Wow.

Where do I begin....

I have shot doves,

 Fished on my birthday,

 

While unemployed for a few weeks, made many tables, of which some are for sale...,

and have found a well paying temporary job until December. I think this is as busy as I thought I could ever be, but again, that could partially be self-inflicted.

I jump started the table business with my friend Ned Parker. We mostly have eastern red cedar, but we do have a limited amount of black walnut. This venture will aid in paying off the vast student loan debt I have accrued. 

I sit here now while Rachel studies on her first anniversary gift from her husband.

The deer season is fast approaching so with that in mind,

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Beyond Behind

Busy. That's what I have been lately. Post have become fewer and far between. Here is a summary of some of the great things I have had the pleasure of doing:

Visit to Sioux Falls, including Ben and Erin's Wedding (Finally)! Carp shooting with Adam and Kathy which included a small flycatcher riding, yes, riding on the back of a hawk. A visit to Al and Karin's which was 4th of July greatness! This included tank wars with Russ, a tour of Gary, and Rendezvous.

 We visited Rick and Sue's for Grace's confirmation in which she asked me to stand up with her.

 We were able to do plenty of fishing and tubing during this visit.

Nick's Bachelor/21st:
We tubed the Des Moines River and drank copious amounts of beer, whilst smoking cigars basically until we dropped.

 Yes, Ethan Caught a Goose:

 Ended the trip with Nick's birthday present from me. Tannerite.

More to come,


At this juncture I would include pics and stories from Nick and Lisa's Wedding but I can't say I have much as I was "enjoying the festivities".



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Father's Day Camp

Started out this Father's Day weekend with a thunderstorm. I got to Nick's at 5ish as he and Dad just got up from a quick snooze. We had everything pretty much wrapped up to go and we chickened out big time. The A/C, cold beer, and a soft bed could not be passed up. We opted to smoke the backstrap for supper right there at the house. It was wonderful! No this was not what we had actually sought out to do, but we also just wanted an excuse to hang out.
When we finally did wake up in the morning we took our sweet time getting out the door. No rush; this is vacation. After loading up the boat and climbing in, (even Charlie, whom has never done the boat thing before) we headed out. As Nick launched out the boat Dad asked dad questions. We got everything?" Yup. "We got gas?" Yup. "Boat plug in?"...uh oh. Nick had to reload the boat and we had to dump the water out. Great start. Attempt 2. Nick throttles the boat and we are clearly overloaded. One more second and we were going to be taking on water at the front. We motor up to our clean, clear sandbar for a day of camping and Nick blows right past it. I look back at him and he points ahead. The bank is a mud bank slowing being retaken by the willows, smartweed, and water-hemp. This is camp. I was beyond perplexed but Nick had it in his head that this was the only place to be. I was so turned around my mind was blank. Nick doubled back to the van for more gas, the weed eater, and the rest of the supplies. Dad started on lunch as Nick left, or that was the plan. After Nick left we discovered that we left the camp box in the van for load two. No lunch yet. So, Dad and I fished. Started the trip with a nice cat.

I eventually went to collect firewood and Nick made it back with the rest. I cleared us a spot and then enjoyed Dad's sausage egg and hashbrowns! Now that we were set we just fished. Dad no more than got done asking whether there were pike in this river, to which I replied no, and he laid into a fish. Pike!

It may not have been a monster but he was tickled that he caught one at all. We continued to fish as a large ominous cloud worked its way over the top of us. Some quick smart phone work and we knew it was time to set up tents and tidy camp.

 Dad liked the idea of a large catfish yanking his rods into the water right from the boat holds.

 Here is a view to the south of our camp. This was as the rain started.

Once the rain came in Dad said it was crucial that a nap was had during the storm. He and I had the large tent while Nick and Charlie had the smaller one. Just as Dad started to drift off I look out the tent window to see this:

 

He felt that it was much cooler outside in the rain storm without clothing. His 'dry' clothing was in the tent with the dog. It was one of the funnier things I have seen. I somehow managed to even get a "Nicksquatch" pic: HA!!!

 After the rain we caught a few carp, both of which were deemed Des Moines River walleyes. We tried the whole trout pose:

Before it got dark Dad cooked us some fantastic hamburgers while we built some trotline willow switches. We sat around the campfire and fished until 1 in the morning. I should say Nick and I did, while we listened to Dad snore off the Dallas trip. No fish that evening but we still had a wonderful evening. When we woke up in the morning the first time the fog was so thick you couldn't see ten feet out. The second time I got up at about the same time Nick did to hear Nick yell "we got one!" One of the ditty poles had a catfish on it and it was even one I had set, not one of the six he had set.

Eventually, we came to a point of food and again, Dad came through. Eggs, hashbrowns, and brats. It was amazing as usual. Fishing was slow so we called it a camp and packed up to fish at the nice pristine sandbar across the river.

 

The sandbar was awesome and cleansing. We caught a few fish and Nick took Charlie out for his first swim. That dog can't swim. It was a wonderful trip and I am thoroughly exhausted, plus a shower and a nap was awesome.

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Cats

Got out last Thursday to do some catfishing with Poindexter. It was nothing spectacular or a serious undertaking, just an evening on the river. I was only able to catch the two cats that night, but Nick didn't seem to care. It was nice to just get on the river again. We even had an odd conversation with some canoers about big 8ft black thing they saw on sandbar....ok....

Pics of the two cats:

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Week Off

As usual, need to do a better job with updates...

The week after I was finished with school forever, I drove up to Al and Karin's for a week of whatever was thrown my way. I got there in the rain and wind and Kate was at the camper (provided by some friends) with the kids. It was wonderful to be greeted in such a way!
Throughout the week I was able to hang out with my aunt and uncle and was even able to assist my Uncle Al in cutting a significant amount of firewood. There were many a project here and there, but the wood made up the bulk of our time. Al even saved a boat-load of walnut for me to do what I please. I was even able to go to a graduation, and trap night. On the way back from the graduation we watch a HUGE meteor blaze through the sky above us. It was like nothing I have ever seen before.
 Joan Smith was a gracious host whom allowed me to sleep in a comfortable bed for the week. It was wonderful to have a sanctuary at the end of the day. 

I needed the visit more than I possibly could have thought. I was not easy to see the farm like that, but I needed to help do something. It was nice to sit out on the new campfire spot (old pinkhouse location) and just hang out with my uncle. Like anything, it will get better with time. Can't wait to get back up there.



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Hard Earned Public Jake

Asked the boss (Thank you...) if I could show up a little late for the last day of work. He knew what I was up to and had no objections. 

Got to the parking lot at 4:50am. No one there. This is always a good thing! Three minutes before the first truck pulls in. Talked to the first guy whom has been hunting this property hard as well. We develop our game plans which worked out just fine and then the third guy shows up. Guy 1 leaves as his walk is a little farther; guy 2 asks where I planned to hunt and I tell him exactly where he had planned. First come, first serve. He was another ISU student and was not a jerk about it. We parted ways and I made my way into the thick timber. DENSE. I could barely see through the timber. I found my open oak flat and set out a lone hen decoy. I set myself up against a large white oak and waited for light to come. First light as usual for this property came and went without a gobble. A couple of gobbles finally interrupted the silence. One lit from its tree in the ravine below me. Monkeys throwing bricks every time. I sat for a half hour and knew there were no birds in my vicinity. I thought about moving and was stretching from my spot when I spook a deer right in front of me. About pissed myself. I get a little edgy in the morning...and then it happened:
A large bird gobbled behind me. I turned before he came into view. A large strutting gobbler drummed and spit his way to my decoy. He pivoted and gobbled again. Click. Bead finds the neck. BOOM! Gobbler down in the flat....OKAY, so that's not exactly how it happened.
As I sat at my tree becoming increasingly fidgety, I look to my right and see a red and blue head behind my decoy. !!! As usual I about piss myself. I reach for my gun before I realize what I am doing. He busted me. He sat there and stared at me. I waited for him to go behind another large tree so I can swing and shoot. As soon as he moves I swing and click off the safety. He takes two more steps, just enough for me to see a tiny little beard sticking out. BOOM! I pop up and run to him as his flopping could send him much farther down the ravine than I wished to deal with. I now have another public land turkey. This property is absolutely pounded, and I was still able to get a bird. No it is not a huge longbeard, but it meant that I won. People or no people, I was able to "outsmart"...a bird. Luck may have played a small part. Ha!
Pictures are of course a must:

 

The flat I was on was spectacular. It would have be a wonderful hunt even without the bird. I just love trees!

Had to have some Buick pics, as well as proof that I never hunt alone whether I want to or not:

 This bird ended up being 16 lbs 5 oz, 4 inch beard, 1/4" spurs. Not too shabby. 

Tonight Rachel cooks up my turkey with some of her homemade pasta excellence. Friends will join in the festivities as Rachel is done with her first year of vet school, and I have completed my college education. Time flies when you are having fun (or busy as hell).

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Gobbler City

Went out to the Boone Public with my friend Jon Jones to again try at gobblers with a bow. This time I got to try the blind sitting with Jon. We got in early, set up quietly and waited for the birds to wake up. Legal light came and went. When they woke up, they woke up loudly. We had six different birds behind us in the ravines all morning. At one point a group of three guys walked the trail about 200 yards in front of us. Not 20 minutes after they walked by a hen and a longbeard came out of the woodline to our left. Big bird. He strutted and starred at our decoys and then vanished. The hen remained in the field until one of the other guys stopped at the field edge and glassed our birds for us. How very thoughtful of them. He proceeded to then walk across our entire path thus spooking our bird. Nice.
Once we lost site of him the woods behind us lit up. There was a gobbler behind us that was so hot he would gobble at air. We decided to move our blind to the bottoms where the birds seemed to want to be all day. We got down quietly and set up without busting any birds. Again, there was about 20 minutes of silence before the woods opened up again. This time we had four separate birds within a couple hundred yards. At one point the bird we saw above gobbled and he was right behind us. Just about the time we had these birds in the bag as we were pulling them in on a string, the woods shut up again and we had nothing. 10 minutes later we were greeted by some of the most horrendous turkey calling that has met the woods. The guy calling was clearly strangling his cat, and he was failing miserably. Then another chimed in. And another. This was our cue to get out and find food. At this point we weren't even mad. This guy sucked so bad we pitied him. We just left and of course, busted a bird 100 yards from the parking lot. All in all, a great outing, but I am becoming a little weary of public land users.



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