I finally got a mint condition Marlin M-39A .22 lever rifle.

[Adam Helmer]

In the early 1960s, I kept the garden-raiding woodchucks at bay with my older brother's Marlin M39A lever rifle. In August 1962, I went into the Air Force and never got home again, nor did I ever see that neat .22 lever action .22 again.

Recently, a friend and neighbor advised me he had a .22 rifle to sell. I drove old tractor over and checked out the rifle. It was a .22 caliber Marlin M39A Lever action, new in the box, that he purchased in 1967 and never fired. He asked me to bushog several of his hayfields in exchange for the rifle. I just got off the John Deere 4065E towing a 6-foot bushog. This .22 is legal for PA squirrel hunting and this 39A will be in my West Woods come October.

Country Matters.

Adam

[buckhunter]

Your a lucky man Adam.

[Adam Helmer]

buckhunter,

Yes, I agree. Many downstaters relocate here to old farms. Few have tractors or bushogs to keep the fields trimmed. I like driving my 5065E 65 horsepower JD and keep busy on my farm and others nearby. Bushog rates go from $25 to $75 per hour. I spent about 10 hours and 10 gallons of diesel to do the mowing job. I have about $300 to $400 into this 39A. I reckon I paid a fair price.

Adam

[Rapier]

Adam,
That is a very good deal. A good 39A goes for more than $400, a new one for a lot more, but if you tuck your time into the deal as a $75 per hour project at 10 hours, it is pretty close to the value, so a good deal all round for both parties. Glad you got a memory back in the fold.

So far most of my tractor projects have involved helping folks who have helped me in the past. Not any money, but good neighbor building stuff for sure.
Ed

[Adam Helmer]

Rapier,

I am blessed with Very Good neighbors. Most are new residents from down state from urban areas. They sold the old home for big bucks and moved upstate and got many acres and a home for about half what they got from the old home sale. After they refit the farm home to their liking, there is not enough cash residue to get a $30,000-$40,000 tractor for bushogging.

I help out, much like you do, when there is a need for a tractor. I offered cash for the 39A, but my neighbor preferred field work instead. Ok, a done deal. I am sure I will be back a time or two in future. I have a John Deere 5065E 65 horsepower tractor and a Ford 1953 Jubilee (28 Horse) tractor. What do you have for a tractor?

I have looked long and hard for a mint M39A and at age 67, I realize I have MORE years behind me than ahead. Starting this October, this 39A and I will walk the woods with my hound dawg, Lori, seeking squirrels. I have a Marlin M444S and a M1894 Rifle with 26-inch barrel in .30/30 made in 1919. All my lever guns will get woods time while there is yet time....

Adam

[Rapier]

Adam,
I have a pine tree farm so I bought the largest tractor I could get good use from and still get between the rows and most of the single trees: An orange thing, a Kubota L4400 which is a 45HP 4x4 with water filled tires and a FEL, 6 ft root rake, 6 ft bucket and a 6 ft Bush Hog Squeeler that stays hooked up most times. It is a standard trans for more power. I have a back hoe, set of discs, landscape rake, post hole auger and a box blade. The box blade is of little use. I can do more with the discs and the landscape rake in 1 hour than a box blade can do in half a day. I put in 1250 ft of pipes when I first got the back hoe but it does not get used much now, but it is like most of the stuff, handy when needed. A must have for an old stump.

My wife and I put in a mile of five strand fence by ourselves, so we are not to bad for 60 odd year olds, once you get us wound up. I converted my Sporting Clays cart to a fencing cart.
Ed

[Adam Helmer]

Rapier,

NOW I wish you were my Northcentral PA Neighbor! With all them fixings for your tractor, I bet I could keep you busy for a week, or two. LOL!

Enjoy your tractor and implements. I have a 5-foot X 8-foot trailer dedicated for my 12 Volt battery power for my trap machine gizmo. We shoot trap here on the 60-acre farm. We also have other ranges for Muzzleloaders, pistols and long range scoped rifles.

Be well

Adam

[Rapier]

Ah, now that is a good thought. I have seen numerous small trailers for sale of late and thought to myself that I wished I had a use for them (I have an 8ft and 20ft for the cart and tractor). I want to setup an L shaped clays range on my 200 meter rifle range (first thing I had built by my land clearing contractor).

Works like this: You can use any number of traps with at least 3 being optimal. You walk to each trap and shoot all traps, this changes the angle. Then reset the angle on each trap and shoot again, shooting 4-6 shots per "station." A solution for a small setup with as few traps as possible. A trailer would help move traps and as a temp solution, a generator.
Ed

PS: Turned my wife, a former PI from Memphis (did child abuse cases), into a country girl, got her a zero turn for her Christmas present, she loves it......