Took Nitro down to the river and cut him at the parking lot end. He ran a quick one & treed right by the truck. It was very hot so I called it a night.
Took Nitro down to the parking lot spot and cut him. He struck right away and headed into the woods. He came out a few minutes later and ran down the road not opening. He made a couple of passes and then dove in down the raod a little and opened. Then he trailed for about five minutes and treed a family. It was really nice to see him work this out in the hot dry conditions. He's one of the best I've seen down here. Maybe THE best. Anyway, I was soaked with sweat after this & Nitro looked pretty hot too. I called it a night.
I took Roy down to the river and walked him around by the parking lot field. I took him because he stays pretty close when I hunt him alone. It was very dry. I had two singles after I made my round of the field. I headed ot the hot spot next. I walked Roy around both the north and south fields. I saw plenty of damage but never got a strike. Roy tried to head deep into woods a couple of times and I called him back. No need to go too far away from the corn, I'll just come back another night.
Took Nitor to the field past the dam and cut him. I was sort of mad when he swung into the woods and headed back west. I was sure the coons were all out of there and would be esat now. To my surprise he struck after a couple of minutes. This turned out to be one of the best tracks in a long time. This coon zig-zagged all around in those woods. It must have been 15 minutes of fast tracking. Finally Nitro located about 1/2 way to the dam. He took a little while to settle in and then really started chopping. There were several giant trees close together and I thought he was one tree off at first. When the coon came down a little I could see Nitro had picked the right one. I went down to the parking lot and ran a quick hot one there. I found the strip they are picking, I thisk this end is going to be a lot of trouble this year. I went up to the new hot spot but I decided to call it a night instead of turniong loose. I had a "funny" feeling and there was a little too much traffic. I'll hit it late a couple times this weekend.
Seever called & had some new hot spots. He also said there was damage dwon by the parking lot end of the river. I started there & sent Nitro west from the gate. He swung behind me and started a track way in the woods. He was trailing along the ditch towards the creek and I didn't want to go in there so I called him and then gave him a warning tone. He circled instead of coming to me and I gave him a mild shock. I was tracking him and giving him warning tones but he wouldn't come. It finally dawned on me that he was going to the truck. He looked pretty bummed when I got there. Sorry big guy. I took him past the dam and sent him in next. He struck in a few seconds and was runniing back into the woods. He laid into a tree and had a coon. I took him to the gun club and he ran a hot one there. He didn't tree quite as hard, I think he was still a little hot from the last track. I went to the new hot spot and walked the edge a little, then I went back and brought Nitro. I let him loose a little ways from the road and he struck right away. He went down the valley & I didn't want to go there so I called him out. He came right away. I walked the edge a little more and cut him again. He went about 15 feet and struck hot. He went another 10 feet located and treed hard. He had a coon. That was enough for one night. We're both tired today.
Stef came along & we went to the river. I sent Nitro along the edge of the field beyond the dam. He struck right away. He struggled for a while and then moved it east along the river. At one point about midway, the track really seemed to pick up, then he moved further up the river. I saw a coon sitting up where he had just been. He treed past the end of the field & had a sow & kit. It seemed like a long way for them to run & I wonder if he didn't switch tracks where I saw that other coon sitting up. Anyway, a nice job.
I had some coons to get rid of. I ran one by the gun club and the other down by parking lot gate. I made a lot of racket both times & didn't see any other coons sitting up. Seems like it's under control now. May be a couple of days before the next wave of coons comes through.
Finally a cool night so I headed down to the river. I went to thte field beyond the dam first. I saw two skunks on the way. He struck right away & headed into the woods. I saw eyes on the ground as I walked the edge. He struggled for a long tine then settled on a tree. It was a jungle & I could hardly even walk around the tree to shine. I didn't see a coon & I had the feeling he missed. I walked him back to the truck. A coon was up right by the truck & I just put him on that tree. Next to the gun club. He hunted out nice and struck on the swamp side. He ran all the way to the back by the road & then treed. He sounded a little confused. When I got there it was a big leaning bowed tree that went into yet another big leaning bow that went into a 3rd big tree. I could see why he was confused, but he had the coon. A big corn fed fellow. That was enough for one night.
Took Nitro down to the river. He treed one right away back beyond the dam. While I was taking a picture the coon jumped out right in front of us. I couldn't hardly believe it and I kept shining to see if it was something else. Finally I let Nitro loose. He treed on a big den back in the jungle. I didn't see the coon. I took him up to the far east end of the corn and let him go again. He ran a track down the river & I finally just caught him. I let him go at the gun club and he ran a nice track and treed a litter there. Enough for one night.
Took Nitro down to the river & sent him down the gun club road. He struck a hot one and ran it into the jungle on the ditch. He located and treed on a big leaner. The was another fallen tree at the base that a coon could croos to the other side. I saw coon tracks in the mud at the base of Nitro's tree. I couldn't find the coon but I could only shine part of the tree. The corn is not going to be ready for a while still.
It was a cool night so I took Nitro to the vegetable garden.
As I was walking across the field he must have spotted something because he kept pulling. When I let him go, he ran off across the open instead of heading for the woods. I gave him a few warning tones & he swung around and headed for the woods.
He struck after a few minutes and ran a nice track. I could tell he was going trough thick brush along the ditch. He grubbed for a while & then located & treed hard. It wasn't a long walk to him but the brush made it seem that way. He was treed on a big tree on the ditch. It was a jungle & I could not find a coon. While I was circling the tree, about the 3rd time around, I spotted a possum up a couple trees over.
I don't think he was messing with the possum. It was low on the tree & looked to me like it climbed because it was caught in the crossfire. In fact it was low enough that I think Nitro might have been able to grab it if he tried hard enough.
Anyway, I searched for a while, gave up and went back to the truck.
Just another night that makes me wish the corn gets ripe soon.
The weather was wonderful Thursday night. I went to the vegetable garden and sent Nitro in a little after 11:00. He struck a track on the ditch and grubbed for a while. I though he might take the west branch so I crossed over and followed the edge of the woods. He swung around and started working back my way so I just stood in the field and listened. It was tough going for him & I wasn't sure he'd figure it out. He was so close I was thinking about catching him. Finally he located and treed right in front of me. To my surprise he had the coon. I figure it was heading to the south woods and it climbed when I crossed in front of it. Anyway, that was one heck of a job. I would have liked to really petted him up on that tree but I was right on the edge behind the houses. I figured it's better to get him and move on.
I think Nitro is about perfect when alone. Now if we can just get him solid enough so that he won't let other dogs drag him down to their level.
Talked to Seever a little bit today. Decided to chek the river out & took Nitro. I sent him along the ditch by the gun club. He struck at the end of the field & when I got down there he had crossed the ditch. He was having trouble. I wlked back to the bridge and came up the other side of the ditch. When I could see his light I called to him. He didn't come & I didn't worry about it, I just walked back to the truck. I tracked him and to my surprise he was way behind me now, up by the first bridge. I drove up there and walked the creek & called. Finally I shocked him in. He really reminded me of Mabel the way he got away from me when he tought I was going to catch him. Anyway, no time to let him grub anything out up there just yet. I drove around a little, it looks like the jungle is a little thicker this year and the river is still pretty high. The corn won't be ready for 2 weeks. I guess I'll stick to the vegetable garden a little longer. I came out the Shakopee gate & driving back up there was a dead deer on the side of the road. Either it was all bloated up or that was one huge animal. Saw a dead coon a little farther up. Made me think it was a good idea to get those lighted collars. I keep on top of dogs and they don't usually get to the roads down there but the extra protection of the light will give me a little peace of mind. The last two years it's been mostly Josie and Ruby down there. They both hunted pretty close. Nitro is going to spread it out more like Mabel or Belle. He should tree more coons but it will probably wear me out some nights.