Kansas Wheat Harvest 2011 - Part 1

The Tree Quarter/Lone Tree Field.

Nichole and I loaded up Mattox, the two cats, and two dogs, and then headed to Western Kansas to help Nichole's family with wheat harvest. On the way in we saw deer, antelope, and quite a few pheasants. A couple fields got hailed out just a few days before needing cut, and the custom cutters took care of a bunch of fields. That meant that our part of harvest only lasted six days - a record for sure!

Wheat!

On our way to the farm we spotted deer, antelope and pheasants.

The first day we arrived, we fed the baby calf, rested, and took some photos at the Tree Quarter, which is the lone tree on the farm, and THE lone tree used for Nichole's business logo. There just happened to be a whitetail doe bedded near the tree that posed for a couple photos before we posed for photos. The next day we started cutting. Nichole took a couple breaks to nurse Mattox when her mom brought him to the field. Otherwise, we were on the combines for about 10 hours. Each day was similar to the next... up early to feed the calf, check the wheat, haul water to the cows, service the combines, and then cut until 9pm or so.

Cinnamon the calf.

A whitetail doe posed for photos, too.

The best girl and the cutest boy in the world!

One night as we were making the first pass around a field straddling Mattox Draw (yes, THE Mattox Draw), I noticed the bin in my combine had way too much chaff. It turned out that a bracket broke, which caused one of the main separating fans to stop working. A quick weld the next day, along with a new bearing, fixed it like new!

The view from the combine.

One quick weld and my combine was back in the game.

Drownin' Worms

Teague proudly shows Mattox a catfish on Mattox's first fishing excursion.

We spent Easter weekend down in Phoenix with my brother and his family. Besides the huge Echeverria picnic on Saturday and an Easter egg hunt on Sunday, Erik and his oldest son Teague took Nichole, Mattox, and I on Mattox’s first fishing trip. One of Erik’s friends lives on a private lake in Ahwatukee with an abundance of warm water fish species such as catfish, carp, bluegill, and crappie.

We rigged up a couple rods with corn and worms, and let Teague do the catching as soon as the fish hit. We only fished for about an hour, but Teague caught a carp and three catfish. The carp put up quite a fight, but after I tightened the drag on Teague’s reel, he made short work of the big bottom-feeder.

Since I was trying to get a picture of Mattox with a fish (two of the squirmiest things on the planet), I was frustrated when the first catfish got off, and then when I dropped the second. It all came together on the third, which also happened to be the biggest! We got a great photo of Teague holding the catfish, me holding Mattox, and Mattox touching his first slimy fish.

Teague was totally unselfish and loved sharing the experience with the family. He couldn’t wait to go and was very proud to show his fish to Mattox. I think those cousins will have a great time in the woods together!

Even though Mattox’s first fishing trip was more about me than him, I hope he’ll recognize the value of exposing kids to the outdoors early. My parents took me fishing before I could walk and now we’ve done the same for Mattox. Hopefully he’ll do the same for his kids…






A sequence of photos showing Teague catching and releasing a nice carp with the help of his dad:

Life's a Beach

Last month Nichole and I celebrated our 6th Anniversary by taking Mattox to SoCal so he could dip his feet into the ocean. We also spent time with some great friends and ate some amazing food. We ate at Bubba Gump’s on the Santa Monica Pier and a fancy Thai food place. We also had amazing sandwiches from an authentic Italian deli, and Nichole’s friend Therese sent us off with her world-famous Korean bulgogi.

At the beach, Mattox loved playing in the giant sandbox, but his mom wouldn’t let me take him swimming. She said it was too cold, so I just let him kick the surf! At Mother’s Beach in Marina Del Rey Mattox got to check out his first sea lion up close. We also learned that Mattox LOVES the swings!

The Youngest Swanson

Last week Mattox had his 8-month-old birthday. Yeah, I know. It's not a real birthday, but it seemed like a good excuse to dress him in his camo, set him on an elk rug, and take a few photos.

I can't wait for him to join me in the woods...

Bird Dogs, Roosters, and Babies

What more is there in life? We headed back to Nichole’s family farm in Kansas for the holidays and to chase the wily rooster pheasants. First, I got to warm up the shotgun and the dogs on a few pesky pigeons. Three shots led to three dead birds! Ruby retrieved the first, Lacey found the second on a blind retrieve, and Ruby picked up the third. It was a great start!


Warming Up On Pigeons

On Ruby’s first pheasant hunt and what I thought might have been Lacey’s last, a bunch of birds exploded from a field corner with both dogs in the heavy cover. After missing the first rooster, I connected on the next and watched with tears in my eyes as the dogs worked together to find the downed bird. With more energy and much younger legs, Ruby found the dead bird first and delivered it to my hand.


Swanson’s Prairie Red Gemstone aka “Ruby” - First Pheasant Retrieve

I had to throw it for Lacey, too!


Passing the torch from Lacey (right) to Ruby… their first pheasant together!


Swanson’s Laced With Gold aka “Lacey”


It also allowed me the opportunity to show Mattox his first pheasant. He loved the bright colors and soft feathers!

The next night a storm blew in that dropped a couple inches of snow, perfect for bunching up the birds and tracking. Heath and I headed out early and found one bird in the tree row south of his sheds. I dropped it in the middle of two nearly-impenetrable cedar rows, so by the time I forced my way through with snow cascading down my back, the bird was gone. There were dog tracks completely circling the spot in the snow where the bird fell, but no dog in sight either. Then from out of the dense tree row, Ruby came bounding with the bird held proudly in her mouth—her second retrieve of a pheasant was a runner! We hunted a few more spots and I ended up with three birds while Heath bagged one. Not too bad for three hours of hunting…


Kansas pheasants in the snow… I can’t think of anything better!

And for a little historical perspective: My Dad and his friends started hunting pheasants in Kansas in 1972 (the year I was born) when Nebraska shortened its season and lowered the bag limit. They have made it back nearly ever year since. I started joining them as soon as they would let me, and although I've missed a few years, it is still one of my favorite places to hunt!


My first pheasant hunting trip to Kansas as a bundled-up 6-year-old.