The Hunting Times

 Today was the Albitz family Thanksgiving (Sandy's side) at a local church in Frankfort.  It started at 1 pm.  After which, I went up to Young America to retrieve the deer we had processed with Frank last week.  Nick went out to Marshall's N woods.  Davey and Michael were at the S woods. I told Nick to text me if he got anything and I would drive out and help him load it up.  He texted well after dark that he jumped two doe walking in, but no shots taken.  He did see 5 driving home. I got a call from Michael at 5:15 that Davey had a nice buck down and they needed the gator.  I loaded it up and joined them on the S farm - and I myself saw 4 deer driving out there.  We drove the gator down to the deer and loaded it up and then they hung it in the barn, to be turned into Frank tomorrow for processing. At this point, Davey should have already checked his deer in online with the State.  If he has not, he'd better because it's now posted on th...

 Alex and I left at 6:30 am.  It was a balmy 17 F with 18 mph winds.  This puts the wind chill (or felt temperature) a 1 F ( -17 C).  Cold.  GD Cold.  We arrived at the golf course and no one else was around.  Imagine that. We stayed until almost shooting light as we both wanted to walk in able to shoot if we saw something.  This time, I headed S off Hole #1, E down holes 3 & 4, where I paused on the #4 tee box.  About that time, a nice buck came across from the N to S going off property without every looking up, nor was he in a true hurry.  I found out later that this same buck busted Alex on Hole #16 as Alex was walking in.  The buck snorted, garnering Alex's attention.  Alex cursed mentally, dropped to a knee, and pulled the buck up in his scope.  What was in the background beyond Alex's target?  The restrooms.  No shot could be safely taken and so it was not.  The buck spooked and ran past me crossin...

 Eric came over after work and he and I loaded up for the golf course, arriving about 4 pm.  Yes, it was still cold, but at least the wind had died down a bit.  As we got out of the truck, I grabbed my gloves, you know, the ones from Saturday's snow storm, and they were soaking wet.  I had dried, cleaned, and oiled the guns but did not pull my gloves out of my coat pockets to dry them.  Sadly, I walked into the woods without gloves.  Live and learn.  You know how you get good experience?  From bad experiences.  Check. Eric walked S, then E, then N to the bottom of 15.  I waited for him to get settled before I walked in on 16, so if I were to bump something, it would hopefully run to him.  I saw nothing in the two hours we had remaining - except a beautiful sunset.  Eric had one doe walk up the property line and then head E, so not shots to be had. Eric walked back to me along the cart path.  When he reached me, we were all...

 We all checked in our deer on the Indiana Deer Check-in website, which BTW is easy and awesome.  Thus, we are 100% legal to process these deer as we wish.  We wish to not do them ourselves.  So Sunday afternoon, I take them (with the tags) up to Young America to have Simpson's processing do it for us.  They are very reasonable when it comes to price and you get your own deer back! I arrive expecting to chat with the owner, Frank, whom we have been dealing with for the better part of 30 years or more.  I pull in from the W, as I always do, and the alley is blocked.  Ok, I turn around and drive in from the E, only to see orange cones and signs up - and deer stacked all the way out to the alley.  That's a lot of deer! The signs said something to the effect that they had too many deer to process today, so come back tomorrow after 10 am.  Wow!  It's a good season already and everyone has figured out that Frank is a good value when it comes t...

 Me, Nick, Alex, and Myers met here at the Ranch at 6:30 and drove to the golf course.  We walked in at 6:45.  It was 35 oF with strong winds out of the W-NW, sometimes from due N, sometimes from straight W.  We saw a doe on the road driving to the course, so already it was a good day.  And as we pulled in, we could see the snow just starting. Alex headed for overwatch on Hole #5.  Nick went into the woods on Hole #16.  Eric dropped into the bowl on Hole #15 and I headed off to the tee box on Hole #14.  Before the boys could even split up, there were deer standing on Hole #5's green.  Close enough for a shot, but it was up at about 45 degrees with no idea what lay beyond.  Not knowing what was behind their target, no shots were fired (wisely)! Walking up the #9 driveway, looking up to #5's green. Two doe standing up there. Here's the same picture zoomed in so you can see the deer. I stood behind a tree the best I could to get out of the ...

 Pa Jerry bought a speed boat for the pond - and yes, it is battery operated.  He took Will and Hadley over for a spin.  No one enjoyed it at all!  Shout out to Mark Mongin for managing the pond - and by that I mean controlling the weed population.  He does great work. Alex launching the boat on her maiden voyage. Hadley and Will receive operating instructions from Pa Jerry. Hadley driving the boat Will takes her for a spin as Pa Jerry watches

 I got up early Saturday morning and made some venison biscuits and gravy.  Folks showed up at 0700 to eat and we headed for the fields at 7:30 or so. Zach and Eric sat at the N side of the sunflowers where I had not sprayed but had mowed a path for the birds.  Kathy & Alex took Will & Hadley to the S side of the sunflowers, where I had sprayed and also mowed a path.  Sykes and I went to the pond.  Mojo decoys were flapping all around. The Martin family hunting together Will and Hadley ready to hunt some mourning doves. Hadley marching off to her sit spot with chair and BB gun Doves were flying, but they were slow.  Not at all like opening day down South.  And I will share that more shots were taken than birds in the pot. I think the total ended like this: Zach = 4, but that includes 1 split with Eric and 1 split with Kathy Kathy = 1 split with Zach Eric = 1 split with Zach Alex = zero (never fired a shot) Craig = zero (took one long shot over ...