You Still Have a Shot at Tags

Illinois DNR has non resident archery tags left for this coming season. About 1500 tags will come available on a first come-first served basis on Aug 21st. If you haven't gotten your tags yet (Doc) make sure you hit the DNR web site and know what you need to do on the 21st.

Well, the antlers are coming out and so are the game cams. We hope to have some pictures to put up of this years hopefuls in the next few days. Have seen a few that are already outside their ears and still growing. While I haven't seen the numbers of past years I'm not bothered much. I never have been out here scouting this early either.

We've been getting a little rain to ease the drought the last couple of weeks. Creeks are flowing and there is still plenty of water in the ponds. Crops around the area have been good in some places and disasters in others because the rain has been very patchy. As an example, I live 5 miles south of Carthage and got just a shade under 0.3 of an inch on Thursday morning. A fishing buddy in town got 2.6 inches at the same time. The Good Lord makes it rain on the just and the unjust alike as my neighbor would say.

We have a lot of returning hunters this year as you'll see if you keep up with us this year. Gary and Richard (The Pennsylvania Boys), Scott and the Louisiana Boys, Jason and the Gang... I'm really looking forward to it.

Dad will be back again this year. Mom says he's been working out to get ready. He golfs 3 times a week and gets frequent naps. In all seriousness, I hear he's doing great and pretty excited about being here again. Says he'll pay his own way this year if I'll let him keep the poker money.

Everybody here is doing fine and looking forward to another great season and a lot of fun. I'll try to start updating on a semi-regular basis from here on out so we can start getting you pumped up for the season. Meanwhile...

I'll see you back at the lodge.