Fast food from the farm

Fast food from the farm

The annual early teal season is usually a total crap shoot. At least it is at the Lone Oak Duck Club in western Missouri. Sometimes the little speedsters  have come and gone before the season opens. Other times they’re still up north.

The table is setNo need to brush a blind. Just hunker down in the flooded millet before daylight, load up and wait. And make sure you bring as much industrial strength mosquito repellant as you can carry.  The teal…usually blue wing… may show up or they won’t. The shooting will be over by 9 AM and you can go back to bed or do some chores around the farm.

This time the guys were in luck. Okay…a little luck anyway.

 

 

A Typical Atypical Rack


I’ve never shot a deer with a truly atypical rack. I once shot a little buck with only one antler but I figured he was born with a standard rack and had half of it knocked off in a fight. I’ve shot a few bucks with more points on one side than the other but I don’t think that’s considered atypical as far as official Boone & Crockett scoring goes.

 

But THIS guy has a decidedly ATYPICAL rack, what we would call deformed, like a guy with six fingers on one hand. I owe these wonderful photos to my friend Dave Zumbaugh’s trail cam. Dave lives just outside Shawnee Mission Park in eastern, Kansas where white tails practically outnumber the leaves on the trees. So Dave’s trail cam get’s a LOT of cool shots like these.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another big Kansas Whitetail buck

When this big Kansas whitetail buck was born The Lord told him, “Son, I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that I’m giving you a BRAIN. It’s a wonderful thing. You can use it to find food and to keep from getting shot by some redneck with a rifle or bow. And I’m giving you a PENIS, which is also a wonderful thing. It will bring you great pleasure and you can use it to propagate your species.” The little buck said, “Golly! That sounds great! But what’s the bad news?” to which The Lord answered, “I’m only giving you enough blood supply to use one of them at a time.”

You can see where this big guy hides out in the daytime. He usually comes out to play only in the daylight. But look what he’s doing. Which of God’s gifts do you think he’s using now?

A big thank you to my buddy Scott and his army of trail cams for sharing this photo with me.

 

 

 

 

Captains For Clean Water

Captains for clean Water is on a mission to restore and protect aquatic resources for the use and enjoyment of all. Through education and advocacy they fight to ensure that policymakers implement science-based solutions to our water quality issues.

One of the biggest barriers to fixing the problems facing Florida’s estuaries and Everglades boils down to one thing –people just don’t know about them. Captains for Clean Water works to raise awareness and advance science-based solutions to solve Florida’s water mismanagement and secure the health of our water resources, protecting our way of life for future generations.

The Florida peninsula is one of the most unique landscapes on earth. Periodically inundated in a sub-tropical setting, it features one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, the Everglades. The control of this water – draining it, redirecting it, and containing it – has been an evolving story over the last two centuries of man versus nature. It’s a story where there is no true winner unless we can find a balance that ensures the ongoing health of each.

In 2016 two fishing guides, Captains Daniel Andrews and Chris Wittman, decided they’d “had enough” of Florida’s poor water management practices devastating the estuaries they rely on. They were convinced that if everyone knew about the issues they would have been fixed long ago. The solution is known but has been delayed for decades due to lack of political will and public awareness. So they set out to change that.

They work to advance science-based solutions through efforts focused on awareness and education, empowering people to speak up for our water quality and hold elected officials accountable. Together they have united the outdoor industry, environmental groups,  the business community and concerned citizens around these important issues, and are seeing more people than ever get involved in the fight for clean water. As a result, progress is happening at a record pace but we still have a long way to go.  We must fight to protect these valuable resources for future generations.

THE PROBLEM

Water mismanagement in Florida has led to the near collapse of three nationally-recognized estuaries. The Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers are inundated with polluted freshwater from Lake Okeechobee, causing toxic algae blooms, seagrass die-offs, and fish kills while the Everglades are starved of the natural freshwater flow they desperately need.

THE SOLUTION

Send the water south. Not east, west, or underground. The solution, called Everglades restoration, was passed by Congress in 2000 in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), the roadmap to restoring the Everglades.

PROGRESS

Through awareness, education, and advocacy, Captains For Clean Water has rallied together the outdoor industry, environmental community, businesses, and everyday citizens, providing a platform for their voices to be heard. Because of their incredible supporters they are seeing progress happen at a record pace and critical projects being expedited.

Captains For Clean Water is a grassroots 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that fights to restore and protect our water resources.

(866) 670-2329

http://www.captainsforcleanwater.org

[email protected]

 

 

Southern Marsh Charters

Capt. Andrew Mizell is a third-generation Floridian. Born in Pensacola, he was introduced to the great outdoors at an early age. His father served in the navy, which gave Andrew the incredible opportunity to fish in numerous destinations around the world including Florida, Cuba, Bahamas, Tennessee Maryland and Maine. After his father retired Andrew set roots in Jacksonville and attended the University of North Florida.

Capt. Andrew is owner and operator of Southern Marsh Charters and General Manager of Strike-Zone Fly Fishing in Jacksonville. He has over 25 years of experience inshore fly fishing. If you want to experience a charter targeting redfish in the shallowest of waters during low tide or chase tailing redfish in northeast Florida’s unique floodtides visit the website of Southern Marsh Charters or give him a call at 850-346-0060. Andrew is a supporter of Captains for Clean Water.

I can tell you from personal experience that he will work tirelessly to put you where the fish are and do everything in his power to help you catch them.