jdmidwest

I thought you would have scratched it by now. When does KS season open? MO is kinda goofy, I prefer IL split season and was pulling for it here last time they were looking for some excuse to change things up. We get a good push of ducks in Oct, usually the third to fourth week. Then it gets stale until mid Dec. Things pick up and season ends. Mallards usually come in force in January. And we just watch them in the middle zone. Maybe shoot a few snows during that time.

It was a great day and not much stress as we were the only 2 hunting and enjoying the day. He had more fun with the camera. Both of us enjoyed watching the birds fly. They were only holding a tenth of what they normally have this time of year, but water was limited also, so they were dropping in all morning in our spot. We were surrounded by 2 dry fields, so there was not anyone butted up against us flaring birds off. The new boat is comfy and roomy. I really like it. It paddles like a kayak but as stable as a pontoon boat. The board goes across the top of the cockpit and I can sit on it and paddle also with a taller view. I could even stand up in it.

That is a different kind of clearing of the camp. Although, the way they run alot of the state parks any more, I can see the need for a weedeater and a chainsaw.

Hopefully you will have more water and better crops. It has been a long dry spell around here and most of the local stuff is dry unless pumped from a well. We were looking over the list they provide describing the fields and habitat for the area on our long wait to get out and hunt. We notice several units with "2 Year Old Corn" as a crop. The one we selected first had freshly combined beans, the day before. The wetland part of that unit was a mudhole somewhere on it. Lucky for us, the resource guy told us that little tidbit, we chose another unit. Duck Creek was no better with only 18 units open on the first day, lack of water and warm October has prevented them from flooding timber units. Birds have been moving for the past few weeks, but I think most have buzzed past all of the dry parts looking for better water on south.

There are some interesting designs at that camp.

Middle zone started out with a bang. My hunting buddy pulled a pill 10 quickdraw to Otter Slough on opening morning. After 2 hours wading thru bodies and waiting for about 60 parties of 4 to pull every man draw pills, we picked our unit and jumped out of the truck to the first volleys of the season coming from private land. Ducks were everywhere and water was at a minimum on the whole area. We drew one that had some good water and had birds all morning. We took our time and enjoyed piddling around in our assigned area watching birds work. I nailed my first Pintail Drake of my career, but it was a youngin without a sprig. Still a beautiful bird. I have a new Bobcat Pirogue this year and it works great. Paddles like a dream and is super stable. My shooting improved 200 percent over shooting out of my kayak that rocked with every movement. I found out I had a professional photographer along about 9 o'clock when I heard him curse that he almost dropped a $1000 lens in the water getting it out to shoot photos. He normally only brings out the good stuff when we have a nice dry blind. He took some great shots. I have a feeling that this may be the best day of the season, it could only go down hill from here, it was that kind of day.

Better pics than that tick infested one you posted back in the summer.

Nice. That kicker makes the rack more interesting. Good job. My baby girl called me on Sunday night, she wants to take her first deer this season. It has been a few years since we have hunted together, so I am thrilled. I have to bring her up to speed on a new rifle pronto and will let her have the best of my scouting efforts so far this year at the farm. Looks like mostly thin horns, but I noticed a dominate buck come in over last week and starts some nice scrapes. I repositioned cams to try to get a pic of him. I hope she drops a big one.

EHD has gotten a few of them again this year. Some friends found a nice one while scouting a month back over in Illinois. It was another dry summer in places.

I always kick the leaves away from the fire pit to keep the fire from jumping out. But, if I had a blower I would use it. Camping in a campground is like spending a weekend in town anyway.

Al pretty well summed it up. As far as close to St Louis, it is hard for me to say. I tend to venture out farther in the winter months for good fishing and most trips are a 3 hour drive for me. And most of the the streams are trout streams because they have the warmer spring waters. But in those waters I catch some nice bass also. During the summer months, I have plenty of local streams and lakes. But in the winter months, I tend to drive more to the spring fed streams.

Most rivers are ice free all winter and can be kayaked. Any that have trout or smallmouth in them can be productive and floated. I have always like Current River and 11Pt in the winter. I usually make a trip out on Superbowl weekend and listen to the game on the way home Sunday nite. And normally the crowds are thin that time of year. Nov and Dec are spent hunting for ducks and deer anymore. After that, river fishing trips pick up unless the roads are icy and slick. Another favorite in the winter is the Arkansas trout streams like Spring River, Norfork, and Bull Shoals. As long as the ice does not freeze the guides, fishing is usually pretty good. I enjoy a nice snow fall while fishing sometimes.

Looking at the wake behind the one boat, if you stir a 5 gal bucket of paint, it will paint the room it is in also.

Most cordless drills have openings around the brushes that would let water in. I doubt they would last long in the water. Especially a float tube or the bottom of a kayak.

Not to mention the wobble. Imagine holding on to one of those things. Snake oil.

Maybe next year. It will probably end up with with all of my other wannabe projects, not enough time to do them. My active projects keep up with my free time.

Its a shame all of that waste does not exit in 10 minutes, that's why you are always full of it.

I was thinking otters were eating the deer till I saw the pic. I wonder why a bear would bother a hornets nest? Nothing but stings for a few larva. They go after bee hives because of the sweet rewards of honey. Birds on the other hand will tear a hornets nest to pieces for the larva.

As soft is the ground will be this weekend, you should have no problems stabbing a monopod into the ground to stabilize.

As far as the "fattening up" is concerned, I think it is usually confused with stuffing their gut and distended stomachs. Most fall bass feeding will be spitting stuff out as you reel them in as they have been on a feeding frenzy taking advantage of a warm, mid day feeding. Then they kick back and digest, slowly as the metabolizm decreases with the temp. The increased activity is usually mid day in the fall. No need to get an early start or stay late. 10-3 can be some hot fishing in the October month. And topwater works well.

Mono pods work great and can substitute as a walking stick. Tripods take too long to sit up.

Wood fired pizza has a unique flavor on its on. You can take a cheap pizza and make it good on a wood fire oven. A stone work company that sit up at the home show this year featured a pizza oven and we sampled their wares all weekend. Works best on thin, crispy crusts.

That bunker makes a nice place to wait out a storm. I just assumed it was an old foundation or cellar. Why do you think it was a bunker of some sort?

Looks tasty

There is a pretty good trail from Baptist access to Ashley Creek. It starts across from the upper parking lot and runs down river, crosses and goes along other side. Pine groves, bluffs, river, and other scenery. Hard to miss, usually worn out by horses.