Frank's outdoors...

Had a fun hunt on our annual post Thanksgiving shootout!  Not as many birds in the area, perhaps because it wasn't cool enough yet.  We still took 5 geese and totally whiffed on an 8-pack of pintail and only took 1 of them.  So, 6 birds in total.  Interesting about the pintails, there were 8 of them.  It was about 9am, sunny, and partly cloudy with a mild front moving in.  The stubble wheat field was DRY as a bone, and they came in locked & committed without any calling.  Our guide was calling in some specks at the time, so possibly they keyed on  that, but still, they sat right on us. We love hunting with Ryan and Butch from Butch's Guide Service, but anyone know of some good guides down in the Eagle Lake, Garwood, El Campo, etc???  We have had a few slow years, and looking at other potential operations for guides. 

My crew and I experienced another amazing hunt with Don's Guide Service in Glen Elder, KS!  Don and his wife Cheryl are wonderful hosts and got us on wild Kansas pheasants. We got there on Sunday evening right as the first real cold front was moving through northern Kansas, and it was in the upper 20's at 4pm.  Dinner was on the table and the drinks were in hand.  By Monday morning for our first hunt, it was 17 degrees with a 15mph wind!  It did warm up to the 40s each day, and in the low 50s on Wednesday. We had 7 hunters in our crew.  7 hunters, 3 days, 4 birds per day limit... so we were shooting for 84 birds.  We came up 1 short for the hunt!  Great hunt! Enjoy the photos!

Found out last night that the property owner has committed a sale on our lease.  The buyer asked for us to be completely OFF in 3 days!!!  Are you kidding me?  Well, our lessor successfully negotiated us to have 2 weeks...  how generous.  So, we get to hunt opening weekend, and attempt to get ALL of our stuff off the property ASAP.  I am pissed.  That is all.

As it seems to happen every year on my lease, the bucks come out RIGHT before season starts.  You don't see a hide or hair of them on camera until literally a few weeks before season.  I have never had a picture of a buck in velvet... ever. But, they aren't disappointing... they are back and ready to rut.  Lots of pre-rut activity on camera, including a great "exchange" between a nice 9pt and a small spike!  Spike got his butt whooped (shocker). Enjoy the pics:

Guess who bought a bow?  That's right, I did.  I have been chatting up a few of my friends (Mark, Aaron, and Paul)  for almost 2 years now, and finally they have broken me down.  I bought a Mission Venture (by Matthews).  I will get into all of the setup later, but I can tell you it is a TON of fun to shoot!  I haven't shot a bow in over 15 years, and this was as easy as can be to get started.  Now, accuracy to hit the bulls-eye is something that will take refinement, but just shooting is a treat. I went to Bowzone in Spring and was working with Richard.  This guy knows his stuff!  He matched me to my bow, and I got the kit that comes with a quiver, Tru-glo site, stabilizer, and upgraded to a fall away arrow rest.  Beman ICS Hunter arrows to round it out.  I am likely going to go with a fixed blade broadhead, probably the 100-gr Muzzy 3-blade.  I haven't bought a release or case yet, but I was practicing with a Scot release, and liked it a lot. So, here it is, enjoy. 

Rifle season is a month away (in fact this weekend is opening weekend for bow season in Texas), and the young bucks have FINALLY started showing up on the game cameras.  I didn't see anything legal on the cameras, but its good to see some buck activity moving on the lease.  I saw at least 3 distinct bucks on all 3 cameras.  Pictured below... Also the pigs are back... plural. And a coyote.

The last week has really got the blood pumping with cooler morning temperatures.  The fever is in! I need to take some pictures now that I have disc-ed and seeded the field, but here is the food plot right after it was mowed with a brush hog.  I put out Tecomate MAX Attract mixed with Monster Mix ( recommended for my zone on the Tecomate website ).  They also noted Chicory, but I didn't find it in stock at Gander Mountain . Also attached a picture of my "penthouse" blind ( 4x6 Shadow Hunter ) that is 6' tall on Shadow Hunter elevators .  The installation of elevators went quite smooth.  The instructions are easy to follow, and actually the biggest issue we had is related to my underpowered cordless drill.  I have a 14volt Ryobi, and really need an 18volt.  More power, more torque, longer battery life, etc... the Ryobi was actually fine brand new, but it definitely was wiped out.  If I had other jobs to do that day, I would have been out of luck.

I put my food plot in this weekend, and will blog and post photos of that process soon with the Groundhog Max, but the camera shows increased deer activity with my feeder going, and I hope that the plot when it takes will bring them in and keep them in!

So, a few months ago I started researching on discs/plows to help in improving my food plot creation at the deer lease.  I ended up with the conclusion that the Groundhog Max was the best bet for me in my scenario (cost/availability/portability).  However, in order to use it, you have to have a 2" receiver or else install there bulky and obtrusive hitch kit.  At first I wanted the hitch kit until I saw how it connected to my 4 wheeler and quickly abandoned that hteory.  I did some more research and settled on the Kolpin 2" Receiver kit that virtually "plugs" right into my Polaris.  It bolted right to the frame and into the existing 1.25" factory receiver.  With the Groundhog Max engaged, it was very solid and held up to the task.  I am very pleased.

Been a crazy  2 weeks.  I'll explain. About a week and a half ago, my hunting partner, Mark, calls me to let me know our lease property had been sold, and it wasn't likely we would even get to hunt the upcoming season!  Apparently, the developer who was acquiring the property was going to get started immediately to begin land preparation for a subdivision.  Needless to say, given the timing and the news itself, I was floored.  Pissed. Distraught.  Frenzied.  Angry.  I need not continue.  In light of this news, I began to reach out to all the people I know that hunt that may have potential openings where they are, or know of spots. I got some replies, but the reality of being able to get something, see it in person, and actually get something going in time to actually hunt it this season were just not realistic.  It also made me realize how lucky I have been to have a spot less than 30 minutes from my house that I have had quick and easy access to!  Alas, I received a call t

I put my Moultrie M-80 game cameras out a few weeks ago to start pre-season scouting.  I went this past weekend to go see what is in the area, and scout the land a bit, prior to putting in my food plot and filling up feeders. Here is what we have so far. 2 does 1 hog 1 snake TALL WILD GRASS! I filled the feeders with corn, and now its now time for serious planning to begin prepping the plot.  The plow decision is still yet to be made, but I am now HEAVILY leaning to the Groundhog MAX for the following reasons:  Cost/Convenience/Maneuverability.  I reset the cameras now that corn is in them, and will check them next weekend to see what has found the corn.  I intend to have my plow in place, and ready to start plot preparation by getting the weeds knocked down, turf chewed up, and seed bed prepped.  Then, I'll come back and plow again, throw seed/fertilizer, and get that going.  Finally, PRAY FOR RAIN!!! The season can't get here fast enough!