Winter is here.

We had our first 1" of snow Monday then Tuesday night/Wednesday morning it snowed 3 or 4". When we got home from church last night at 8:45 it was 17 degrees. That isn't that cold if it was December, but it sure seems cold right now in October.

The kids are getting all geared up for Halloween. Boyd and Olivia got costumes last night, Ghost Rider and a Skeleton. We're going to take Isaac to Silverthorne and Frisco tonight to look for his costume. I believe he wants a Star Wars costume.

They will probably trick or treat at Beaver Creek this Saturday, then Minturn on the 30th and Leadville on the 31st. We'll have enough candy to last till next year.

Remi has grown quite a bit and is now 6 1/2 months old. He isn't as big as Bow was. I've released several quail for him. He finds them well and hesitates when he does, but he hasn't pointed for any length of time. I still believe he has potential, but probably not as much as Bow had. That is ok though, because he is a really good family dog even if he never makes much of a hunter.

End of Archery Season

It is a depressing time of year for me. Archery ended a couple weeks ago. I didn't get out much after killing the bull on the first day. I regret not spending more time in the woods looking for a deer now. I do have the late season rifle cow tag that comes in the last two weeks of November then again from mid December to mid January.

The Aspen leaves have long since turned golden and the recent wind has blown most of them to the ground. Winter is on its way and I can't say I'm ready for it yet. I enjoy the skiing, but I would like another month (or two) of Fall.

We drove to a local lake to look for waterfowl today. We did see one flock of 20 or so geese and three flocks of Gadwalls. I don't think hunting is allowed on the lake though, so it doesn't do me much good. I could drive about an hour southeast and hunt, but the cost to set back up to hunt waterfowl an hour away doesn't seem practical.

It has been a while since I had the necessary equipment for hunting waterfowl. I would need to buy waders, decoys and everything they require, a call or two, amo, etc. Seems like a lot of cash to only have a couple opportunities to hunt. But, it is something that Isaac could hunt before he turns 12 in three years and can hunt CO big game.

We hope to have the funds to travel home to IL over Thanksgiving. I will certainly buy my lic. and an archery doe permit. Don't think I can swing the either sex permit. Looks like the waterfowl season starts in IL during that week, so maybe I'll try to put Isaac on a wood duck or two. Probably won't be too many mallards there by then. I know Sean still has the dekes, but I would still need to buy waders.

Isaac and Olivia have been playing flag football since September and will probably have games until the weather prevents it. Isaac ran four or five touchdowns today in two games. He played for another team the first game that did not have enough of their own players. I think he's as fast or faster than most of the kids. Olivia holds her own with the boys. She ran a touchdown today also. I'll try to post some photos of them playing.