Godwin
Brent Cobb
Shane Smith and the Saints
John Meloy

I bet the people saying it’s public land, they should be able to do what they want, are the same people crying and moaning about jet skis and wake boats wrecking fishing.

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>smallie83 wrote:</div>
I dont much care about what goes on in other countries unless it directly affects me or could. I prefer my country protect its land for its citizens and to benefit us. No chance a foreign country or an individual like Bill Gates is looking out for the best interest of us.

Since when does it matter that landowners are looking out for anyone else? Gates is a landowner, just like some farmer that owns 10,000 acres. Funny thing is that people in Nebraska didn’t even know Gates was the largest landowner in some counties. They just thought another corporation owned the land. A reporter had to tell them.

Never ceases to amaze me how quick people run to the government and call for more regulations.

Coming from someone who has obviously never heard or read a word of what Gates has said which lead to his intentions. Are you OK with him saying essentially the pandemic was needed because millions of people needed to die because the earth was getting overpopulated?

I’m against limiting citizens rights based on their thoughts or what they said. Kind of shocking that there are people that are for limiting land ownership based on speech. And yes, I’m also fine with him retiring farmland if that’s what he desires. Won’t happen, but who cares if he does?

CaptainMusky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>bigstorm wrote:</div>
For those that think that think people from other countries shouldnt be able to own property in the US, what are your thoughts on people from and living in the US owning land in other countries?

I dont much care about what goes on in other countries unless it directly affects me or could. I prefer my country protect its land for its citizens and to benefit us. No chance a foreign country or an individual like Bill Gates is looking out for the best interest of us.

Since when does it matter that landowners are looking out for anyone else? Gates is a landowner, just like some farmer that owns 10,000 acres. Funny thing is that people in Nebraska didn’t even know Gates was the largest landowner in some counties. They just thought another corporation owned the land. A reporter had to tell them.

Never ceases to amaze me how quick people run to the government and call for more regulations.

Is anyone concerned this plot seems an awfully lot like the movie Canadian Bacon? Create a fake war to try to drive up polling numbers? And gullible people buy it right up.

B-man wrote:

Glenn57

Even though he was talking about fish, you bring up a GREAT point that I’ve thought about more than once.

Chew on this and get back to me.

One must first acknowledge that hunting and fishing “seasons” are made up man-made “dates”.

Now please explain how killing a pregnant doe in November is any different than killing that same deer in June???

Either way the fawn(s) won’t survive. Dead in the womb or dead from malnourishment.

One is certainly more cruel than the other, but at the end of the day they’re all eliminated before the next “season”.

Openers are a ton of fun and traditional, but when math and biology come down to it, it’s all about total mortality.

It doesn’t matter “when” the mortality happens during a 365 day period…it only depends on how much there is.

Fish…deer…ducks…grouse…turkeys… bears… pheasants…etc…all the same.

Anyone please prove me wrong

This concludes tonights Deep Thinking with B-man

Fall makes sense for numerous reasons:

Think of fall plummage for many bird species. Easier to see young pheasant roosters in October compared to August. Same for ducks, identification would be a struggle for some? Or maybe many?

Fall is also a natural season. Late winter and early spring you might be shooting weak or starving animals coming off a hard winter.

Spring, do you really want to disrupt nesting? Same for nesting waterfowl. Walking a field for pheasants you might be kicking up mallards or teal off nests. People doing that day after day wouldn’t be good for nesting success.

Summer is humid and buggy. You would be killing dogs, and from what I’ve seen, probably some hunters.

Without defined seasons enforcement would also be tough.

Fall is just natural.

Bass fisherman and it probably wouldn’t make a huge difference for me, most years. I’m for it, though my wife probably isnt…

Iowaboy1 wrote:

Bear,that merc shouldnt take much juice to start.
Perform a voltage drop test on both battery cables.
Put one of your volt meter leads on the positive cable at the battery,the other lead goes to the positve cable where it attaches to the starter solenoid.
Attempt starting the motor,if you see a large reading over half a volt that cable or connection is corroded.

Do the same with the negative cable,test lead at the negative post,other lead to where the cable bolts to the block.
If it reads over half a volt that cable is bad.
Ive seen corrosion in the middle of the cable you cant see until you slice the insulation,look for swelling along the length of the cables,that will give you an idea where the corrosion is.

From there if they test good either the starter needs serviced or the battery is weak.

Bought my current boat and the console depth finder was wired to the trolling motor battery. Everyone told me I shouldn’t do that. So I rewired it back to the starting battery. But if the graph is on when I start the boat, it turns off the graph and I have to unplug the df, plug it back in, and then start the df after the motor is running.

So people told me to get a big, dual purpose battery. So I did. Still have the same issue.

The wiring is new. I’m considering just getting another battery just for the console df. Only thing that sucks is I’ll be short a slot for the onboard charger.

Deuces wrote:

Did a quick Google smallie, can’t find it, although tbh i might be overlooking it. This was probably 15 or more years ago, back then money was tight and alot of my books were in the public domain and free to download off the internet, which would make the book at least I beleive at that time was 70yrs old or older. Mightve been on my old computer as I don’t recall a paper copy but again, I may be mistaken. I’d enjoy reading it again

Ok. Thanks. I love history books and I’m out of anything that really interests me at the moment.

Deuces wrote:

The American wild most certainly would have been a sight to see in the beginning. Read a couple books of land surveyors from that time that carried no guns. Amazing stories and spectacles to see.

They never feared for their safety from animals or humans. Embellishment from “adventurers” is certainly no foreign concept at any point in human history. Not taking anything away from folks who set forth into a wild land, but was interesting to read another perspective.

Any idea what those books are called?

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Full draw wrote:</div>
One of the areas I hunt coyotes in SD is where Hugh Glass was attacked.

The guy from the Revenant?

Didn’t realize that actually happened. Interesting.

If your into reading check out Throne of Grace. About Jebadiah Smith, but a bunch of famous trappers like Glass come in and out of the story. Including Jim Bridger.

Full draw wrote:

Hunting in Grizzly country that has a season for them is a lot different than hunting in Grizzly country that doesn’t.
Wyoming and Montana have no shortage of Grizzly bears. Every year their range expands. Every year there are hunters and hikers attacked.

When I hunted NW of Dubois WY it was eye opening.
Every morning I seen fresh griz sign.
I Shot my Bull elk in the evening. By the time we got it deboned it was going on 11 pm. I told my partner we were not coming back to that carcass again. We loaded up packs and headed back to the truck. That was by far the heaviest pack I have ever had in my back.

One of the areas I hunt coyotes in SD is where Hugh Glass was attacked. The site he was attacked is now under water. It was pretty cool standing on top of the hill reading the monument looking down to where it happened back in the 1800’s.

So crazy to read the stories from fur trappers or Lewis and Clark. Would be such a different world to be the hunted. The Lewis and Clark expedition member who jumped in the river to escape a grizzly always stood out to me.

I’ll start the dishwasher before I leave for work today. Will be done when I get home. 2 minutes to unload. Efficiency.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>smallie83 wrote:</div>
Toilets have been gurgling since January. Thought it was a frozen vent pipe that I can only access with a lift due to slope and height. Problem didn’t go away with warm weather. Investigated further yesterday and I have an overflowing tank and frozen drain field. Gravity system. I don’t understand how it never froze but it was running out the pipe, downhill.

I blame it on pumping in the fall, lack of snow, and a long vacation with no water use.

Anyone walk, drive, snowmobile, deer trail, etc. across that area?

Deer would be the only one of those. It’s not a main trail, but I’m sure they run across there.

In hindsight I regret pumping it in November. We were also gone for a long vacation during that really bad cold snap in January. That couldn’t have helped. It went down a tiny amount yesterday during the day when no one was home. So I’m hoping it’s starting to very slowly unthaw.