Silly Wabbit.....

Hi everyone;
Ike and I apologize for not posting more regularly - just not a lot of cooking being done - sorry. But we have been trying to keep Ike sharp since his trip to South Dakota and while there aren't a lot of wild birds nearby, we have been going to the park and heading down to the farm. Here is a snippet of a little of us working a creek near the farm. Pardon the wind noise it was filmed with my camera glasses and it was pretty windy.

I also had a couple afternoons off this last week, and after we went to the park to practice retrieving, Ike was still in the hunting mode.... See the video of him stalking a "wascally wabbit" in the back yard. This video was done with the Cisco Flip Camera - very easy to use.

Going hunting again soon - perhaps more video.. and Ike can hear those words,"Ike, find those birds."

South Dakota Hunt

Hi everyone

Well we made it back from South Dakota and Ike's second hunt. We took a few more days and did some hunting at a new location Ringneck Retreat - The Tschetter Family - and a more hospitable group you just won't find. Ike held his own there but we didn't hunt him too hard those days as we weren't sure how hard we would have to use him the last two days at Winegar Farms in Wessington Springs. But hunt he did - I have a few pics but wanted to share a couple stories. First day at Ringneck, Ike is working really hard in the cattails and I can't seem to get him out of there and low and behold he comes popping out SKUNKED!!! Right in the face - and man did he stink.... Well, Darik the owner of the lodge had a concoction that took care of it Baking Soda, Peroxide and a little Dawn Dish Soap... It really worked on him - not so good on the collars... But that didn't stop him.. he kept on hunting...

The last day there was a classic point - he was working CRP grass and quartering into the wind just like he (and I) knew what we were doing and he locked up on a hard point just like the pictures show. Ike 1 pheasants 0..

At Winegar Farmson Sunday Ike was hunting on almost every push but kept getting stronger and stronger on each one. We were going on the downwind side of a shelter belt and some thigh high grass when he got really birdy and BAM he locked up on a bird - Uncle Ken and I got that one- then a few minutes later he got birdy again in the fence line. Locked up and I flushed that one and he turned towards me and locked up on another one. - Got em both so Ike and I limited out in one pass. But that just made up for the day before - I only got one then so it all evens out..

Can't tell you how proud I was of Ike - He may be small but he has no quit in him... but let's just say he is sleeping quite soundly since his arrival home... Can't wait for the next time to say, "Ike, find that bird!"

Everyone Can Take a Little Rib-bin'!!

Hi everyone,

Sorry it's been quite a while since the last post - since then Ike has appeared in the Latest edition of "The Naperville Dog" (see the link below pic #3)

http://www.napervilledog.com/magazine/Aug2011/Fall-2011-DAT.html

and because of that Ike and I are going to submit a journal of our hunting season escapades for publication for their Winter Issue.
It has been a pretty hectic month - I did a NASCAR Driving Experience (man was that fun); had the Knutson Invitiational (and for the first time Sandy and my team won); went down to the farm and helped wean calves and the brothers have a GREAT start on the harvest. However it was not always good news. Ike suffered a seizure the morning after my last post and scared the you know what outta both of us. But the good news is all tests came back fine and has been his normal active self since then. So keep your fingers crossed that it was an isolated case. I just took him to the vet for his follow up, pre-hunting season check up, and the Vet says, Ike is looking great and checks out OK.

Well, as the title suggests our cooking topic is ribs - again. I know, I know some of you have to be thinking geesh, doesn't he every get tired of smoking ribs... My answer - NOPE!!! Ike and I had a request from my brother in law to have a rib night as every time we have had one in the past he was out of town and he was tired of hearing (but not tasting) how good they were. So about a month ago we checked every one's calendar and picked Sat Oct 8th. Who would have guessed we would have 100% sunshine and a warm and breezy 80* on the second Saturday of October. Well, we smoked 10 (yes 10) racks of ribs in my trusty Weber smoker and they got two thumbs up from the diners.

We played games in the yard and had a fire pit and S'mores for the kids (well maybe the young at heart too :) ) and a great time was had by all. (All under the watchful eye of Ike ;) )

Everyone had plenty to eat and I know of at least one individual that was one tired pup!

It won't be much longer - pheasant season is about upon us and Ike is getting the urge - like me.

Until then, "Ike, find that bird!"