Looking for North Winds and Rain

I swear the opening day of duck season is better than Christmas!  Suiting-up in waders and tossing decoys makes me happier than a dog rolling on a dead coon.   However, the lack of rain this fall has left the marsh looking like a mud puddle.Not to mention today was a "bluebird" day more fit for golfing than hunting.  My Grandpa and I celebrated our 25th opening day together in the duck blind with powdered doughnuts and chocolate milk (same breakfast since I was 7).  The shooting was a bit slow, but we managed to put the hurt on 6 ducks and 2 geese.         



He may be getting older, but dropped the hammer on these two geese...two shots = two honkers!



Beautiful morning...would rather had some clouds.



Last year the blind was in the water, now there is 20' of shore.



Sweet Success

This is about a great guy who has always had a passion for outdoor activities.  He is a wicked wake-boarder and is about one of the most solid guys around.  Cody Tracy was injured in an ATV accident several years ago and since has faced a number of challenges in returning to the wild.  One of the challenges Cody has faced is adjusting his hunting style.  Unable to draw a bow or climb trees, he has adapted and become deadly accurate with a crossbow and a stealthy blind hunter.  With some modifications to his wheelchair he found his way back into the woods this year.  After a few close encounters, Cody finally got it done last night and smoked a doe at 35 yards!

Best deer of the year!  Not sure who was more excited...Cody or his Uncle Danny who gets the assist! 

      

All Work & No Play

Work schedule has kept me from the woods lately, but I have managed a few "meetings" amongst the dramatic fall colors.  Trail cam still showing lots of deer and even more coons (praying hides bring $10 this year..$$$$).  Deer still moving mostly at night, but have seen a few new bucks cruising the food plots.  Also saw a nice 10 point with freshly broken G2.  Based on recent observations, I am guessing we are 20 days from mother nature flipping the rut switch.  As rut approaches my ability to focus severely decreases and to make matters worse, good numbers of ducks (saw at least 50 woods ducks yesterday) and geese are showing up at the marsh...I just love this time of year!

Moultrie Game Camera Pic from Saturday

Not all news is good...My brother and life long hunting partner has made the grandest of all mistakes!  A mistake which will haunt him for many years to come.  October and November are the most sacred months of the Kansas hunting season.  During these hollowed months there are two things which should be avoided at all cost: birth of a child and marriage.  I preach celibacy during February and March to avoid a dreaded oct/nov due date and a lifetime of birthday parties robbing one of precious time in the wild.  Just image yourself sitting at ChuckECheese with half-a-dozen 6 year olds running wild, knowing El Grande is standing broadside 20 yards from your favorite stand (not a pretty picture).  Back to my brother and his everlasting faux pas, in a momentary lapse of judgement he agreed to trade nuptials on October 30, 2010.  Seems harmless enough??  Until he realized he was going to be wearing a tux rather than waders on opening day of duck season!!!  Not thinking of the ramifications of his actions, he has sealed his fate and will forever forfeit some prime outdoor time commemorating his mistake a.k.a his anniversary.  I am not saying it is impossible to venture outdoors on your anniversary, but to my knowledge there is only one man alive in the world today which is able pull-off going hunting on his anniversary and remain happily married to a wonderful woman and that is my good buddy Danny Armstrong....I am still trying to learn his secret!  So this year when we convene service in the holy duck blind, we will have a moment of silence in remembrance of ol' pudgy thumb and inscribe this epitaph on his empty seat, "Hope the Honeymoon was worth it!".

Opening day just won't be the same without the short one! 

      


  

Slow in the Stand

It's been a bit slow perched in a tree the past few days.  Plenty of does late in the evening, but antlers have been few and far between. Yesterday I noticed the beginnings of a scrape on the edge of the food plot, things should be ramping-up over the coming weeks, .

              This weeks Moultrie Trail Cam Pics

Ready to Go Back

Reflecting back on the trip, I have to admit the experience was extremely physically and mentally exhausting.  Camping at 12,000 feet wears you down because you cannot sleep and you get winded just walking a few yards.  I suppose that could be the reason we were the only hunters in the area.  Having numerous close encounters with elk, black bears, and mule deer was a dream come true!  The weather was perfect and the night sky was nothing short of amazing.  During the hike down, we ran into Andy and two of his hunting partners and spent some time swapping stories.  I was very honored when Andy praised my dedication and determination then invited me back next year.  Needless to say, I already have my tag application ready to submit next April.

   

Burned Socks

Finally Jared made it back to our spike camp from base camp after hauling meat & Bill down the range.  After returning from an evening hunt, I see Jared in camp stacking firewood and I notice he is alone, so I inquire as to the whereabouts of Bill.  Jared says, "Man, I put that dude in the hospital!", thinking he was exaggerating and that Bill must have been too fatigued to hike back, I laugh and then notice Jared is shaking his head and he says, "I ain't kidding, that dude is in the hospital with a blown knee!".  Apparently during the hike down, Bill tore his meniscus and could hardly walk.  Jared got him down the mountain and met Brad in Durango.  Brad took Bill to the ER where after examination, the prognosis was delivered.

Fresh bear track just outside camp.

I was happy to see Jared cause I was getting tired of talking to myself and I was out of food and had been eating grouse and elk steak for the past two days.  He had replenished our supply of oatmeal and ramon noodles.  So food was taken care of, but I was still in need of socks.  The night previous, during some alone time by the campfire, I had rigged a contraption to dry my socks near the fire.  Apparently at some point during the drying process, an ember popped from the fire and scorched a tennis ball sized hole in the calf of my cotton sock.  So at this point I was wearing burnt socks and was on day six with my underwear!  I hadn't packed much clothes to cut down on weight and the original plan was to return to base camp after three days.

View from spike camp

       

Talking to Rocks

After a night of restless sleep replaying the events from the day before many times over, I struck out once again hoping for the good fortune of another encounter.  Things were quite this morning, as I was alone, since Jared and Bill had packed meat down the mountain and were replenishing supplies.  It was a weird feeling to be completely alone in such a remote area.  The more I thought about it, I realized I had gone nearly 30 hours without interaction with another human being (not easy for a socialite).  While down in the river bottom, I came across this waller:

I could tell the waller had recently been used and while inspecting the area, a monster bull elk jumped up which had been bedded down not 15 yards away.  I was completely caught by surprise and could do nothing but stand motionless as we had a stare down for what seemed like an eternity.  This elk looked like he had walked off the cover of Field & Stream, he was a massive 7x6 with a dark stained rack...easily a 360-370 class animal.  As quickly as it began, it was over...he turned and took-off through the timber like a bull dozer.  Talk about a rush!!!

Stopped down by the river and started a small fire and roasted a grouse and did some self photography.