Hi, My Name is Cody

Yesterday I was just laying around with my brothers when these two people showed up. They put me in their car and drove me four hours to a place called "Wisconsin". I don't know much about that place except they eat a lot of cheese and worship something called "The Packers".
I guess there have been dogs that came before me. There was Daisy, Sadie, Max and Sam. I hear they were all pretty smart and good hunters as well. I know one of my new owners wants me to grow up and be like those other dogs. Well, that's not gonna happen. You see, I'm me and he's just going to have to accept that. I want him to love me for who I am. I'll be smart and maybe even find a bird if he can manage to knock one down but I won't try to be like those other dogs. They are his fond memories and it's my turn now.
I understand my name comes from a black lab that my owner and son hunted behind long ago in a place called North Dakota. Ask my owner about that if you want and you'll hear the story, I've already learned that my owner tells a lot of stories....
Well, I gotta go now. There's lots of new places to discover and smells to investigate. And if I move real fast, I have learned that they will follow me, wondering what kind of trouble I intend to get into. So much to do and so much to learn.
Bye for now..... Cody

My New Partner

It's been three years since we had to put Sammy down. I said, "That's it" I didn't want that feeling ever again. That feeling of watching an old hunting partner, and more importantly a good friend, pass away.
I had to finally realize that I was being selfish. Nobody, but nobody would give a dog a better home than us. I quit feeling sorry for myself.
The search was a long one. We wanted a yellow lab because they are so smart and gentle. Whether you hunt or not they are just a great all around dog. I read where they are still the most popular breed. Once again people are copying me......
We wanted a light color because of all the bugs (ticks) up here, plus, well, they really look cool when almost white. Remember, it's always important to look good.
So I found a good breeder who bred a pair of healthy, vet approved dogs. I drove over to central Minnesota in early January, put down a deposit, and got first pick on the upcoming litter.
I wanted a male and on January 31st, four pups were born and they were all males. I've been receiving pictures of all four and Friday we drove over and made our selection. Meet Cody.
He's five weeks old so we will drive back in two weeks and bring him home.
We are busy puppy proofing the house and look forward? to a couple of sleepless nights when he first arrives.
I'll start his training at three months old and am looking forward to having a little buddy with me in the woods. I won't be alone anymore.......

Winter in the Country

I'd post a picture but we've all seen snow on trees before..... Deer hunting just ended last weekend. I hunted the four day does only rifle season in early December. I hunted it alone. Didn't see anything but that's OK. After that I hunted five or six evenings with the bow. Deer were moving but never where I was posted. Again, I didn't really need another deer and doubt that I would have shot but since I had bought some new white camo, I thought I should use it. Saw deer in the trail cams but they were wise enough to pose in front of stands I wasn't using. Smart deer, or dumb hunter..... So, I've waxed the strings and put away the bow until I start shooting again in the spring.
We finally got out to do some ice fishing. I went along with Johhny and the boys up to Alexandria last weekend. Great weather but the fish weren't cooperating. We only kept two walleyes and they weren't worth taking a picture of. The cable TV was working, however, so we got to watch the Vikings play Saturday night. I couldn't lose as I was wearing my Green Bay baseball cap. Happy Mr. Anderson?
When we got back to the Cities, Johnny helped my put together "Dewey's Greatest Hits Volume II" Yes, it's been a long time a comin' but once again I've outdone myself.
Monday morning I headed back West and 100 miles later arrived at a farm to see about a lab puppy. I ordered one and have first pick on a little male. Pups will be born in about four weeks and five weeks after that we'll drive out and choose our puppy. Two weeks after that we get to bring him home. I'm looking forward to having a little buddy to hang with out in the woods.
When leaving the farm I plugged in my GPS and headed home. Drove through a lot of countryside and little towns I'd never heard of before. Peaceful, quiet drive.... When I hit Hinckley, I remembered a little burger shack attached to a gas station. SLIDERS!!!!! Went through the drive through and picked up a bag. Hit the freeway, put the truck on cruise, popped in "Dewey's Greatest Hits Volume II" and enjoyed my burgers. Enjoyable end to a good trip.

Nine Days in November

The rifle season ended tonight in Wisconsin. Each year is different and this year was no exception. John shot this nice 5 pointer opening morning. The boys passed on 10 additional deer that weekend. Two of us never saw a deer. Can't remember when the last time I hunted the opener and never saw anything but it really didn't matter to me. As long as the boys see critters, I'm happy. Anyway, I've got 6 more weeks or archery and a 4 day does only (with rifles) season in early December. So weather permitting. I still have plenty of tree sitting ahead of me. Oh, and speaking of weather permitting, we've had about a foot of snow over the last three days.
Deer are still moving but only at night. I pulled my trail cams before the storm and only have one back out. I'd like to do some more scouting around so hopefully we won't get hit too hard over the next two weeks. Snow is rather tough to walk in right now but it's supposed to really warm up by next weekend.
I've got to find a secret location for my next great stand. It will be grand. The tough part will be what to name it.....

Bow Hunting - 2012

Every year bring new challenges when it come to bow hunting. It seems that the shoulders ache a little bit more and sometimes it feels good to sleep in in the morning.
I started a week late this fall as we were touring out East and wasn't sure just when we would get back home. One thing I was looking forward to was hunting with my bud Kurt. He started bow hunting this year and it's kind of nice to have a partner. At least on the weekends.
I was hunting my favorite stand, The Hotel California, three weeks ago when I got busted by this doe. I moved at the wrong time and she was gone. Last Friday night, we were out. We had 20 mph winds with gusts up to 30. Oh, and did I mention it was snowing? Well I was really swaying way up in my stand when she came by. I put my arrow over her back. She heard the "thwack". looked around, and walked away. I'm just glad I shot high and didn't wound her. What's interesting is that when I check my trail cam pictures a day later, here she had come back 5 minutes after I left my stand for the night. I was in my stand well before dawn Saturday morning, she came by again and wasn't so lucky this time. She only went 100 yards but I'm damn glad I had help. We had to drag her about 100 yards up hill to where I could get my ATV. Again, it sure is nice to have a partner.
I'll put the bow away for a couple of weeks. There's a turkey left to be hunted and there's a few grouse that need to be chased. By then the bucks will be in rut and it will be time to haul out the bow again.
I know it's only a doe Al but this one was for you!

The Wall

Took a road trip a couple weeks ago. Went to Niagara Falls, Canada down to Jamestown, Virginia and parts in between. Saw a lot of neat stuff and places we'd never seen before. Went to Gettysburg, Mount Vernon and Washington D.C.
Of all the places we went, there was one I had to visit above all others, that being The Vietnam Memorial Wall. I graduated with 755 classmates and we lost, to my knowledge, five in the war. In junior high, I played football against Dean Vasquez. He was a big, soft spoken Hispanic kid. He didn't say much and after playing against him I decided football wasn't in my future. He went on to letter at our high school. In fact, I think he lettered as a sophmore.
He lived a block away from me but I never really knew him. In those days, you had so many kids on your own block, you never had to go outside of it to make friends or get guys to do things with.
He joined the marines after high school and was killed in 1968.
For anyone who still reads this blog, if you go to D.C., visit the wall. Take your kids with you if you can. Look at the names. There are 58,195 of them.
May we never forget.....

Alva Rankin February 19th,1951-July 23rd,2012

As I walk the woods and listen to the wind, you will be with me. Rest in peace my friend.....