Masum Ghar, Afghanistan
© 2011 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
Greetings my friends!
I have the unparralelled delight to be able to access a small bit of bandwidth and send a message to all of you!
I am currently in Masum Ghar, waiting on an opportunity to get to my newest base Sperwan Ghar, otherwise known as "Skull Mountain." These are former Canadian bases (Which were former Soviet bases!) that are now American bases, and when we turn them over to the Afghans these bases will be former American bases. It all works out if you let it.
Y'all follow that?
Here are a couple of pictures to entertain yourselves with.
It really is a very pretty area, the river that flows through nearby allows quite a bit of greenery to thrive. It also provides plenty of cover for the insurgents, but you have to take the good with the bad.
Well my friends, I hope to be home in a couple of weeks for another short respite from the trials and tribulations of managing these projects. Maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to blog from my new post and keep you all up to date!
Best regards,
Albert
Friday, October 7, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
What Are You Doing for the Environment?
How you can help the environment!© 2010, 2011 Albert A Rasch™ and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.
The environment...
I am certain you see the abuse we heap on it every day. From trash tossed out onto the roads, to oil spills that dwarf comprehension. Ever wonder how we manage to survive?
Rick Kratzke of Whitetail Woods asked something that we all should be contemplating consciously on a regular basis. He asked, "If you were able to do one thing to help our environment and/or it's wildlife what would that one thing be?"
What a great, though provoking question. I gave it great thought, and decided I wanted it to be something simple, doable, repeatable, practical, and shareable.
When I walk to my local Starbucks, I traverse Uelin Park and the beautiful large freshwater lake that we boat and fish in. The amount of trash strewn around isn't great, but it is enough to distract one from an otherwise idyllic view.
It struck me then, I will stop and pick up trash everyday at every opportunity!
I was already doing it. But I wasn't systematic or consistent. I would do it if it was convenient and it didn't take me too far out of my way.
Now I have made the decision that if I see it and I can get to it, I will pick it up. A plastic shopping bag doesn't take up any room in my pocket, and recycling it as a trash bag is a plus. Every piece of trash I pick up, is one less thing that may end up in the water or woods, endangering both plants and animals.
There is something else I do regularly.
I hate Brazillian Pepper trees with a passion! Every time I see a seedling I yank it out. If it's a sapling, I try to pull it out. I have gone as far as to return to my garage and grab a machete and even the hatchet, and hacked them to pieces. Invasive plant species are as bad as any other invasive species, and those Pepper trees are my pet peeve! They're not even edible like pigs are.
There are two pieces of PVC in that pile, those ended up in my shop, stored in a milk crate with other pieces of PVC. You never know when you might need some.
So my friends, what are you doing to help the environment?
Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch™
Member:Kandahar Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...
Though he spends most of his time writing and keeping the world safe for democracy, Albert Rasch was actually a student of biology. Really. But after a stint as a lab tech performing repetitious and mind-numbing processes that a trained capuchin monkey could do better, he never returned to the field. Rather he became a bartender. As he once said, "Hell, I was feeding mice all sorts of concoctions. At the club I did the same thing; except I got paid a lot better, and the rats where bigger." He has followed the science of QDM for many years, and fancies himself an aficionado. If you have any questions, or just want to get more information, reach him via TheRaschOutdoorChronicles(at)MSN(dot)com.
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
$g&m f9bd 45kd q!?5.
If you were able to do one thing to help our environment and/or it's wildlife what would that one thing be?
Rick Kratzke
The environment...
Rick Kratzke of Whitetail Woods asked something that we all should be contemplating consciously on a regular basis. He asked, "If you were able to do one thing to help our environment and/or it's wildlife what would that one thing be?"
What a great, though provoking question. I gave it great thought, and decided I wanted it to be something simple, doable, repeatable, practical, and shareable.
When I walk to my local Starbucks, I traverse Uelin Park and the beautiful large freshwater lake that we boat and fish in. The amount of trash strewn around isn't great, but it is enough to distract one from an otherwise idyllic view.
It struck me then, I will stop and pick up trash everyday at every opportunity!
I was already doing it. But I wasn't systematic or consistent. I would do it if it was convenient and it didn't take me too far out of my way.
Now I have made the decision that if I see it and I can get to it, I will pick it up. A plastic shopping bag doesn't take up any room in my pocket, and recycling it as a trash bag is a plus. Every piece of trash I pick up, is one less thing that may end up in the water or woods, endangering both plants and animals.
There is something else I do regularly.
I hate Brazillian Pepper trees with a passion! Every time I see a seedling I yank it out. If it's a sapling, I try to pull it out. I have gone as far as to return to my garage and grab a machete and even the hatchet, and hacked them to pieces. Invasive plant species are as bad as any other invasive species, and those Pepper trees are my pet peeve! They're not even edible like pigs are.
A mornings haul...
There are two pieces of PVC in that pile, those ended up in my shop, stored in a milk crate with other pieces of PVC. You never know when you might need some.
So my friends, what are you doing to help the environment?
Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch™
Member:Kandahar Tent Club
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

Thursday, August 25, 2011
Hunter Safety Course from HunterCourse.com
© 2011 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
I can’t get over that summer is almost over, and hunting season will soon start in earnest in just a few short weeks! Archery season will kick it off with rifle, shotgun, and muzzleloader aficionados taking to the field also. Hunting season will soon be in full throttle throughout our great Nation! Millions of sportsmen and women will take to the fields, forests, plains, and mountains in pursuit of American game and enjoying our great outdoors!
But wait! Have you taken the proper Hunters Safety course for your home state? More importantly have you helped prepare your son or daughter for their Hunter Safety or Education exam?
As usual, I got to thinking about this and decided to research the opportunities available for today’s busy family and sportsmen. After searching a short while and looking around the internet I found some great education material to share with you. I found the outdoor educational resource people at HunterCourse.Com who offer online hunter safety courses classes to help you educate yourself and your loved ones in hunting safety.
HunterCourse.Com is a leading provider of hunter safety education courses across North America. For instance, people who live in California can obtain a California hunting license via huntercourse.com
Offering online courses for over twenty states, HunterCourse.com provides course materials and official Hunter Safety Course exams, and is the leading provider of online hunter safety education and certification in the USA and Canada. The HunterCourse.com courses meet all the guidelines set by the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) and the Treestand Manufacturer's Association (TMA). The online hunter safety course is approved by agencies responsible for hunter education in over 20 states.
The entire online hunter safety course is professionally narrated. You can sit back and allow them to walk you through the study guide! Those of you that are hands-on learners will love the 60+ interactive hunter safety animations and exercises. They also have online shooting ranges! That’s a HunterCourse.Co exclusive!
When you take and pass the online Hunter Safety course, you are automatically entered into a draw to win a Jim Shockey Dream Hunt package worth $10,000. Each year one Hunter Safety course student and the instructor that administered that student's field day will be randomly drawn to win an all–expense paid "Jim Shockey Dream Hunt". All the details are here.
Toll Free: 1.866.495.4868
Mon to Sun 9:00 AM - Midnight
(EST) Email: info@huntercourse.com
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
I can’t get over that summer is almost over, and hunting season will soon start in earnest in just a few short weeks! Archery season will kick it off with rifle, shotgun, and muzzleloader aficionados taking to the field also. Hunting season will soon be in full throttle throughout our great Nation! Millions of sportsmen and women will take to the fields, forests, plains, and mountains in pursuit of American game and enjoying our great outdoors!
But wait! Have you taken the proper Hunters Safety course for your home state? More importantly have you helped prepare your son or daughter for their Hunter Safety or Education exam?
As usual, I got to thinking about this and decided to research the opportunities available for today’s busy family and sportsmen. After searching a short while and looking around the internet I found some great education material to share with you. I found the outdoor educational resource people at HunterCourse.Com who offer online hunter safety courses classes to help you educate yourself and your loved ones in hunting safety.
HunterCourse.Com is a leading provider of hunter safety education courses across North America. For instance, people who live in California can obtain a California hunting license via huntercourse.com
Offering online courses for over twenty states, HunterCourse.com provides course materials and official Hunter Safety Course exams, and is the leading provider of online hunter safety education and certification in the USA and Canada. The HunterCourse.com courses meet all the guidelines set by the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) and the Treestand Manufacturer's Association (TMA). The online hunter safety course is approved by agencies responsible for hunter education in over 20 states.
The entire online hunter safety course is professionally narrated. You can sit back and allow them to walk you through the study guide! Those of you that are hands-on learners will love the 60+ interactive hunter safety animations and exercises. They also have online shooting ranges! That’s a HunterCourse.Co exclusive!
The Jim Shockey Dream Hunt! Your course is your chance to win!
When you take and pass the online Hunter Safety course, you are automatically entered into a draw to win a Jim Shockey Dream Hunt package worth $10,000. Each year one Hunter Safety course student and the instructor that administered that student's field day will be randomly drawn to win an all–expense paid "Jim Shockey Dream Hunt". All the details are here.
Toll Free: 1.866.495.4868
Mon to Sun 9:00 AM - Midnight
(EST) Email: info@huntercourse.com
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Muzzleloaders and Black Powder
© 2011 Albert A Rasch and
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
Howdy Folks!
I'm still unable to directly access The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles and you my Blogger friends. Seems that there are subversive and insurrectionist elements and all around bad behavior among Bloggers, and as such, the security of the free world and corporate profits are at risk...
None the less, I am still going to post whenever I feel like it, so call me a subversive! Just remember, I can't moderate comments, nor can I comment on your comments.
I have a Chambers New England Fowler waiting at home for me, and you can rest assured that we will be building that together. It's a ten bore of course, none of that 12 bore sissy stuff for me! Anyway, I need a light smoothbore for fooling around out back in the woods.
Now you all know me, and I now have a line on 4 bore barrels, so you can expect a special operations black powder big bore hog hunting rifle from me in the future. Nothing says "Lay down and Die!" like a quarter pound of lead in the boiler room. That's 1750 grains by the way! I can tell you we are going to have us a lot of fun with that!
I've got a few posts lined up for you all my friends, but they will be sans pictures, due to IT's intransigence, but like everything else in this world, things change at the drop of a hat. So for all I know we might be back on line before you or I know it! Keep the faith, and know that I'm thinking about all of you.
Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch"Skull Mountain" Sperwan Ghar, Panjwai District, Afghanistan
Standing Ready when the Wolves Growl at the Door...
ΜOΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
The Range Reviews: Tactical
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles™
Howdy Folks!
I'm still unable to directly access The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles and you my Blogger friends. Seems that there are subversive and insurrectionist elements and all around bad behavior among Bloggers, and as such, the security of the free world and corporate profits are at risk...
None the less, I am still going to post whenever I feel like it, so call me a subversive! Just remember, I can't moderate comments, nor can I comment on your comments.
Today's post is on a an old hobby of mine that has been reignited.
I'm talking about traditional Muzzleloading and Black Powder Shooting.
First off allow me to direct you to a couple of really neat forums. The http://www.americanlongrifles.org/ American Longrifle Forum is the preeminent forum specializing on traditional American muzzleloaders. The mission of AmericanLongrifles.org is to promote, preserve and support the traditional art and craft of building and using the American Longrifle. This includes accouterments and related arms of the period.
None of this inline muzzleloading nonsense here, no sir! If you are looking for real knowledge on the subject this is the place. With experts from around the world, the available knowledge is both broad and deep. Everything from traditional hand tool techniques to the chemistry of traditional finishes is covered. The skill levels range from yours truly's amateurish attempts, to world class museum quality pieces. You will also find lively discussion areas on collecting both fine original arms and impeccable contemporary ones. Hand made accoutrements is another area that is full of remarkable examples of contemporary work as well as the historic. I strongly urge you to visit if you have an interest in traditional Longrifles, black powder shooting, or the history of American firearms of that era.
Next is the http://www.traditionalmuzzleloadingassociation.org/forum/ Traditional Muzzleloading Association. The TMA is dedicated to preserving the rich and fascinating heritage of the traditional muzzleloading firearms of early America. Whether your interest is in rendezvous, re-enactments, historical clothing, camps, trapping, weapons, accoutrements or American history, all historical topics in relation to the muzzleloading firearms prior to 1900 are welcomed.
I'm talking about traditional Muzzleloading and Black Powder Shooting.
First off allow me to direct you to a couple of really neat forums. The http://www.americanlongrifles.org/ American Longrifle Forum is the preeminent forum specializing on traditional American muzzleloaders. The mission of AmericanLongrifles.org is to promote, preserve and support the traditional art and craft of building and using the American Longrifle. This includes accouterments and related arms of the period.
None of this inline muzzleloading nonsense here, no sir! If you are looking for real knowledge on the subject this is the place. With experts from around the world, the available knowledge is both broad and deep. Everything from traditional hand tool techniques to the chemistry of traditional finishes is covered. The skill levels range from yours truly's amateurish attempts, to world class museum quality pieces. You will also find lively discussion areas on collecting both fine original arms and impeccable contemporary ones. Hand made accoutrements is another area that is full of remarkable examples of contemporary work as well as the historic. I strongly urge you to visit if you have an interest in traditional Longrifles, black powder shooting, or the history of American firearms of that era.
Next is the http://www.traditionalmuzzleloadingassociation.org/forum/ Traditional Muzzleloading Association. The TMA is dedicated to preserving the rich and fascinating heritage of the traditional muzzleloading firearms of early America. Whether your interest is in rendezvous, re-enactments, historical clothing, camps, trapping, weapons, accoutrements or American history, all historical topics in relation to the muzzleloading firearms prior to 1900 are welcomed.
I have a Chambers New England Fowler waiting at home for me, and you can rest assured that we will be building that together. It's a ten bore of course, none of that 12 bore sissy stuff for me! Anyway, I need a light smoothbore for fooling around out back in the woods.
Now you all know me, and I now have a line on 4 bore barrels, so you can expect a special operations black powder big bore hog hunting rifle from me in the future. Nothing says "Lay down and Die!" like a quarter pound of lead in the boiler room. That's 1750 grains by the way! I can tell you we are going to have us a lot of fun with that!
I've got a few posts lined up for you all my friends, but they will be sans pictures, due to IT's intransigence, but like everything else in this world, things change at the drop of a hat. So for all I know we might be back on line before you or I know it! Keep the faith, and know that I'm thinking about all of you.
Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch"Skull Mountain" Sperwan Ghar, Panjwai District, Afghanistan
Standing Ready when the Wolves Growl at the Door...
ΜOΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
The Range Reviews: Tactical
Sunday, August 14, 2011
More Success Stories on Feeding Baby Mockingbirds!
Friends,
I just received this lovely note from Cindy P in South Carolina. She and her husband recued a baby Mockingbird, and have successfully raised it.
I'll let Miss Cindy tell the story:
Albert,
Apparently this is the year for abandoned mockingbirds! My husband and I live in the Midlands of South Carolina and we have a LOT of mockingbirds around our yard that stay all year. On July 24th we rescued a baby mockingbird that had fallen from a "destroyed" nest (I suspect a red tailed hawk that lives in the area) and have been raising him since.
We named him Boo and kept him initially in a berry basket with a handle for the first week and then a medium sized bird cage for the second week. We kept both hung on the tree during the day and would bring him into the garage at night in case of a storm, as is wont to happen in SC during the summer. My husband works at home most of the time and would feed him every couple of hours and take him for a "walk" (Let him out of the basket/cage on the ground to hop around and "learn" to scratch and peck at bugs) a couple of times a day. I even took him to the office with me (thankfully a small one!) for a couple of days when my husband was away from home teaching for a few days.
Last week we left the cage propped open but hung in the small tree where the nest was and Boo was soon out of it and on his own. We left the cage for a few days (and found an adult mockingbird in it one morning!!) but Boo didn't seem inclined to use it anymore so we took it down. We are continuing to feed him twice a day with the egg/cat food mixture and mealworms and I also make sure he has water from my fingertip at the end of each "meal" although there is no shortage of sources in the yard.
He "beeps" at us insistently whenever we go outside and even follows my husband when he walks the dog in the morning until he (Boo, not my husband) gets fed! He flies down to us whenever we sit in the yard or on the deck and the other night he sat on my head for some time. He has even followed us into the garage (it seems he knows from whence we come and go!) but we are careful to remove him from there and only feed him outside, as we don't want him to get trapped in the garage accidentally.
It has been and continues to be an amazing experience for us, and we are extremely grateful for your blog and the assistance it has provided. Our only concern is that Boo will continue to be dependent on us, but from reading other accounts it seems as though they do eventually become more and more independent and don't rely on the human-provided food. Can you give me some idea as to how long we should continue to feed him or will we know by his actions when he doesn't need it anymore?
Thanks for your advice and experience about mockingbirds and if you are still in Afghanistan, thank you most especially for your service; may you remain safe while there and on your return home as well.
Cindy P.
Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
"Skull Mountain" Sperwan Ghar, Panjwai District, Afghanistan
Standing Ready when the Wolves Growl at the Door...
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
The Range Reviews: Tactical
I just received this lovely note from Cindy P in South Carolina. She and her husband recued a baby Mockingbird, and have successfully raised it.
I'll let Miss Cindy tell the story:
Albert,
Apparently this is the year for abandoned mockingbirds! My husband and I live in the Midlands of South Carolina and we have a LOT of mockingbirds around our yard that stay all year. On July 24th we rescued a baby mockingbird that had fallen from a "destroyed" nest (I suspect a red tailed hawk that lives in the area) and have been raising him since.
We named him Boo and kept him initially in a berry basket with a handle for the first week and then a medium sized bird cage for the second week. We kept both hung on the tree during the day and would bring him into the garage at night in case of a storm, as is wont to happen in SC during the summer. My husband works at home most of the time and would feed him every couple of hours and take him for a "walk" (Let him out of the basket/cage on the ground to hop around and "learn" to scratch and peck at bugs) a couple of times a day. I even took him to the office with me (thankfully a small one!) for a couple of days when my husband was away from home teaching for a few days.
Last week we left the cage propped open but hung in the small tree where the nest was and Boo was soon out of it and on his own. We left the cage for a few days (and found an adult mockingbird in it one morning!!) but Boo didn't seem inclined to use it anymore so we took it down. We are continuing to feed him twice a day with the egg/cat food mixture and mealworms and I also make sure he has water from my fingertip at the end of each "meal" although there is no shortage of sources in the yard.
He "beeps" at us insistently whenever we go outside and even follows my husband when he walks the dog in the morning until he (Boo, not my husband) gets fed! He flies down to us whenever we sit in the yard or on the deck and the other night he sat on my head for some time. He has even followed us into the garage (it seems he knows from whence we come and go!) but we are careful to remove him from there and only feed him outside, as we don't want him to get trapped in the garage accidentally.
It has been and continues to be an amazing experience for us, and we are extremely grateful for your blog and the assistance it has provided. Our only concern is that Boo will continue to be dependent on us, but from reading other accounts it seems as though they do eventually become more and more independent and don't rely on the human-provided food. Can you give me some idea as to how long we should continue to feed him or will we know by his actions when he doesn't need it anymore?
Thanks for your advice and experience about mockingbirds and if you are still in Afghanistan, thank you most especially for your service; may you remain safe while there and on your return home as well.
Cindy P.
Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
"Skull Mountain" Sperwan Ghar, Panjwai District, Afghanistan
Standing Ready when the Wolves Growl at the Door...
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
The Range Reviews: Tactical
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