I just got back to Nebraska ahead of a snow storm in South Dakota, hope it isn't to bad, but our farming season is officially over. Yields were fair, but prices are good, so I was able to pay the bills and have a little left over.

I really missed the deer hunting crew this year, hope we can all make the trip next year. (take note guys, no more pregnant wives.)

I don't mean to brag, but!!!:

Rusty is really turning into a great hunting dog, several of my hunters have put their professionally trained dogs into their kennels and just used him. A friend from Fremont went up with me for 5 days, he had a great time after I trained him how to road hunt South Dakota style. One day he doubled up on two birds in the air, he was really proud of himself(translation-lucky).
The next day, he walked around the big pond, and fired one shot again, and brought back 2 birds. Rusty helped him on that one, he caught one live after nice point, and delivered it to him.

When Rusty is working, he bounces through the tall grass, and everytime he finds a scent, he goes nose to the ground, and follows the scent untill he works it out. When he finds a bird that holds, he does a pretty good point. We tell him to hold, hold, and then to flush it. When he flushes, he does his "bounce", and lands right on top of the bird, it is fascinating to watch. Needless to say, the bird really explodes out of the cover.

If everyone hasn't heard yet, Terri has announced her retirement as of Dec 31.(Last working day will be Christmas Eve). We will be hauling furniture back to the farm prior to then, and heading for Texas for Christmas. We have the plans pretty well sketched out for the remodeling and expansion for the farm house, we hope it will turn out really nice. There should be lots more room for everyone, and even bedrooms for wives and children if they decide to come along and hunt.

Everyone take note, I will be legally able to hunt in South Dakota next year, so watch out, maybe I will be able to harvest some game with something other than my pickup.

Until next year, and seasons greetings.

the old farmer

Rusty goes to work.

Sounds like Rusty is doing pretty well this year. Dad said when I talked to him today that they guy with him put his own dog back in the truck and is just working with Rusty now.

Corn is all picked....

Poor deer with nowhere to hide. And no one to shoot at them either... ;-( I'm really feeling lonely for a cold crisp morning listening to the geese honk and the pheasants cackle...

Dad is having a celebratory wiskey. What say we all join him in spirit?

Typical

Dad says that they are combining corn like crazy and it should all be out in a few weeks. With that and the slough's full of water it would be a slaughter this year.... Alas, no one will be there to enjoy it.. ;-(

He did say there are very few pheasants this year...

since I know someone going elk hunting

New used shotgun

Patrick and I just got a new used 12g mossberg shotgun. The reason is if anyone comes down to FL to vaca they can have a gun to use.

Electric fence contest... what is the next step

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/08/st_dangerous_electricfence/

They don't even pee on it... I guess that is next.

When the wife don't listen

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/video/video.php?v=1123229558237&ref=mf

Happy Birthday to me!

Check out what the Schmidt's got for me for #37... Should be a few things in here to try out this year.

Didn't even get out for opening of Dove season on my b-day. Dang work thing... Did get to eat, drink and play hockey... oh and drink again.... ;-)_

only 2 guns? !!!

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2010/08/13/chryslers-gun-toting-pickup-truck/?test=faces

Most elusive game

Hey Topher! Did you finally "bag" that most elusive game or what? ;-) Congratulations to you and Becca!

Flavor Saver

...nuff said.

How high's the water mama??

The water's six foot high and risin.

I was up to the farm this weekend, looked at the food plots. the snow is pretty well melted. The problem is the water in the big pond over at the north deer stand is about 6 rows into the food plot, so it might be a problem to harvest and replant this years plots. The road is probably about 3 foot under water. The slough around the south deer stand is just about as high, the water is deeper than it has been in years. I may have to leave the corn stand, and have a perennial corn crop, plant it one year, harvest it 2 years later. Oh well, if I let it grow up to weeds, with the corn still standing, it will be a great hunting cover for next year.
It looks like the deer and pheasants did not suffer too much from last winter, it was probably harder on the humans trying to take care of livestock!!
Oh, well!! one year closer to retirement! Old gray hunter, can you identify with that??
the old farmer

"Officer Stone Gets on TV"

Phil is on TV!

I wonder how many takes it took to make him sound that intelligent? ;-) Nice...

RABBIT SEASON! NO DUCK SEASON!

OK here are some duck pictures, and a side note Dr. Rob my friend in the picture has not been hunting in 15 years. I have brought him back to the Light from the Dark side.