Please Read My Local Column River Curents and Then Come Back and Read This Email 10-19-09

gengberg October 19th, 2009

 Subject: weekend

I spent a 3 day weekend in Indiana musky fishing and duck hunting with a buddy and had a really good time, but we should all be very, very appreciative of the opportunities we have right at our fingertips here in WI - between the farm for deer, turkeys and pheasants, Mud Lake for all those years of duck hunting, all the musky/walleye waters we have within a few minutes’ drive (or walk), and the countless public places to duck hunt, pheasant hunt, and deer hunt if we want to. I can’t explain in an email what a monstrous pain in the rear it was to get a spot to duck hunt in Indiana. The short story is that we had to leave at 3:30 am to drive 45 minutes to a public property to enter in a draw with 35 other parties for 5 open slots at 4:30am. Another state property had over 200 people draw for 22 slots. If you don’t get drawn, sorry, no duck hunting for you today. It’s the same deal for deer hunting. I can’t imagine getting excited for the season to open, preparing all your gear, then at the last minute you find out you don’t have anywhere to hunt and you just go home.

I’ve never taken the farm or our other resources for granted, but this weekend put everything in perspective. We’ve got top notch resources right at our fingertips whenever we want to hunt/fish. Other parts of the country have to hope and pray for the chance. It made me even more appreciative of the farm and our state’s resources.

Josh and I were lucky enough to draw for an afternoon slot at a public hunting area after a group vacated their blind and we saw around 600-700 woodies, easy. Despite the numbers we only got a few high passing shots though with ducks flying 50 mph, and we didn’t hit squat but it was a beautiful spot and the weather was great. All the ducks were heading to a designated resting area where the DNR floods crop fields and woods in the fall. That morning we goose hunted a pond he got permission to. Right off the bat we called in a group of 10 and I got one. After that we saw several hundred spread out in groups of 4 to 25 flying within calling range, but they were intent on heading to a farm pond a mile to the east of us. A few groups took a look at our decoys, but no other takers. The musky fishing was fun, but it’s a 2 hour drive from his house. Again, it was fun but made me appreciate that I have 6 musky lakes within a 30 minute drive of my house.

Anybody bow hunting this weekend? I may head out to hunt and start getting the loft set up for the group bow hunt in November. I might drop off a bucket at Nick’s stand so he doesn’t have to stir up the deer in his area the night before the gun season. Any other projects anyone wants me to work on?

   I got this email after I wrote and sent out my Local Column today. I think we do have it good right here in Wisconsin.    Gary

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