The Hunting Times

It's NOT that we need the room, as we have been unsuccessful in FILLING the freezer.  No need to clean it out other than we were looking for something to eat for lunch yesterday. We pulled out 12 pheasants that were getting close to their end of life in the freezer.  We pulled out an elk roast.  And we also pulled out 2 geese. The geese went into the pressure cooker.  I covered them with 2 packets of dry Italian salad dressing and 2 cans of sprite.  Cooked them at 15 psi for 90 minutes.  Perfect!  I shredded them with two forks so that they look like shredded beef.  I then poured two jars of pepperchinis over the top and stuck them in the fridge.  Today the entire batch is going back into a crockpot to heat up for an hour.  I shall serve them on an open top bun and smothered in provolone cheese.  This is dinner tonight! Pepperchini Peppers The pheasant breasts were taken off the bone and wrapped in bacon - it took a minimum of two slices and sometimes 3 to cover each

It was 75 degrees F on the way home Wednesday afternoon, and hit 80 according to the thermometer in the truck.  Wind was a bit gusty, but what the heck?  With weather this great in mid-October, one should shoot in shotguns, rifles, and muzzle loaders (I wanted to say "4-wheel drives" for all you Bocephus fans out there - A Country Boy Can Survive!). So I took:  my muzzle loader, my .458 SOCOM, Alex's muzzle loader, Nick's shotgun, and my 20 gauge shotgun (as back-up) to the range to get sighted in.  Nick was home, Alex was not. Nick shot in his 12 ga.  It took 3 shots.  I shot in the 20 ga.  That took 5 shots.  I shot in the .458 SOCOM - which took 3 shots, but then Nick wanted to shoot it.  He and I put a bullet through the same hole!  I'd say it's on. Next came the muzzle loaders.  I had bought a used Traditions for Alex to use, so we have been experimenting with bullets and powder charges.  Regardless of the charge, I could not get Hornady's FPB b

Well it's gotten really cold here in Indiana - at least for October anyway.  This morning it was 28 degrees F.  Fortunately the wind was a mere 3 mph from the W. Nick and I loaded up at 7 and went to Marshall & Neal.  I walked to the bottoms and saw NADA again.  Nick sat at the Boyd / Neal / Marshall property lines and saw two by 8:30.  He texted me of his adventures, but never close enough for a shot. We bagged it about 9 am because I was freezing.  Should have worn a heavy coat, like Nick. We are not seeing the quantity of deer that we have seen in the past.  Wondering if chronic wasting disease is hitting them. Regardless, we keep going out and enjoy our time in the woods.  Geese, red-tailed hawks, crows, squirrels, blue jays, raccoons, and all types of small birds join us on each trip. 9 am Saturday 17 OCT 2015.  Note my red face.  I'm freezing!

Nick has not practiced with his bow this year, thus he should not be using it.  So instead, he is borrowing his sister's crossbow. I picked him up at 7 am.  It's was a bit warmer at 47 degrees, but we also had a bit more wind - 7 mph from the S.  We parked on Neal.  Nick walked to the corner of Boyd, Neal, and Marshall.  I walked to the bottoms. Nick at Sunrise.  Marshall Farm.  Sunday, October 11, 2015. By the time I made the bridge, one doe busted N from the creek.  That would be the only deer I saw this morning.  I continued to walk all the way down to Pete's Buck and sat by the creek.  It was quite peaceful as I went to church with my Ma & Pa - Mother Nature and Father God. Here's a photo snap, but I also took a 30-second video and posted it to YouTube so you too can enjoy the serenity.  Turn up your volume.  You can hear crows, blue jays, and the creek.  Awesome! https://youtu.be/V-GV9QjBXjM Sitting by the Creek at Pete's Buck.

Alex and I rolled about 7 am.  It was 41 degrees and there was almost no wind. I dropped Alex off at the bridge on Vice and he walked W to the creek. I drove on up, parked on Neal, and stalked in on Marshall.  This is the sun coming up over Marshall. Sunrise.  Saturday, October 10, 2015 Neal's beans are out, so I walked as far N and E as I could in a picked bean field.  Since it's cool and very humid, it was quiet walking. I crossed over to Marshall though a fence line and a few standing stalks of corn.  I still need some work stalking there.  Once I made it to the picked corn, all was quiet again. I saw a few squirrels and then had a flock of geese fly over.  I took a video.  It's only 6 seconds long.  It shows the geese flying over - very close - I could have limited out on geese.  Then I pan back to where I am hunting.  Check it out here:   https://youtu.be/-vWGnA1EIOM Then, as I travel about another 50 yards, I hear the blue jays start calling.  Wh

I headed out at 4:30 pm tonight.  It was fully overcast, 63 degrees, and 20 mph winds coming out of the N.  Not the most ideal of conditions. I parked at the bridge on Vice and walked the entire property.  It took me about 90 minutes, and I was still hunting.  I saw nothing but birds and squirrels.  The field on top and one W was coming out, but the noise certainly drove no deer to me. The creek was as low as I can ever remember it being.  But the squirrels are fatter than I have ever seen.  It would take only 1 to feed a family of 4.  Bulking up to take over the world I reckon. I got back in the truck and drove up to Marshall's.  The corn is still up, but Harold has taken out one head all the way around the field.  Makes for easy walking through corn. I stayed for a bit, but called it by 6:30.  It was really windy and I had not seen anything.  Besides, I knew I had elk steaks marinating and cold beers at home.  Winning! What did cross my mind as I stood there looking at

Did not get home in time to go out Friday.  Saturday was cold and raining (and those of you at college football games or the Feast of the Hunter's Moon know exactly what I'm talking about).  I know, these are excuses, but darn good ones.  So it came down to Sunday to hunt. Got the call from brother-in-law that he needed help moving his in-laws, so Nick and I spent the afternoon and evening hauling furniture.  Kathy and Alex made it out to the deer woods. They took off about 4:30 pm and headed to Vice's tree farm.  It was 72 F, sunny, and very nice.  The wind was blowing about 5 mph from the E. They bumped two doe as they walked in.  Alex drew his bow, but the trees were in the way and he never fired an arrow.  It would have been a nice 30-yard, quartering away shot, but denied. Kathy sat by the creek and Alex in the trees.  They were visited by squirrels, who considered jumping on Kathy's head, but did not.  As they left about 7:00 pm (it gets dark in the woods q

People always post sunsets on the beach or some other exotic location.  Tell ya what, sit back and enjoy this one - from right here in central Indiana.  No, it's not that exotic.  But it does show that if you pay attention, there is beauty no matter where you look.... Friday, October 2, 2015 Mulberry, Indiana Mother Nature and God delivering beauty

And so it begins!  Well, at least for those of us NOT in an urban zone or NOT hunting with youth.  For us, the season opened on Thursday, 01 OCT 2015.  For those who do not know "what" season, get out.  Stop reading right now.  Leave.  This is not a place where you will find anything worth your time.  You are a loser and probably a liberal.  For certain your head is under a rock.  How'd you find this blog anyway?  Never mind, just move along...there is nothing for you here.... For the rest of you, Bam!  My wife just became a hunting widow for the next three months.  I took last week off to get at the list of 'Honey Do' items so that I could enjoy my time with Ma Nature. Alex and I got up at 0620 this opening day.  We dressed, but not quite warm enough.  It was 45 F out there with 9 mph winds and gusts up to 13 mph.  That's chilly, if not down right cold. We drove out to Marshall's N farm and parked on Neal - where the beans had already been picked!