A Little Surf And Turf.

Spent the last three days at the Lordville Estate, where I had the phone and internet turned off on October 31st. Did some deer hunting, trout fishing, and the final shutdown. Here's how it went.

Friday - With the temp in the mid-fifties, I got down to Lordville in time to mow/rake the grass and leaves. With the wind blowing 15 to 20 from seemingly every point on the compass, getting even some of the leaves off the lawn was a project. Finished up at what I thought was 2:15 and headed out to fish. Got in the car and it was magically only 1:15, (apparently the clock on the camp wall didn't remember to fall back), so I thought I was early for the pseudo fishing, should it occur, then I came to the realization that the warmest part of the day has now become 1:00 until 4:00 and I was, in fact, a little late.

The fishing - Neither bugs nor fish were going in the lower section of the WB, (my first stop), thought maybe the water would be warmer up in Deposit, as the reservoir water has been warmer than the freestones, and I lucked into a good hatch in a slow water pool with enough fish up eating pseudos to make it fun. Hooked and landed five, four of which were counters between 11 and 14 inches. It shut off by 4:00, and I headed back to Lordville to bow hunt the hour before dark.

The hunting Was too late to get into my "stand", so I sat on the porch and watched a five-point and a six-point chase each other and the Lordville ladies all over downtown. It was dark at 5:00, and with no telephone or internet, I got a sample of what it must have been like to live in a sod house out in the Midwest a hundred years ago. Stayed up doing crosswords until 7:30.

Saturday - Fresh from ten hours of sleep I was in my stand by 6:30 when the does and fawns arrived. The first buck on the scene was a spike sporting two five-inch daggers. He was promptly sent to the sidelines by the five-pointer, (the six never showed up). As far as I could tell the ladies were unimpressed.  Although I've been shooting the bow with as much, or even better, accuracy than ever, I decided that I'm really not that eager to kill a deer anymore. At 82 the work involved after the kill becomes more onerous and the joy of "getting your buck" less important.  Decided, (preseason), that I wouldn't shoot anything less than an eight-pointer. Had a good shot at the five-pointer and passed.

Worked on the closedown list from 8:00 until 1:00 and then went fishing. The wind was manageable but the sun that got the temp all the way up to 59 by noon, disappeared behind the clouds and it cooled back down to 55 by the time of my departure. Drove up to Deposit again, and stopped to see the wife of a river friend who passed away unexpectedly early in  October, then I stopped to chat with one of the better guides on the river, who was working on a rental property he had recently purchased. I'd be pleased if he ended up owning the Lordville Estate when I'm gone as it would be well maintained and used by fishermen.

I've taken up half of my allotted space for November. If you're still interested, check out the report tomorrow to see if I caught any fish or bagged a buck on my close down  trip.