It’s colder than billy hell out here on the pool 9 ice today! Ice is extremely slick. heading out without cleats is foolish.  There are a few guys out on DeSoto Bay, a couple on Shore slough. Best bite right now is up on lake Onalaska, where there is probably enough ice to get out safely in a truck…but you might want to wait a few days. Supposed to warm up in the 20s with a chance of snow on Tuesday. Probably the best bet for the next few days.

There is a substantial buck I have been chasing all year. Couldn’t hunt him during the rut, as i was too busy guiding on the River. It is now late muzzleloader season in NE Iowa. The buck has been crossing a fence between his bedding area and food the last six days in a row. Believe I can hide about 130 yards away, if wind stays WSW until this afternoon. This will be my last deer hunt of the year. may be the last hunt of the season, too. Hunting has become a chore. ..but if you don’t go, you’ll never know.  HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

my laser sharp nephew Dan built this brand new website. The keyboard I’m typing on is similar to the one on the old Smith-Corona typewriter I learned on back in journalism school. now operating well beyond my pay grade and trying to post.  Please bear with me and you’ll start seeing pertinent outdoor info on a variety of topics. I know about the outdoors. Can load a pump shotgun and pull start an outboard. I have a rotary dial, coal powered flip phone. Don’t Facebook, Tweet, Twitter or have any other kind of social media seizure. I’m an old river rat. the computer has neither fin nor fur so may take awhile to figure out.  Anybody out there?