Summer Update

I really wish I had some really awesome trail cam pics of all the big bucks in my area but I don't.  I have one young 8 pointer in the 110 inch range and a bunch of does and fawns.  But to say this is an indicator of a piss poor hunting season on the horizon I feel would be an overstatement.  I've proved year after year that having good bucks on trail cam does not equate to killing a good buck. But then again it would be reassuring to know there's something out there.  Basically I'm headed into the season on an even keel because anything can happen, right? 

There have been reports locally of some dead deer turning up.  EHD is presumably to blame. It's a common disease in deer and cattle in dry years.  Thankfully I haven't seen any yet on the ground I hunt. For more information on the disease follow this link to a 2012 Iowa DNR article. 

http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/DeerHunting/CWDEHDInformation.aspx

Dry weather has been affecting more than the deer.  We have been experiencing a late summer draught and its been taking its toll on my food plots I planted in July.  I just checked them this morning, the clover and brassicas arent burnt out but they aren't exactly thriving.  My soy bean plot is doing ok but if we dont get some rain the pods might not have many beans in them.  

We currently are wrapping up the driest August on record but it's not nearly as bad as last years draught which my 80 year old grandma summed up best when she said, "it feels like hell on earth." 

Squirrel season opens today. If you're going to be hitting the woods be sure to shoot straight and stay hydrated, it's going to be a warm one. 

Hunt smart and stay safe out there!

Final Plot

With the only decent shot at rain forecasted for last Sunday evening, I set out to plant my last food plot for the year.
It's been way too dry lately in our area and our 5 acres of corn is just now starting to tassle!  The time of year for planting my last plot was now & with the rain chance I set out late Sunday evening to put it in.
Our farmer left me some extra room on the backside of the field & I took advantage of it.  My old pal Scott came over to help too.

The crop I selected to plant.

A view of the strip plot I was going to plant.

Here's Scott dragging the harrow to loosen things up prior to planting.

After broadcasting the seed by hand, Scott went back over everything a few times with the roller to make sure we had good seed-to-soil contact.

And then after getting home the rain materialized!  We got close to 2 inches out of this slow moving system.  It was perfect timing and I hope it will insure the success of my last plot.