Field Journals

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said "Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience".  I found Mr. Emerson's words to be on point this past Summer.

 After long days in the shop working on trailers, each evening brought a nice, and relaxing celebration.  I'd come home to the cabin, start the grill, grab a beer and sit on our rocking bench......and watch. Binoculars by my side, I watched the birds and the occasional deer or turkey meander through our vast CRP field. 

Hope this entry finds everyone doing well! After a LONG, but relatively mild Illinois summer, I'm ready to get back into the woods after those whitetails. This summer I had the great privilege of living at our family cabin in Central Illinois. I worked for a portable stoplight company and enjoyed living on my own for the first time in my life. Learned a lot, saw literally hundreds of deer (a couple BRUTES!) and many turkeys this summer. I also tried to shoot my bow daily to prepare for the moment of true that Fall might bring. 

Sometimes in life, things show up unexpected.  

Yesterday my mom and dad went over to our old farm to pickup a couple of treestands, and run to a grocery store nearby that we have come to enjoy for their Free Willy size shrimp.  

   As with most things in life, there are two sides to every story.  This certainly holds true in the crossbow debate for bowhunters across the globe.  Why not utilize a crossbow?  It is seemingly easier to shoot accurately, and you do not have to worry about holding your draw weight after the intial pulling back of the bow.

John Burroughs one said "Nature teaches more then it preaches." How true this is.  Yesterday while taking a break from working in the turkey call shop, I got a phone call from a friend who was wondering when I could take him down to our family farm.

The time has come!  The Christmas season is upon us which brings memories, football games, annoying family members you have not seen in awhile and quality food!  I wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas and hope the rest of your hunting season is safe and enjoyable.

 Now is great time to invite your family members (that don't normally hunt, fish or enjoy the outdoors) on a hunting or fishing trip with you in the coming year.  Try and make it a point to invite someone along with you and get them a dose of the great outdoors! 

 
Don't forget to lay some cookies and milk out for Santa!

The rut for the most part is long gone for bulk of deer across the country. Most hunters are Christmas shopping with their wives (gay) and watching football next to their pup (less gay).  This is a time when some of the best deer hunting can be had. Whether you're looking to thin your doe numbers, or whack that monster who has eluded you most of the season, this time can pay off handsomely if you remember these important late season basics...

The big dudes are starting to move!  For the next 3-4 weeks hunters across the country will be heading to the woods in pursuit of the deer of their dreams.  

As I sit here in the new cabin typing this Field Journal, I’m pretty happy with the way my Fall has gone, so far. I’ve sat 24 hours and have seen on average more then one deer per hour.  The family farm in Illinois has really been good to me.