October 23, 2020
By Bill Anderson
Mother Nature told Rutland and vicinity that “Enough is enough!” last week as she flipped the switch and turned off the pleasant autumn weather that had lulled some into thinking that Winter might never arrive this year. Old Man Winter hasn’t made his entrance, yet, but the sub-freezing temperatures at night, along with some cold rain showers, and even some light snow showers, are the calling cards announcing his intention to pay a visit in the near future. The cooler weather, along with harvest action, has livened up the whitetail deer bow hunting season, though, as more deer have gotten in the mood and are on the move. Jesse Brakke, with the advice and assistance of his great-nephew, Brody Mahrer, bagged a nice 4-point buck on the old Carl Christianson Farm in the SE¼ of Section 16 in Ransom Township last week, and other bow hunters have also reported success in the past several days. Those afield with shotguns, seeking the elusive ringneck pheasant have also been reporting good shooting in recent days. With nearly all of the soybeans and much of the corn in this area harvested and in the bin, the birds are now showing up and surrendering to their pursuers. The hunter still has to shoot straight, and the assistance of a good dog adds to the chances of success, but 2020 is shaping up to be the best year for pheasants in this area for quite some time.
Joe Breker reported that harvest activities on the Breker Farm south of Rutland wrapped up last week, the earliest harvest conclusion in many years. Joe said that all of the corn was dry enough to put in the bin right out of the field, eliminating the cost of drying that often adds to the expense of harvest. Joe practices “No Till Farming,” so his Fall tillage is done, too.
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