Elk Hunting

The title of this post might lead you to think it is something about The Farmer. But in fact it is about me and my first elk hunting experience, my first hunting experience of any kind. We headed out in the morning to head down the road to check the neighbors property since the elk had been there recently. The Farmer peeled out around the barn to the driveway as we both looked up at the field across the street and saw the elk, now running since we spooked them pulling out.

We drove over to the neighbors and got out to weight around to see if more would come because what we saw running was no where near the whole herd. Sure enough after about ten minutes they started wondering out of the woods at the northwest corner of the field. We were in the southeast corner of the field so we got in a good position to shoot and waited for them to make there way to us. Once they came closer I took a shoot at the lead one and they all ran off back to the woods they came out of. The Farmer and I walked up to where the elk was to check for blood. There was none, after some investigation we confirmed it was a miss.

We got back in the car to see if we could find them. For the elk to leave the part of the woods they ran into they would have to cross a road or some more open terrain where we would see tracks. Wouldn't you know they had not come out. They were still in the same, small patch of wooded area. So into the woods we went to see if we could find them. The night before we got a light dusting of new snow which made it quite easy to find and follow their tracks. As we were walking as quietly as we could we could hear them moving around. Eventually we found ourselves about 20 yards away from them but too thick of brush for me to feel comfortable taking a shot. They took off running so we made our way to a nearby road and walked out to the main road. We were nearing home looked up in the same field and there were the elk again running through the field to the east. We started running up the road to the same spot I shot from before. Two coyotes scared the elk so they went running back to the west to the same woods they have been in for most of the morning.

We made a plan to set me up and The Farmer (aka He Who Hunts Buff-alow/Shooter/Over Kill), to head to woods to push the elk out. I was to give him 15 minutes and then head home. Well about ten minutes later the elk come out of the woods. My heart was definitely racing but I worked at keeping myself calm and steady. They were all standing together, as soon as one stepped out of the herd I took a shot. The elk got excited but they didn't go running off. After a bit they all wondered off except the one shot, she just stood there. At that point my brother in-law joined me and the elk stepped into the woods standing right at the tree line. We walked over to The Farmer and waited for awhile before we walked over to where the elk was, we could not see her from where we were standing. As soon as The Farmer stepped into the woods where we knew the elk went in she took off running. And that began the long track of finding her through multiple properties. Thankfully all the owners gave us permission to continue to track her. There were a few times the three of us had to split as other tracks appeared until one of us found blood. Around three hours after my shot we got her.

At this point we ended up just above a service road for the irrigation company. We were on a very steep hill covered in ice and the elk was stuck on some trees. The plan became to pull her loose and get her down to the road then we could drive the truck up to the elk. What we were unable to tell about this steep hill was that is dropped off about ten feet before the road. My brother in-law was on the downhill side of the elk and The Farmer commented that he better watch out once they get her loose because she will really start moving. She did get moving and so did my brother in-law, together down the hill and off the ten foot cliff. They landed on the road with the elk on top of my brother in-law. We got a verbal that he was okay and then we started laughing. It is funny thinking about the fact that a dead elk landed on him. Though he is still hurting from it and I feel quite bad that it happened. At the this point The Farmer and I took off to get myself home so I could take Micah to music class and so he could get the truck. 

That was end of my involvement. I wanted nothing to do with the gutting and skinning. I wouldn’t have minded cutting up the meat but I still left that to the men.What an experience! Fun but I certainly don't plan on going hunting with all of them in the fall. We are very thankful for the harvest of meat that we get to share and enjoy.

Mr. Cook

 

Micah has been able to experience some pretty amazing this living in the country. One happened about two weeks ago. He will usually begin talking about this experience by mentioning Mr. Cook. This man made a big impression on Micah. He is the driver of a log truck that came to our house to pick up a load The Farmer had cut down. Micah got to watch Mr. Cook load all of the logs onto the truck. If you ask him about it he will give you quite a detailed description, for a three year old about how it was done. If that wasn't enough to concrete the memory in a little boys mind Mr. Cook offered to give Micah a ride from where the logs were on the back of the property up to the house. That made his day, I wasn't out there but I can imagine the look on Micah's face.

What's Next

I live an interesting life as a mother and living in the country. Here is proof.

This happened Monday.

This happened today....wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Field Burning

I have been writing about the kids a lot lately, of course that is the most interesting. But you might wonder what else has been going on around here. Well The Farmer has be anxious to get one of the pastures burned and the weather finally cooperated about two weeks ago (someday I will blog about something right after it happens, someday). Here is a little Q and A with The Farmer on a job he thoroughly enjoyed doing. I guess it is the old fire fighter coming out in him.

Q: Farmer why are you burning the field?

A:Well you see the nutrients are locked up in the plants. By burning you release those nutrients back into the soil making for a healthier pasture.


Q: Are you not worried about it spreading somewhere you don't want it to go? Like the other pasture, or to the cherry trees, or the fence...?

A: No, notice the snow over there. So it wont burn that way. This field wasn't watered last summer, so it had dry grass all over it. That pasture over there was used last year and notice how it's still kinda green. Fire has to be really hot to burn green grass. So it wont burn that way. Look up the hill at the fence. On the other side is green grass aswell. So it wont burn that way. Over there is the road. So it wont burn that way. And finally down here is the creek. Last I checked fire doesn't consume water. So it wont burn this way either. Guess that means it will only burn the field we want it too.

Q: How do you burn the field then?

A: What you do is go around the perimeter of the field putting fire to the grass and then it burns in on its self.


Now you know about field burning, and I'm sure you feel so much more knowledgeable. 

Exploring

Recently we headed out to explore around the area we live. I guess it is not much exploring for The Farmer since he lived here since he was 11 but he still enjoys getting out. We drove up to the top of Bald Butte, steepest road I think I've driven on. We were definitely getting some looks from hikes on their way down.

As soon as we got out of the car Micah says "dirt!" immediately followed by "rock!", this boy loves rocks. He began to pick up and throw the ones he could and after I showed him how he could sit on larger rocks he wanted to sit on every rock that he past.

What a sweet moment between father and son.

It was fun to get out with just the three of us. I look forward to more outings like this throughout the summer.

Planting 2012

  

Back about two weeks ago we had a group of friends, family and hired guys help us plant the last bit of this years trees. I say bit but it was over 700 trees. We are so very appreciative of everyone that came and helped. With everyone it took about 4 hours to get them in the ground! Woohoo!! Micah had a great time being outside and getting dirty.

 

 

  

It took quite a lot of work to get everything ready for planting. I saw a commercial that was showing guys working out in the country and then the narrator says "out here 9 to 5 is 5 to 9", that was so try for The Farmer as he was punching all the holes, setting up string lines, mowing the grass, getting the trees soaking in kelp grow, and many other tasks so the crew could just get straight to planting.

This group of trees came from two different nurseries. One of them we are definitely not impressed with in comparison. Look at the difference between these two. With the larger one it is quite possible that we could get a crop a year earlier. We certainly won't be ordering from the other nursery again.

 

 

What really excited Micah was a fly over we got by Uncle Mike. Micah just kept saying "a-pain" (airplane) over and over. And of course he enjoyed playing in the dirt.

 

Totally unrelated but still cute. Micah is just like his Dad in that he does not like things too loud. So now this is what he does when he thinks something is loud.

Looking for Elk

I  think Micah is going to grow up and be a great spotter. He is already helping us look for elk. Mind you the field they are usually in is out the window behind Micah and that it is the middle of the day but he is getting his practice in. He makes his Dad proud too when you ask him what an elk says. I think this boy will be out hunting before I know it. Right now it is funny when he looks out the scope he has it in between his eyes or on his forehead. You must start somewhere.

P.S. Please don't notice the mismatched pajamas, we had a diaper leak in the middle of the night.

Orchardess

As of today I feel like I can officially be called an orchardess. Before today my involvement with our orchard has primarily been taking pictures. But this afternoon I helped The Farmer mark out where he will be drilling holes for the trees we have here (about half of what we are planting this year). He was able to get started on punches the holes today which is really good because the trees REALLY need to get in the ground.

Lessons learned today:
Jeans are hot

Allergies are no fun and especially no fun when pregnant

SPF 15 is not enough on skin that has not seen the light of day in at least six months

And now we must observe a moment of silence to three tress lost to the hands, I mean mouths of gophers. Micah did enjoy playing with the poor tree, notice the lack of roots. (Shaking my fist at the gophers). But all in all three isn't that bad. Plus The Farmer has gotten back at those gophers. Hehe.
 

Hello Winter

Friday we woke to 3-4 inches of snow. It was beautiful. Where we live now we get the pretty snow. In Bend we would occasionally get the pretty snow. But usually it was the dry ugly snow that just blows around never really accumulating.

I knew we could and would be getting snow soon. It is pretty seeing the fall leaves peeking out through the white snow, especially the tamarack trees.

As we were sitting down to dinner Friday The Farmer spotted elk in the field across the street. We ran to the scope and binoculars and counted at least sixty elk, with at least one bull. It was so cool, but too dark to get a picture without dragging out the tripod.

We also got about 3-4 inches of soon on Saturday. I'm so glad the guys don't have to been up on the roof of the addition anymore.


Yesterday we saw this smaller buck go through our front yard, cross the road and through the neighbors field. I ran as quickly and as quietly as I could out the door to snap a few pictures.

God is Good

This is why we put our trust in God. He never fails us. Many times it is hard to see that in the midst of a crisis, or His works are not seen until looking back through the lens of time, often years. Still there have been times in our life that we can see God working and His power right away.


Last week I walked out with Micah and The Farmer to see what he had been doing with the trees. See the white trunks, he painted all the trees that way. The theory is it will reflect warmth from the sun in the winter and early spring so the trees don't come out of dormancy too early.


While out their I was curious about the trees that the deer had gotten to. The Farmer showed me new growth on some nearby trees and said all the trees that were hit have new growth! Which means all of them survived the attack of the deer. Now of course it is time for them to start shutting down for the winter. But I am so happy to know that so far they are all alive. God is good!

Trusting Him

Agriculture is a true test in trusting God, not that everyday life isn't, I just feel it more acutely when your livelihood is dependent on a crop that has so many uncontrollable variables affecting it. Thankfully we have faith and confidence in the One who does control those variables.

After The Farmer got back from AT he found the trees had cherry slugs and one other pest on them. It took a bit of research to determine what those pest were, but once he knew, he was able to spray the trees and that took care of it.

Last weekend in just two nights deer penetrated through all the trees and 60%-80% were eaten on. About 25% of them were heavy hit, requiring pruning. Those trees won't grow anymore this year. Prayerfully they will next year.

We could stress and worry about the trees. But that would be carrying something that is not ours to carry. We thank and praise God during the "good times" but He commands us to thank Him in all things. Who is to say what is good and bad when we don't have a full view of eternity anyways? If I say I have faith in God but then worry and question Him when challenging times arise, would that not be a selective faith? How could I even have a selective faith? Either I have faith in God and assurance in His sovereignty or my trust lies in myself. We chose to trust Jehovah Jireh (God who provides). He is proven Himself to us time and time again. How could we do anything but trust Him.