MacGyver

It might be an early present to local shops. I doubt it works to the favor of the average buyer, though.

A lot of small gun stores are having cake this afternoon. Academy and other mass market retailers are only around major metros. Supply just got a lot tighter - demand is likely to get tighter. I'll be interested to see what availability and pricing look like in a few months.

I remember a conversation at one point with a friend who works for a Fortune 50 company, talking about their relationship with Walmart. He said that, "Walmart is by far our single biggest, and our most important customer. But flip that around - and to them, we're nothing - one of thousands and thousands - nothing more." Up in Bentonville, they're not losing a lot of sleep about how the folks at Olin are feeling about their decision. Because unfortunately, there's no real downside for Walmart. You're likely to continue to shop there. That's because in your small town, they know good and well that they've run about every viable competitor out of business. If they decide to reverse course, the manufacturers will trip over themselves to get back on the shelves.

The odds are certainly in the house’s favor here, so to speak. Most people lack the discipline to do something like this - or they’re already leveraged up to their eyeballs anyway. Regardless, you can certainly game the system and make a little money. I’d guess you need to pay close attention to all of the various terms and conditions. Likewise a change in your personal status could likely affect this negatively as well. But, I’ve got friends who take multiple first class trips around the world each year on points travel hacking cards. If this appeals to you, awesome.

Everybody needs a hobby, I guess. I've always watched people like the OP with a bit of amused curiosity at the amount of work they're willing to put into a return - kind of the same with travel hackers who are managing multiple cards for loyalty points or airline miles. I don't know that I've got the bandwidth to commit to the active management it would take. For most people, I'd be concerned about them wiping out their return and then some when they miss a payment or whatever. But, if this is your thing - good luck and Godspeed. A little extra money is a little extra money.

I expect Rick’s stuff may be out of his price range, but a bunch of sweet skinny XM-18s just dropped. I’m waiting for some more Skinners.

I don't really know what you mean by tactical - other than maybe black - but if I were looking to buy a sub $40 fixed blade - here are a couple that I wouldn't worry about dropping into the field with. https://www.bladehq.com/item--Cold-Steel-SRK-Search-Rescue-Fixed--52053 https://www.bladehq.com/item--Ontario-OKC-Spec-Plus-SP1-Marine--75466 If you were to double that budget - some nice ESEE, Boker, SOG and others come into the mix.

You’ll wind up profoundly disappointed in either of those if you actually use them in any meaningful way. Assuming price is a factor, I’d pick a Spyderco Endura or a Delica if you want something smaller. These are both great folders. Or, in that sub-$30 category - maybe head to your local Walmart and pick up a Kershaw. We’re I looking for a fixed blade in that price range, I’d probably pick up a Mora or three.

Whatever cooler you wind up with, we love these dry-ice equivalent packs: https://arctic-ice.com/products/tundra-series

Just about any cooler prepped right and packed well will perform well for most weekend type trips. That said, I’ve probaby consumed a line of coolers that would stretch from here to Mobile over the years. A Yeti or Orca or RTIC type injection molded, dry ice capable cooler is worth the investment if you’re going to use it more than once or twice a year. These days, there’s no functional difference between a Yeti and the less expensive Orca or the third-to-half as expensive RTIC. You’re paying for the brand on the more expensive coolers. I’d have no qualms about buying one of those - and have and use all of the above. For that matter the rotomolded foam filled Yeti-knockoffs at Walmart will hold ice just fine as well, too.

Cool!

Is Tennessee more 2A friendly than Florida at this point?

Rich Lowry - the editor of National Review - the oldest conservative publication out there was calling for it the other day. You can listen here - it's the first part of the conversation - maybe the first 15 minutes. Don't listen if you've eaten recently. https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/left-right-center/trump-says-hes-ready-for-gun-measures Politicians want to be seen as doing something - anything really - when people are looking. It's fascinating that the GOP has become so completely co-opted by Trump in such a short period of time that they're all just falling in line instead of saying, "wait, what?"

I wonder if that's genes, or climate, or diet, or all of that combined?

All the salt or sugar used in the curing process certainly shouldn't be discounted. Yes, it preserves the meat - but it also does such an important job in tenderizing it. These wild hogs that aren't finished on corn (unless they've torn up your field in September I guess) are going to be straight muscle. You've got to plan for tenderizing them - they're going to be more work than your typical deer to get that perfect meat. But man, when you do - it's great. Definitely don't discount curing some of that meat - capicola, sopressata, capicola, whatever. It's important to treat the pig you've just shot with integrity and get it cold fast. But, if you've done that, you can make some really great product. I'd definitely suggest trying your hand at curing your own bacon with a wild hog. There are some really great resources on this topic - I've got several and recommend this one for beginners: https://www.amazon.com/River-Cottage-Curing-Smoking-Handbook

Low and slow is king. Just like cooking something tough like a brisket - long, low heat really breaks down those tougher muscle fibers and renders the fat well.

Regardless - this is why we can’t have nice things...

Nice. Pig hunting is my favorite.

Cable snares in a PVC pipe can work great if you know that you can keep neighborhood cats out. I expect with Huskies, cats generally stay clear of your yard. The pros won't drown skunks, either. They'll trap them, throw a blanket over the trap, and either gas them or simply relocate them. A guy up the street from me is a wildlife removal guy. You wouldn't believe the number of skunks in his ex-wife's neighborhood.

I’d actually trade this one for the same Tropical model in 375 H&H in a heartbeat.

Skunks almost always spray or at least release when shot. That's why just about anyone who's had to deal with them more than once gets a trap. I used to work with a guy who was having a problem and took a shot at one when it was close to his house. It sprayed and was right next to his HVAC - the house smelled for a long time. On the trap front - I've got it on good authority from a pro trapper friend of mine that Flamin' Hot Cheetos are as foolproof of a skunk bait as you can find.

That's a great looking rig. Hope it shoots at good as it looks. Does that round index on a 6.8SPC bolt?

That handle material is neat. Even if it's not really your thing - you've got to appreciate the process to create that material.

Congrats on the retirement and the move.

Position definitely matters. I think that .458 could break something if you weren’t careful.