Post-Season Drift

Well, as you may have noticed, there haven't been many posts lately. Sorry and thanks to those of you checking in... I think I'm still in denial about the end of hunting season.

The TC Impact sits quietly as deer fill the valley below.

I was happy to take a nice deer on the last day of Late Muzzy season.

It happens every year. Hunting season comes to an end and I find myself lost for a moment. It's a sort of post-season drift followed by an intriguing process of re-entering society. I'm staying in town more, going to movies, even watching that thing called television. The truck is the cleanest it's been since October, and I even shut off my 4:44am hunting alarm so I'm beginning to sleep normally again. Although a bit more well rested- I still feel a sense of sadness. My solution to the post-season Winter blues is simple... more hunting! And ice fishing too!

Can't see this from the couch... 

My buddies are sending me pictures of good success through the ice. While I'm not an avid ice fisher, this is a sport I'd really like to get into! And frying up a cold water fillet seems like just the ticket to cure my post-hunting blues. I'm also going to try and do some coyote hunting. My rifle needs some work and some sighting in, but that too would be a fantastic excuse to get outside and keep enjoying the outdoors.

28 lbs of Redneck Survival Food ready for grilling!

I also leave myself plenty of meat processing to do. Typically, I'll bone out the venison and toss it in the freezer within a day or two of the kill. I like to set aside the final stages of trimming, grinding and vacuum packaging for those bitterly cold days in January and February. I also enjoy re-living the hunt with my favorite venison recipes and I look forward to sharing some of those with you.

50/50 beef from Amend Packing has this stuff tasting better than store bought burger. I'll usually make an 80/20 mix of venison to beef.

So I guess, post-season Winter isn't so bad after all. If you want more good news, Season 1 for spring turkey is only 77 days away! This means I can now replace my antler-filled dreams with those of thunder chickens and Morel mushrooms.

Starting the New Year Right

I am truly blessed to be an outdoorsman in Iowa! Every time I go afield I feel grateful for the hunting and fishing opportunities we have in this state. I am also extremely lucky to have a girlfriend strong enough to brave the cold and eager to share in the outdoors adventures.

So what better way to begin the new year than a New Year's Day hunt? With the day starting out with high pressure and temps near zero, we decided to sleep in and wait for the balmy 15 degree afternoon temps.

Attempting to fill some bow tags, we toted the archery tackle through the snow into a well used travel corridor between bedding and a large cornfield.

Although the trails were recently used by this nice young buck, the herd wasn't there that day. We did end up seeing a silhouetted young buck and doe at last light. He and the doe he was with didn't stick around too long as we shattered the arctic silence crunching our way out of the valley. The trail camera read 9F when we left and boy to temps like that put your layers to the test.

I wish we had better luck. But what a blessing to endure the arctic outdoors with my best friend! I hope your late season adventures are warmer and more successful ;-)

Happy New Year!