What did You Ask Santa to Bring You?
Mates,
With Christmas only 3 days away, assumedly Santa and his elves are busy working on your gifts and loading his sleigh. Assuming you aren't on the 'naughty' list, what did you ask Santa for? My list was short: another chain saw and I think I'm going to need to step up my tractor game, too. That one is going to be tough to gauge just how much further I'll need to go.
So the question is, as the title says: What did you ask Santa to bring you?
XM
December 22nd, 2018 at 1:54 PM ^
A win against OSU.
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:00 PM ^
Granted by Ole Saint Jim!
December 22nd, 2018 at 3:55 PM ^
I've asked for that for 14 years...beginning to think that the old fat man in the red suit is full of crap.
December 22nd, 2018 at 3:59 PM ^
Did you really think someone wearing red would grant that wish?
December 22nd, 2018 at 4:19 PM ^
The win in 2011 doesn't count, does it?
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:10 PM ^
The "Fickel Win" really doesn't count in my book. I guess it should, but I am dying for a win against OSU with an established Coach...or at least not an interim.
December 23rd, 2018 at 11:07 AM ^
Rain checks so far...
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:00 PM ^
Same thing I ask for every year:
December 22nd, 2018 at 7:05 PM ^
My wife usually asks for a list and one year I put "threesome with Emmanuel Chriqui and Isla Fisher" right in the middle of the list. She never acknowledged it, but Christmas day I got a collage of pics of those two and me dressed nice on one side, and on the other side, those two in lingerie and looking tousled and me asleep. Probably as close I'm going to get.
December 23rd, 2018 at 11:04 AM ^
Sounds like a good woman with a sense of humor - hold on to her!
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:01 PM ^
Santa delivered early for me. A new recurve bow, some arrows, and other gear I needed for a week long bear hunt in the UP. No bear, but still a great adventure and some quiet time away from the kids and the day to day grind!
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:04 PM ^
Just had a bear come through the property. Neighbor has bees on property. It destroyed most of the hives.
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:06 PM ^
should be denned up this time of year. our neighbor the beekeeper took to parking his truck and tractor around the hives to keep the bears away. not completely successful, but it helped.
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:08 PM ^
I said 'just'. Kind of seems like 'just' but it was about a month and half ago(?).
I live in California, so not sure if that makes any difference on hibernation. I know NOTHING about bears.
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:12 PM ^
i only ever hunted bear in the sierra's when i lived out there. they denned up in the winters, which is what we started yesterday. out here they've been in their dens for a month at least. we have had a really cold fall up north, like 5-30 degrees below normal for 2+ months.
December 22nd, 2018 at 4:05 PM ^
Thanks for the info.
Lots of people were surprised to hear of bear this low, 1200ft elevation, but neighbor saw it.
December 22nd, 2018 at 4:12 PM ^
Bear hunting is fun, and they are very good eating. In a tree stand now, but waiting for Mr. Buck to come by....
December 22nd, 2018 at 4:56 PM ^
There's a 6 pointer around here, but he's getting run off by a bigger 8pointer. Probably 8-10 does. Maybe next year.
Good luck.
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:09 PM ^
Good luck! I have a pair of 2 year old 8pts that keep coming in. I’m passing them up with the hopes they make it until next year.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:22 PM ^
i had two come in tonight. one was small and i passed. one was big and i would've gladly taken him, but he hung up about 40 yds in front of me, sat there looking around for a bit, and walked back north from where he came. will try again tomorrow.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:22 PM ^
Just returned from the tree stand myself. No deer tonight, nothing to see here except a few squirrels and a handful of turkey.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:40 PM ^
in general, where are you hunting (i.e, central michigan, up north, etc)? i'm guessing wherever you are there isn't any snow.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:53 PM ^
I’m in the kalamazoo area. I own a chunk of property and hunt behind my house.
December 22nd, 2018 at 7:03 PM ^
if i remember you Christmas wish, you should be hunting for a girlfriend, right? maybe go to an archery club and find an mgoarcher wife?
December 22nd, 2018 at 8:08 PM ^
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a single woman at one of those. The only women I’ve ever seen are with their husbands/boyfriends.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:56 PM ^
Bear hunt was way up North in the Porcupine mtns. Tonight was at home, West Coast of the state, just outside of Muskegon. No snow here. You?
December 22nd, 2018 at 7:05 PM ^
up north. got a nice fresh snow yesterday/last night. boatloads of fresh tracks, like, there was a deer dance party in one field.
December 22nd, 2018 at 3:07 PM ^
Careful Jumbo, you’ll shoot your eye out.
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:02 PM ^
We aren't your mates.
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:08 PM ^
sad. do you have someone you could call, maybe hang out with? there has got to be a better way for you to spend your time. is your job really tough or maybe you're having relationship and/or health issues?
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:23 PM ^
I'm willing to be your mate, xtramelanin! Hope you and the family have a Merry Christmas! (I, too, wouldn't mind a new chainsaw!)
December 22nd, 2018 at 4:23 PM ^
Do you know what type and brand you want?
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:51 PM ^
You're my mate, xtra!
December 22nd, 2018 at 3:38 PM ^
Interesting reading UMICH1606’s posting history. That dude sure doesn’t like you XM, which is weird because you are arguably the most liked person on this forum. To be fair, I don’t think he really likes anyone.
December 22nd, 2018 at 3:59 PM ^
Looks like UMICH1606 has perma-bpone :-(
December 22nd, 2018 at 4:21 PM ^
Aren't you supposed to seek medical attention if your bpone lasts more than 4 hours?
December 22nd, 2018 at 3:53 PM ^
We be mates, matey!
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:47 PM ^
"Bitter table for one, Bitter table for one"
December 22nd, 2018 at 4:21 PM ^
Shucks guys, thanks. enough to make a girl like me blush. Easy to forget sometimes that there are real people out there, not just avatars. I have enjoyed meeting them one by one. Next up appears to be srjk, who has a trip planned near our neck of the woods.
Maybe some of you guys next.
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:02 PM ^
I like tools. My wife bought me a new Kubota tractor and then last week she bought me a Bosch Laser Distance Measurer. So I told asked her to stop, but we are going on extra vacay this year as the official present to each other.
We both feel very fortunate. Thankful.
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:17 PM ^
what series kubota, and what attachments? (imagine tool time ape sounds)
December 22nd, 2018 at 9:47 PM ^
MX5800. Just a bucket and 84" box blade w/scarifiers. I had the front end wet plumbed so skid steer will take just about anything. Had the rear end top and tilt added too.
Will need hydraulic post hole digger shortly. Putting in an acre of Zinfandel grapes in February if all goes well.
Speaking of grapes. Someone who lives close said I can take a deer if they are a nuisance or eating my crop. That is something I will NOT do until checking with authorities. I doubt it very much living out here in CA.
What tractor do you have?
December 23rd, 2018 at 1:05 PM ^
i have nearly the identical unit, but an older ('06) version. front end loader and a boatload of other attachments. what i historically have been able to do is borrow my neighbor's mega tractor whenever i needed to pull a 12-bottom plow, for instance. unfortunately he and his wife are going through some very tough stuff right now, and the upshot is that he will likely stop farming. so, i'll need to upgrade my tractor game.
as to grapes, call whatever your version is of the DNR. i think in cal its simply called the department of fish and game, but not certain. if you don't mind my asking, in general terms, where do you live in cal.
we get what are called 'deer management' permits to keep them off our crops. in fact, one of the avatar sons got his first deer earlier this week using one of those permits. we will be eating that deer for Christmas dinner.
December 23rd, 2018 at 8:50 PM ^
I bought property outside of Auburn CA. It's on the Placer Co Wine Trail half way between Wise Villa Winery and Mt Vernon Winery (or whatever they're called). Nice area.
Nice look at Sacramento valley, but Sac itself is blocked by trees.
I'm in construction mode so will rent a backhoe when needed. It made more sense to buy Kubota with skid steer than a backhoe. More versatile and able to do more than just a backhoe/loader.
Where are you in Michigan?
December 24th, 2018 at 6:56 AM ^
i lived in sac right out of univ of michigan back in the day, and was up the 80 and 50 constantly with rafting, skiing, hunting, etc. i'm sure auburn has grown a ton in the intervening decades, but i have no doubt that auburn is a very nice place to live still, basically the foothills of the sierra's. a great choice to be able to get to a real city, but not be too far from the mountains in the big scheme of things.
have thought about putting some of the farm into grapes. we have the right soil and some nice, south-facing slopes that would be fairly ideal. that was until i learned how much work grapes are. we have enough going on without that so, like raising honey bees, it'll have to wait until/unless my calendar lightens up considerably. would be fun though.
not sure what you are building, but depending on how serious the project is you could simply buy the backhoe for your tractor. you undoubtedly considered that and made the wise decision. don't want to be internet nosey, but some day would love to see what you plan on building, how it sits on your land, all of that stuff. i'm a licensed contractor and i am always interested in those things. good luck with your project. it will be a lot of work, but i'm sure you will enjoy it like few other endeavors in your life.
we live 'up north', back in michigan. i spent a total of about 15 yrs in cal. very glad for my time there, but even more glad to be back home.
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:15 PM ^
A new Chevy Tahoe...check.
I am blessed.
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:16 PM ^
I wished for a deep tournament run this spring
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:17 PM ^
More melanin.
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:19 PM ^
More melon
December 22nd, 2018 at 2:19 PM ^
Your mom