Table/Business Update and Ice Fishing

 I have continued to plow away at tables lately. I completed my black cherry table set which includes the two end tables as well as the coffee table. They turned out better than I could have expected.

Ned and I have come up with a name and have decided upon Rustick Woodshop. We are working on logo and design right now but we love what we do and want to make money doing it. With that in mind we are maintaining hobby/small scale sale as of now. Excited to say the least.

Now, on to today. Before the snow came in Nick, Jon Jones, and I went to the East Peterson Pits outside of Ames to try our luck at ice fishing. Do-able yes, creepier than hell, even more-so yes. 4-6 inches of good solid ice. We caught a few small bluegill, one small bass, and a couple crappies. The kicker was when we started hearing Jones freak out about losing a fish behind us for about an hour. When he freaked out the final time it was because he caught the fish he was after. I have never witnessed it before, but he pulled up a small catfish. We decided to join him in his success and try our hands at the same fate. He pulled up another, better cat. Unbelievable.

We fished there for another hour or so and he continued to lose fish at the hole. I had finally hooked up with a good size cat and again, lost it at the hole. Awesome experience, but still could not believe that catfish could be caught through the ice.



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Progress...Sorta

Update:

Rachel continues the seemingly never-ending vet school as I seek meaningful, gainful employment. I recently took a part time job at HyVee Wine and Spirits here in Ames. I also had a phone interview for a full time position with the INHF. I had an internship with them in 2009, and this is honestly a dream come true kind of situation. BUT with that said I am not counting my chickens. It is a competitive world and I need to keep looking for full time employment.

My friend Ned Parker and I are moving forward with the wood working business. It will remain a part time/ hobby but we are filing the necessary tax documents so we can name the business and begin active advertising. We will continue to work small scale, but are obviously willing to work on expansion.

With that, I have found a semi-limitless supply of kiln-dried, milled lumber. I have begun working on laminate works. My recent supply was black cherry. I built a matched set of end-tables and a matching coffee table. Legs in the works still.

 The coffee table stained:

At this point, I don't prefer this type of table but the materials were free.



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Brushy Creek Ice Fishing

Yesterday Nick, Jon Jones, and I spent the whole day on the ice. Weather report said high of 42 degrees with 18 mph winds from the SSE. Warm and windy but comfortable... We left Boone a little before before 7:00am and headed for hard water. The North boat ramp we parked at was already buzzing with people doing the same thing, and we were the early ones...We walked somewhere around 600 yards from the boat ramp. It remained in site of our camp. Arrival to our site was a little before 8:00am. We started by drilling some holes and checking for fish. 14-16 inches of good hard, but sheer ice in places. Nick was the first to find a fish, and a crappie was the prize. A few more, and a walleye later, Jones and I decided to work our way out from Nick.

 It took a solid two hours before I finally found a fish. Nick at that point had several fish riddled about him. This unfortunately had attracted local attention. Some bearded guy pulled up to us and started badgering us about our success before he noticed Nick's pile. Once he saw the walleye it was game on. He left on his four-wheeler and returned with a shack and about five other people. Jones advised that we put all fish in a pail from here on out. After word spread that Nick had a hot hole we found our 'company' was closing the gaps amongst us. Nick and I talked to another guy whom was having difficulties finding fish, but it was proof that word spreads fast.

 We actually continued to catch fish, even with people around us.

I started to accumulated a pile myself, which found their way into a hollow tree bole in the ice. Being there early, we never thought hard enough about being prepared. It was cloudy, cold, and windy. The wind was killing us. We had some liquids, and a box of swiss cake rolls, but by noon we were starving. Jon had some friends join us on the ice about noon, and they were ill-prepared and very poorly dressed for the occasion. At about 1:30 they decided to make a food run and were even willing to pick some up for us. Two McDoubles and a large fry when freezing cold is life changing.

Fishing with Jon Jones was comical. He went from hole to hole moving constantly, but he caught fish. Nick and I fished out of the same two holes for the majority of our day. We enjoyed the conversation and the company, and it drove Jones crazy. He eventually made his way over to our area to fish.

Nick again, produced and caught another walleye. It about threw Jones into fits.

 

I came prepared for 42 degrees and a little windy. Out of habit I grabbed and extra coat and a hat. I would be frozen to the ice without it. If it looks cold that is because it was.

Despite the cold it was a blast!

It was decided between Nick and I that we would risk the backlash from the Mrs' and fish until dark before heading home. It was an interesting spectacle to say the least, watching the lake before sundown. We had watched countless cars, trucks, etc drive out onto the ice, and hundreds of people within eyesight. Right about 5:00 they started filtering out. We waited as the evening bite is usually the hottest. We caught one fish collectively after 5:30pm. The bite was over and everyone else knew it. We collected camp and took a few pics of our haul before leaving.

We were freezing but happy. A few phone calls to the ladies and we were on our way back. I helped Nick clean most of the fish before I headed home myself. Lisa relieved me of my duties as she understood that like herself, Rachel spent the day alone in the apartment. Not only was Rachel not unhappy with me she was still working on a blanket project, and a vat of chili was on the stove. Greatest. Wife. Ever. We enjoyed sitting on the couch watching The Holiday, or more like Rachel watched the movie while I passed out next to her. Hehe...

She has continued to work on the blanket, for a silent auction for vet school, and sit by the fire clipping ends...

Hopefully I can do a better job of keeping things updated in the future.


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Fun with Friends

Busy.

Been shed hunting a lot and to the point in which I am burned out. Rachel remains inundated with vet-school bullshi-...well you know... Finished at the Parking Division today and continuing the quest for employment. In the time being here are a few things done since last updated:

Went to Jordan Creek Mall with Rachel and some of our friends a few weeks back. Pretzels, books, unbearable wafts of cheap cologne, and a movie. It was honestly enjoyable. We finished our evening at Joe's Crab Shack. Having never been there we were in it for the goods. Our friends Nate and Emily Lakner were with us. Rachel and Nate are not overly fond of seafood (even so Rachel order coconut shrimp!) but Em and I are minor junkies. We decided to order a steam-pot to share while Nate and Em got their own thing. We got something with some form of variety. Crab, lobster, shrimp. No oysters or clams. 

Couldn't get away from the show of the whole thing...

 Giant purple goo with shark shot....

wow.

It was actually nice to spend some time out with Rachel and I was pleasantly surprised that she not only ate some form of seafood, but enjoyed it.

More recently I have spent my spare time shed hunting but with 20+ hours walked I haven't even come up with a dead head. I have enjoyed the peaceful woods, but finding an actual antler would be welcome. At any rate, when back at the farm last weekend Michael Parker and I walked hard all day with no bone to show for it but came back to the ranch to something spectacular.

A swirling mob of mallards were filtering in and out of the corn field behind Micheal's house. I have seen this to some degree but they were close and I bet there was well over a thousand of them. They spanned across a handful of fields. 
I have seen It done before and thought I would give it a try with my camera. I used Micheal's binoculars to get super zoom

We were watching the birds filter through the corn field, coming closer and closer when Michael looked up and spotted a bald eagle. What more could we ask for. A soon as the majority of the flock caught site of it, they all got up at once. The eagle swooped in and out of the swirling mallards before landing in the tree behind his house.

I never got pictures of the two together but second after this pic was taken a second eagle showed up. They left as soon as the mallard flock moved on to another field. It was amazing. I will take this kind of thing over finding a shed any day.

Tomorrow means ice fishing...


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Break Stuffs including Double Doe and Nick's final minute connect

As per usual, I am behind greatly as I was given a two week break and spent it being terribly productive instead of in front of a computer screen or TV. :)

I spent the majority of my break either hunting Big Marsh with Micheal Parker, or working up in the man cave on random projects. I finished the first round of gun stock for Uncle Al,

And I finished a couple of mounts for my brother's landlord.

153"

151"

Christmas was wonderful as expected, and I got to spend a lot of time with my lovely wife, as well as our two nephews Ryker and Daxton. Baby time is always a good thing.

Even though I am a putz, no pictures prove that I spent New Year's Eve with Rachel at Ben and Megan Rottinghaus's place in Charles City. This was super fun, as we knew it would be, and spent the next few days nursing that hangover....

In that process I was able to acquire Megan's forky that was harvested during second shotgun. I worked on boiling it my last day home.

I should have that thing mounted up in no time...............

I waited the majority of break for Nick to call me up and give me the good word and we would spend a few days in Southern Iowa trying to fill a deer tag. Micheal and I hunted hard when I was home, and in all honesty, harder than I had ever intended. We couldn't connect with one let alone see one during daylight hours. I finally got the call from Nick and told Michael I was to bail on him. Michael said he was not concerned and he would likely end up in another place anyway. On I went. Friday morning got me back to Ames and by Friday evening I was sitting in a fenceline with my new muzzleloader. Nick and Lisa saw three shooter bucks on the opposite ridge well out of range and I saw a couple hawks. It was nice to get out but I was ready to drop a hammer on a deer. Nick said juice spots are for him and Lisa. He had a tag and she was toting her first. It's still late muzzle, but southern Iowa was the place to connect with one. Nick spent the entire break trying his best to recuperate from a nasty cold and coughed pretty much the entire trip. Bummer.

Morning hunts were sparse as I hunted behind the house while Nick and Lisa slept in. The longer Nick slept the better we all felt the remainder of the day. Saturday evening hunt Nick dropped me off at a spot that was absolutely pounded and I was going to sneak my way into staging area. They were going after those bucks from the previous evening. I sat behind a multi-stemmed honey locust that was completely covered in thorn bunches. They would never see me......I saw nothing until 10 minutes before end of legal light. A doe came out on the other side of the fence about 150 yard out. I knew she would not cover that distance in any amount of time. It took her a little over a minute and  was across the fence and at 60 yards to my left. I waited for her to clear some brush before I threw sparks at her. That new gun is loud! She went less than 30 yards before keeling over backwards. I started the calling and as I am on the phone with Rachel I see a light in the fenceline directly east of me, and then an engine. Someone was in the property next to me and I had no idea he was there. I never saw blaze orange and I never even noticed the four wheeler. Because my doe ran back onto that property, I pretty much flipped shit. I went to retrieve her and ended up walking within inches of her. I was literally, inches from kicking her and never saw it laying in the snow. I doubled back because I was convinced she got back up only to find my boot print next to her head. I dragged her back across the fenceline and began my trudge. Nick and Lisa were on their way by well before I started dragging but because of this other guy I had the ungutted deer dragged almost completely out of the place. The guy kept pacing back and forth on the gravel road and I knew he was pissed. Even time he drove by I laid belly down in the snow. I was a mess. Nick pulled into the field approach just as I walked up. I threw the deer in and said let's get out of here now. He had no idea what was going on and was confused. Then the guys pulled in behind us....Shit.

"So did you get one?" "We heard a shot and had no idea there was another guy in here."

"Yeah, just this little doe with a bunged leg."

"Ok. Cool. Well we just wanted to see what you got. Scared the crap out of me when you shot too. Thought I was the only one in that section."

"Yeah sorry about that, I never even saw the four wheeler, and I freaked when you left because I didn't know you were in there."

"Aw, no worries. Just wanted to see if you shot one. Alright see you later."


I took a deep breath and suppressed another ulcer....Nick explained that Southern Iowa people are curious, not malicious. I fabricated awful things in my head and expected the worst. These guys wanted to see a dead deer, that's it.

We made our way back to the house and Lisa granted me a free gut job. I will never turn down a free gut job.

After that we ate pizza and watched a few movies before retiring for the night. I still had my regular tag to fill as a bonus tag went on this doe, but none of us were getting up early for a morning hunt.

The next morning turned to late morning before we even moved. Nick decided that we would pack up now, and leave from our last hunt. I was going to walk in like I did the night before, and Nick and Lisa were going to walk in the opposite side and shoot deer if they run by. Game on. They found the herd when they walked in and pushed them out. No big deal, the walk felt great. We packed up and headed home. 

Being that I still had a tag to fill I figured I would give it one last hoorah before I called it my season. Sunday night would be my last shot at anything. We pull around the corner by their place and there are two does standing in the prairie behind the house. We just spent three days hunting pretty hard in Southern Iowa, and there are deer two hours before sundown, right behind the house. Funny how shit goes down sometimes. Nick and Lisa suit up and walk down the gravel road to the gate. I see them prop up and a crack and cloud of smoke. They got pegged out right, and that was the shot they had. They came back for me, and we collectively went to look for blood. 202 yard shot. That is a poke for any gun let alone a new hunter to the game. I commend Lisa for trying but not kill was made. No harm no foul, but she said her nerves were shot and she want to go sit on her couch in her own home. Understandable nevertheless. I asked Nick if I could go down and hunt and he said that was fine with him. I walked step by step to the base of the ravine before the deer broke out. A decent herd had collected behind there house and my opportunity was running away. One stopped. Hammer back. She walked into a small opening in the woods. Hammer down. Again, holy shit that gun is loud. She went ten yards and piled up into a downfall tree. 104 yards, through timber, freehand, on the fly. I may suck with a bow some days but I am deadly with a muzzle-loader. :) Nick called seconds after I shot. He knew it was me before I knew it was me. He and Lisa came back out to help me drag her out. This time she was a large mature doe.

 You can see the sun shining on the hillside in the upper right of the picture. This is where I was close to where I was standing when I shot.

 Donkey Doe!

After pictures and dragging we got her back to the house for butchering.
I got my doubles pictures and I can cross that one off the bucket list. I spent the next two days processing in the postage stamp that is Rachel's kitchen. Do-able but not ideal. Regardless, this season was good to me. It may have all happened in the final 24 hours of my season, but it's not over, until it's over, and with that;

Yesterday Nick went back behind his house, in the same area I shot my doe and plugged another mature doe.Running thru the woods as every deer was, this one slowed enough, and was in an area clear enough to lobe lead. He connected quite well, and she only ran a few yards before piling up. I was exhausted after work as was in no mood to drag deer out. Nick called me: "Help please?" Rachel all but thumped me for questioning the idea. Nick dropped everything to help me drag one out, there was no reason for me to not do the same. We both went out and had dinner with them. Nick and I gutted and dragged her out. It was honestly wonderful. Even though I was tired, I am so happy I went out. This is why we hunt. It was the last three minutes of the season when he shot.

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