SERVING HENDRICKS COUNTY SINCE 1847
Page A-6
The Republican
Thursday, August 12, 2021
Voices
Hunting Tips & Reflections By Mike E. Neilson Mike Neilson, longtime Danville High School teacher and longtime hunting enthusiast is sharing his hunting experience with our readers. He’s also shared his knowledge in book form with Class Dismissed: I’m Going Hunting! (2004); We’re Gonna Need More Arrows!: Hunting Adventurs Around the Country and Around the World (2009); and Pig Tails and Other Hunting Adventures (2014) ______________________________________________
We offer Voices as a place to share a story, a memory, an idea, a comment, a criticism, or a solution. Contributors must include name, address & phone number.
MASTERING THE HOUSE Tim Paino
Owner/Inspector Heartland HouseMaster
useful tips for homeowners
Scouting and Other Surveillance Skills Part 2
Scouting on public land versus private land. Most people won’t put up cameras on public land because, you know, it’s public. Lots of folks utilize these parcels and sometimes they “find” cameras in the woods. I usually hunt waterfowl on public waters and land and scouting is absolutely essential to help your success. Yes, you could stumble into a really great spot but that’s just dumb luck. If I can find where the birds want to be, where they like to rest and where they are feeding, I’ve upped my odds. Back in the day, I was gung-ho for scouting out Camp Atterbury’s duck and goose population. After school, I’d drive down to the ponds to watch the birds fly and get a pretty good idea where they were hanging out. By the next hunting morning, I knew where I wanted to set up to hunt. Now that I’m older, it’s a bit harder to get away from work to observe. I do have friends that will get up at O dark thirty and scout the ponds and lakes we hunt, bringing back fresh reconnaissance (yes, I trust them…mostly). Sometimes, scouting is just not possible. Here’s where prior knowledge and experience comes into play. Mental notes are nice, but they can get a bit fuzzy as time goes by. A good map (either paper or electronic) of the property you are hunting, and fishing can help you store your observations. For game like deer and turkey, I like to mark where I have stands but also where I’ve taken game. Maps can help identify pinch-points, water sources and food sources. Keeping maps up to date keeps your information up to date as well. What crops are in what fields, when was a property logged, who owns the land around where you hunt, all this is valuable information in helping you decide where to hunt if you can’t physically or mechanically scout for game. The same holds true for my angling friends. Fish detectors, sonar, whatever you want to call it, utilizing prior knowledge, information about bottom structure, points, laydowns, man-made fish structure for nesting, old roads and structures that have been flooded, all are great sources of knowledge. And don’t underestimate the power of talking with folks that live in the area. While some might not give you the time of day, others will talk about the old orchard that used to be on somebody’s property or where there was a bridge that is now under 15 feet of water. Most roads have ditches on either side of them and when they get flooded out, those become great havens for fish, if you can find them. On a non-hunting/fishing/berry-picking/morel-finding note about scouting, if you are a person that likes to camp, hike, bike or explore places, gathering up as much information as you can, might pay off big. Little out of the way parks, campgrounds, parking areas, ramps for boating can enhance your outdoor experiences. Knowing where trails are, where they go, and their difficulty can make trips more enjoyable. Nothing wrong with taking the path less travelled, but sometimes knowing where the path leads never hurts. Biologists, property managers, day workers on public land, all are good sources of information and forms of scouting. No matter how you go about keeping tabs on your favorite wood, field, or water, I wish you the best of luck and success in your outdoor activities. And if you have any property that need a few deer or a turkey taken out, just give me a shout! ______________________________________________
A Note From Bee Saturday my husband and I decided to go to the Friendly in Zionsville. We had talked about it for several weeks and just hadn’t made it. We had a very pleasant meal with excellent service as usual. While we were so close I suggested we go to my husband’s family cemetery (Jones Cemetery) on Whitestown Rd. That was to result in a bad experience. My husband got too close to the timber retaining wall for the parking lot and our left front tire went down over it. Ok, get out see if anything is noticeabley damaged. No visible damage. What is the next step? We live in Brownsburg and are not familiar with towing services in Whitestown. We were so lucky we saw a Whitestown police car coming down the road. My husband flagged him down. Sgt. Klinger to the rescue. He called PSO Wines and PSO Thomas to see what they thought was the best way to proceed. Now we had three rescuers. We all decided maybe the best thing to do was to call the towing service. Unfortunately the towing service was not taking private towing calls. Back to square one. Sgt. Klinger started looking around the woods behind the cemetery. He found some pieces of wood that could go behind and under the tire. The other pitched in and built a ramp. We backed out and nothing fell out. We were so lucky. These three rescuers were so kind and courteous. They could have taken the easy way out and told us to call a wrecker. We need to support law enforcement not downgrade them. Bee Jones ______________________________________________
Catch a Falling Star
Are you a night owl looking for something to do tonight? Are you an early bird that doesn’t mind getting up before the sun? How about an insomniac? Want something to stare at instead of your ceiling tonight while you’re not sleeping? This is one time everyone can be satisfied. Every year from the middle of July through the middle of August, the Earth passes through the debris trail of the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The result is what some consider the best meteor shower of the year, The Perseid meteor shower. Others think of it as the best opportunity for making wishes. At its peak, viewers can expect to see between 50 and 100 “falling stars” an hour! This year the optimal time is August 12, between 10 p.m. and dawn on August 13. Making the viewing potential even better, this year the peak falls during the New Moon (“no” moon) phase meaning the sky will be darker than usual. Darker skies mean observers see more and brighter stars. . . and meteors. Here are a few tips for enjoying this year’s show: Find a dark place. You’ll want to get as far away from the city lights, parking lots, and other sources of light pollution as you can. That’s rather challenging around here. If you live in The Boonies, your backyard may be ideal. I live in town. I’m thinking of finding a minimally traveled country road, pulling safely off to the side, spreading a blanket on the hood, and laying back. If you don’t mind a bit of a drive or want to make a night of it, Shades State Park is recommended by EarthSky.org. Check out the website: cleardarksky.com for a list of dark sky locations in Indiana. (Please note: Call ahead to check if the area is open to the public after dark. Most close at dusk.) Be patient. It takes up to 20 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust to the darkness.
Scan the sky. The meteor shower is named Perseid because the meteors seem to radiate from the constellation Perseus, but they streak across the sky. Don’t know where Perseus is? Use a stargazing app on your phone or look in the northeasterly direction. Enjoy the stationery stars while you’re waiting to be wowed. Try again. If you’ve lived in Indiana long enough, you know there’s a good chance it will be cloudy the evening of August 12. This date is the peak of the shower. The show doesn’t stop on the 13th but slowly winds down until the 24th. If it rains, there’s always tomorrow night. While the Perseids are the highlight of summer stargazing, there are other cool things happening in the night sky. On August 19, Jupiter will reach opposition or be on the opposite side of the sun from Earth’s perspective. Saturn reached opposition on August 2. So what’s that mean? The planets appear bigger and brighter. Again, this isn’t a “miss tonight and you’ll miss it all” situation. Both planets offer great viewing through the end of the month and slowly fade through the end of the year. The Southern Taurids meteor shower begins September 10 and peaks on November 2-3. While the number of meteors is only about five per hour, the Taurids have a reputation for producing Fireballs or Bolides, bigger chunks of debris that create long, bright streaks. If you don’t mind the cold, The Geminids and Quadrantids peak on December 13-14 and January 2-3, 2022. For more information on upcoming astronomical events, check out earthsky.org and in-the-sky.org Have fun and happy wishing! ______________________________________________
Time For Exterior Painting – Get Ready Exterior projects must always be planned around the weather, especially in our northern climate. Not only do we have to consider the rain, but we also all know that cold weather is just around the corner. Now is the time to jump on that exterior painting project you have been putting off. You may not want to attempt to apply the paint while it is still extremely hot and humid, but there is some work that needs to be done prior to applying the paint. 1) Repair, Scrape, Sand and Prime: Paint doesn’t stick to rotten wood, and it doesn’t make for the best finished product. The first thing you will want to do is assess what wood may need replaced and what may just need cleaned and filled. Use a filler that is made for exterior use and can be sanded and painted. If there is peeling paint you will want to scrape all loose paint to have a good solid surface to begin with. Sand and prime all repaired areas. 2) Caulk and Re-Caulk: Any seams or transitional areas need to be caulked to prevent moisture from causing future penetration issues. Old caulking may need to be removed to get a good, attractive seal. 3) Wash: Paint also does not stick well to dirt. A garden hose and possibly a soft brush to wash off any dirt and cobwebs should do the job. 4) Check Your Supplies: Tall enough / safe ladders, quality brushes, rags, roller, and roller sleeves along with a paint tray should all be on hand. I prefer using the five-gallon bucket and a roller screen over a tray for ease of moving and being able to have a larger supply available while working. A second five-gallon bucket should be used to mix your paint prior to going to the next gallon to prevent color variations. The final step before you start painting is the selection of the paint itself. If you are thinking of making a change in the color, I strongly recommend buying a quart of each color you choose and paint a small area (large enough to step back and study) and make sure you really like it. This is a big job you are going to invest a lot of time and money in that should last for ten years. Be happy with your choices. You want the colors to complement the architectural details of your house and fit the character of your neighborhood. Many paint stores will have a designer on staff that can assist you in making a good decision. Now isn’t the time to bargain shop on quality. A good quality paint will go on easier, cover better, and last longer. Next up, start painting. _____________________________________________
A Squirrel About Town By Archy “Did you see the sky this morning?” I asked Archy. “Constable - undoubtedly Constable,” the squirrel replied. Sharing an interest in art history, we had been exchanging views on who painted the sky. “It broadens one’s view to study the arts,” Archy said. “Most people see a bicycle seat, Picasso sees a bull. Seeing things differently helps you see them in a new way. And seeing in a new way can help you find new answers.” I said that the arts are a common language but not always common knowledge. “Not everyone sees things the same way,” the squirrel said. You really wouldn’t want them to. That’s what learning is about. You need to be able to share what you see without taking away other people’s vision. It’s all about addition and multiplication. When you start subtracting, that’s when humanity gets into trouble. ____________________________________________
Neither a borrower nor a lender be... William Shakespeare
Get Your Own Subscription! Only $40 a year!
The Republican
P.O. Box 149, Danville, IN 46122 317-745-2777
