Blogger Bugs, More Elk Hunt Prep and Pumpkins

Blogger is really faking me out.  When I select the photos from Google Photos for use in the blog, sometimes it imports them in the order that they were selected, and sometimes it uses reverse order.  I give up - I'm going to just go with it.

So this post is going to be in reverse order from what I intended when I selected the photos.  I've tried dragging them around but it is too much to just reorder the whole post.

Now that the velvet is off, we're starting to get some sparring between bucks.

While I was running around this weekend, I inadvertently chased the same doe and twin fawns out of the driveway field three times. 

Some photos of Joan and I after the wedding last week.

We didn't know it then but we were picking up a few chiggers while we were driving around.

So I dragged the above photo to re-order it, and now it won't format properly.  It says that it is center aligned...

Anyway, a cowboy hat since I'm going on a horseback hunt.

Can you tell what these two photos are?

The next two photos may help with the ID.

Yep - Bobcat.

Just for the curious, here's my rain gauge readings for 8 years.  I think that we've had a particularly good growing season this year.

Brassicas in my soybean plots.  Turnips.

Radishes. 

A look down the plot.  It is a mixture of soybeans, brassica and weeds.

Delicata squash from the pumpkin patch.  I have a bunch of butternut still out there.

The "pre-harvest" of pumpkins and gourds is growing.

This week I just went around the edges and grabbed the ones that looked like they were done.  There are a few out there that have already rotted.

A few overview shots of the patch - plenty of weeds.

Here's a trespasser who showed up on cameras this week.  Now why would a guy be wearing a turkey hunting mask in mid September?

I saw a post that mentioned an iPhone app for doing the ballistic calculations.  I have several of those but this one also allowed you to select the scope reticle that you're using and it gives you the distance for each of the hashes.  This first one is for Eric's 308 hunting load and his 3X9 scope.

And here's my 30-06 with my 2.5X10 scope.

This target happens to be me trying out my 44 mag after being returned from the S&W factory.  I'm using a bear load and firing a whole cylinder as fast as I can from 20 yards.  I did it a few times.  I learned that I will only have time for the first one or two shots and I probably need to wait to be closer.

Here are a couple of hits from 360 yards with my 30-06.  I won't tell you how many shots that I took to get these two hits.  360 is about the most I could get at the farm.

This is the other side of the same target.  I was ringing it pretty good from both 260 and 300 yards.  The app calculations are pretty good.

Here's the setup.  The target is out there past the bend in the driveway and on a line between the telephone pole and the cedar tree.

So I'll be hunting soon with Hidden Creek Outfitters  in the Thorofare region of Wyoming.  It's off the corner of Yellowstone NP.  That's if I survive the 10 hour horseback ride in up over the continental divide.  The pass is at 10,500 feet.  Our tent camp is above 8,000 feet.  We will be hunting in the Teton Wilderness without any power or communication for a week or so.  If you're curious about it, here's the outfitter's website and Facebook page.  Hidden Creek Outfitters Website  Hidden Creek Facebook

A Wedding, Pumpkins, and the Bobcat Returns

This is my nephew Tom and his bride Ginna.  They had a wedding planned in April but the virus interfered.  So this weekend they went ahead and tied the knot and we all participated via Zoom.  Joan and I attended from the farm in our party clothes.  Congrats to Tom and Ginna!

So when the festivities ended, Joan and I headed out for the camera tour.

I wonder if this is when I picked up the chiggers.

Anyway, it was fun to be part of the celebration.

I started into harvest of some of the pumpkins and gourds.  Many are still going strong but some are starting to mature.

These butternut squash don't look quite ready yet - the vines are still green.

But I chose some stuff for early harvest.

There is a ton still out there in the field.  With my Wyoming hunt coming up, some of it may just have to wait.

It's always a tightrope - will they continue to develop or will the start to rot.

Joan has a ladies luncheon for the end of golf season.  I usually supply the table decorations.  Lots to choose from this year.

Violet enjoys chewing the stems.

You have to be really quick to catch a shot like this.  She doesn't stay still for long.

Some of the fall flowers are starting to show up - asters.

I don't really appreciate these thistles but their blooms are pretty.

I managed to sneak in another "saddle hardening" ride in preparation for the Wyoming hunt.  It's only a couple of weeks away.

Last weekend trailcams when the Chicago grandsons where in towns.

Off on a hike.

Lots of Ranger rides.

Even Violet got to come on some of the rides.

And a bobcat made an appearance this week.

They come and they go.

Here's the buck that I called Split.  He's got a split G2 on the left side.  He's lost his velvet.

He looked more massive with the velvet still on - this was early August.

He's still a nice looking buck for sure.

And this is a nice ten.

This guy losing his velvet.

Still fawns around.

Some crowds about.

And always the coyotes.

And a few turkeys.  Since the coyotes and bobcats have taken over, I no longer see fox (used to have both red and gray).