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Post by tickranch on Apr 18, 2021 10:40:20 GMT -6
Boy oh boy, Sarge. Better pour a drink and take a nerve pill. Yeah, I had F&T tell me to call my local UPS terminal to find my coni-stands. I told him he was a comedian. Finally found the package in the seat of my wifes car. Package was "delivered" but no where in sight. I hate Midway Supply in Columbia. I got in to it with them years ago and avoided them since. Other day I wanted .243 dies and 100 grain bullets. NOBODY had anything. Grafs, natchez,cabellas, Ballistic all sold out with no backorder. So I sucked it up and ordered from Midway. As soon as I placed the order, I got a reply it was "shipping today". That was Wednesday. Tracked package and it will be delivered next Wednesday. Wow. Five days to go 100 miles. Impressive. Have you gone to Sierra Bullets in Sedalia? On the side of the building there is a door that goes into a small "shop". They have seconds in there. From what they've told me ballistically there is nothing wrong with them, mainly the reason they are seconds, is cosmetic, or for some reason they don't meet Sierra's standards. There is a pretty good discount, and they are sold by the pound. You might go in today, and they don't have what your looking for & tomorrow there are a bunch of them.
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Post by krank on Apr 18, 2021 12:27:28 GMT -6
Yup....I have picked over Sierra bullets. Used to stop there a lot when I ran a service route. Always found time for a slight detour. Those bullets are fine. They just have a cosmetic defect. One time I bought some 70 grain V-maxs and the tips were all falling out. Talk about a nasty hollow point. Too nasty. Had to super glue the tips back in. Usually the spires just have an excess piece of lead on the tip or the jacket is discolored.
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Post by krank on Apr 20, 2021 8:22:43 GMT -6
April 14th I ordered from Midway. Got an email that it was on its way. US post office. Two days later the package was still in Columbia. Today it is in St. Louis. (umm...wrong direction.) Now they have bumped the delivery from Wednesday to Thursday. I will be happy to get my stuff. Then I can send Midway a nasty-gram thanking them for reminding me why I hate them so much.
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Post by segsarge on Apr 20, 2021 19:11:45 GMT -6
Cumberland's sent me an e-mail telling me my traps were send out again yesterday. They added instructions in the shipping to hold at the UPS terminal for pick up. Also got a e-mail from UPS saying my package would be out for delivery tomorrow, 04/21/21. We'll see what happens when I call UPS tomorrow.
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Post by segsarge on Apr 21, 2021 9:36:42 GMT -6
Called UPS terminal a few minutes ago to check on traps. Was told they were on the truck out for delivery. Either Cumberland didn't put the hold for pickup instructions on the shipping information or UPS ignored it. Told the lady at UPS about the problem with the drive and that he refused to come up the drive. Asked to have it held there until I can pick it up tomorrow after 1:00. She told me she would, but there pick hours are only 8:00 am to 11:00 am and 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm. I may have to bite the bullet and just have all my trap stuff shipped to a UPS store location around the corner from where my son works. Seems most all trap suppliers use UPS.
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Post by segsarge on Apr 22, 2021 18:15:35 GMT -6
Got home from work at the store late last night. If the alarm went off I never heard it. Woke up around 8:00 and figured no use in trying to dress and make the 45 minute drive to the woods. Shame cause it was a perfect morning weather wise. Threw on some jeans and made the trip to the UPS terminal. Took the new tracking number Cumberland gave me. Handed it to the counter guy and he told me it "was probably out for delivery." I was ready to come unglued, but said I called yesterday and it was SUPPOSED to be held there. He told me he would check. Twenty minutes passed and he came out with my traps. Went to the local UPS store and asked it I could have my packages sent there, since the driver is such an ass. Found out all I have to do is list them as the "ship to" address. It gets delivered there and I can pick it up. I still have a very bad opinion of UPS, but at least I can get my stuff without worrying about it being returned.
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Post by krank on Apr 23, 2021 6:17:39 GMT -6
Well glory be. I got my stuff from Midway and already loaded up 50 rounds of .243. Yeah, you can list a UPS terminal as a "ship to". I have a lot of dealers that prefer that. May want to check on stores like "Mailbox, etc" as they might charge a slight fee for their services.
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Post by segsarge on Jul 19, 2021 7:50:00 GMT -6
Went out to the shed to tune the new #4's I bought a while back. Decided to use the trap setters I had since the pain in my left hand isn't getting any better. Worked ok and got them where they need to be. Had some 4 coil #4 Montgomery's that do double duty for beaver/otter as well as predators. Tried the setters on them because these are beasts. Really strong and FAST. First trap the setter slipped off the left lever and the jaws nipped my finger tips on my right hand. Yeah, it hurt, but I was determined. Tried it again and same thing happened except that time it caught my index and middle fingers. That REALLY hurt. Fingers are purple and swollen up. Setters work on the Duke's but not on the Monty's.
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Post by krank on Jul 22, 2021 13:54:31 GMT -6
Maybe make a jig to hold them. Maybe set them and leave them set for a really long time. I really hate super strong springs and don't feel the need. At least you are out there dealing with it. All my stuff is hanging in a 120 degree shed and can stay there for now.
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Post by segsarge on Jul 23, 2021 19:21:57 GMT -6
Went back out yesterday to set those #4 Monty's, they're not going to beat me. Placed the setters aside and used my hands. Got them set without them thinking my hands were an otters foot. No adjustment needed on any. Just a clean up and dye.
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Post by krank on Jul 28, 2021 6:52:02 GMT -6
Any thought about my suggestion of engraving your traps with your conservation number to catch a thief? My conservation agent said he is looking for that brass tag but further investigation and discovering the engraving is good proof.
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Post by segsarge on Jul 31, 2021 3:09:49 GMT -6
I think it's a good idea! My only concern is, as you said, the CA's looking for a tag and pulling the trap when they don't see it.
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Post by krank on Jul 31, 2021 7:07:30 GMT -6
Its more of a theft protection. Hard for them to lie their way out when you reveal the engraving they didnt see. I put it in a place thats hard to get a grinder at.(top of base next to jaw)
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Post by segsarge on Aug 1, 2021 16:48:06 GMT -6
Might invest in one of those cheap engravers like they have at Horrible Freight. Use the engraving as a back up. A tag would allow CA's to easily see it. Once a thief rips the tag off, might be less likely to look for a discreet number etched in. Finding the stolen steel is the tough part. My old trapping partner had a couple of dozen 1 1/2's taken a few years ago. His neighbor found them in one of the local pawn shops a month or so later. He bought them on the spot and returned them. Partner paid him the costs of course. They were stolen within a mile of his house.
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Post by krank on Aug 1, 2021 18:15:58 GMT -6
Back in the 70s, My Dad got hit on the farm. He engraved everything he owned after that. He claimed that engraved identification was poison to a thief. There was also a push to make a centralized engraving system where you had a number logged with the sheriff and it was traceable nationwide. I do not understand how the idea died out.
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Post by tickranch on Aug 8, 2021 14:53:22 GMT -6
Back in the 70s, My Dad got hit on the farm. He engraved everything he owned after that. He claimed that engraved identification was poison to a thief. There was also a push to make a centralized engraving system where you had a number logged with the sheriff and it was traceable nationwide. I do not understand how the idea died out. I was a LEO back in those days. We acquired 2 engravers, donated by a ladies civic organization. We'd loan them out for free to the citizens. For a while it took off with great response, then just kind of died out. We supplied the engravers, plus record keeping paperwork so people could keep track of their number, and what items they had engraved. Had one old codger that took me a long time to convince to become involved, as he had it in his head that the PD was going to keep a list of what people had engraved, and the number. Once I convinced him we didn't want the number or a list of his items...and he believed me, he was all for it. I'm kind of thinking that was part of the reason. Never did hear if anything was actually recovered from the system.
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Post by segsarge on Aug 8, 2021 16:22:24 GMT -6
Local law in my area gives a rats ass less about stolen property. That's part of the reason retrieving your stuff is so difficult. Theft from storage units is rampant. Power tools, chain saws, wood chippers or anything of value used to end up in the local pawn shops. Local LE never checked it out. People would come in looking for their stolen items and we were not legally able to give any information if they found them. Required a police report. Pawn shop would return the stuff to rightful owners and had to file charges on the thief. Never got the money back. That was on large, higher dollar items. Things like traps, hand tools, fishing equipment, tree stands, trolling motors, or other items were just lost and nobody but the victims cared. I lost a bunch of traps while trapping coyotes a few years ago. Replacement costs were substantial for me but no one else bothered to attempt to recover them. I did like everyone else and checked the pawn shops. Never found any. Comment from Deputy I reported to was "well, that's what happens when you leave stuff unattended."
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Post by krank on Aug 9, 2021 6:17:43 GMT -6
Big toot in my county that citizens were outraged at lack of law enforcement pertaining to petty thieves. Came out in a round about way that local police were after the federal crooks that drew federal money. Had a buddy that had game camera footage of the neighbor stealing his moped. He took that video to the police and they said it was illegal to film somebody without their consent or knowledge (that way you see signs warning of video survelience) I told Bob he should have walked right into the courthouse and asked the prosecutor if he approved of such policies. It does not hurt anything to engrave property unless you plan on selling it soon. It doesnt guarantee stolen property will be returned but it might come in real handy. Something being engraved may be the difference between a thug walking or going to jail.
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Post by segsarge on Sept 17, 2021 16:12:16 GMT -6
Looking like my plans for a line on the Current River may be shot. Talked it over with my old trapping partner the other day. He's floated that part of the river alot more than me. His concern is theft in the area. Claims you can't leave anything out at the campsite without it being gone when you return. He has an old school bus that's been converted into a camper. It's comfortable, but no way we could keep everything inside once camp is set. Got a chance at trapping beaver from a lake development not too far from the house. Could be theft problem there too though. Place is known to have meth-heads living there. Have to wait and see how it pans out.
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Post by krank on Sept 18, 2021 7:25:17 GMT -6
Lots of people float the Current year round.
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