Double B Ranch, September through December 2021

Summer is gone and fall is almost over - it's time for a new project at the Double B Ranch .

Here's the plan
I'm going to turn the 70+/- year old water cistern into a Dipping Pool~!~!~!

As I type this, it's one year later - so I know how it turns out - suffice to say I'm happy with the results.

Got another feral hog

DISCLAIMER: This page contains pictures of feral hogs that I shot.
If you don't want to see a few dead hogs, you should leave now.

Filling the deer feeders

The dear hear me filling the feeders, and don't seem too scared.

In fact, some are downright tame.

Can you guess where I hauled that feral hog?
These guys give it away.

Another wonderful day at the ranch

I've completed the first few steps (new temporary water trough, upgrade electrical at pump house and run electricity to cistern)
Now I'm on to the next step - drain the cistern
This is as far as it would drain until I used some garden hoses to siphon out the rest

Done - it's drained.
Now I just have to clean and pressure wash

I found this snakeskin on one of the fences
Interesting how he used the barbed wire to help shed his skin

The cleaning has started

I scraped the sides to try and remove decades of calcium and other deposits on the walls

The bottom is filled with 70+ years of silt, mud and decayed....stuff.

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF THE MUCK!

It was a slow, smelly process of filling up a bucket, and dumping it over the side

I had to drill these holes through the concrete and steel pipe for water to drain

Look - the bottom is clean!

In early October, I went with Bill and Ilonka to 'The Station' in Harper to see Roger Craiger

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF THE ROGER CRAIGER SHOW!

CLICK HERE TO SEE EVEN MORE VIDEO OF THE ROGER CRAIGER SHOW!

It's a neat outdoor venue with a big dance floor, full bar, and food trucks.

I borrowed Bill's angle grinder to remove the old drain pipe...

...as you can see.

On to the next step (ha - literally)
I wanted to build a long bench and some steps

It was hard work lifting all those cinderblocks and cement into the cistern.

The base for the bench is almost complete.

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF CISTERN BENCH BEING BUILT

The entire base has to be filled with concrete, and I added rebar for additional strength.

Not one....

...but TWO hogs!

I was proud of this - I was using a bolt action rifle and after getting the 1st, was able to reload and get the 2nd as he was running away.

The deer hear me filling the feeders and come to get a snack

CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW CLOSE THE DEER GET

OK - the base for the bench is done, now it's time for the steps.

Just a reminder that I alone moved, mixed and poured the 25+ 80lb bags of concrete needed for this project.
Not bad for an old guy like me.

BOOM - I added the seat to the bench, and completed the steps.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE OF THE CISTERN PROJECT

Just one of the many beautiful sunsets I enjoy out at the ranch.

Amazing

The last bit of cement is used to smooth out the back of the bench

I let the cement cure for a couple weeks, and spend some more time in the deer blind.

Look who's coming down the road towards me.

A nice looking buck!

He came right up to the blind...

...and said "thanks for not shooting me even though it is deer season".
I went back and forth on that decision, but in the end I'm glad I passed on that guy - he gave me some great photos

I didn't hesitate when I saw this nasty guy.

The view from the blind in the north 100

My 1st buck was taken December 11, 2021

He's a nice good sized buck, and he provided some tasty meat that my family enjoyed this past year.

You're in the blind watching the deer, when they all stop eating and look in the same direction.
That's when you know the hogs are coming.
It's usually the smaller ones you see first, and the deer scatter.
Sometimes as many as a dozen hogs will roll in, and begin eating their feed.

You raise your rifle, take aim at the biggest hog, and BOOM!

The hogs scatter....and you wonder - did I hit it?

Let's go look...

Hmmmm, yes - pretty sure I hit 'em, and he went this way.

Trust me, they aren't usually this easy to track.

Gosh, which way did he go?

Found him.

Feral hogs are everywhere, and threat to the natural environment which is why the state of Texas encourages killing them at every opportunity.

Christopher with his dad Jay took this doe on December 19th, 2021.

There's a cover over the cistern because...

...I've started to apply the two part epoxy primer.

The hard parts of this step were rolling it into the rough surfaces, and dealing with the fumes.

THIS IS AS FAR AS I GOT IN 2021.
CHECK OUT PICS FROM 2022 TO SEE THE FINISHED PRODUCT

We are going to end this post with the most beautiful sunset I've ever witnessed.

The entire sky was on fire with orange, red and purple

CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SUNSET I'VE EVER SEEN!!!

Add in a few deer to the picture - and it's near perfect.

God Bless Texas!