I've been unbelievably busy the past week. After several days of torrential downpour at the end of last month, the fields finally dried out enough for me to begin planting food plots. Unfortunately, I suffered several setbacks, namely that my truck, four wheeler, and tractor all quit working at the same time. In spite of this, I managed to get some soil samples in for testing and got enough lime, fertilizer, and seed. Thankfully, my uncle let me borrow his tractor. Long story short:





I finally got both the west and east plots planted using the same no-till method I perfected last year. This year, I went all out on my seed mix, hoping to cover all the bases. Oats for immediate forage; ladino clover, common red clover, and Austrian winter peas for the early part of the season; and canola, kale, and purple top turnips in case it turns as cold as it did during the late season last year. Now, I'm just waiting on this cold front to bring some rain.

Additionally, I did something I haven't done in years. I put in a brand new food plot:



There's a little opening in the the corner of the barn lot where we store hay and equipment, about a third of an acre in size. It's quite rough and full of weeds and undesirable grasses, so it's never been cut for hay. However, it's also within a hundred yards of a buck bedding area in a nearby creek floodplain. Additionally, anything that enters the small plot will be within range of even my shortest range handguns.

I've had my eye on a few bucks. Number one on my list so far:



There's also this one. Although not as impressive of a rack, he appears to be a mature buck. I hope I can see him in person and get a better look at him.



Finally, there's this guy:



He's not really all that great in any respect, but my interest in him is that he's this buck from last year:



I'm going to watch him, but I'll likely give him another year.



Muzzleloader season starts November 3rd, and I'm itching to get back out there.

Sounds like a rough week! Looks like you have some great bucks hanging around. Good luck with your hunt!

Chance, are you going to hunt with your CVA Optima V2 muzzle loading pistol this season?

That first buck is really nice.

Good luck on this.

I LOVE MATURE 6 POINTERS, SO THE 2nd BUCK WOULD BE MY TARGET BUCK.

Yep! I?m really hoping I can bloody a few handguns this season, starting with the Optima.

NICE deer Chance..... Hope he`s soon on your wall....

Very nice deer ... and congrats on getting the planting done. The weather has wrecked our schedule. Floods washed away our main access to the land for a month and have totally taken away our S40, which is my favorite place to hunt. 4 plots are done with 4 to go ... hopefully we'll get everything taken care of.

Good luck.

Good Luck Chance!

That optima is a good shooting gun! Nice work and that big thick hog of a buck would be numero uno for me! Good luck

Good luck on your hunt preparations.

My 570 Ranger quit on me yesterday also. If it quits raining tomorrow I plan to pull the battery and check it out, clean the posts and charge it. With a little luck that will have it running again.

What load are you shooting in your Optima?

Mine works well with about anything I have tried on the first shot. BuckHorn 209 is by far the cleanest powder, and reloading several times is not a problem with it. It would be better if it were cheaper however. I have been running Harvester sabots and 250 grain Colt 45 Bullets in mine.

Bob R

Has it been drizzling rain all weekend there too?

I'll be using a load I discovered last year: 80 grains BH209, Harvester Crushed Rib sabot, and Barnes .451" 45 Colt 200 grain XPB. This load produces about 1,550 fps velocity and, if I do my part, sub-2 MOA accuracy.

I have been working on a little house remodeling. This is really slowing down my hunt preparation. I have installed 8 new windows, and relocated a 9th. I am replacing all 3 storm doors, as well as the patio door. Then we have boxing in the front porch, and new siding on 2 sides of the house. Waiting on the custom made windows has really extended my project completion time, along with working a couple days a week, and rain when I am not working. I have been doing most of the work myself. I had a contractor out yesterday to help me do the siding. He will be back again Thursday. With luck we will be finished with all exterior work by weekend.

Then I need to check out my stands. I have one that I plan to relocate. I am sure I have camo netting to replace. I have one bottom field where my brothers stand is that needs mowed. Then we have Trigger Time, and Load Development.

Where has all the pre season time went?

Bob R

I was so busy this year I never got to touch my food plots. Good luck.

Got my blinds up, and I applied some brushing lessons I learned while helping with the Reelfoot Lake duck blind I helped with:

Good looking blind.
I am hoping to put a ladder stand up Sunday on the lease. The guy who had a stand between my existing stand, and where I want to locate this one has taken his stand down. So with luck I will be able to hunt a place that I know will be a honey hole. They are Logging/Clear Cutting the 1500 acre property. My honey hole may be trashed next season.

Bob R