I'm sure we'll have some warm days ahead, but if this cool weather doesn't fill your head with warm, fuzzy thoughts of killing a big buck, nothing will.

The deer numbers are out in full force. Lots of buck being seen in all three states of Iowa, Missouri and Texas.
If you drive at night here, you better have one foot on the break at all times. I love the deer in the fall but they are accidents waiting to happen right now.

Jeff just got back from looking Texas over. We did have a brush fire that touched the border of our ranch, but thankfully, it didn't get on our property.
He saw some nice bucks just going down the lane to the ranch house when he first arrived. The ranch had finally gotten some rain...even before the Hurricane came in, so things were in good shape there.

Steve has been planting several food plots for our hunters. It's it odd how there is always a shooting house nearby?
But still, it's never easy to bring down a deer.

One extra suggestion that Steve has this year is for everyone to practice from various elevated positions before your hunt begins with us.
This will help cut down on wounds and misses.
So...practice, practice, practice.
See you soon.
D

What is really neat this year is that Steve is positioning his fold up chair right on the ground up in an area where deer like to cross the road.
They come running right at the camera, and you think that they might not stop. Finally about 10 yards away, they come to a screetching halt. It's really pretty amazing and funny. Plus a little scary.
If you've never been to the midwest this time of year, you should try it sometime.

I wanted to say thank you to everyone for the phone calls and emails asking if we were okay.
We're fine, but those less than an hour north of us are not doing so well. They have been devastated.
Steve––being Steve––had to be the first to plant crops in the entire United States, and actually it was a very good thing this year.
Our crops are in MO and are doing well, but even our neighbors around our Iowa home have either had most their crops drowned out while many didn't get crops in the fields at all.
Wow! what a weather year we have had. From the ice storms in the winter to the floods in the spring.

We were very "BLESSED" to have been spared. We ask all of you to pray with us for everyone who hasn't been as fortunate, and especially those who have lost much more than just corn or soybeans.

Thanks friends!
D

Thelma (my mom and the world's best cook) was on top of the situation and still managed to cook her awesome meals. Thanks to everyone who bragged on her as well.

I hope that next year is the year that we connect with the 200 inch deer that we see around every year. We choked on them, missed them and even wounded them (but they lived we believe). Some deer are lucky but their day is coming.

There's a couple of old sayings... if you are nervous, you are supposed to imagine that your audience is naked. So, we should think of that deer as being naked. Maybe that will work.
Or when you are practicing this year preparing for next year, pretend that there is a 400 inch deer standing there. Surely a 200 + or even a bigger deer won't shake you up then!

I'll get serious now...

We are full for many dates and the Harrisburg show is coming up. Be sure to get your deposits to me before we get to the show if you plan on coming back to see us.

Thank you everyone. We had a great time and hope that you did too. See you another day.
D

Thank you from all of us.

Pat C. - 140's buck.

Steve W. - Wounded.

Ray S. - He had a tough time with 2 miss fires.

Cook E. - nice mid 150's.

Vern B. - another nice 150's.

Tom B - Beautiful 140's.

Joe P. - 125

Mike Q. - High 130's

Jeff B. -wounded a bigger monster buck.

Claude L. - harvested a nice buck in the 140s.

Rich C. got a nice 130's buck

Mike B.- took a beautiful 150's buck. Mike also wounded one that he believed to be around 200 inchs. We looked, looked, and looked some more but couldn't recover that one.

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the wonderful hospitality and great hunting we again experienced at your Iowa and Missouri camps. I was able to accompany my father and video him on all six days of his hunt and share in some great memories. It is unfortunate that our team was not able to capitalize on the great bucks that Rick put us onto. He did a great job getting us in position for success. We saw two Booner’s during the week and 6 other bucks over 150. Each of those bucks was in bow range or just outside which made for some great drama. In the end the increased impact of having us both in the tree may have lessened our chances for a wallhanger. My father had the hunt of his life and although he did not put anything in the freezer he was not disappointed. Our video coverage of the 8 pt demolishing our decoy and the Booner non-typical that was following it is priceless. Our experience shows that a great hunt does not necessarily need to end with a trophy on the wall. It’s the ups and downs and memories that are shared along the way that really matter. This may be my Father’s only guided hunt in his lifetime and I commend him on the tireless preparation over the summer and am glad that he was able to experience your first class operation. I continue to talk about my experiences at J&S and recommend you to all my hunting contacts. I hope you have a successful conclusion to your season and a great 2008.

Best wishes,

Tim Werth