My "son" zach and I HAD to go shoot prairie dogs yesterday. His mother had called me a week before and said the Zach was feeling a bit down, what with Fathers Day coming and all. (Zach is the son of my best friend who we lost to lung cancer last fall)

So what better way to lift the spirits than an outing with a few guns and the object of ridding the country side of a few rodents. With our gaggle of firearms, much ammuniton and a few snacks of the nonhealthy nature we embarked on our quest.

About 30 miles into our journey and about 20 miles form our desination, fate reered it's ugly head in the form of mechanical trouble for the ever faithful SPLAT unit, the Expedition. The bearing in the clutch of the A.C. compressor decided to go south. DRAT!!!

So we pulled off the road at the nearest turn off and were rewarded by the laughing of prairie dogs. Prairie dogs always find it funny when the SPLAT unit breaks down. Especially right in front of them. Well, I don't take being laughed at lightly, so we proceeded to eliminate those closest to us with the rest retreating over the hill and out of range.

It was at this time I decided to investigate our "predikerment". It seems the seal on the bearing had fallen out and was jammed between the clutch and the compressor drive so with a little prying the offending piece was removed. After spinning the bearing and applying a bit of 10W30 to it, I determined that it would "last for awhile" and we proceeded over the hill after the offensive rodents.

We found a place to park that was resonably devoid of Prickly Pear and set up. I hauled out the new .223 SPS and after a couple of shots to get the range (actually, I just missed) I proceeded to get the barrel good and warm and had to switch rifles, this time opting for the old standby, the 788 in .223. Zach grabbed the 788 in .222 and we attempted to defend ourselves from the onslaught of villianous vermon, bent on our destruction.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h191/recoil_junky/IMG_0854.jpg

Our set-up couln't have been better as we spent the entire afternoon parked in one place. We'd shoot until our rifles were too hot and then change to another. This was quite possibly the best prairie dog shooting I've ever been into. With shots ranging from 25 to 300 yards we even got out our pistols and 22's for the "close" ones.

We even found some of kdub's farm equimpent and other articles left behind after his departure for Arizona.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h191/recoil_junky/IMG_0858.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h191/recoil_junky/IMG_0857.jpg

Needless to say we had a very good day.

As it turns out, I have to replace the entire AC compressor to the tune of $180 PLUS oil and R134. Luckily I'll be able to use the AC recovery/charging unit at work.

RJ

Semper Fi Mike

Dang! I've been trying to remember where I left that stuff!

Doncha' just hate it when things like that happen on a hunting outing?

The AC unit on my Expedition just doesn't cool down very quickly in this 110 degree heat. 'Course, it sits out in the direct sun all day and then I try to make ice cubes with it in the afternoon. The unit in the wife's Hyundai will frost beer almost immediately. Maybe I can swap out with her for the summer!

Glad you had a good shoot anyway. You're doing a great thing gathering the boy up under your arms and doing things a Dad would normally do. Bless you for it, RJ.

Sounds like you broke down in just the right place RJ! Very few times I've had the fortunate circumstance to purposely let a barrel cool down! With only two people, I can see how that would happen. Good for you in giving Zack a good day.

It's a day he will remember fondly for the rest of his life. On that day you were the greatest guy on earth.:)

Now you can invite him over and show him how to re-stuff those empties properly.

Gyro, he's been helping me reload. I made him a deal. He can use as much of my ammo as he want BUT he has to help put it back together again :D

He'll be elk and deer hunting with me this fall and helping with Hunting Buddies too. We actually spend a lot of time together. It's beneficial to both of us beings as how my regular hunting partner PFC RJ Jr. is away in the Army.

Shawn and kdub, you are right. If there was an opportune place to break down that was it. I noticed when I went out to the shop this morning to get some numbers off the Expedition that the right rear tire was flat. :mad: Probably picked up one of kdub's nails he dropped while building his claim shanty :eek:

RJ

Good for you Recoil!
Noble task of defending against those varmints, and even nobler of being a surrogate "dad" to a guy whom I'm sure appreciates it!

What a great story. I am sure that young man was telling all his friends about the outing. Some of my best memories are of the time my father's and grandfather's friends took with me.

I need me one of those. Wonder if any are for sale on E-Bay. Sure does make me miss the boys. I will give my oldest a shout tonight in hopes he would like to shoot.