Possibly my new rifle/pistol/bow range (lease for work)

[Que]

Well, I'm finding the land owners around here is Virginia are very accepting of new people wanting to use their land. I know a lady who lets people fish in her lake in exchange for help with her gardens. It looks like I'll probably have access to this land across the road in exchange for "hay work" (whatever that is). Anyway, I was told I would just have to learn how to drive the tractor. This guy doesn't want deer shot on his property (shut up Brad!), but says there are other spots where people will let me hunt. I'm hoping to mark it out to 800 yards. There are natural berms, so that will not be an issue. I cant wait!

 

[SmileDocHill]

Road trip!

 

[Trigger Time]

Sooooo lucky

 

[BrinNutz]

Hay work...Have fun! It's a blast! /purple

 

[Que]

Hay work...Have fun! It's a blast! /purple

Man, what exactly is it? The guy said I would have to drive a tractor. I don't mind hard work and I will certainly do more than that if I can be of assistance. I didn't get a pic, but he had about 50 6' tall bails of hay, rolled up in a huge ball. I've seen these around Indy and I have no idea what they do with them.

 

[indyjohn]

Road trip!

I'll drive. I have room for 4 in the Suburban (2 spots taken by OkieGirl and the driver).

 

[wolfman]

Have you seen any small bales? They would be about 2' square on the end and about 4' long, usually stacked in a shed or the loft of a barn.

 

[SmileDocHill]

I haven't bailed and put up hay in over 20 years. I'd be up for that as range fees.

 

[indyjohn]

Man, what exactly is it? The guy said I would have to drive a tractor. I don't mind hard work and I will certainly do more than that if I can be of assistance. I didn't get a pic, but he had about 50 6' tall bails of hay, rolled up in a huge ball. I've seen these around Indy and I have no idea what they do with them.

I think you're spelling it wrong. I believe it is "Hey" work. As in "Hey, can you come over and do x for me this Saturday"..

 

[indyjohn]

I think you're spelling it wrong. I believe it is "Hey" work. As in "Hey, can you come over and do x for me this Saturday"..

OH SNAP! Look how many posts I have in that one!

(Edit: Dang! It was 1911. Until I posted this one and it incremented.)

 

[Que]

Have you seen any small bales? They would be about 2' square on the end and about 4' long, usually stacked in a shed or the loft of a barn.

I haven't see any of those in his barn. This is the property that has the old barn and huge bales. He may have the smaller bales in the nicer barn on the other side of the mountain.

 

[wolfman]

I haven't see any of those in his barn. This is the property that has the old barn and huge bales. He may have the smaller bales in the nicer barn on the other side of the mountain.

If putting up hay, only involves the large round bales, then the job is fairly easy. You may be ask to drive the tractor when cutting, raking to turn the hay over so it dries evenly, and/or pulling the machine that actually rolls the hay into the large bales. fortunately these large bales are usually moved around with a loader, so you would only be donating time. On the other hand, if he puts up the small bales I was referring to above, those weigh in at 80 to 100 lbs each, and stacked by hand at least twice. Once is onto the wagon that transports them from the field to the barn, the second is in the barn.

 

[BrinNutz]

If putting up hay, only involves the large round bales, then the job is fairly easy. You may be ask to drive the tractor when cutting, raking to turn the hay over so it dries evenly, and/or pulling the machine that actually rolls the hay into the large bales. fortunately these large bales are usually moved around with a loader, so you would only be donating time. On the other hand, if he puts up the small bales I was referring to above, those weigh in at 80 to 100 lbs each, and stacked by hand at least twice. Once is onto the wagon that transports them from the field to the barn, the second is in the barn.

Only twice? LOL! You should have seen the wagons after I got done with 'em when I was a kid. 6-7 high on the wagon, those were the days...I wouldn't got higher than two now though, LOL.

Que, wolfman hit it on the head. If you're just driving a tractor for the big bails, that's the easy work. Small bails though, that's where the hard work is. It's not a bad range fee.

 

[Bigtanker]

2014 Memorial Day INGO members meeting at Que's place. I'll bring some burgers and bacon.......and ammo!

 

[Que]

2014 Memorial Day INGO members meeting at Que's place. I'll bring some burgers and bacon.......and ammo!

COOL! You guys can caravan! It's only an eight hour drive.

 

[Bigtanker]

COOL! You guys can caravan! It's only an eight hour drive.

The drive is no problem. I drive 8 hrs every night.

 

[Trigger Time]

You Just put the large round bales of hay out for the cows. It's fun to watch all the field mice shoot out of them

 

[DanVoils]

And the black snakes!

 

[42769vette]

If its big bail hay work it consists of driving a tractor, and running a bucket. If it's small bale hay work and your lucky you get on a wagon and stack the hay in a manner it wont fall off, grab 70lb bales off the shute (paying attention to when the tractor guy will be turning to make sure one doesn't get kicked off the shute while turning). If your not lucky you get to crawl up into a 110 degree mount with metal roof, and stack hay up there while trying to keep the sweet out of your eyes, and not fall off the stack. I always say I'm retired from baling hay, but I always get tricked into doing it again at least a few times a year.

 

[midget]

If its big bail hay work it consists of driving a tractor, and running a bucket. If it's small bale hay work and your lucky you get on a wagon and stack the hay in a manner it wont fall off, grab 70lb bales off the shute (paying attention to when the tractor guy will be turning to make sure one doesn't get kicked off the shute while turning). If your not lucky you get to crawl up into a 110 degree mount with metal roof, and stack hay up there while trying to keep the sweet out of your eyes, and not fall off the stack. I always say I'm retired from baling hay, but I always get tricked into doing it again at least a few times a year.

Yep, this is pretty much the story of my life. I tell people I'm done helping, and I still get talked into it. Nothing like 90 degree weather in long sleeves and jeans...