SKI TRAIL CREW

 It's the opening of the second deer hunting season and just a little over a week before Beau is back in Iowa for Christmas, the temperature has climbed up into the mid 40*s.   The fog hung in the air this morning as Marty and I hit the timber to repair the ski trail bridge.  This bridge has served us well for about the past 10 years.

 A large wild cherry blew down in a wind storm and broke the rails and cracked the power pole that spans the gully.   The cherry is now blocked up and ready to heat Joan and Marts house.

 With a couple of jacks and a lot of cranking we managed to bust the pole loose from the frozen bank and back into plum.

 We cut up some red elm and walnut for the new hand rail on the one side while leaving the other side without a rail for the added sense of danger.

The inspector gave it a once over and we're good to go.  Now all we need is the snow!
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OVER AND UNDER

 This weekend I had the opportunity to get together with my family to celebrate a family tradition.it


For the Becker's  bird hunting for pheasant, quail or even grouse with friends and family has always been one of the ties that binds.

Growing up in Buchanan Co. where my father was a Game Warden for the Iowa Conservation Commission for 38 years, we hunted some of the best upland game bird territory in the upper mid-west.

 

Our calendar began with the opening day, on Halloween weekend which would coincide an Iowa football game.  Next, was Thanksgiving weekend.  Followed by hunting weekends in Independence over the Christmas and New Years break.


With the passing of my parents and the family home sold,we no longer had a reason to get together in Independence.  But, my brother Steve the current patriarch of the family, has rekindled the flame and got us together in a beautiful hunting lodge in SW Wisconsin.




The Tanglewood Ranch and Hunt Club  is one-of-a-kind piece of paradise 

 in rural southwest Wisconsin.

 Over the years the equipment has been up graded from single shot, shotguns handed down for father to son and dogs that we trained ourselves to top of the line over and under double barrels and a few well trained bird dogs that have been sent away to doggy school. 

 

 

 

After a night of reminiscing, playing euchre, cribbage and foosball  we hunted Saturday morning.

It was a beautiful morning 35* with sunshine, Ryan threw together a great breakfast of has browns with Wisconsin cheddar and goat cheese, eggs and fresh venison loin.

The dogs worked hard, the birds flew well and the hunters shot well, "Over and Under" several of the birds.



 It's no longer about how many birds you got that day but how well the dogs worked, did you make the the shots you took and the stories told that keep the family traditions alive.

Take the Tanglewood Tour: Video Tanglewood Ranch

nICE !

Thankful for my HONEY!

DRIVING THE BACK ROADS.

Yesterday Susie and I took the back road over to the neighbors to pick up some eggs.  Our six geriatric birds don't lay too many eggs this time of year and our neighbors had a bunch, plus they aren't really fans of brown eggs.  I'm good with that.  Driving home we cut over toward the river and saw a bald eagle sitting on a nest.

On my drive this afternoon I saw a pair of eagles feeding on some road kill and another mile down the road from that was an eight point buck just a few yards down in the timber.  I watched him for a few minutes before he strolled down the valley.

 Sunday before the front came through the area I hit the stream with a little spinner.  So, this afternoon I gave this little fly a try.

I spent the first 10 minutes just getting the feel of flipping the fly along the tight little stream.  On a small stream like this one placing the fly where you want to is only half the battle.  Then the trick is to catch the drift of the stream and float the fly past where the trout are hiding out.

Once again the crystal clear stream conditions  blew my cover and even though there were fish to be caught, I didn't.

Oh well,  It's still good to get out on the back roads and see what's going on.

 Happy Thanksgiving precious friends & family.

TIME TO GET OUT BEFORE THE COOL DOWN.

 I got up early this morning to take advantage of the one of the last warm November days before the cold front moves back into the area and I wasn't the only one.   On my drive to the stream I saw several large flocks of turkeys and deer out foraging while the conditions are favorable.
 The Driftless Area is known for its elaborate network of world-class, clear, cold limestone creeks, and big trout populations. These beautiful waters are not only plentiful here in Jackson County, but provide the best quality habitat for trout, resulting in a sustainable natural population of brown trout.


 Fishing these small streams provides plenty of challenges for fishing, such as tight quarters and crystal clear streams that leaves the trout spooky.

This am I used a small 1/32 oz. panther martin, the flash of the blade caught the attention of several nice brown trout but I never managed to set the hook.

 Another project we've been working on around the house is a fishing motif.
 The pictures include Connie, Big Jim and myself all displayed on Kendo's old fishing rod and real.

SCARFIE!

 

WILD LIFE IS THERE IF YOU JUST LOOK

I get in trouble quite often for not paying attention when driving.

As I drive I'm constantly scanning the fields, hillsides and ditches for wildlife.

On my way home from school I worked my way home cross country from the top of the world to the Roly World camp and then on to The Big Mill Home Sted.


How many deer do you see?

 The Home Sted sits along Big Mill trout stream and was built circa 1845, this two story limestone farmstead was probably built as a dormitory for Paradise Farm owned by the Potter family.  The unique beauty of Northeast Iowa is very evident here with, upland timber, flood plain, wildlife, and panoramic scenery.















 Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) were reintroduced to the big mill homes pond in Jackson County over 20 years ago.  They are the largest native North American  waterfowl species.  They can weigh up to 35 pounds, stand four feet tall, and have an impressive seven-foot wingspan.  The male (Cob) is larger than the female (Pen).  First year swans (Cygnet) are gray in color and will retain some gray feathers into their second year.

Here's the family laying a base before they head south for the winter.

I just up graded to a new I phone so I'm hoping that the photography in my posts improves.



















Saturday night we finally went to the Potters Mill for some wildlife of our own.


 BBQ, drinks and Louisiana front porch blues.

Trifecta, we got all three right.


















The Harris Collection sported man buns and play some great blues guitars.


They were joined by a jam buddy of theirs,  Ziggy Mc Quay from, just down river in the Quad Cities.
















  Susie enjoyed her after dinner martini.





















While Ziggy laid it down on the harp.

Looking forward to catching his funk band some time in the future.