Building a big pole barn....

SJ Fairbank said:
Let the prairie dogs take care of the lawn. You're retired.
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They eat a lot of grass, but the problem is that they make a whole lot of holes that the badgers further open up.

I'm thinking that I may add a cupula (think turret) to either this new barn or our horse barn to be able to get some serious elevation to rain lead down on those little buggers. Would be nice for viewing sunsets too.
 
tod osier said:
They eat a lot of grass, but the problem is that they make a whole lot of holes that the badgers further open up.

I'm thinking that I may add a cupula (think turret) to either this new barn or our horse barn to be able to get some serious elevation to rain lead down on those little buggers. Would be nice for viewing sunsets too.
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I think it would be fun to see the badgers. Can you shoot them if they make swiss cheese of your yard?

The snipers nest is a nice touch. Pick off the vermin just before sunset, you know, red mist at night sailors delight. :D
 
SJ Fairbank said:
I think it would be fun to see the badgers. Can you shoot them if they make swiss cheese of your yard?

The snipers nest is a nice touch. Pick off the vermin just before sunset, you know, red mist at night sailors delight. :D
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You can shoot the badgers, but need to hold a trapping license and that is $300 for a nonresident (which we will be for a couple/few more years). We had a badger this summer doing some damage and did catch him one day in a hole that wasn't deep enough for him to escape out of sight. He was none too happy and you can really see how they get their reputation (Beaver was not a fan, glad he isn't a fighter). The Badger learned that my trapping activities are a good food source and ran my trapline for me at night - I learned that my traps need to be well staked down :).
 
tod osier said:
You can shoot the badgers, but need to hold a trapping license and that is $300 for a nonresident (which we will be for a couple/few more years). We had a badger this summer doing some damage and did catch him one day in a hole that wasn't deep enough for him to escape out of sight. He was none too happy and you can really see how they get their reputation (Beaver was not a fan, glad he isn't a fighter). The Badger learned that my trapping activities are a good food source and ran my trapline for me at night - I learned that my traps need to be well staked down :).
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Badgers in general sound like neighborhood mischief makers. I've seen videos of them trying to hide in shallow holes, with kind of a sheepish look on their nasty puss.

A nemesis on the trapline can be a PITA, but interesting and keeps you on your game. I've had mink rob every muskrat I caught for a week, until they put their neck in the wrong place. Kind of fun to have around and observe, until they cross the line. I need to cross badger off the bucket list.
 
Carl said:
How about fish for walleyes??
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Not a walleye near us, I think our closest are a reservoir 180 miles away. We are pretty much all salmonids, barring burbot, which is considered invasive here. I don't think there are any fishable centrachids or esocids, either.
 
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tod osier said:
Not a walleye near us, I think our closest are a reservoir 180 miles away. We are pretty much all salmonids, barring burbot, which is considered invasive here. I don't think there are any fishable centrachids or esocids, either.
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Not sure I could live in such a place.
 
Carl said:
Not sure I could live in such a place.
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We have big browns and whitefish in the rivers along with some cutts and rainbows. Lake trout to 20 pounds and rainbows, brookies and kokanee in the bigger lakes. The mountain lakes have some mix of: brookies, rainbows, browns, lakers, cutts and golden trout. I think I'll be able to get by without the warm water species. 😉 Gotta play the hand you are dealt.
 
tod osier said:
We have big browns and whitefish in the rivers along with some cutts and rainbows. Lake trout to 20 pounds and rainbows, brookies and kokanee in the bigger lakes. The mountain lakes have some mix of: brookies, rainbows, browns, lakers, cutts and golden trout. I think I'll be able to get by without the warm water species. 😉 Gotta play the hand you are dealt.
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You'll find a way to make do. (y)
 
SJ Fairbank said:
You'll find a way to make do. (y)
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I have always wanted to get into burbot. You must get cusk in Maine. Are they as good a table fare as they say?

In the drainage we are in (basically the whole SW corner of Wyoming is the the Green River basin) , they are non native and can't be released alive. We have some pretty good populations of them in the reservoirs downstream of the house as I understand it.
 
tod osier said:
I have always wanted to get into burbot. You must get cusk in Maine. Are they as good a table fare as they say?

In the drainage we are in (basically the whole SW corner of Wyoming is the the Green River basin) , they are non native and can't be released alive. We have some pretty good populations of them in the reservoirs downstream of the house as I understand it.
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From what acquaintances out there tell me, Flaming Gorge is overflowing with burbot. You'll catch more than your fill if you want.

I've only targeted them through the ice. We fish for them at night (the traditional time). Mostly late February-March when they come shallow to spawn. Tipups with lights, either live or dead bait on the bottom, not exactly traditional. When possible we fish directly in front of the house, sit inside at the fireplace with a drink and watch for lights. Jump on the sled and haul them out. Very civilized. (y) We catch them from time to time during the day on tipups, and if you get on a school they readily fall for a jig.

I think they taste ok, but kind of bland. The texture reminds me of blackfish, the poor man's lobster thing. I'm sure a little seasoning would do wonders, but I suck as a cook. Kind of neo-barbarian. Many Mainers love them, so somebody knows something I don't.
 
SJ Fairbank said:
From what acquaintances out there tell me, Flaming Gorge is overflowing with burbot. You'll catch more than your fill if you want.

I've only targeted them through the ice. We fish for them at night (the traditional time). Mostly late February-March when they come shallow to spawn. Tipups with lights, either live or dead bait on the bottom, not exactly traditional. When possible we fish directly in front of the house, sit inside at the fireplace with a drink and watch for lights. Jump on the sled and haul them out. Very civilized. (y) We catch them from time to time during the day on tipups, and if you get on a school they readily fall for a jig.

I think they taste ok, but kind of bland. The texture reminds me of blackfish, the poor man's lobster thing. I'm sure a little seasoning would do wonders, but I suck as a cook. Kind of neo-barbarian. Many Mainers love them, so somebody knows something I don't.
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Interesting, yes Flaming Gorge is the further away of the 2 reservoirs on the Green River I was thinking of. Lot of good lake trout fishing there too, but I think we have some good stuff closer.
 
I had a quote by a contractor that I trust and has done work before for me, this past summer on my place in MN. A 30 by 30 space with apron. Site prep was 10 k ( lots of rock and boulders). Concrete at 220 dollars a yard with foam underneath and 6 inches thick plus all the rebar blah blah blah was 17 k . Not including labor for forming and finishing. Quotes for the all metal structure itself were 25-35 k. I paused on the project and maybe take it up this year.
 
bob welsh said:
I had a quote by a contractor that I trust and has done work before for me, this past summer on my place in MN. A 30 by 30 space with apron. Site prep was 10 k ( lots of rock and boulders). Concrete at 220 dollars a yard with foam underneath and 6 inches thick plus all the rebar blah blah blah was 17 k . Not including labor for forming and finishing. Quotes for the all metal structure itself were 25-35 k. I paused on the project and maybe take it up this year.
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Those are interesting numbers. Morton came in lower than cleary and i pulled a few feet out of the building to get it down to 48x40. The concrete quote with labor and materials for 5 inches on the 48x40 was around 22000. Im figguring at least 5, maybe up to 10k in road base for the drive and under the pad. I wish I had a full materials quote for the barn itself. I'm excited to have it on order. Duck boats are going out this year, so they will have a home.
 
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