Ralph is home

Just come back home for the Kohlers, Ralph is home, and is in great spirits. Is a little shook up over the cost of his med’s. I told him after he made the statement that no one could afford all them pills. I said, the way you have to look it this is, most people have been on all these pills for 20 years, when they are your age, so look at how much you have saved over the past 20 years.

Ralph is Ralph yet. The kids said when he left the Hospital, he refused the wheel chair, and insisted on walking out. He is the only person I have ever heard of that got that pulled off. I think that is written in the corner stone, of ever Hospital All victims must leave the building in wheel chair. But he pulled it off and walked out, to the car.

Take a minute and touch base with him some how. He is going to have more time on his hands that he has ever had before. Needs help in burning up the time

Remember the troops in your prayers, and add the boss, to your special list, also.

See Ya

Carl

Update on Ralph

The events of the day went just a little different, than we had planned, and hoped, but they are still are something that we can live with.

When we arrived at Ralph room this morning, the Dr. was there, and gave Dorothy and Ralph, some incite into the operation.. Now I must insert this was just a little more serious attack, than I wanted to admit to. The blockage was on one of the big arteries, above the branching out, so this one blockage, was blocking several places on the heart. There is another blockage that is in place, but they want to handle that, by medication and not a stint. As luck would have it today, one of the kids, that had hunted with Ralph, several years ago, and was a specialist in the medical field, a Radiologist, stopped by, and he explained to Ralph all the reasons for each pill, he has to take. Also explained the importance of taking them. Ralph has never taken many pills in his life, so that is going to be a change too.

Now how is Ralph??? He is up walking around, Looks great, is laughing, joking as Ralph does. Was fielding phone calls all day, and complaining, about the Hospital food. He feels as though he in dire, need of, some Dorothy prepared food.

He didn’t get to come home today as we thought he may, and that does not pose any problem. The girls are on their way back, and they are having some connection problem, with their airlines, so are coming in much later, that they were scheduled. I brought Dorothy back to Tekamah, and the girls will stop by the hospital, in the morning and pick up their Dad and bring him, on home.

Just in case you need an address for a card or letter, the address is

820 Q Street

Tekamah, Nebr.

68061

He is going to have to slow down some and change his diet some also. Of course as the way I look at it is. If it took 89 years to plug it, there is not much change needed for another 30.

I think the big change is needed in his attitude toward work. In other words, slow down, give an order, ask for help.

Of course we still are accepting all prayers, and also remember the troops, with a prayer too.

Check back and See Ya

Carl

The latest, on Ralph

This posting is to let you know, that our Boss, Ralph suffered a heart attack Monday morning 3-26-07. It all got started around 8:00. We first took him to the Blair Hospital, where it was diagnosed as a heart attack and they had ordered the Helicopter, for a flight to Methodist Hospital. Dorothy and I come back to Tekamah for phone numbers, of their Kids and a few other things for Ralph. By the time we got to the Hospital he was in and almost out of surgery for the placements of one stint. We never did get a visit from a Dr. but Dorothy had got in to the recovery room, for a very short visit, and to inform him we were returning to Tekamah, So Dorothy could get a little rest. The Daughters will be in town before sundown Tue, and this will help Dorothy. We will be going back to Omaha in the Morning 3-27. When I have more Info will post it

The latest report from the nurse’s desk he had a good night and was setting up and every thing is going fine, will bring you up to speed when I have more info.

A little pray, will be appreciated and felt.

See Ya

Carl

Was warm in the pits, so we closed early

Not many birds were even spotted today, and most were impossible to decoy. Got so warm, that we pulled up stakes, and come to the house, early. Somehow we did manage to, harvest 3 and should have had another one or two. But that is hunting, not getting all, you thought you should have gotten. The flock we took the three out of, come to us out of the west and really looked good coming, but just could not commit. The three stayed around after the flock left and made the mistake of coming in over the pits. I was not fast enough to get a shot, but they all come down so how cares.

Remember all the guys and gals, that are guarding out country, in your evening prayers.

See Ya Carl

The game bag, should have been fuller

Did see some birds this morning and they did decoy, but with no wind we could not get them to finish, so we could get a shot. Then late morning we did get into a flock, also had a couple of singles and pairs fly in also. Total bag was under ten. But we did get to take our smoke poles out of the rack and put them to used. The shot we had was a great shot and we should have had a few more. I think we took only 6 out of a flock of at least 25 that were in range.

It is beginning to look like the season is coming to a close. Sure wish we could get a good deep snow storm, north of us, and send them back, so we could have another round with them. Now if you should know some one in So. Dakota, done send them my name and tell them I am wanting them to have some more winter, but it would help our hunting.

We are in a little early, today, so I am going to close this, and see if I can get a little chair nap.

Say a prayer for all the troops tonight

Check back

See ya Carl

There were only four that we stopped on their journey north

Had plenty of low clouds this morning, there was no activity in the pits this morning.

Most of the day there was the threat of rain, and birds just don’t fly when the moisture is high.

We had just one flock that got close enough to us to say they were decoying to us. That was about the extent of the activity for us today. However, out of that flock, there are four, that will never see South Dakota again. That was the total, of our bag today.

It was so cloudy that there may have been birds moving all day long, and we would have never seen them. Every once in a while, there would be a hole that opened up, in the clouds and, we would spot a flock, but we could not get then to work for us.

Remember the Troops tonight in your evening prayers, and please check back

See Ya Carl

Burn't some powder as well as a memorable finaly

Had a very busy morning. Not seeing to many, but everything that come along come in. They just love to fly into a stiff breeze, and that is what we had this morning and it was right out of the north, at about 15 to 25 mph. They were tough to get far enough north for all pits, to have a great shot. You know, in a wind like we had today, in less than a second, they can gain 20 yards. So shooting and calling the shot is tough. So some go-a-rounds the harvesting was a little short and on other go-a-rounds we made up for the short round.

Around noon they shut down and we never seen anything so we decided that we was going to shut down at 4:30. Well as you might expect, at 4:30, and we had the pickup parked there, people walking around loading their gear and the game, dogs running through the decoys, and everything you don’t want going on when you are hunting, was going on. Someone says, I hear geese. A quick scan of the skies and we spotted 8 to 10 dropping towards, the spread. Well some guys had some shell in there pocket and shared with others and we uncased our guns and loaded, while they were on one of there swings, the boss called the shot, and we bagged at least 5. Rockie is scouting out the lake for others that we dropped then and before. This extra unloading exercise, brought the daily bag up to 45 and this total may be revised upwards tomorrow. This has brought the season total up to 450. If we can have a few more days, this could turn out to be one of the best spring hunt we have ever had. Would be nice to break that number too.

Not anything else I can talk about tonight so will close this.

Don’t forget the troops tonight and say a prayer for them.

Also please check back

See ya Carl

The smoke poles, cooled just a little, today

First off there is an update on yesterday. There was some more birds picked up after the hunt, and one picked up by a hunter leaving early, bringing the total for yesterday up to 78.

We need to hunt real hard if we get it to that number, for today. Had some great shots, and several near misses. But only managed, to bag 40, for today. Has been some week, for this spring hunt. If my memory serves me right there was no skunk days, because I think that 7 was the least and 78 for the most. I think, that in the eight days, from Sunday to Sunday the total for that time is real close to 300 birds, and it may be a bird or two over. Has been an exciting and rewarding week. And the sick thing about it is, we feel that there was about 3 days where we should have had a hundred on each of them days. Another amazing thing is that we have had on problem, with getting some one to take all of these birds. Not many depressed hunter, leaving the pits this past week. There may have been a couple that were depressed, because they left to early.

Will let you go. I want to go check out the fire damage that we had in Herman this morning. We lost one of our feeding and watering holes. Had several dept. fighting it most of the morning.

Say a prayer for all our service personal tonight, in your bed time prayers

See Ya Carl

A powder burning day, again

Was a number one day, with a couple of broken records. The decoying was breath taking with the east wind, so everyone could see most of it. Had some great go-a-rounds to go with it. On the first go-a-around, ,we had a flock that was all spread out across the blinds and right up over the top of us. Now this was on a flock, where flock shooting was not an option either. And some how, we took a record 29 birds, out of it.

Most of the morning was spent down in the pits, because there was not much of the time, that there was not birds over us. The action slowed down in the afternoon. But the day ended with a new daily record. If they can find a couple of sailers we will have 76. That is a pretty good day. As for the number of shell everyone shot up today, I can not guess, but it was a bunch. My blind had two sacks of trash, and there was plenty of shell boxes and empty shells, that filled them. I didn’t go through a box, but my knees are brothering, so I don’t go up on every go-a-round and when I do go, not many times do I get my gun empty.

I have a feeling that there are some smiles that will take a while to wipe off a few hunters faces, after this day.

I think Mommie wants to go out, so I better go feed and water her.

Say a prayer for the troops tonight, and also be sure check back

See Ya Carl

Was a tough day.

Was just a real bad day at the pits. We could get most of the flocks to decoy, but to get them to finish was another story. The bag had less than twenty in it at days end. And for the number of birds we seen today you feel we should have had a few more when we closed up, for the day. But isn’t that hunting??? If you had great success on every hunting trip, that would not be fun either.

Have a few birds to add in for a couple of other days. First yesterday, Rockie, scoured out the south end of the lake, last evening and come up with three more birds, so that makes that tally 53. Also Craig Caskey was back today, and said that he had picked up 2 additional birds on his way home when he left early, on the day when we harvested 69, so that makes that day,71. Which is a record for a one day hunt, for us in the spring.

This is for all you readers that have not ever hunted, with Ralph Kohler. All these birds are taken before any has had a chance to land, and all shots are good sporting shots. We pass on all sky busting shots too. For example, today we may have had maybe 15 to 20 more birds if we were to take some high shot, giving up on a big flock, and taking a shot on two or three birds. Ralph wants everyone to have a good and as near equal opportunity as the hunter in the next pit.

Nothing else to report, so say a pray for this country’s hero tonight at bed time and please check back.

See Ya Carl

Another great day

Had a pretty good day again today, even if we did have a tough time decoying them. We had way to many flocks in on us today with out a shot, that it would have been very easy to have harvested twice as many birds as we did. There was some, just outstanding decoying, and then not to get a shot was a little depressing, but when the day was all over and we counted, we had harvested 50, to complain seams so selfish.

There was some low flock, but most was real high. The boss has always said they are the best to decoy, and we did turn some of them. Early in the day there was some that were west of us, but by noon they were coming right over us, and we turned our share of these flocks. Have no idea as to just how many go-a-rounds, we had, but I am guessing everyone had to shoot up a box of ammo again today.

Have to close this, so please check back tomorrow and lets hope there is another great report.

Say a prayer for all the troops tonight.

See Ya Carl

We burnt some powder today.

Was a memorable day today. I am sure most shooters went through, a couple of boxes of shells, today. I almost did and there were a couple times where I didn’t shoot, I think age has the reason, I didn’t get up fast enough.

I have no idea just how many go-a-rounds we had today, but I do know we had two fantastic sight on two flocks. They done everything that the Snows and Blues do so well, and that is what makes them such great sport birds. They stood in the breeze, Corn Shucked, come in with feet down, both slow and fast, they displayed it all. The only thing that didn’t happen, they didn’t come in real thick, so you had to pick a bird.

Today was also a record for this year. The all time, spring goose, record almost fell and that is 69, today’s bag was almost 70 birds too. Some where between 66 and 69, we are not sure.

We give up at 4:30 so we could have broke that record, but we were concerned about getting them all disposed of. So most of the hunters gave us a hand and we had a goose dressing party and dressed them out in about 15 minutes. We just pulled the breast meat.

This makes one great summer sausage, and it goes over real good at parties. Can’t have to much of it.

My Dinner is ready so better close this.

Remember the troops tonight, in your prayers

See Ya Carl

Was a sloooow day

Things slowed down again, so the action was pretty slow. However we did a good job when the opportunity confronted us. When it look like, we were going to get skunked, we had a nice flock of about 30 float in on us. When they heard our music they locked up real good and were making all the right moves, when along come an airplane. As you know S&B geese and airplane are not a good mix. Well after the plane passed we got 7 to come back, and they took several rounds before they got down into range. When the command was given, we were down to just a few gunners, and they were up to the task. Took, a call back to complete the job, but we got them all down. That was the total for the day. Had several thousands setting in a field just North West of our blinds, about 3 miles. So that was pulled most all the birds to that field, and kept us just watching.

Our local newspaper, done an article on one of our hunters, and it is in this weeks newspaper, but you can read it on the web by going to www.burtcountyplaindealer.com. Then go to sports and click on the story about Internet Links Army Man to Kohler’s Blinds. I think it is some good reading.

Have to go, so remember all the troops tonight in your bed time prayers

See Ya and check back

Carl

Nice bag of game tinight

Was another good day today. Was not the best day of decoying birds, but all and all when they decoy, did we had some quality shots, at least on two go-a-rounds. In fact on one round, I was not in the pits at the time, they took over 20 out of that group. They were thick, and stacked. It was one fantastic sight, from my view, I was setting on the tailgate of the truck, but it still was a thrill.

Never had the biggest crew today either, but they rained them out of that flock. Most of our shots were into small groups, but there was know one that was not happy with today’s action. The bag had 42 in it when we left, and with just a little luck, we maybe could have doubled that. There were enough birds, that is for sure.

Have some things to get done, this evening, so have to make it short tonight. .

But be sure to say a little prayer for all the troops, tonight at your bed time

See Ya.

Carl

Fair day with great sights

Things were slower as far as number of birds, harvested, but to Paul Harvey the day. That means to, give you the rest of the story. Had one shot that made the whole long wait, worth waiting for.

But first off, we got busy pretty early in the morning. We begin to think that maybe the day would be near a record day. There was some geese in the area, and they were giving us a good look. I think we had about 15-17 in the bag when they got the idea, they were not going to finish and give us a shot. There were even high migratory, and we were turning them, and they would drop down, but would just not finish. We tried several different tactic and nothing would work, and everyone was getting a little depressed and some even went, home. One guy I won’t name him, left, to watch a NASCAR race. Now think about that, watch a couple dozen cars run around a 2 mile circle, or would you rather watch 600 to 1000 geese sail around, in a ¼ mile circle. Well we got the geese and he got the cars. Took that flock, over 6 minutes (according to the digital read out, on my recorder) to screw down into gun range, before we went into action. Had 2 or 3 sailors out of the bunch that we didn’t get picked up, but had just over 15, we did get picked up. They were just stacked on top of us, geese were going in all directions, at once, what a sight.

I am not sure the total for the day but it was but it was over 30. Didn’t quite measure up to expectations, we had in the morning, but it was a fun day, and no one that stuck around, was upset. Had another huge flock, that decoyed in after that bunch, and it was even bigger, that we didn’t get into, but the great sights was still there. If you judge the success of days hunt by the size of the bag, and forget all the sight, then you are hunting for all the wrong reasons. I know some times that this report reflects that, and I am sorry, because there is so much more to hunting, than harvesting.

Well this has got carried away, so time to close.

Remember all the Guys and Gales that, are protecting us and our great nation, tonight in your prayers

See Ya and please check back

Carl

The action has begun

Well the hunting picked up today. The morning was frustrating, there were so many geese, on the move. All kinds, Canada’s, Hutch, Cacklers, Specks, as well as the Sky Carp. We could not do anything with them. They would start to decoy and then just fly out. My opinion, as to what was going on is, these were all the breeders, and they always push the snow line pretty hard, and they were checking it out. Then this afternoon they were coming back knowing very well they were as far north as they could go, so we decoyed them this afternoon. Never seen any dark geese come back, south.

I had one of our nations, hero’s, hunting with me for the past 3 days. Never had one good day of hunting. He had to head back home, today, and wanted to leave at noon. Well he packed his gear and headed for his car just after noon. I am sure he never made it there, before we had a flock start to decoy. Other flocks joined in and this kept them excited and we finely got into them. I am sure he was not out of the parking lot when we open up on them. We had one huge flock circling, of over a 1000 birds, when we went onto action.

The afternoon was pretty action filled, and had some great go-a-rounds. In fact one go-a-round we took 20 birds out of a small flock of about 40. As one hunter said, not just the bottom of that flock, fell out, some of both sides fell too, when we opened up.

The day end, with a bag of, over 50, for the day. Why I would not miss tomorrow for nuttin.

Please include a prayer, for all the troops that protect this nation, tonight, and every night. It is not that hard to do, and it means a lot to all of them. I have I have heard it from them.

See Ya Carl

Hunting pick up just a little

The hunting picked up a little today. All of our action was before the mid day hour had arrived. I don’t remember just what time it was, but again it was just a few minutes after the sun had show itself from under the cloud cover we had early this morning. The first flock come floating in from the east and it was obvious that they wanted in and didn’t waste to much time getting into gun range. As I said yesterday, the boss was having a good time out of the fact that we got only 3 out of the first flock we had got to shoot into for the season. We had pleaded that we would do better on the next go-a-round. This plea was falling on ears, that didn’t want to hear promises. Well on this flock we harvested 9 out of it. Done a very respectable job. Then we had one hunter, who was not there on yesterday’s shot, and he was claiming that, everything over 3, was the same as the number of shell he had shot into this flock.

Had several report, that has mind boggling numbers of geese on the reserves down on the Nebraska Missouri line. And they are still coming in every hour, so they have to be moving on North. The lake lost so much ice today, and what is left is so rotten that it is not going to last much longer.

We had two more little flocks in on us later, and we cleaned out both of them, bringing our total up to 15 birds for the day.

This Sunday, we change our clocks for day light saving time. I have told a couple of people that we will be leaving the café at the wrong time. We will be leaving the café at 6:15. If you are one of those that I told wrong, I am sorry, I really messed up. I even told the café the wrong time. Since I am talking about the Café, the Manager “Flo” wants me to tell you that she is now open in the evening for dinner. She would enjoy your patronage. The Sign on the window says TAILGATORS BAR and GRILL, so she is a full service station, for exhausted hunters, evening meal. So if possible please stop in and help her out, she works herself to death, serving us hunters.

Please remember all the young hero’s that serve our country, in your evening prayers tonight and every night.

See Ya Carl

Was just a little slow today

We kept getting reports all morning long stating, that the sun was shining, in the callers, area and the skies were full of Snows and Blues, as well as other species of ducks and geese. It took just a mater of a few minutes for them to show up in our area, once the skies cleared, but that was near to the end of their activity for the day. We had one flock decoy to our spread, at the most deadly hour and minute, of the day. 12:08, we got into a little flock of about 35 and took 3. Can’t make an excuse for the bad shooting other than, early season jitters. Everyone vows, that we will do better on the next flock. But that flock never come along.

Not much else to report.

So please remember the troops in your prayers this evening

Please check back and maybe we will have a report of a good days shoot.

See Ya Carl

The 2007 spring season in action

We started the 2007 spring season off this morning. Well we didn’t start shooting this morning, but, we were in the pits with smoke poles, loaded and secured, and ready for action. We had drank all our coffee, down our cookies, cooked and ate our lunch, before we seen our firsts Snow geese. They were just not to plentiful, was seeing a few dark geese and a few ducks, but the S&B’s were not to be seen. But the good news is, when they did show up, we left no survivors. Around 2:00 we spotted two Snow’s high out over the lake. We welcomed them in with our sweet music and on one pass out in front, the boss gave the command, and they were rendered DIP. Remember that means Dead In Pond. We are still shooting 100 percent. I will have to admit, there was just a few more shells shot, than 2. By the way, this is one flock, where I didn’t miss a shot, see I didn’t shoot.

It is very muddy and we have to walk out, but if we could get some good sunshine and a wind to dry the road, in a couple days that would be in shape to drive on too. Most of the snow is out of the fields, and there was report that the geese had pushed up to, within a few miles of Omaha, so we should be seeing geese right away.

However, we are having some trouble with our phone. I am guessing that the problem is all the snow, someplace between the lake and town. I will take some more tools for testing, tomorrow and just maybe we can find the problem. This morning it was very clear, and then all of a sudden, we had a very noisy phone. This is why I feel it is in one, of the many post, the phone company has, between us and town. Most of them are buried under, a couple ft. of snow. So if this is the problem it could take a day or two for this to go away. So if you are trying to call, and having no luck, this is why.

Need to close this, so please check back.

Keep the troops in your prayers.

See Ya Carl

The Pits are ready

The pits have been dug out and we think we are about ready for the spring shoot. Word is they are just south of us a couple a hundred miles, and when the snow line moves just a little further north the action should start. When do we think that will happen. My guess is in the next day or two. Could be tomorrow. We need to pray that we don’t get any more snow and a little warm breeze would help dry it up just a little. Of course if a few would just show up with muddy feet, that would not upset me, one little bit. The wind had blown most of the snow off the fields, so the sunshine the past couple of days, has done wonders, and there are big black muddy fields out there, on the bottom.

The boss has the place looking great, especially so, when you factor in the late snow storms and high winds. Rockie has arrived, so we should be ready for the action.

Just a warning, show up with gear, that will still function, if muddy.

Remember the troops in your prayers tonight and every night

See Ya Carl

After the blow.

I am hearing that we totaled 12 inches of snow out of this last blow, but the rest of the story is we get another 2 inches this afternoon, and the wind is still blowing in access of 30 MPH.

The boss has made it to the pits, but did not open any blinds. That job has been set for tomorrow morning, for the clean up crew. So from that, I think the hunting is out for over the week end. We had some customers coming from Minnesota this week end but that is where this storm went, when it left here, so they probably got the message from Mother Nature, and changed their mines.

Should have everything in place for, blind occupation sometime after the weekend. Think we have customers on Wed. So get you best gumbo wallowing gear in shape, because this spring hunt is going to be remembered for the pounds of mud, we haul home.

So keep checking back and I will try to keep you posted on the progress of the season. Also remember the troops, in your prayers, everyday.

See Ya Carl