On the north side of the INEL site is Test Area North. In the 1950s it was the testing site for the nuclear airplane engines. The hanger that would have housed the atomic plane can be seen with Google Earth. I understand the facility now makes the nuclear power units for satellites. That facility alone would attract unwanted foreign interest.
The grouse hunt in this thread is directly north of that region of Idaho.
Did you ever ask yourself, why did Edwards Air Force Base in Ca already have a runway long enough for the space shuttle?
Easy answer, it was originally built for an atomic powered bomber to take off/land. NASA just repurposed it for the shuttles needs.
Sorry to go off topic.
Back on topic. We shot alot of jack rabbits near Pingree, Idaho, just west of Blackfoot. There used to be a Joe's Bar there.
After much practice I got good at hitting running rabbits out to 200yds with M77 heavy barrel in 220 Swift, 10x Leupold. We did the math. At 4000 fps a rabbit going 35mph moves 3/8" from the time you pull the trigger. Once we figured that out, it was game over for rabbits. My best friend and I shot the throats right out of those barrels. 2 years of 200 round weekends anybody can burn out a barrel.
Mike A, I still have my 22 mag Anschutz from Idaho. It was my backup gun when I ran out of 220 Swift ammo. It does the job on a rabbit out to 100-125 yards. Out there that's a close shot.
Joe
PS (Warning, off thread)
What did the engineers name their atomic plane after the first successful test of the engine? (at a local bar later)
The Spirit of Mud Lake
The Idaho crowd that hunt ducks, know Mud Lake.
