Farm Conditions
Hunting from 9/25/08
Farm #1
We planted corn at each end of farm 1, but there is a substantial amount of weed and grass cover around the corn. In the center field I mowed a dog training area of a couple of acres, but it has grown back, and is surrounded by heavy weed and grass mix.
The corn is to be chopped for silage, and the farmer assures me that it will be one of the first fields harvested, and he has promised to leave some strips of corn. /we are already using this farm for pheasant, quail and chukar with great success. As the crops come off, I believe this will be one of the favorite farms in the system.
Farm #2 & #3
Farm # 2 is still full of crops and not ready yet. I have beans on most of it, and when they're combined, the very birdy fence rows will be a fun hunt for those who aren't afraid to walk.
Farm # 3 is nearly all wheat stubble, with a little corn and a strip of soy beans. This farm turned out to be a great one for quail and chukars this year. We have had many hunters who are very enthusiastic in their praise of this hunt.
Later in the fall we will probably combine these farms frequently to get a big farm with a nice variety of cover.
Farm #5
We moved the gate for farm # 5 back to its original location by the big ditch on Cade Rd. That gives us a starting point that takes advantage of the prevailing west wind.
The old set aside field between the ditch and the fence row on the north is especially nice cover, and for the time being the 100' wide filter strip along the ditch gives us some hunting back to the west field which borders the RR Tracks. That field is grassy hay about knee high right now but the farmer may take one more cutting of hay soon. Even if he does there is the little ditch, and the cover along the tracks.
The center and the field on the corner of Cade and Stiles are in soy beans which are just starting to turn yellow. As soon as they're gone, two more fence rows with excellent cover will become active. The last hunter on farm # 5 got his 4 bird limit of pheasants and had shooting at two wild pheasants.
Farms #7, #10, & #14
These farms all have so much standing crop that it will be a few weeks before we start to use them.
Farm #9
Old faithful, farm # 9 is once again going to live up to its status of most hunters favorite. Hay recently cut in the front field will give the dogs a chance to loosen up and have their toilet.
Corn in the next field north, all the way to the ditch will hold birds in the area, and will probably be taken in strips to offer us a great hunting opportunity for several weeks.
The field by the North -South ditch is great, and the filter strip on the west side of the ditch will be birdy, as will the RR Track fence row.
Farm #11
This farm will depend on the harvest. There is a lot of corn and beans, and there may be some wonderful stripped out corn hunting on this farm.
