The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings ta ever one in western Illinois and all readers of "The Quill."
Patience Is Start'n Ta Pay Off
I'm a hope'n ya've noticed some of yer neighbors in the field as harvest slowly is a crippin' in the Henderson-Hancock areas. Some fellers told the boys they were see'in around 20% moisture and were surprised of a better crop than they had feared.
Gary Butler, over in the Terre Haute-La Harpe area has been fairin' gettin' his crops in, and some fellers near Biggsville have started open'in up their rows. The harvest is at least, off to a start with hopes for more sunshine ta allow others in the field.
It's a good time to remind folks who are drive'n ta school or ta work ta slow down and take note of those pullin' in and off of the fields with semi's grain trucks, tractors anf wagons and pickup trucks.
It seems folks are always in a hurry these days ta get somewhere and sometimes aren't pay'in attention ta what others are doin' around them. Be watchful and be safe.
Pheasant Hunt'n
Why Not In Illinois
The boys and I sure love ta go hunt'in and openin' day of the 2019 pheasant huntin' season in South Dakota is Saturday, October 19.
The season in S.D. then lasts through Sunday, January 5, 2020. Shootin' hours are 12 noon (Central Time) ta sunset for the first seven days of the season, then 10 a.m. (Central Time) ta sunset for the rest of the season.
If'n some of the boys can get away from harvest or finish up harvest and it doesn't rain (or snow) a bunch, we'll be a head'in north fer another great hunt.
I'm hope'n the combines will be in full harvest by then, even tho we are doomed fer some more of the wet stuff between now and then.
A few years ago when me and some of the boys were drive'n up there around October 8th, we noticed between western Illinois and northwest South Dakota, only two fields of corn were spotted as being harvested the entire distance.
A few bean fields were harvested, however they were only in the Dakota's. So I'm guess'n this year's harvest is about the same as they had up there - late!
On the better side of things, the pheasants were thick up there, but harder to find in all that standing corn. Ever one bags their limit, that is ever one gets an opportunity, if'n he can shoot straight.
Some folk can't shoot so straight, so with their semi-automatic shotguns they just throw lead in the air.
Eventually, a pheasant will fly into some of it. Even a blind hog can find an acorn once in awhile.
The Dakota's encourage huntin' as it brings tremendous revenue ta there state.
Signs are everywhere - "Welcome Hunters" - in hardware stores, restaurants, motels etc.
The state leases private land from farmers and makes it available fer public huntin'.
Licenses fer out of state hunters cost $100, good copper plated shells for long distance shootin' cost over $17 fer 25 cartridges, huntin' gear, lodgin' and on and on the spendin' goes.
Folks travel there from great distances from all over the United States.
Cabella's, a popular sporting goods store fer outdoorsmen and women who love to fish and hunt and canoe, at Mitchell, South Dakota is always flooded with hunters on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They keep the store open until 11 p.m. at night.
When we were there befer, Cabellas tagged birds and released them.
If'n ya bagged one of their tagged released birds, ya can win a huge "opportunity of a lifetime" monetary prize.
If'n ya brought in the longest tail feather fer the weekend, ya won a new "Benelli" shotgun. Ya might enjoy a little history about the Italian Benelli.
In 1911 Teresa Benelli invested in her 6 sons ta begin an auto service company. Eventually their services expanded ta include servicin' motorcycles and even buildin' their own.
Fifty-six years later they acted on their love of huntin' as well as their belief in the semi-auto shotgun by developin' firearms.
They did this by teamin' up with Bruno Civolani the developer of a new action and patentin' the "Inertia Driven" mechanism and foundin' the company "Benelli Armi SpA", an Italian firearm manufacturer located in Urbino, Italy, best known for shotguns used by military, law enforcement and civilians.
It produces the Benelli M3 12 gauge, used by American SWAT teams. Benelli Armi was founded in 1967 as an offshoot of the Benelli motorcycle factory that sold motorcycles through Montgomery Ward. Benelli and Benelli USA have been owned by Pietro Beretta SpA since 2000.
Yer find that men, women, boys and girls still today, all participate in celebratin' their love of huntin' and outdoor recreation.
I've said this before, but still nothin' is happenin' here in Illinois, but they could learn a lesson from those Dakota folks with just casual observance.
It would not be terribly difficult to enhance huntin' in Illinois. The expenditure would be trivial in comparison ta the revenue it would generate for the state.
Turn pheasants loose, improve and increase habitat, provide feed plots, and watch the results.
Years ago the state used ta have game preserves and "release areas" fer pheasants on private land.
Most people that release pheasant or quail don't know how ta do it. They do not aclimate the birds ta the weather ta develop proper oil on their feathers.
And, they release them too late in growth after they have lost some of their natural instinct against their enemies.
Six weeks is long enough ta have them in captivity.
If'n a feather or two is missin' from the head and/or back of the young birds, they will get pneumonia and die the first thundershower that comes along.
With no natural oil protectin' their feathers, they fall victim ta the weather as well.
Some say there are too many predators anymore ta achieve results with game birds. But, if'n ya travel ta the Dakotas, ya will spot just as many predators up there as ya do in Illinois.
If'n ya turn loose these birds in mass, some will survive, and with birds, yer'll get hunters-with hunters yer'll bring more revenue into the state than it will cost ta release those birds. Use the tax revenue derived from gun and ammunition sales ta finance and encourage farmers fer habitat establishment.
Some farmers will cooperate and some won't.
In all probability, "Mr. Short Britches with his hat on backwards," won't. Greed seems to limit him ta anything that only fits his own selfish desires ta accumulate wealth, power, and supposedly fame.
However, I believe there are enough of them other kind of farmers ta make the program successful, just as it has been in the Dakotas fer years and years.
Go up there and check it out fer yerself. Use their successful program as a starter model for Illinois, with a few modifications.
Why ship that huntin' revenue and income stream out of state? The boys and I are hope'n ever one writes ta their state representatives ta get busy implementin' this money-maker fer the state.
Well, that's it fer this week. Hope'n ta see ya in church this weekend.
Remember, where ever ya is, what ever ya be a do'n,
BE A GOOD ONE!
Keep on smile'n,
Catch ya later,
BARNYARD BRUKE