Grouse Hollow Journal for September 24, 2015 by Greg Koelker
I learned three things while bow hunting on Sunday night last week. One was never try to walk in in or even along the edge of tall soybeans. I walked to my stand along the upper edge of a soybean field and tripped and stumbled the entire way to the woods. The bean plants and hidden corn detritus caused a minefield of trip wires. I was wringing wet with sweat by the time I climbed into my stand. Another thing I learned was don’t forget the Thermacell. The mosquitoes were atrocious; you know the kind I mean, those little ones that appear only in sunbeams and then find any gap at all in your clothing to bite. Finally, I relearned the equipment rule to always take along a length of light rope for pulling your equipment up into the stand. The stand I went to was 15 feet up with no pull up rope in evidence. I clambered up, bow in hand. There was a hanger for the bow once I got up there. As it turned out, the stand leaned too far forward for my comfort. There is a plastic seat in it and it was just slippery enough that I could see myself sliding off if I somehow lost focus, say napping for example. Anyway, I climbed down and went to the Oak Stand that El and I put up last fall. I did not fall asleep and I did not use my cell phone. I couldn’t sleep because of the mosquitoes and my phone was off deep in a leg pocket.
The sun dropped slowly through the oak and hickory leaves behind me. There was an occasionally breeze, and except for the whine of mini flying vampires, only the sound of an occasional blue jay or crow. Interestingly enough, I didn’t see even one squirrel.
At dusk with my stomach growling and my butt and legs screaming for relief, I quit. I walked back to the Ranger around on what passes for a field road on that side of the ridge. I didn’t see a deer, but it was a good hunt.
I had just got in when I got a text from Pat that Eli had a doe down in some nearby MFL ground. Pat had to head back to Osh Kosh and work in the morning, so when they got in, I helped hang the critter and held a light and steadied the deer while Eli sliced out the tenderloins and began skinning the critter to help cool it out. He told me he arrowed a coyote just before two does came into his view. He took the closer one. The doe was old with no teeth left to speak of. It didn’t appear to have nursed a fawn recently either. I cleaned up the loins into the kitchen while he finished up and we then sat down to a cocktail and dinner with Ellen.
Speaking of successful hunts, mountain man Ben called early one morning last week. He was speaking in low tones when he said, “Hey Dad, we stuck one.” The we was he and his buddy Drew Rouse. Ben said he was calling elk for Drew using their signature elk call, the Elk Reel. He said he said they were on open sage brush high up on Red White Mountain when the bull came in. He was crouched down, trying to get his Canon up without being seen when he caught Drew out of the corner of his eye, drawing his bow. An hour later, Ben called again and they had the bull, a dandy six by six. Ellen said she wished we were there to help pack it out, but Ben said, “Uh no, you don’t want to be here.” They had to carry it out some three and a half miles, mostly in rough country. Ben texted Mark at work, and he managed to round up three guys: Sean, Anthony, and Brian to come out and help his brother and friend with the meat pack.
Raoul, the hunter that Ben spent two weeks hunting with earlier in September, posted a picture on Facebook of a massive six by six he called in this week using his Elk Reel call. You can see the call at: elkreel.com. Anyway, I am sure they grilled thick elk steaks that night.
Until next time, get out - I had a great time at my 45th class reunion Saturday night. There were people there that I haven’t seen since graduation. There were stories I had never heard before, or at least not heard from that point of view before. I was remembered as the “idea man” by one and “the instigator” by another. Hmmm. . . I did have my own coffee mug in the office I guess. Anyway, I had good visits with most of my classmates in attendance. The vodka and good memories flowed freely. El and I didn’t head out until after Midnight! Mark and Whitney are here for a few days. He and I are going out on the river this morning. We got to watch the Packers beat the Seahawks last night together. Ellen is making basil, brie, and tomatoes for them for supper tonight! Anyway, after huge meals at Jane and Tom Down’s on way home from Colorado last week, grilled towering t-bones at home compliments of Eli, a big burger, brat, and salmon dinner at the Swenson’s on Saturday, I think I may have to get out and get some exercise one of these days! Enjoy.
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