#Reliable Gears

[bacchuschucklefuck]

this has been a roller coaster of a design journey but finally I can present you: class swap artificer!adaine and rogue!fabian

[funeralprocessor]

I feel like the Primaris should have been the catalyst for like, an imperial civil war. At the very least, much unrest in the house of Guilliman. Their existence, let alone rollout/integration, should have had many chapters absolutely rioting. It should be beyond the pale by several orders of magnitude and be seen as an enormous overreach by the more autonomy loving chapters, a blasphemy by the more orthodox chapters, and an existential threat to chapters with geneseed quirks. Plus anyone with any awareness of the thunder warriors should take one look at them and recognize the writing on the wall. Guilliman should absolutely recognize what they represent, what they imply. Like they're the leading wave of a paradigm shift that doesn't bode well for what came before. And I say this as someone who's not averse to Primaris, I just think they could've, should've, been a waaaay bigger deal. I know they loathe changing the status quo and we're never getting rid of the posterboys but I think we missed out on something interesting.

[abirddogmoment]

We're learning about grouse hunting together!

I was really undecided on whether I wanted to hunt with Rory for realsies because I don't have a shotgun and I don't really care to get a shotgun (I have a gun license from my time up north). I have a small air rifle and a tactical slingshot (both legal for hunting small game in my area) so I've been taking those for walks in hunting areas, along with all my permits and stuff, just to see what we see.

This grouse woods is in the same corner as my swamp, just a different part of the rec area. You can legally hunt small game during the open season with dogs with some restrictions (certain distance from the parking, some trails close for hunting on a rotational basis for maintenance, etc.) but it's not terribly popular so it's a really good area to learn. We are looking for ruffed grouse and rabbit, both of which are super common out here.

With pointing dogs like britts, you generally don't want to shoot any game unless they're pointing steady (*except when doing gun conditioning, but that's a specific training set up) - it makes sense because a shot bird is the ultimate reward and you want to make sure you're reinforcing the behaviour you want, which is usually a safe steady point. Rory isn't pointing steady yet so there's really not much for me to do on these walks besides reinforce good manners (recall, how far she ranges, etc.).

There's a really well known saying in pointing dogs, which is wild birds make bird dogs. Wild birds flush (fly away) much more reliably than farmed birds so the chances of a dog catching a wild bird is really minimal compared to farmed birds. It's super important to get young bird dogs on wild birds as much as possible so they learn all the important skills: how to navigate terrain, what habitat holds birds, what each bird species smells like, how far they can range, and most importantly, that they need a person to actually get a bird.

(Most of these skills can be taught with planted birds in training, but planted birds may be more habituated to people and dogs so they might not flush reliably. Once pointing dogs learn that they can catch birds themselves, it's much harder to foster a strong stop and point. You might see people using these tip ups, which protect the training bird from the dog. You'll often see training dogs on long lines (called check cords) or with a flank collar to reinforce not getting too close to the bird, but you have to phase those out quickly so the dog doesn't become dependent on them. You also have to be really careful with scent trails when setting up planted birds or you might end up with a dog that follows your scent instead of looking for birds organically. And of course, you have to train without birds sometimes so the dog doesn't get discouraged about not finding birds quickly because sometimes there just aren't birds out there. Lots to consider when setting up training!)

Anyway I've been trying to get Rory out on wild birds as much as possible (with the caveat that we don't run wild birds during nesting season) so we're wandering the grouse woods lately. My early recall training is really paying off because she's been super reliable in terms of good manners, it's wonderful to see!

We've been out four times (1-2 hours each) so far since the season opened. The first two times we're mostly just a pleasant walk in the woods, Rory didn't really know what we were doing so she was just vibing (THIS IS TOTALLY FINE, SHE'S NEW TO THIS). We had a couple chance grouse encounters and I could see the wheels turning, I encouraged her to sniff around where the grouse were sitting before they flew off and I watched her start to connect the dots.

(It's important to remember that dogs don't know what they're looking for until you show them. Most bird dogs are naturally birdy, but they don't know which birds are good and which birds are boring! You have to show them which birds you care about - this is easiest if you can run with an experienced hunting dog, but you can do it alone like I am by making a big deal about any interest in the "correct" birds.)

The last time we went out to the grouse woods, she did a couple of really nice whip-arounds when she caught scent she liked and followed scent off the trail I was walking! This is the behaviour I want to see so it was awesome to watch it start to click! She trailed a moose (don't want that, she found some moose pee to roll in so whatever), a pileated woodpecker (again, don't want that but it was cool to see), and two separate grouse. The first was on the wrong side of the fence so I couldn't do anything about it but she held a really nice point (the photo) and I gave her a ton of chicken and praise for it. The second was a quick point but it flushed really far away so there was no finding it again. Both birds weren't visible when she found them, they were true scent points and she was strategically looking for them so that was super cool!

She's still in heat and super sensitive right now so I wouldn't shoot over her anyway, but I'm getting pretty accurate with my slingshot so I'm hoping we can connect on something this fall - both for her pointing steady and me aiming properly. She gets more steady and more sure of herself every time we go out so it's only a matter of time!

[sunshine-and-her-ikevil-stuff]

Me: I think I can finally relax and not rush to get diamonds. But I should probably start saving up for Alfons's route.

*remembers Liam's birthday is almost here*

Oh shi-!

[dreamlogic]

...

[herebecritters]

Y’all have no idea how much I love ancient history, prehistory and natural history like hhhhghhh

You also have no idea how much I loathe ancient alien theories and young earth creationist theories it’s the stupidest ass shit ever

[imminent-danger-came]

Me looking at the track record of things being sealed in this show, knowing there is a non-zero chance the seal on the Jade Emepror's power doesn't break, also knowing that Wukong has a habit of hurting himself when he feels he needs to ("Yeah well- you gotta crack a few eggs to make an omlete" "You know, and do you in the omlete story!" "Did you forget the part where I got super hurt?" *strangles 3x01 with my bear hands*):

[tjerra14]

"well, last time I didn't need that extra pair of socks--"

--me, right before getting absolutely soaked and having to spend 20 minutes drying my socks with a tiny hairdryer because they were the only things I couldn't change out of at work

[fennopunk]

It's exhausting trying to explain to people I need help on doing certain tasks, not because I don't KNOW how to do them, but because my brain is wired weirdly, and I need someone present so I can do them myself

It's especially annoying when it's stuff like "how to do X in computer/internet" and not only am I from the generation that was actually taught how to use computers in school, I have goddamn certificate on it AND AN ENTIRE FUCKING DEGREE THAT REQUIRES COMPETENCE WITH COMPUTERS.

[voidsentprinces]

Its comin on, its comin on, its comin on

[lesless]

My dad has been using my REI membership apparently, I got a credit in the mail! Spent it on some extremely comfy mats for backpacking, looking to go next weekend. I’m beyond stoked.

[historyofguns]

The article titled "Surefire XSC Review — Perfect Hellcat Tactical Light?" by Will Dabbs, MD, discusses the advantages and features of the SureFire XSC WeaponLight, particularly when mounted on micro-compact pistols like the Springfield Hellcat. The XSC, described as small and robust, emits 350 lumens of light, and is designed for quick and seamless integration with the pistol's rail. Dr. Dabbs emphasizes the importance of weapon-mounted lights for self-defense, using the historical context of a Memphis police siege to highlight the evolution of tactical lighting. The article reviews various aspects of the XSC, such as its sturdy aluminum construction, user-friendly bilateral control switches, and a proprietary rechargeable battery system designed for easy swaps without dismounting. Ultimately, the XSC is praised for adding significant tactical efficacy to small defensive pistols without compromising their portability.

[c0rpsedemon]

i may talk game about fashion a lot but let it be known that i am absolutely full of shit bc i have a debilitating addiction to cardigans . i'm sorry for being white .

[novelistparty]

some perplexing decisions: I was raised by parents whose definition of "treat yourself" was going out for ice cream or getting a new book (despite having plenty of money for all sorts of things). They never had hobbies with "gear" of any kind except that I think my dad got a lot out of his yard tools?? and when I left for college my mom got into learning to paint and got a bunch of supplies for that as part of classes at the community college. But even in those situations I cannot think of any sort of "nice gear" they got for themselves. As for myself, I now have enough stability and a bit of extra money to be able to consider "nice gear". The specifics don't matter, but it's the sort of difference between using my decent phone camera for pictures and getting a camera with a big sensor and a couple nice lenses. It's the leap between having a passable version of the device or tool and having a high-quality, more serious version. How do you all navigate this kind of leap? Or know if it's worth it? I have such a strong upbringing of making-do and use-what-you-already-have that I worry is getting in the way of perhaps a tremendous upgrade in what I can even think of trying in my art and hobbies.

[wanderguidehub]

Unbiased Black Diamond Spot Headlamp Review

Every outdoor enthusiast knows that a good headlamp is essential to any nighttime activity – from camping to hiking to even just walking the dog after dark. As someone who’s experienced the frustration of a flimsy, unreliable headlamp, I was thrilled to try out the Black Diamond Spot Headlamp on my recent camping trip. Spoiler alert: I was thoroughly impressed. In this review, I’ll be sharing my…

[thefirstvanishingmemories]

A Simple Guide to Fox Motocross Gear

You would think a dangerous activity such as riding dirt bikes in a beaten path or track doesn’t bring in any benefits but as a matter of fact, it does, a lot more than you’d expect. Motocross or MX riding is one of the best ways to improve core strength and to improve your fitness levels. All those sharp turns and undulations are what help put your physicality to the test every time you ride a…