I hope everyone had a very happy thanks giving!
I have bad news to share tonight. Last week the DNR announced that CWD was discovered in 2 deer killed in the first shot gun season in the hunting unit adjacent to the one I am in. They were testing deer in this unit because directly south of it in Iowa, CWD had been discovered the prior year. Right now the DNR is waiting for further results to come in from deer tested in unit 347 during the 2nd deer season which just ended. Then they will tell us what they are going to do.
The infected deer were killed one mile apart from each other, roughly 35 miles from my house as the crow flies. The DNR has announced that beginning 1/1/17 an all out effort will be made to reduce the deer herd in a yet to be announced quarantine area.
So I am very saddened but not surprised by this development. It's been knocking at our doors now for quite a while. I hate to think that the best hunting of my life is now past tense. I guess I will just have to wait and see what develops next.
Tonight I hiked up to the food plots in the old upper hay field. There was a good and steady breeze out of the NW.
It's been wet and warm here. Too bad it has not been cold, as we would surely have a half a foot of snow on the ground if it was. The scenery looks just like it has for the last 2 months.
[
I have been seeing deer early in the food plots down by the house while I was resting the wrist these last few days and was hopeful there would be some early deer movement up top as well.
But it was nearly dark when a solitary yearling walked past me into the food plot in front and over the crest of the hill from me. I passed on about a 20 yarder. Just too far of a shot in the dim light for me. Then as I was climbing down a snort rang out from below and behind me. I never got to see what it was, only heard it run off.
Hoping for a cold snap and some white stuff soon.