We always see Phil & Si busting up beaver dams and trying to kill those 'varmints' on Duck Dynasty but the other day the BEAVER saved us a hefty fine!
See me and my hunting mentor (read that as the guy who is responsible for feeding my hunting addiction) went hunting on Labor Day morning. Not a big deal right? We went hunting wild boar! Yeah you read it right wild boar! The thing is you can always hint boar as long as there is another open season but, you can only use the weapons allowed for that season. So...if it's deer season you can use a deer rifle, but if it's squirrel season it's a slingshot! Just kidding it's a .22 (not too much difference). So it turns out it's BEAVER season in our neck of the woods.
WOODS= not an area where beaver are primarily found!
Well we hunted the river bottom and the hardwoods and the clear cut...........and shot nary a pig! Shot! Strike that, Saw nary a pig!
As we are headed back to the truck we hear "hey you guys!"
Lo and behold it is our friendly neighborhood Green Pants, the tree police, Ranger Smith and the boys, the GAME WARDEN...!!!
'What 'cha boys hunting?'
"Pig".
"Pigs?"
"Yep. Pigs."
"You guys got a couple of problems. Fellas this is running season not pig season. You can't have firearms with you."
"Umm...it's Beaver season! Small game, so we can have the appropriate firearms to hunt beaver / pigs and we do."
"I've been doing this for 6 years...IT IS RUNNING SEASON! BEAVER IS NOT SMALL GAME!..."
"Sir, can you please show me your regulation book I will show you it is beaver season."
"I'LL SHOW YOU THE REGS!"
Now we have a long pause while ol' green pants reads his reg book and calls his supervisor.
"Umm ok fellas you go right ahead and keep on hunting seems like your right. Must be a misprint or something..but you're good."
"Ok thanks but we're done for the day anyhow..oh by the way what would it have been a $25 fine?"
"No! Hunting out of season is a $180.00 fine plus points on your license."
I love that flat tailed, buck toothed rodent!
That is not word for word how the conversation went but close enough for you to get the point. We were asked for licenses, our guns were taken, my pack and the truck searched...I was getting worried that they were gonna pull a TSA on us!
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Stand(s) Up!!!!
Thankfully the tractor debacle is over!
So we set out to put up our buddy ladder stand. I got it last year to allow two of us to be in the same stand. It is a great way to hunt with my buddies!
At our food plot there is a double tree, that is two big trees growing from one base. They run nearly straight and are only a couple feet apart. Last year I put my climber in one and screwed a hook in the other to hold my gear; that's how close they are. So, we decide to place the ladder stand in the second tree that way all three of us can be in the same"tree". I like this so I can be with both of my girls and feel safe and with big huntin' buddy doing an awesome senior project this year (hunting!) we will hopefully be able to get some video footage of her hunting with this stand set up.
Now setting a ladder stand can be tricky! We had 3 men setting one last year, on the edge of a clear field and we had all sorts of issues getting it up there. So with me and huntin' buddies and a not so clear approach....I was preparing for disaster. We decided to tie a rope to the topmost part of the stand and then throw the rope over the gear hook already in the tree and have little huntin' buddy stand back in the woods to, what I thought would happen, keep tension on the stand so it wouldn't fall on me and big buddy.
Well we started out good but got hung on some trees so we hollar to little buddy 'can you give it a tug to help clear these trees?' I really can't describe what happened next...she tugged the rope and BAM! The ladder stand was up against the tree in perfect position! And little buddy acted like it was nothing! It was the easiest ladder stand set up ever! I used the climber to go up the other tree and secure the straps and VIOLA!(that's French for wa-la) we're done!
Now fast forward a couple days Labor day morning and... well let me put that in a separate post!
Labor day afternoon we head back up to the food plot to set up a ground blind on the other side of the field opposite the tree stand. I was able to get some free, painted green, lattice so we cut it up, drove some stakes in the ground and built a decent blind to hide in. We attached some sticks to the lattice and transplanted so tall grasses in front and left it for the deer to get used to. Pretty much uneventful unless you count the all of the fire-ant bites we suffered and the tick I found while in the shower!!!!!!
Good news is as we showed my brother the other stands we found a nice big, active, buck scrape on the ground and several trees with fresh antler rubs on them as well as tracks all around and trough our food plot!
This has the makings of being one great deer season!
So we set out to put up our buddy ladder stand. I got it last year to allow two of us to be in the same stand. It is a great way to hunt with my buddies!
At our food plot there is a double tree, that is two big trees growing from one base. They run nearly straight and are only a couple feet apart. Last year I put my climber in one and screwed a hook in the other to hold my gear; that's how close they are. So, we decide to place the ladder stand in the second tree that way all three of us can be in the same"tree". I like this so I can be with both of my girls and feel safe and with big huntin' buddy doing an awesome senior project this year (hunting!) we will hopefully be able to get some video footage of her hunting with this stand set up.
Now setting a ladder stand can be tricky! We had 3 men setting one last year, on the edge of a clear field and we had all sorts of issues getting it up there. So with me and huntin' buddies and a not so clear approach....I was preparing for disaster. We decided to tie a rope to the topmost part of the stand and then throw the rope over the gear hook already in the tree and have little huntin' buddy stand back in the woods to, what I thought would happen, keep tension on the stand so it wouldn't fall on me and big buddy.
Well we started out good but got hung on some trees so we hollar to little buddy 'can you give it a tug to help clear these trees?' I really can't describe what happened next...she tugged the rope and BAM! The ladder stand was up against the tree in perfect position! And little buddy acted like it was nothing! It was the easiest ladder stand set up ever! I used the climber to go up the other tree and secure the straps and VIOLA!(that's French for wa-la) we're done!
Now fast forward a couple days Labor day morning and... well let me put that in a separate post!
Labor day afternoon we head back up to the food plot to set up a ground blind on the other side of the field opposite the tree stand. I was able to get some free, painted green, lattice so we cut it up, drove some stakes in the ground and built a decent blind to hide in. We attached some sticks to the lattice and transplanted so tall grasses in front and left it for the deer to get used to. Pretty much uneventful unless you count the all of the fire-ant bites we suffered and the tick I found while in the shower!!!!!!
Good news is as we showed my brother the other stands we found a nice big, active, buck scrape on the ground and several trees with fresh antler rubs on them as well as tracks all around and trough our food plot!
This has the makings of being one great deer season!
Keystone Cops meet the 3 Stooges!
Sometimes I wonder how I even get out of the bed! I went up to the food plot to see how it is growing and to mow an access path to the stand locations. My enabler (friend who is allowing me to use his land and equipment) was not around so I was on my own! The old McCormick tractor he has has a bad stater so we need to 'roll start' it. So that means when you park you need to be pointing down hill. This alone is not an issue but add to it the fact that the fuel tank is degrading inside and you need to change the fuel filter every time you wan to use it.
I can handle the roll start I've been doing that for years with my vehicles so I have a good idea how to do it I can even do it in reverse! And the fuel filter swap..not a prob Bob!! There is after all a shut off valve to stop the gravity feed from the fuel tank so it is nearly pain less to swap out.
So here I go lalalalala on my way....up on the tractor roll start, change from the spreader the mowing deck...lalalalala....down the hill mowing all the way. Up the other side tralalala...(Ok so now we teleport back in time to me on the tractor as I describe to you what is happening)
Wow it sure is hot out here! Hmmm I guess I should have brought some water with me! No worries it will only be a few minutes the weeds aren't that bad, heck I could have waited another week to do this! But oh well I'm here...Hey that rain sure did help this stuff I planted grow! I am an awesome farmer!!!!!! It sure looks nice and green, I should have brought the camera! Tralalalala..... Ok around this tree and down the hill we go..this is going well I'll be done in no time! Just twice around then maybe I'll even mow up by the house! HUH!?! what?!? aww come on tractor what's with the chugga luggin?? Oh that's right I forgot to change the filter!!!!! Ok let's get pointed downhill so we can restart! No no no I'm still pointed up hill.....
And the tractor dies!
But I am on a hill! So I can hopefully roll backwards enough to start! I forgot to tell you it was HOT and as I mentioned I had no water and the house was locked! So I trudged up the hill to the garage to get a fuel filter, found it! Back down to the tractor. Ok shut of the fuel valve, check. Fill new filter with gas, check. Remove old filter with one hand while other hand is holding new filter full of gas....ummm chec...nope...now i got it nope...eerrrggghhh this is so much easier with two people! Wait ok now I got it whew glad we don't use clamps. Ok remove old filter, check. Install new filter on carburetor side first...dang it why won't you slide in...whew got it...man it is hot (sweating like a farmer in the sun trying to replace a fuel filter now, I mean I am drenched sweat running in my eyes my jeans are soaked and sticking to me. I mean I was sooo wet with sweat on the ride home I had to cover my truck seat with plastic for fear of it getting uber nasty!). Where was I? Oh yeah.. carb side hooked up check fuel tank side hooked up, check. Back into the seat! I decided I would try to use the key to start the tractor...so I reach down turn the key and SHAZAM! the starter turns and the tractor crnks up!! Woo Hoo no backwards roll start! So I put that puppy in gear and up the hill I go....not so much! I FORGOT TO TURN THE FUEL VALVE BACK ON!!! Just that quick it stalls. But I knew what it was immediately. I reach around and turn the valve on and think one bump of the key and I am golden.....Hey Jack..not so fast! Starter does not respond! Hey that's ok I made it farther up the hill now I can roll start backwards easier..
Now for those of you following that do not know much about tractors and 3-point accessories (especially mowing decks) let me let you in on a couple facts. 1) mowing decks do not lift up off of the ground all the way and 2) if you try to go backwards down a short steep incline with a mowing deck raised you will most likely get into a bind. So now that you know that let us continue...
Here we go: tractor in reverse, clutch disengaged, brake on, throttle set, fuel valve open! Release brakes, roll, engage clutch.....nothing! Aww man! Now the mowing deck is in a bind and the tractor won't roll any farther! Man its hot out here, wish I had some water. What to do what to do. I got it let me rap on the solenoid with my knife! Tap, tap ,rap! Try the key, nothing. Rap tap tap on the starter...nothing! Hmmm..ok I need some thing bigger than my knife. Up the hill again. Man it is super hot out today! Wish I had some water!
My enabler has just recently refilled his garage with his tools thankfully! They were in a storage building but good fortune is with me today..sort of. Man I need a drink! Maybe I can get one up in the apartment if it is open! Cool its open..no cups guess I'll drink from the faucet. Man that was refreshing! Ok hammer, where is a hammer? Got it! Back down to the tractor. Rap tap tap on the starter (while turning the key) VAROOM!!! Woo hoo!!!!
I can handle the roll start I've been doing that for years with my vehicles so I have a good idea how to do it I can even do it in reverse! And the fuel filter swap..not a prob Bob!! There is after all a shut off valve to stop the gravity feed from the fuel tank so it is nearly pain less to swap out.
So here I go lalalalala on my way....up on the tractor roll start, change from the spreader the mowing deck...lalalalala....down the hill mowing all the way. Up the other side tralalala...(Ok so now we teleport back in time to me on the tractor as I describe to you what is happening)
Wow it sure is hot out here! Hmmm I guess I should have brought some water with me! No worries it will only be a few minutes the weeds aren't that bad, heck I could have waited another week to do this! But oh well I'm here...Hey that rain sure did help this stuff I planted grow! I am an awesome farmer!!!!!! It sure looks nice and green, I should have brought the camera! Tralalalala..... Ok around this tree and down the hill we go..this is going well I'll be done in no time! Just twice around then maybe I'll even mow up by the house! HUH!?! what?!? aww come on tractor what's with the chugga luggin?? Oh that's right I forgot to change the filter!!!!! Ok let's get pointed downhill so we can restart! No no no I'm still pointed up hill.....
And the tractor dies!
But I am on a hill! So I can hopefully roll backwards enough to start! I forgot to tell you it was HOT and as I mentioned I had no water and the house was locked! So I trudged up the hill to the garage to get a fuel filter, found it! Back down to the tractor. Ok shut of the fuel valve, check. Fill new filter with gas, check. Remove old filter with one hand while other hand is holding new filter full of gas....ummm chec...nope...now i got it nope...eerrrggghhh this is so much easier with two people! Wait ok now I got it whew glad we don't use clamps. Ok remove old filter, check. Install new filter on carburetor side first...dang it why won't you slide in...whew got it...man it is hot (sweating like a farmer in the sun trying to replace a fuel filter now, I mean I am drenched sweat running in my eyes my jeans are soaked and sticking to me. I mean I was sooo wet with sweat on the ride home I had to cover my truck seat with plastic for fear of it getting uber nasty!). Where was I? Oh yeah.. carb side hooked up check fuel tank side hooked up, check. Back into the seat! I decided I would try to use the key to start the tractor...so I reach down turn the key and SHAZAM! the starter turns and the tractor crnks up!! Woo Hoo no backwards roll start! So I put that puppy in gear and up the hill I go....not so much! I FORGOT TO TURN THE FUEL VALVE BACK ON!!! Just that quick it stalls. But I knew what it was immediately. I reach around and turn the valve on and think one bump of the key and I am golden.....Hey Jack..not so fast! Starter does not respond! Hey that's ok I made it farther up the hill now I can roll start backwards easier..
Now for those of you following that do not know much about tractors and 3-point accessories (especially mowing decks) let me let you in on a couple facts. 1) mowing decks do not lift up off of the ground all the way and 2) if you try to go backwards down a short steep incline with a mowing deck raised you will most likely get into a bind. So now that you know that let us continue...
Here we go: tractor in reverse, clutch disengaged, brake on, throttle set, fuel valve open! Release brakes, roll, engage clutch.....nothing! Aww man! Now the mowing deck is in a bind and the tractor won't roll any farther! Man its hot out here, wish I had some water. What to do what to do. I got it let me rap on the solenoid with my knife! Tap, tap ,rap! Try the key, nothing. Rap tap tap on the starter...nothing! Hmmm..ok I need some thing bigger than my knife. Up the hill again. Man it is super hot out today! Wish I had some water!
My enabler has just recently refilled his garage with his tools thankfully! They were in a storage building but good fortune is with me today..sort of. Man I need a drink! Maybe I can get one up in the apartment if it is open! Cool its open..no cups guess I'll drink from the faucet. Man that was refreshing! Ok hammer, where is a hammer? Got it! Back down to the tractor. Rap tap tap on the starter (while turning the key) VAROOM!!! Woo hoo!!!!
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Hoping for Rain
This past Saturday I once again pretended to be a dirt farmer! I went back up the the food plot area to disc plow the ground and layout some seed.
I found some "sample" packs of seed online designed for whitetail deer food plots, they were free with shipping and handling. So for $9.95 I got 7 seed packs that each cover 100sq ft. Man did I do the math wrong! That makes 7 10'x10' plots quite a bit less than what we have to work with! But there is a seed & feed close by. $55.00 later I have a 50lb bag of deer plot mix and 1lb of field corn.
I took the tractor up the hill and turned towards my treestand and SHAZAM there was a deer hanging out under my stand!!! There's not even any seed down!
A couple hours of discing, leveling and seeding and the plot is ready??? Now we just need some rain. As much as its been raining lately you'd think that would be the easy part! Now I know how farmers feel! Not really my livelihood does not depend on this but i do have a better sense of how dependent they are on nature.
Hopefully soon we will have sprouts, but know folks are saying we need to keep the deer off so the crops can grow! Plant stuff to attract deer but do things to drive them away! What is this backward land?
I found some "sample" packs of seed online designed for whitetail deer food plots, they were free with shipping and handling. So for $9.95 I got 7 seed packs that each cover 100sq ft. Man did I do the math wrong! That makes 7 10'x10' plots quite a bit less than what we have to work with! But there is a seed & feed close by. $55.00 later I have a 50lb bag of deer plot mix and 1lb of field corn.
I took the tractor up the hill and turned towards my treestand and SHAZAM there was a deer hanging out under my stand!!! There's not even any seed down!
A couple hours of discing, leveling and seeding and the plot is ready??? Now we just need some rain. As much as its been raining lately you'd think that would be the easy part! Now I know how farmers feel! Not really my livelihood does not depend on this but i do have a better sense of how dependent they are on nature.
Hopefully soon we will have sprouts, but know folks are saying we need to keep the deer off so the crops can grow! Plant stuff to attract deer but do things to drive them away! What is this backward land?
Monday, June 3, 2013
Dirt Farming
Prepared a food plot
Well we spent most of Saturday grooming an area in preparation for a food plot. With the help of a good friend who owns some good land we were able to mow and plow an area close to our treestand(s). We still need to run the disc-plow through it and spread seed but we have a better idea of what we are working with. Hopefully we can get seed in the ground in the next few weeks (really busy with non-hunting items). We should also be able to create some funnels and paths by cutting the overgrowth again in the fall. Maybe on or two cuts before archery season starts. And we are going to try and create a ground blind so we can cover both sides of the food plot area. It is a lot of work now but hopefully it will yield a bigger harvest this fall.
Well we spent most of Saturday grooming an area in preparation for a food plot. With the help of a good friend who owns some good land we were able to mow and plow an area close to our treestand(s). We still need to run the disc-plow through it and spread seed but we have a better idea of what we are working with. Hopefully we can get seed in the ground in the next few weeks (really busy with non-hunting items). We should also be able to create some funnels and paths by cutting the overgrowth again in the fall. Maybe on or two cuts before archery season starts. And we are going to try and create a ground blind so we can cover both sides of the food plot area. It is a lot of work now but hopefully it will yield a bigger harvest this fall.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Winner, winner: TURKEY dinner
Not Much has happened since we last spoke!
Youth Turkey Day Success
Regular Turkey days not so much...
It all started at the pre-dawn hours of youth turkey day. Well...not so much for me and my hunitn buddies. But for our gracious guide it did, he was at the gate to our spot on public land at 4:30am running off would-be-turkey-hunters. So when me and my girls rolled up a little after 6:00am we had the run of the place. Now I tried turkey hunting last year, and a 4:30am arrival and a 3 mile bike ride in only to be thwarted by a hunter who had been walking the same trail for an hour, kind of dowses enthusiasm. But...this year was different on all fronts!We hiked down the fire road just before sunrise, a short silent stop..then Clint who-dee-hoots on his owl call....gobble gooble, who-dee-hoot...gobble gobble...We bust into the woods double time speed! The kids said they never ran through the woods so fast before!! Clint sets up with big huntin buddy on one side of a point and little huntin buddy and I get over on the other side of the point. Out comes Clint's slate sounds just like a hen, kee kee kee....... GOBBLE GOBBLE! kee kee kee...GOBBLE GOBBLE! kee kee ke.GOBBLE GOBBLE! kee keGOBBLE GOBBLE! kGOBBLE GOBBLE! That tom was hot to trot! Clint didn't even finish his clucks and tom was calling back and he was close. Me and little huntin buddy were listening intently it was waaay cool. Then they both stopped! I was afraid they were going to get busted so I yelped with my mouthcall..GOBBLE GOBBLE! Whew! he was real close. Me and little huntin buddy heard two more off to our right a ways off then BOOM! The sound of a 12gauge 3"magnum turkey load! A whistle and a holler and...
I have gone a few more times since that day. I have gotten quite good on the mouthcall. I called two within sight one day but could not get them to take the 3 extra steps to get into the clear. But that was a fun hunt! We hunted hard saw some great deer signs some some wild boar signs and had to use the compass to get back to the truck! It was awesome!
Now remember I started all of this to be able to hunt by the house right.?. So guess what.. there are turkeys within walking distance of my front door. I suited up one day, walked full camo, bow in hand across the neighborhood, though a vacant lot, across a busy 2-lane road then finally across the railroad tracks and found a sweet spot to hunt. I had seen turkey in an adjacent field but can't get permission to hunt because of some crazy "no weapons on campus rule"! But I got as close as I could on public land and started calling..kee kee kee...gobble gobble! He was far away but we were talkin'! kee kee kee...GOBBLE GOBBLE! he got close quick then a train came and he disappeared. (insert sad face :-( here). But I kept calling kee kee kee...kee kee kee.........kee kee kee...gobble gobble gobble gobble What? That sounds like 2 toms! kee kee kee...gobble gobble gobble gobble, It is 2 toms and they're getting closer, kee kee kee...gobble gobble GOBBLE GOBBLE! kee kee kee...GOBBLE GOBBLE!GOBBLE GOBBLE! They are so close!! I am soo ready, then they just disappear!!! Still an awesome hunt my calling skills work! But now turkey season is over and it's time to fish until DEER season and we have some good plans to bag a few!
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