You may find it hard to believe but I enjoyed a couple days off the grid. Only used my computer to import photos from my camera and a couple of the guys I was hunting pheasant with. It was a nice break but I’m back at ZimmComm World Headquarters and ready to rock and roll.
This is our group with most of a day’s batch of feisty pheasants. Central South Dakota conditions were just about perfect. Sunny, dry but very dusty. The birds were there but we had to cover a lot of ground to find them. But after is was over we all had our daily limits of roosters!
We hunted on a row crop/livestock farm. It is a beautiful operation. Most of the birds we found were in Conservation Reserve Program fields with shoulder high grass. That made for some leg muscle burn! The farm is a good example of how serious farmers take responsibility for good care of the land they tend. They’re helping feed many other people, taking care of the environment and providing an opportunity for outdoor recreation. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Here’s the happy hunting crew at Mystic Prairie hunting lodge. The early season (preserve permit) weather has been a challenge. Hot and windy. Temps in the 80′s with wind gusting to 36 mph. Not the best weather for hunting pheasant but we got the job done.
By the time I get this posted Cindy should be in Minnesota where she’ll be attending tomorrow’s grand opening of the new Syngenta Seeds headquarters in Minnetonka. I’m sure you’ll see some posts from there tomorrow.
Meanwhile I’ll be traveling back via Des Moines for one more meeting before returning to ZimmComm World Headquarters. See you then.
My main man Russell Graves has been putting his new Canon 5D Mark II digital SLR to good use in the production of his Hunt Junkies show. He needed a new camera after his previous one met with the “untimely death” referred to in his description of the latest episode. I talked Russell into attending the recent Ag Media Summit and had planned to be there to introduce him around. That didn’t work out but I hope you got to meet him if you were there. He’s a good writer and photographer.
A long time coming, this latest episode of Hunt Junkies is the first ever fishing episode and takes place in the beautiful Devils River country of Southwest Texas. Adventure, fun, and even an untimely death
Michael Waddell is the star of Bone Collectors on the Outdoor Channel. He was one of the competitors in the New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race, hosted by Michael Peterson.
Waddell gave it a valiant effort and hopefully will compete again next year.
I don’t know if you’ve ever been to a hunting show but even though I’m a hunter I haven’t until last week at the Dixie Deer Classic. This was a pretty cool event and I didn’t buy too much stuff.
So if you’d like to get a feel for it I put together a string of video clips from this year’s event. This way you get the sights and sounds and believe me there are some sounds.
The Dixie Deer Classic will end tomorrow but I won’t be here. I finished up my work with the Drive Green Tractor Utility Show this afternoon.
It wasn’t all hard work though and I had time to wander around. Today they had a flea market on the grounds that was huge. Apparently it’s every Saturday on the North Carolina State Fair grounds. The weather couldn’t have been more picture perfect. I took a few and added them to the photo album.
As they measure or score more and more deer racks, the number of “trophies’ lining the walls gets bigger and bigger. Here’s a shot of just one side of the area where they do it. Your first rack can be measured and entered in competition here for no charge but then your next one is only $5.
He says he’s grown old with the Dixie Deer Classic. But Bruce Blackwell, General Manager, doesn’t look old to me. I caught up with him relaxing on a golf cart this afternoon. I made him get up for a picture though. He says the show started in 1981. He says the easiest way to describe the show is, “a great big convention for hunters and outdoorsmen.” The exhibits haven’t changed but there are more of them that include outfitters, equipment and art.
Of course we talked about John Deere’s involvement in the show. Additionally, he spoke about how this year they opened early on Friday to bring out over 300 school children who actually attended public school approved classes on site.
Here’s another case of the shooter getting shot. And I don’t mean Deer or Deere.
I’ve been on and off the computer today here at the Dixie Deer Classic and loving the free open wireless internet access. There’s no formal media room but since I’m working for the Drive Green Utility Tractor Show today and tomorrow, I had no problem pulling up some table space in one part of the exhibit. Traffic has been picking up all day here and I’ve heard that it’s going to be crazy later on and this weekend.
I know hunting isn’t “agriculture” but . . . there are a lot of farm folks wandering around. This morning the show hosted large groups of urban school children who attended workshops and got some great first hand experience with hunting and wildlife. After seeing lots of comments lately about how out of touch our urban population is with farming, I think this is a good thing.
I don’t know is he’s really called the Deer Measurer but he is one and he says, “Have tape measure, Will travel.” He’s Dave Boland and he’s an official measurer for Pope & Young, Boone & Crockett, Long Hunter Society and the North American Shed Hunters Club. He explained the process for coming up with the measurement to score deer racks. I’ve got a bunch of racks but I’ve never had mine measured or mounted. I’m still waiting to get one that’s worth it.
Here at the Dixie Deer Classic he’s been busy. He says that the definition of trophy is the biggest deer you’ve killed. So, anyone can bring their mount or rack in and have it measured and it will be a trophy for them. I like that idea. For you serious hunters out there, he does say that long tines are the key to big scores.
I’m on location in a deer hunters paradise. Well, I’m not in the woods looking at a big buck but I am at the Dixie Deer Classic. This is a big show at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. John Deere has their Drive Green Utility Tractor Show set up here and I’m actually posting from one of their displays since the grounds have free open wireless access. How’s that for a concept?
The first guy I met when I walked in was Reece Untz, Porta Climb, Inc. He’s pictured here with his granddaughter on one of his products. I let him get my coverage of the event started by doing a short interview. Reece says he was here at the first Dixie Deer Classic and that they get between 15-18,000 people through. Things started a little slow this morning but then it is a work day. I’m betting this place will be packed by tonight since it’s open until 9pm.
Reece says they make a Cadillac product and in fact I think I have a relative with one of these stands. They don’t look like they’ll fit in an overhead on a plane but I’m thinking they would be very comfortable in the woods this November.
You can listen to my interview with Reece here: dixie-deer-classic-porta-climb.mp3
Porta Climb® tree stands are made with an all steel, welded construction. Their durable design makes them sturdy enough to last through many seasons of hunting wear and tear. The Cadillac Stand and the Convertible Stand can both have carrying straps added for ease of transport through the woods.
At the end of this week I’ll be at the Dixie Deer Classic. Maybe I should call it the Dixie Deere Classic since I’ll be working on the Drive Green Utility Tractor Show once again. This is going to be fun. I’m thinking I should take an extra suitcase just because there will be so much cool stuff to see and want.
The Dixie Deer Classic has been recognized nationally as the Premier Trophy Whitetail Deer Show in the country. It was the first successful show of its kind, and lit the spark that has brush fired into similar show all across the nation. All available exhibit space is used to maximum advantage while keeping large aisle spacing for crowd movement. The show is held annually the first weekend of March, based on the Sunday date. It is open three full days; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The Dixie Deer Classic is held at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in the Jim Graham Building, The Exposition Center, Dorton Arena and the Kerr Scott Building.
One thing I know for sure is that I wish I had one of these new John Deere Gators to use in my annual deer hunt this November!
I’m back and ready to see what’s been going on while I’ve been battling the elements in South Dakota. This is the longest amount of time I’ve been away from mobile phones and the internet in years.
I did have a great time hunting pheasants during the Pheasantennial. Here’s our group after a very successful day in the fields. We had some challenging conditions which included near 60 mph winds on Sunday. So someday I’ll be able to tell the youngsters, “I remember hunting pheasants in gale force winds.” Of course that wind did some damage to corn that has yet to be harvested.
So, if you’re interested in some hunt photos I’ve got them in an online photo album.
I told you I would be posting lightly for a couple days. It’s pretty wet in South Dakota with some early morning fog.
However, if you look down the gravel road at our hunting lodge you can see some pheasants having a little get together out on the road.
I just thought you might enjoy the fact that I am going through internet withdrawal and just had to post something. This might be it for the day from me though.
In this week's program Chuck talks with Mike Adams, AgriTalk.
Chuck and Mike often wind up at the same events all over the country so it seemed like a good idea to do a little AgriTalking about the changes they've seen in the ag media landscape.
You may find it hard to believe but I enjoyed a couple days off the grid. Only used my computer to import photos from my camera and a couple of the guys I was hunting pheasant with. It was a nice break but I’m back at ZimmComm World Headquarters and ready to rock and roll.
Here’s the happy hunting crew at 
The Dixie Deer Classic will end tomorrow but I won’t be here. I finished up my work with the Drive Green Tractor Utility Show this afternoon. 
He says he’s grown old with the Dixie Deer Classic. But Bruce Blackwell, General Manager, doesn’t look old to me. I caught up with him relaxing on a golf cart this afternoon. I made him get up for a picture though. He says the show started in 1981. He says the easiest way to describe the show is, “a great big convention for hunters and outdoorsmen.” The exhibits haven’t changed but there are more of them that include outfitters, equipment and art.
Here’s another case of the shooter getting shot. And I don’t mean Deer or Deere.
I don’t know is he’s really called the Deer Measurer but he is one and he says, “Have tape measure, Will travel.” He’s Dave Boland and he’s an official measurer for Pope & Young, Boone & Crockett, Long Hunter Society and the North American Shed Hunters Club. He explained the process for coming up with the measurement to score deer racks. I’ve got a bunch of racks but I’ve never had mine measured or mounted. I’m still waiting to get one that’s worth it.
I’m on location in a deer hunters paradise. Well, I’m not in the woods looking at a big buck but I am at the Dixie Deer Classic. This is a big show at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. John Deere has their 
At the end of this week I’ll be at the 
I’m back and ready to see what’s been going on while I’ve been battling the elements in South Dakota. This is the longest amount of time I’ve been away from mobile phones and the internet in years.
In this week's program Chuck talks with Mike Adams, AgriTalk.
