They're Back!!

After a couple month leave of absence, the turkeys have returned. We're not sure where they've been, but we're happy to have them back. We noticed a couple of months ago that the bunch of turkeys that always hung around were gone, all but one of them anyway. Pretty soon there were none. Recently though three birds returned, two toms and one jake, and then the other morning I found these seven. Four more hens showed up, and the boys were puttin' on a show near the lodge. The jake was keeping his distance but was doing his best to shake what he was given. I'm hoping that I can see the two big boys throw down some day, but I'm not sure it will happen. I'm a little afraid that this group is abstinent and they're just a bunch of pretenders. Time will only tell.
Cordie and I were unsuccessful in drawing our Lyman County spring turkey tags, but we can pick up an archery tag, which is what we hunt anyway. The season opens April 10, and it looks like it could be cool and soggy. These birds will most likely remain safe unless we get real desperate.

Golf Anyone?

Pictured is Hole 4 at the Medicine Creek Golf Course. For those of you who are familiar with the Course will notice that the creek is much wider than normal. The teebox is in the foreground where you must hit over the creek. Usually the creek is not much to worry about since most golfers shank it right out of bounds over th road. It might be a little bit more of a distraction now, but the course probably won't be open for a few more weeks. The slightly warmer temperatures are finally causing some snow to melt and the rain that we received last week are dumping quite a little runoff. The creek has risen quite a lot causing local flooding, but many areas of the state are getting it much worse. The White River, which is Lyman county's southern border has had several large ice jams and is flooding many area farms and ranches, homes, roads and bridges.

Cordie: John, you sneak through the culvert and hide behind the dam grade until we come around from the South.

John: Sneak through the culvert? Under the Interstate? Hide behind what?

How many of you have heard that before? Pictured is the culvert that runs beneath the Interstate that many of you gun-toting pheasant hunters have traversed before. If you plan on doing it now, I hope you brought your kayak. I'm assuming that most of the pheasants that are normally in this little honey-hole have found higher ground, but they will return once the water recedes and the cattails provide them cover once again. We'll hope the culvert dries out for the next lucky hunter who gets put in the sweet spot.

All the runoff is also causing Brakke Dam to run over its' spillway. I haven't checked for a few days, but Cordie reported that even more was spilling over a couple days after this picture was taken. There's still a little snow to melt and we've got a chance at some more precipitation on Thursday and Friday. Once things calm down and begin to warm up the pheasants will be ready to start their yearly breeding and nesting. With all the moisture the cover will be good for raising lots of little chicks. Things are looking good.

And the Winner is...

Congratulations to Hank Lind of Las Vegas, NV. He is our 2010 "Free Hunt" winner. We usually get this announcement out with our end of the year letter, but we forgot to mention it there. We did send Hank a notice that his hunt would be on us this year.

It seems as though there should be plenty of birds around when Hank arrives in the fall. Although it's been cold the weather has let up a little and Spring is just around the corner. We'll keep hoping for the best and doing whatever it is we can do to keep them healthy until next fall. We'll see you then.

Are we done yet??

The outside is complete on the new house/lodge. There's still a few things that need to be done, but a little thaw is on order before we can do any of those. On the inside it's a little different story. The electrical and the plumbing is done, and next week the insulation will be done. It's coming along nicely, and we're shooting to be mostly completed by the end of March. We should be close, but Marlys is docking pay for any day after the first of April. Who are we to say, she's the one writing the checks.

Fishes and Loaves... and pheasants

We need a way to turn a little pheasant feed into a lot. It's been one of the more harsh winters we've had in quite a few years. Here's a few pictures that we snapped while out and about. They say more than I ever could. Keep in touch and think warm weather.

Still a Few Out There

Are you kidding me!! It's been more than a month since I posted and I see there are still people checking back every so often to see how we're doing and what's been going on. I apologize for being out of the loop for so long. We have been busy getting a lot of stuff done, but the list never seems to get any shorter. There's a lot left to do and before you know it the Preserve season will be closed and we'll be pouring concrete.

A lot has been going on, just not much in the way of hunting and other fun stuff. The outside of the new house/lodge is nearly complete with only a couple of special windows and a small siding job left. Plumbing, electrical, and heating are being completed on the inside, and then we move onto the fun stuff. The moving van dance has been attempted several times with Cordie and Marlys' stuff being moved out, moved into whichever nook and cranny it will fit, and Jamie and I are still shuffling our stuff around as we try to get settled in the new/old house. To top it off, it's been great weather for moving. Snow, wind, rain, who said it wasn't fun to move in SD in January and February.

The birds have been putting up with it also, and hopefully holding up well. We haven't had a whole lot of time to keep track of them, but so far so good. I'm sure they are looking forward to Spring as much as we are. I'm sure when the weather straightens out we'll give'em a run for their money just to see how their holding out. Anyone interested in joining us can give us shout.

I hope everyone received their Holiday cards. I know that I have received a few of them back with wrong addresses and what not so I will do my best to keep them updated. Thanks for checking in.

Feast or Famine?

There was plenty of one and none of the other. Three nights of overindulgence and four days of amazing pheasant hunting. There was actually more if you include the days at the beginning of the week with "Geno", and the great meals he prepared. The food and drink was fantastic along with the final hunts of the regular season. Everyone made it safely here and back home, no accidents in the field, and lots of birds in the air. Who could ask for more? Well, there were maybe a few that were asking for a little warmer weather, but we made due and didn't have to spend a lot of time in the cold, and once the shooting started everyone forgot about their frozen fingers. A few pairs of snowshoes paid off too, although most got by without them. It's sad to say that it's over, but there's always next year, not to mention the preserve season will fill the void in the cold winter months whenever the dogs need to get a hunt in.