After a really wet spring, we now have a fall drought. Haven't had rain for weeks and stuff is turning brown. No real rain in 10 day forecast.
I can't remember this little cattle pond ever drying up before. We did have thunder for 1.5 hours on Saturday morning but barely a drop of rain.
The main pond is low but the new aerator is keeping it algae free.
There's at least a foot of exposed pond bottom.
Already getting pumpkin attrition. Hot weather doesn't help.
I loaded some up for home.
They may cook here too.
View from the pond stand - surprisingly still some green. The pond is as clear as it gets. I checked the hunting stand for wasps and other squatters.
Found a few wobbly stairs and repaired them.
Not sure where this guy came from - there was nothing overhead at the time he plopped down. Maybe off me.
This landing is way up there at the pond stand and is covered in poop. I'm guessing raccoon. My sister-in-law sent me a cougar poop from her hike in Colorado - I forgot to download it for poop of the week.
I had to clear trees that were blocking line of fire from a number of stands. Usually thorny black locusts.
The frog pond still holding some water but it is low and scuzzy.
Even the barn stand was being obscured.
The view from it - the clover that I planted in this field appeared lost to weeds at one point. I mowed and it helped. From the ground, this field now looks like mostly grass. From up here, I'm encouraged by the amount of clover.
Main field - foreground was supposed to be powerplant but was taken over by grass back in the wet season.
I planted some brassicas in some patches - that's what's in the foreground here with clover/chicory behind it.
Radishes - they are eating these already.
I think that these are sugar beets. Also have turnips, rape etc.
Chicory clover in main field is great. Not sure how it survives the drought.
Found this husk on driveway stand. Some evidence of mouse occupation in a few stands but otherwise not bad.
Still working on last year's elk - this was one of my better efforts. Those are peas in the dish.
I took a bucket of apples to the office last week and they disappeared - so I'll take another.
It had been gently suggested to me that it was time to clean the Ranger.
I set up again for some 300 yard practice.
My load of choice for this year's mule deer and antelope hunt. Will probably use 6.5 for everything but am prepared with 300 WM too. I find it very satisfying to ring plates at this range.
It seems like the Gravelly Mountains may not be the ideal place to hunt this year.
4th Grizzly Attack
From the Hospital
I saw these 120 grain loads recently and decided to just give them a try. Shot at paper from 100 yards and didn't alter scope settings from 143 grain. Pretty strong gusty crosswinds so it wasn't ideal.
I think the horizontal spread is largely the wind. Not that different than the 2" high setup on the 143 grain load.
There were monarchs everywhere but they didn't hold still for long.
At one point I had about 10 of them flying in front of the Ranger.
Some of the fall blooms - I think this is goldenrod.
Asters.
Not sure what this is but there is always a lot of it.
Soybeans poking thru the grass in the powerplant fields.
Partridge peas I think.
Gray fox.
The coyotes like apples.
Male and female?
Typical crowd under the apples.
Yum!
Most fawns losing spots - this one still distinct.
Got an itch.
Wide!
Doing some pruning.
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