DJ 17

DVD,

If I don't want to use a secondary mounting plate, I'm just trying to have a back up plan if the rings that came with it don't hold up. The second link you sent looks like they will work if the originals don't.  Thanks for the info.

I agree with the weavers, all of my other rifles have weaver style mounts, I was just trying to avoid adding the weaver base to the integral rail and make the scope sit up higher.

They are a good ring.  I forgot to mention that the Tikka has an integral rail that I would like to use.  It is drilled and tapped also but it will make the scope that much higher and I would like to try and avoid that if possible.

I picked up the rifle yesterday.  It came with a set of Opti-track rings.  Have any of you guys used these?  They seem kind of flimsy to me.  I have a spare 3-9 VX II so I put that on for now.  I went to snug up the rings on the scope and as soon as there was any tension it felt like the allen head wrench was going to strip if I turned very hard at all?  So, obviously I have to get it tighten down, so I'm wondering if these rings are junk?

What has anyone used for rings on a Tikka T3 Lite?

I lived in Dutchess County for 9 years.  Lyme tick Hell.  Would come back from the woods and my pants would be alive.  We bought a yellow lab SO we could see the ticks better!  Let him out in the yard for 20 minutes one day, when he came back in, and I picked off 36 ticks.  They were everywhere.

I ended up with Lyme disease that went undiagnosed for about 6 months.  By that time I couldn't turn my neck and EVERY joint hurt.  The cure was gigantic Prednisone pills for a MONTH.  Couldn't sleep, shaky, the whole nine yards.  It eventually got it taken care of, but it sucks.  If you think there is ANY CHANCE you may have Lyme, go in and demand a blood test.  That's the only way mine got diagnosed, and it took me 5 months to get that done.  Not something you want to mess around with.

I especially like the company line that the charter captains my be negatively effecting the Lake Trout numbers when they can't catch kings!  Wow...  Just seems like the standard lock step answer from the state.  We want to stock more Lakers so we are going to push our agenda through your interview questions.

Like mentioned above I too made my own special mate style box. Bought a toolbox from home depot for $9 and fashioned some dividers.  Drilled some weep holes in the bottom and its done.

Thanks IUP, I have snow covers.  I was just messing with Willy-mo!

First thing you should do with every blind you buy is cover it with mud!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Lake Ontario United mobile app

What if you are in the snow in Geneva? 

Whatever brand fits you comfortably and is as low a profile as you can get.  Also, make sure its paint job isn't shiny. Looks nice in the store but might as well be a stop sign for birds.  You can fix it easily with some flat spray paint but if you're spending the money I would rather not have to mess with it.  I got one as a Xmas present a few years ago and had to paint it when no one was looking.

That bottom one is a pretty buck.  What's up with the color of the pics?

Nicely done!

I used both the innerloc and a nosler  tip last year in my pre-64 .270 ( Grandpa bought it in 1947 and passed it onto me) The both shot great and obviously killed deer without any trouble. One doe was around 285 yds and was DRT.

Good to hear.  I've got a Howa 1500 in 22-250 and its awesome.  I'm probably putting a Leupold 3-9x40  VX II on it, so I will have a pretty similar combo.  Just got an email it went out to ship today, looking forward to putting some through it!

What did you guys find for temps on the surface? Or below if you were running a probe?

Yeah it is Chas.

The late January season poses a couple challenges as well. 

1. If you aren't very careful there is a chance of shooting a buck that has dropped its antlers already, especially if it is a long range encounter.  

2.  I would not be real into the chance of shooting a doe and going to clean her up and finding a partially grown fawn fetus inside.

Not trying to throw shade on anyone's answers just a couple things to think about. 

Personally, around my area there aren't anywhere near the deer that there were last year and yet the DEC still  hands out 2 permits to everyone and people can go back an get more if they aren't all taken by oct 1st.  I found 9 winterkilled deer on the small area that I have to hunt.  If that keeps up there won't be many deer left to deal with if people aren't thoughtful about what they choose to harvest.

What have you hunted with it?

DVD,

What gun are you shooting that load out of? How long is the barrel? The one I ordered has a 22" barrel and I believe a 1/9.5 twist.  Did you ever put that load through a chronograph?

How much do you guys try to call to divers?  Never really hear them "say" much.  Are the diver calls worth trying or are they more of a gimmick to catch the hunters $$?

Pulled the trigger last night on a Tikka T3 7mm-08. Thanks to all who posted info.

Yeah I hear you.  I have a couple 270's which I love, 1 was my grandfathers that he bought new in 1947.  It still drives tacks.  I love a beautiful piece of wood but like you said they aren't giving them away.

I stopped into bass pro and got my hands on the vanguard and the AB3 Hunter.  The Browning was OK, I was not a fan of how the vanguard felt in my hand.  I know its not a high end gun, but I wasn't excited about it and I believe if I am going to buy a new one that I should be looking forward to the purchase not feel like I am settling.  So the search continues. 

I did find a few Tikka T3's at good prices on gunbroker.com but I have no experience with that website at all so I have to do some more checking.  I do like the Tikka T3 so at this point that looks like where I am headed.

I figured you weren't on Cayuga, thanks for the info.

Can you share what depth you found them?