How to Pick Good Candidates for Office

The worst president ever!





How to Pick the People you vote for in November

Without a doubt we are saddled with the worst president in our history. Between Obama’s arrogance, incompetence, dishonesty and a general dislike for this country we have a lot of problems facing us. Not content with being the worst president ever he picks the worst and most radical people he can find for the various posts that he fills. If they are incompetent, radical and hate this country then they are a shoo in for office. I could write a book on his failures but this isn’t about him except we have to elect people in congress who will stop the anti-American madness that he is foisting upon us. He will be in office another two years but if we elect the right people in Nov 2010 we can stop his socialist agenda. Right now congress is full of incompetents who have been around way too long. It is ridicules for anyone of either party to serve in congress for 30-50 years. They lose touch with reality and grow arrogant. Instead of a term of service they make it a life long career. They vote themselves raises, great pension benefits and various other perks that are not available to the general public. Not being satisfied with that some of them take bribes and steal whenever the opportunity presents itself. America so far survives in spite of them not because of them.



When I check out a candidate that I am not familiar with the first item is their record on the 2’Nd amendment. If they get bad marks from the NRA or other pro gun groups then I don’t need to know anything else about them. They will not get my support period! I have been accused of being narrow minded about that but I have good reasons for feeling that way. First of all if a politician votes against law abiding gun owners they are telling you that you aren’t to be trusted. That is the message my friends because the argument that gun laws prevent crime is nonsense. That has been proven in various studies. Why then don’t they trust you? Who Knows? They want to demonize guns because they don’t have the backbone to really go after criminals. A perfect example is when various city mayors were suing the gun makers because drug dealers were shooting each other. Apparently going after the bad guys never occurred to them. Chances are if they are wrong on the gun issue then they are wrong about other important issues such as taxes, illegals, growing of government and foreign policy. They are frequently out of step with most of the voters but they are tone deaf. For instance about 70% of the population didn’t want health care but it was rammed through.


Laziness and stupidity wrapped up in one neat package





Let’s take an example of a career politician who recently got fired in the Delaware primaries. Mike Castle has been sucking on the public teat for 40 years and has given little back in return. He is the consummate do nothing career politician. I have talked to people who tried to ask questions about an issue but he blew them off, something that long term office holders tend to do. It’s called arrogance. In spite of the fact that he has an R by his name he is notoriously anti gun. Not being satisfied with that he votes with the democrats fairly often including the failed stimulus package. He has no problem with tax increases and other liberal items. Well a good thing happened during the primary. The people of Delaware fired him and nominated Christine O’Donnell as the Republican for the Senate. I don’t know if she will win in the general election but they got rid of a useless office holder in Castle. He is throwing a temper tantrum because he believed that he was somehow entitled to the seat. He picked up his toys and went home. Arrogance will do that to you. He didn’t even have the class to call and congratulate her nor has he offered an endorsement. Like a typical liberal he blamed others for his loss including Rush Linbaugh and Shaun Hannity. The state Republican Party is smearing her but that’s because their golden boy was beaten and they are probably a bunch of Democrat wanna bees anyway. Her character is being smeared including that she was slow in paying her taxes. If that’s the case then perhaps she should be Secretary of the Treasury which is currently run by a tax cheat. She can be a tax cheat like Charlie Wrangle and run for congress. Christine O’Donnell is a perfect example of someone who should get elected. Hopefully the people of Delaware will keep up the good work and elect her to the Senate. Even if you are not a gun owner you still should vote for pro gun candidates because chances are they also support freedoms that might be important to you.

Mike Castle threw a temper tantrum and took his toys home after losing the Deleware Primary



With the frustration of the corrupt Obama administration the Tea Party came into being. The one good thing that the Obama administration has produced is a bunch of fed up Americans. The Tea Party has fielded some great candidates that want to bring America back to some sanity. There are a lot of fresh faces vying for office and they should be given a chance. Hell, they can’t do worse then what’s in Congress with their 11% approval rating they have now. Mike Castle and many others like him are a walking advertisement for term limits. We need people in congress who are fresh and inexperienced and have some good ideas. I laugh when I hear someone say that someone is qualified for office merely because they have held it for a generation or so. That is the problem and the only way to address it is term limits. I am a realist and understand that congress will never vote for term limits because then they would have to go out and get a real job like the rest of us.

Anyone want to talk about a tax cheat?

How Important is Accuracy

Practice is important Marlin XL-7 in 30-06













How Important is Accuracy

Everyone likes their rifles to be accurate and if it is then we are happy. However I submit that sometimes accuracy is overrated as compared to other factors. Accuracy is the ability to hit what you are aiming at if you do your part. That can be hitting a gallon can at 50 yards or a woodchuck at 500 yards. A 30-30 foe example typically shoots a 3” group at 100 yards but for eastern woods hunting that is fine. You would not take it on an antelope hunt in a western state however. Antelope are typically shot at 300 yards plus and the lever action 30-30 isn’t up to the task. If your gun can hit the required target at the desired ranges then it is accurate enough for the task at hand. In hunting accuracy isn’t everything as important as it might be. There are other important factors such as bullet performance. A good well designed bullet is much more desirable for hunting then a gilt edge target bullet. Many target bullets while super accurate perform poorly on game. Some hollow points fold over when they hit an animal making them act like a solid which is frequently a bad idea. The Nosler Partitions had a reputation of not being as accurate as some of the other brands but they got the job done. I had the same experience but accuracy wasn’t that bad. Since then accuracy has improved over the years. No matter what type of hunting you engage in practice is all important. You should be familiar with the characteristics of you hunting gun at any range that you expect to use it. That includes the knowledge of your bullets trajectory. Also keep in mind that each rifle will prefer a different brand of bullet so it’s up to you to experiment until you find the right combo. I have seen more then a couple of hunters use the wrong bullet merely because it is accurate. The results were generally dismal.


Target showing that Weatherby Vanguard can be accurate 30-06




If you are hunting in the brush or woods for game such as a moose or grizzly bear your shots probably won’t be over 50 yards maybe a hundred at the most. With those animals you need a hard hitting rifle with a quality bullet for best results. A 45-70 with a well constructed bullet weighing 400 grains that group 3” at 100 yards is all you need for accuracy purposes. With that type of hunting you will probably be standing or at best have a haphazard rest so gilt edge accuracy isn’t necessary. You might even be shooting at a moving target. You need a combo that will place a sturdy bullet into the boiler room, breaking bones along the way if necessary. You want to do your hunting before you shoot not after. Some of the new lead free bullets made by Barnes and Hornady might be an option worth exploring. They have a good reputation for performance and are definitely accurate enough for any task that they may have to perform. I have shot both with great results in various calibers.



Typical way to test ammo 30-06 Weatherby Vanguard




If you are hunting deer at a couple hundred yards or so then you would need a different type of rifle. Something that shoots flatter and can shoot a 3 shot group at 100 yards of an inch or so. If it is more accurate fine but don’t get hung up on that. You need a good hunting bullet with good flight characteristics rather then a super accurate target bullet. The bullet has to perform on the animal to obtain a clean kill. It has to have the ability to get into the boiler room and do some significant damage in order to insure a clean kill. A bullet that blows up on the hide without penetrating is useless. As with all hunting the first shot is the most important and it’s our moral obligation to humanely dispatch any animal that we shoot. If you mess that up there is a good chance that the hunt will go south quickly. If you hit it badly or miss it the animal isn’t going to stick around for you to target practice on it. So when you shoot your groups be sure to carefully observe where the first shot from a cold barrel goes. Keeping the barrel oil free helps keep the first shot closer to the rest of the group as oil can throw off the first shot by quite a bit.

Over the years shotgun slugs have greatly improved in performance. The old pumpkin ball was good out to 50 yards or so before accuracy deteriorated too much. Slugs such as the Breneke and Actives extended that range out to about 100 yards in good guns. They were all smooth bores but with an open or modified choke and a scope 3 to 5” groups were possible at 100 yards. Then came rifled barrels and modern projectiles which changed everything. One outstanding example is the Lightfield brand of slugs www.lightfieldslugs.com. Not only are they exceptionally accurate in a rifled barrel but the various loads hit to the same point of impact. The importance of that is a shooter that is more recoil shy can shoot a lighter load while the heavier load can also be utilized without changing the scope setting. I am not aware of any other slug that can do that though there are other accurate slugs out there. I have shot the Remington slug with good accuracy results also. With the increased velocity and accuracy of modern slugs ranges of 175 yards and more are possible given hunter skill.


Typical group that can be expected from Remington factory ammo 30-06




Shooting varmints at long range does require serious accuracy. Most of the time you will be using a small caliber high velocity rifle capable of shooting bullets up to 4000 feet per second or so. A groundhog at 400 yards is a very small target. A rifle the shoots 5 shots into a half inch or less at 100 yards is needed. Groundhogs are relatively small but need to be hit well with an explosive bullet in order to anchor them reliably. Improperly hit woodchucks will escape into their holes to die. That’s a shame because the meat is very tasty , properly prepared. As with all animals they deserve a quick and painless death.

As hunters we are obligated to kill as humanely as possible any animal we shoot. Animals that get away usually die a painful and futile death since no one gets to eat the meat or gather the trophy. Harvesting everything that you shoot is also a good conservation measure. Taking your time and placing all of your shots is of paramount importance in the scheme of things.

Straight Pull Rifles Part 3

Model 89 Swiss 7.5 X 53.5





Straight Pull Rifles Part 3

The Swiss model 89 came out in 1889 to replace the older 10.4 Vetterli. The original load was a .299 diameter 213 grain bullet at about 1950 FPS loaded with semi smokeless powder. Later a 190 grain jacketed bullet was utilized with smokeless powder. The 89 has a long receiver and rear locking lugs. Also a 10 round magazine protrudes from the bottom. Pressures were limited to about 37,000 PSI and should not be exceeded. The case is essentially the same as the later case, model 31, but the neck is shorter. It was replaced by the model 11 in 1911 which served for quite a few years in the Swiss military. The Swiss rifles, as you would expect are well made and finished. That applies to all of them from the Vetterli on up to the model 1911. Both Swiss models have a large ring on the rear of the receiver. That is so you can let down the firing pin without shooting it. You can cock it using that ring easily. The button on the side releases the magazine and is easy to use.


I have worked up some loads for the older Schmidt Ruben rifle. The example I used was made in 1893 and is in good shape. Mine shoots 308 diameter bullets but I strongly suggest that you slug your barrel to be sure of the correct bullet diameter. The older ones have a .299 diameter bore so you can use 7.35 Carcano bullets in those. You just need the proper die set. At no time did I attempt to see how fast I could drive the bullet but rather looked for loads that were accurate and safe. For some reason I couldn’t obtain the Swiss brass so I used 284 Winchester cases which worked fine. That situation has since been resolved and the Swiss brass is available now. First I necked them up then trimmed off some of the neck to the 53.5 length then sized as normal. This rifle required that the cases be chambered with some authority or they wouldn’t fire. That’s a good safety feature since the bolt wasn’t completely locked up and I wouldn’t want it firing with a partially closed bolt. The difficulty may have been because of minute dimensional differences in the 284 cases. After they were fired and sized they fit easier as that formed them to that chamber. During the tests I had no malfunctions or brass loss and some of the cases were fired several times. The cases are thrown several feet due to the good extractor and the effort required opening the bolt. The sights are however hard for me to use and getting groups was difficult at least for my eyes. However I didn’t have much trouble hitting cans at 50 yards though it shot low. Go figure. The trigger pull isn’t bad at all for such an old rifle. After the usual travel it broke consistently.
LOAD BULLET VELOCITY COMMENT
10 X Unique 110 grain round nose 1447 fair
10 X Trail Boss 110 grain round nose 1141 consistent
25 X 5744 110 grain round nose 1949 nice
42 X IMR 4895 123 grain soft point 2341 poor load
50 X H 4831 150 grain Hornady 2151 mild
52 X IMR 4350 150 grain Hornady 2516 accurate
40 X IMR 4895 150 grain Hornady 2498 also good
10 X Unique 165 grain cast 1280 consistent
48 X H 4831 170 grain round nose 2039 mild
50 X IMR 4350 170 grain round nose 2178 ok

7.5 X 53.5 and newer 7.5 X 55 Swiss





When judging a rifle by its strength there are other factors to consider, probably the most important is its ability to handle gas in the event of a case rupturing. If the head splits, while not a common occurrence, where will the hot gases go? Information is scarce on some rifles so it’s a matter of common sense to make sure you are using the correct ammo and wearing shooting glasses. I prefer to forgo having hot gasses sprayed on me, been there done that. The hot gases have to go somewhere and it may be your face and injure you seriously. Forends and magazines can be blown downwards causing serious arm and hand injuries. The Swiss rifles aren’t the best for handling gas so keep that in mind when loading ammo especially for the older ones. Another thing to avoid is standing along side of some one shooting for if a firearm does explode shrapnel frequently goes to the side causing serious injuries to bystanders. Revolvers and shotguns are notorious for this. You must remember that black powder guns generally have a pressure of 20,000 PSI or so while smokeless arms start at around 35,000 PSI. That’s a lot of pressure to deal with when something goes wrong. In this case I am referring to rifles rather then shotguns and handguns which typically operate at lower pressures. Normally if you are using quality brass in the proper chambering you should be ok but there are no guarantees in life or in shooting. If you notice a bulge on the case I suggest you stop shooting and find out what’s going on. It could be an oversize chamber or the wrong case. Either scenario can be dangerous as it can rupture. I have encountered military rifles with badly oversize chambers on a number of occasions. Some of the Japanese rifles made at the end of WW ll are very shoddy and dangerous to shoot for an example. They are easy to spot and not very common now. If in doubt take it to a qualified gunsmith. Sometimes it is hard to extract a shell out of such a gun. I have one such example in my collection now the cause being a rough chamber. You can rebarrel it if you want to go to that expense or use it for a wall hanger.

If you get a model 89 in good condition it is worthwhile to make ammo for it and go have some fun. Like most straight pulls you will have an opportunity to strengthen your forearms. It is accurate given good rifling and enjoys the justly famed Swiss quality.

Straight Pull Rifles Part 2

Steyr Mannlicher model 95 in 8 X 56 R











Straight Pull Rifles Part 2
The 8 X 56 is an upgrade of the 8 X 50. The cartridge is more powerful and bullet diameter was increased to 329. It employs a 5 round clip which is fed from the top and drops down through the bottom when empty. The inventor of the model 95 was Ferdinand Ritter Von Mannlicher who also came out with the first successful clip fed rifle. Like the 8 X 50 it is hard to operate unless you have strong forearms. The extractor also had a reputation for breakage unless you kept it clean. The rifle was used in WW ll by second line German troops as well as Romanian, Yugoslavian and Italian reserves. Other countries used it to an extent. In the 1970’s some African guerillas used them in their campaigns. There were about 3 million produced and they are fairly common and inexpensive. They are also well made weapons made to last. For the collector who is just starting this might be a good place to begin.


8 X 50 and 8 X 56 cartridges





The 8 X 56 rifle I have looks a lot better then the older 8 X 50 but share the same action. The cartridge was designed in the 1920’s to replace the 8 X 50. Hungary adopted it in 1931, also being used in the Solothurn machine gun. The Hungarians also used a model 35 bolt action for it. In 1940 Hungary adopted the German 8 X 57 and some of the rifles were adopted for same. They were rechambered and a different magazine was employed. The Nazis however did produce ammo for it in the 1930’s. I have shot some of it and it was surprisingly consistent considering its age. The bullets I used are .329 to .330 in diameter. Why they used that diameter instead of the more common .323 diameter is head scratcher as the 323 is much more common and available. Some I made as I wanted different weights and styles then what’s available commercially. I make many of my odd diameter bullets by swaging because they aren’t available in all diameters and weights that I use. There are some commercial bullets available for the handloader in soft points which are good for hunting. Like the 8 X 50 it sports a 20” barrel which is handy though a 30” barrel was also made.. Just for your information there is an 8 X 56 rimless case that is based on the 8 X 57 Mauser case. Just to keep you confused there is also an 8 X 56 Kropatachek which isn’t interchangeable with either of the other two 8 X 56’s. That is why it is important to know what your rifle shoots before trying it out. Using the wrong ammo can be a disastrous mistake.

The rear of the rimless Mannlicher measures about .030 smaller then the rimmed version. DO NOT fire in the straight pull rifle. The rear of the case wouldn’t be supported and would rupture probably causing injury. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you are using the correct ammo for your weapon something that can’t be repeated too often. You might encounter a 95 that was rechambered for the 8 X 57 Mauser round which is less common then the 8 X 56 R. This round is a good large game hunting round and can be used for deer and black bear. I have a client that uses in on wild boar in Florida with good results. Reloadable cases are available at Graffs and other distributors. In a pinch 7.62 X 54 Russian cases can be use but they are short and not necessary because of the brass supply available.

LOAD BULLET VELOCITY COMMENT
16 X Trail Boss 200 grain cast 1373 inconsistent
16 X Unique 200 grain cast 1614 accurate
12 X Unique 200 grain flat nose 1019 high es
12 X Trail Boss 200 grain flat nose 635 way slow
35 X Data 4197 200 grain flat nose 1894 deer load
25 X 5744 200 grain flat nose 1536 consistent
47 X IMR 4895 200 grain home made 2180 mild
42 X RL 12 210 DKT bullet 1881 mild
47 X IMR 4350 210 DKT bullet 1748 slow
51 X IMR 4895 210 DKT bullet 2295 consistent
50 X IMR 4895 220 grain 2271 good load
45 X IMR 4895 225 grain home made 2056 good load
47 X IMR 4895 250 grain home made 2130
43 X IMR 4895 250 grain home made 1919 consistent
49 X 748 250 grain round nose HM 2087 moose
1938 Nazi Military 207 grain 2267 good load


Closeup of 8 X 56 Action




The 8 X 56 I have is in good shape and will handle some pretty decent loads though I didn’t try and set any speed records. While it is a strong action it isn’t getting any younger so I took it easy in load development and I suggest you do the same. Since the straight pull lacks the camming power of a conventional bolt it would be more difficult to extract a sticky case. The trigger is a fairly typical military type which is ok once you get used to it.

Straight Pull Rifles Part 1

Mannlicher Steyr model 95 rifle in 8 X 50


Straight Pull Rifles Part 1



One of the older ones was the 8 X 50 rimmed. Originally brought out as a black powder round in 1886 for the Model 88 straight pull and later the improved model 95. For some reason they lengthened the case to 52 mm and used a semi-smokeless powder until they could obtain reliable smokeless powder. It was soon changed over to a smokeless offering in 1890 and the case was again shortened to 50 mm. It was used by Greece, Bulgaria and Austria-Hungary. The model 88 was not a real strong action using a hinged block on the underside as opposed to the front locking lugs of the stronger model 95. The round was also chambered in a few sporting rifles in Europe for some years. The military used this cartridge until 1930-31 when it was replaced by the newer 8 X 56. Ammo is not available on a commercial basis in the U.S though it may still be made overseas. Loads should be kept at 40,000 or so psi as in the Krag rifle. Standard 8 mm bullets of .323 diameter may be used in all available weights. My rifle doesn’t have any clips so I shoot it single shot. I have some clips for the 8 X 56 but they don’t work in the older model although they are close. Since I don’t anticipate going to war with this rifle that’s not a problem using it as a single shot. The straight pull was developed to enable a soldier to fire more rapidly. The theory was since you pull the bolt straight back rather then lifting it first that would enable you to fire more rapidly. When you pull the bolt back the locking lugs rotate rather then the complete bolt assembly. The only problem is you need forearms the size of Popeye’s in order to manipulate it faster. A little spinach wouldn’t hurt either.


Closeup of 8 X 50 action



The 8 X 50 I have is rough looking on the outside probably due to some poor storage. There is some pitting on the barrel and action however the rifling is fairly decent. Cases can be made from 45-70 cases and the rim is cut down to the proper size. I took it out in the desert to shoot for function and chamber problems. Feeding and extraction was flawless and the cases were thrown a few feet to the front and right of the shooting point. It does take some effort to pull back the bolt which is typical. The trigger is a typical two stage military pull and is decent for its type of rifle. The safety is located opposite of the bolt handle locks the bolt closed as well as preventing the gun from firing. To remove the push the trigger forward and pull the bolt back until removed. Putting the bolt back is tricky however because the lugs rotate when the bolt is removed. You have to pull the front of the bolt forward until the lugs line up with the extractor. I use the side of a table to pull the front of the bolt up by hooking one of the lugs at the edge of the table and pull the head forward. That requires some effort and once they are lined up slide the bolt back in by using the rails. The 8 X 56 requires the same procedure. It seems reliable and easy to use once assembled and cleaned. Once that was done I made up a few loads for it. I had a customer ask for some 8 X 50 blanks hmmmm. I did some checking and found out the 7.62 X 54 blanks work perfectly. I fired some with no problems what so ever. So the light went on in my head and I figured that if I could take some regular 7.62 X 54 cases I could make some 8 X 50 ammo. Like the Russian the 8 X 50 has a beveled rim so feeding was fine. I shortened the cases then sized as normal in the die and they chambered fine. The case length I used is 1.975”. Shooting the Russian cases showed no problems what so ever. The 45-70 required a little more effort in seating the bullets but neither case presented a problem in that regard. By the way my rifle is the model 95 verses the older model 88. This rifle has a 20” barrel which makes it light and handy. These loads can be used for deer sized game at woods ranges without a problem given good bullet placement. Standard 8 mm .323 diameter bullets are fine.
LOAD BULLET VELOCITY COMMENT
10 X Trail Boss 125 grain Hornady 1259 consistent
36 X Data 4197 125 grain Hornady 2165 mild
45 X IMR 4895 150 grain Hornady 2334 good load
47 X IMR 4895 150 grain Hornady 2319 hmmmmm
10 X Unique 170 grain cast 1127 inconsistent
10 X Trail Boss 170 grain cast 974 consistent
12 X Unique 170 grain cast 1240 inconsistent
12 X Trail Boss 170 grain cast 1269 inconsistent
43 X IMR 4895 170 grain Hornady 2133 mild
45 X IMR 4895 170 grain Hornady 2231 ok
43 X IMR 4895 175 grain Sierra 2186 ok
42 X IMR 4895 185 grain Remington 2119 consistent
44 X IMR 4895 185 grain Remington 2188 accurate
10 X Unique 200 grain cast 1173 accurate
41 X IMR 4895 200 grain Speer 2050 slow
43 X IMR 4895 200 grain Speer 2149 ok
21 X AA 5744 210 grain cast 1387 small game
50 X AA 4350 220 grain Hornady 1999 consistent

Some of the 8 X 50 loads seem pedestrian by some standards but due the age and condition of the weapon I didn’t see any point in trying to increase the velocity. I probably could have obtained another 1 to 200 feet per second but for the life of me I just didn’t see the gain. The sights are crude and the rifling is only fair so long distance shooting is not an option at least with this particular specimen. Never say never but I don’t see me taking it on a hunting trip and if I do these loads will suffice for the ranges I would be using it. I would just tweak the one that I would take. I have several other 8mm rifles including the 8mm Remington magnum if I have a hankering for more velocity. I also have an 8mm Carcano and I will not use anything resembling heavy loads in it either. With some of these old guns it just isn’t worth the risk of destroying it to obtain a little more velocity. Both of the 8mm rifles like the cast bullet loads which I generally find true in the older rifles. As a note the 47 grains of 4895 behind the 150 grain did produce less velocity so that’s not a misprint. I have ran across that phenomenon on a few occasions. I am not sure why it happens but I believe the particular rifle doesn’t like that load and so I backed off.



8 X 50 round with military bullet





There is nothing quite like shooting a piece of history. It’s an interesting challenge to make ammo that works in those antiques and you might be surprised on how well they can shoot.

Norfolk Hatchery

Fish caught in the White River, rainbow trout from Norfolk Hatchery








Norfolk Fish Hatchery
The Norfolk fish hatchery which is located near Mountain Home in Northern Arkansas was established in 1955 and open to the public in 1957. The hatchery was established to meet the fishery migration needs arising from the Corps of Engineer projects in the White River in Northern Arkansas and southern Missouri. The upper White River has been altered by multi purpose dams in various locations along its course. The river flows through Table Rock Lake, Lake Taneycomo and then through Bull Shoals Reservoir. There are tributaries to Norfolk Lake and Greers Ferry. For more info you can go to their website @ http://www.norforkhatcheryfriends.org/NNFH.pdf


View of Norfolk Hatchery




This hatchery specializes in threes species of trout the Brown, Rainbow and Cutthroat all which require cold water with high oxygen content. They raise the fish to restock various waters in local lakes and streams as well as to other states that may need trout. They produce over 1 & ½ million fish for restocking purposes. The fish are kept until they are approximately 11 inches then released at a cost of 47 cents each. The water used in the hatchery comes from the bottom of Lake Norfolk which has the desired cold temperature
The hatchery buys the eggs from other hatcheries and they are kept until the eggs hatch which is about 2 weeks after receiving them. As they grow they are moved to different tanks until the release date. They are fed special foods while at the hatchery. This operation is carried on year around.



Baby trout in hatchery tanks



Visitation is welcome and the hatchery is open to the public from 7: AM to 3:30 PM. Parking drinking water and restrooms are available and there is helpful personal on site to answer any questions that are brought up. There is even a place adjoining the hatchery that is handicap assessable for fishing which is catch and release.

Adult trout





As a result of their efforts many folks can enjoy great trout fishing in the area and other states. Arkansas has many lakes and streams for the anglers to try out their luck. Lake Norfolk is one of the top fishing lakes in the US according to Field & Stream.