Ernie Glup "Fliling the Void"

 
Ernie Glup has had a Burt County hunting operation for over 37 years.  I first met Ernie and his brother Jerry while hunting at Kohler's.  Ernie purchases a sizable farm, of the beloved Tekamah bottom, Prime Tiger S*** Gumbo.  He was in the land leveling business and got busy building a hunting lake, on this farm.    
Ernie's hunting club, is made up with members and several, local hunting friends.  Ernie, has had many of his member, for years on end.  As time does to you, as the older one retired or passed on, there were other that was eager to join his club.  Ernie took a couple of Ralph long time members even tho, he was exceeding his maximum numbers of member he wants.   For this we have to thank him for his efforts, of "Filling The Void".  
Ernie has always been successful, killing his share of ducks, and Canada geese.  The operation consist, of three long heated blinds, built on the order of the Kohler blind, but much longer.  Think they total up to something like, 68 feet, of seats. The area around Ernie operation Is flat, and once the corn is out, you can see the birds coming for miles, not many sneak in on him.  Of course there are the bluff that are along, both side of the Missouri River, these lie, to the west, just a few miles of his lake.  I understand that the Canada migration path actually, comes over these hill or bluffs, just north west of his lake and not following the river as we would expect. They seam to be very vulnerable to spreads of decoys and calls, after leaving the rough land of these bluffs.  You look toward the river a couple three miles to the east.  This area is all, open big flat fields in all direction.  An ideal arrangement for waterfowl hunting.
Then I asked Ernie, how is he handling the personal side of, filling the void, of Ralph retiring.  After a long pause he got to the root of, what all of us, will and are missing.  It was Ralph that taught us all, not only how to hunt, that is a given, but much more important,  Ralph taught us how to love all creatures, that not only fly, but walk on this earth.  Ernie then asked, "Do you think we would appreciate the spider migration if he had not shown it to us. The monarch butterfly, the Hawks, the Eagles, and all the migrating, creatures we see setting in a blind".  Ernie got my mind working, right there I knew I had my story for this page, of Filling The Void.
This past fall I wrote in this blog, about the huge groups of Hawks we were witnessing, migrating that even Ralph had never witness before.  I would have to do research to name the type of Hawks, there were two different species that it could be.  One we are located on the very eastern edge, the other we are just a few miles west of their normal migrating path.  The wind can shift their path by many miles, very easy.  But nothing passed Ralph eye.  For most of one day we watched as flocks after flock, from 40 to 150 birds, and maybe even bigger, were circling inside of what we had to assume, was an up draft, gaining altitude, then dive to the next updraft, to repeat the same process.  Very little pumping of their wings.  No effort to make their way to their wintering grounds.  You could see  one to five flock at any time, most of the day by, looking up and down the bottom.  As Ernie, suggested, we would not have seen and loved this if not for Ralph's nature class.  We learned some of these events, were a few days long and some were just hours longs.
As I reread what I have just wrote, I am forced to point out, YES, there is a Spider migration.  Check it out.  It happens every year.  They ride the warm north winds, early in the fall, using ball of web to carry them, up and south.  Most of you have seen it but let it slip by with out investigating it. You just didn't have Ralph to inform you of what you were looking at. Yes he left a void there, but also some skilled eyes, eager hearts to look and enjoy, for the rest of our days. 
This has went long enough, so remember tonight as you prepare for you night of rest to include the troops in your prayers.  
Thank you, and see ya.     Carl                    

Sent from my iPad

Will be absent for a few days

Just a note to let you know there maybe a few days before another posting.  I lost my brother last evening.  He lived in Lincoln so will be busy with family for a few days. 
Keep us and the troops in your bedtime prayers. Thank you
See ya.    Carl

Mike Cuningham and Filling The Void

This the first in a sires of "filling the void".  This was sent to me by Mike Cunningham from an article that was done on him and his operation.  I have always hunted the bottoms of Tekamah, and was very apprehensive, the first time I was hunting with him, as night faded into daylight, and I see I am setting in the hills.  
The first flock of Canada that appeared, look like there were about two feet off the deck as the come toward our spread.  They passed us and sat down in a field just to the west of Mike's pits.  He had predicted that, is what would likely happen but assured us, that we still had them in play.  Not sure if we got a shot at those, but we did get shots at Canada's that day.  He is just a few miles from Branch Oaks Lake, north west of the capital city.  
Mike has set up a very impressive web page to display the revamped Kohler blind.  Check it out, and see why he says you will have an enjoyable hunt at County Line Hunting



Hunting waterfowl with Mike Cunningham of County Line Hunting is easy, as easy as a phone call. After making reservations with him he does the rest. He has developed a system where he can control almost everything there is to control in the sport...except the two most important things...the weather and the birds.  
 
Heated pit blinds made by Cunningham himself are the main ingredient in controlling the sport. "Hunting is best when the weather is the worse" so the blinds need to be warm and dry. His blinds are five star water fowling accommodations!
  
Cunningham learned the trade of blind building and hunting from one of Nebraska's best, Ralph Kohler of Tekamah. Kohler retired earlier this year and moved to California. This has left a void for local hunters looking for a "day hunting" opportunity. Cunningham is trying to fill that void and sell blinds too. Cunningham and Kohler have agreed on a modified design of Kohler's original blind built in 1956. Cunningham is marketing the blinds to other waterfowl hunters as "Legendary" Kohler Blinds.
 
Three blinds are installed near Dwight where County Line Hunting provides the opportunity to experience waterfowl hunting in comfort. Easy access to the blinds, cooking facilities, a large full body decoy spread and some Kohler history make a day with County Line Hunting a total experience.    
 
County Line Hunting offers fall duck and goose hunting as well as Spring snow goose hunting. For more information contact Cunningham at 402-450-5658 or visit the website at www.kohlerblinds.com
 
Thanks Mike for doing your part of "Filling The Void"
As always please send our troops a prayer tonight and every night
See ya.    Carl

filling the void

           Filling the void left by Ralph's departure to the west coast.
Has been a shock experience for me.  Personally, I thought it was going to be easy.  First off, I knew I was ready to hang up the old smoke pole and pull the blankets up around my neck and sleep a few more hours.  Well it don't seem that is how it is all going to shake out.  What have I done to fill this void?  Some of my time, I found it was so easy.  But not all of the time, has been that easy to adjust to.  I am awake yet every morning, with time to spare, I could pack my thermos and lunch and make it out to the blind, before shooting time, with ease.  
Instead of hunting I spend a little more time at the cafe, with coffee cup in hand, spend a little more time doing household chores, and the wife and I have also spent a little more time, on the road visiting family and relatives.  
As many of you know I took up beekeeping and that is a very fulfilling hobby.  I have captured a swarm, all by myself, that was hanging in a bush here in town, what a thrill. Building my own style of hives for this swarm and a colony I purchased through the bee club I joined, all has both been interesting and fulfilling.  Now to get them through the winter, in my hive.  
The toughest void to fill, and I mean, the very toughest job of all, is trying to find the words to  write this blog, it has been a real struggle, for me.  What do I say and how I say it, has been hard.  I get E Mails nearly everyday asking why I am not writing.  I have wrote several of those daily stories, but I just haven't  posted them.  When I get them done and I read what I wrote it always sounds like I am mad at Ralph, which I am not. Then to make it worst, it sounds like, I am winning about it.  I had over forty years of hunting out the that make some of the greatest memories I have.  Or I am saying stuff, that would never be of interest to the people, who have help make this blog the success, it has been over the years.  Right here is where I need to say thank you, very much for your support and encouragement, not only now, but forever.  You made it fun.  Again I say thank you.
Back to filling the void.  Ralph's departure not only left a void in this writers life, it has left a void in many other people's life also, as you will see in the following days as I try to post some of these stories, of hunters, who both hunted with us, or had operations,  but now are helping to fill the void by taking the hunters that have graced the blinds at Kohler hunting, over the years.  There has been groups of former hunters, that have stepped up, and formed their own hunting club.  I am going to report the efforts they have put forth to also fill the need.  Hope you will enjoy reading about their efforts.
Well this has got long enough, and as always say a prayer for our military heroes, that are serving out country.  Check back for the first of several reports on filling the void.  
See ya.  Carl