Turkey Time - No Joy

This is the objective - a nice Tom turkey with a beard. 

There were several around. 

I arrived at 9:30 Saturday morning and immediately suited up.  I walked down the ridge trail and gave a few calls.  Gobbles responded - sounded like behind the barn stand.  I cut thru the deer trail and set up in the field edge below the pond.  Several conversations ensued but then they just stopped.  No more action all morning.  At noon, a hen did dust herself in the dirt outside the kitchen window. 

Sunday morning sunrise.  I had set up the blind in the barn field but I thought that I'd go for a walk first.  Dead silence.  I didn't hear one gobble all the way down the ridge trail and back the lower atv trail. 

At about 8:30, I went in and cooked breakfast.  I came back out at 9:00 and settled into the blind.  Once again I heard gobbles from below the barn stand at about 9:30.  We chatted for awhile but he never showed. 

So I did some chores.  I sprayed the clover fields to control grasses. 

I also did some disking.  This photo was last week but I did it again this week. 

It was a beautiful day with highs in the 70's.  The redbuds still aren't quite at peak.

By next week they may be past peak. 

The apple trees are in bloom. 

Including the new small ones. 

Some of the trails have a blanket of wildflowers. 

The clover fields are variable.  The driveway stand field is the best. 

The main field is the worst.  I may plow it under for fall planting. 

My Spring plots are disked - just need fertilizer.  It's going to be a scramble to get some planting done before I leave for Africa. 

The field below the pond hi-rise is spotty. 

My friend Mark stopped by and we did some shooting.  We blew up some beer cans with pistols and then moved back to shoot rifles.  Mark brought his AR which was fun. 

I shot this kudu target from 100 yards.  Based on scale, that's equivalent to 400 yards.  From the front, I thought that I had 5 non-fatal shots out of 13.  When I turned it over, only 5 of them were sure kills.  I need to get the group lower. 

Of course, while turkey hunting I saw tons of deer.

A groundhog checking out the salt lick. 

Coyote. 

Fox.

Fox again.

And again.

And again in daylight.

Coons.

Taking a snooze in front of the camera. 

Predator on the loose. 

Touring. 

Maybe next week - I think Dave may come give it a try.

Easter Quick Stop

We were in Virginia last week for our granddaughter Lucy's first birthday party.  Our 8 month old grandson, Tommy, was also in attendance so it was a really fun time.  We drove home from DC on Saturday and stopped by at the farm for Saturday night.  Easter Sunday was a beautiful day and we stayed until about 3:00 before heading the rest of the way home.

In the two weeks we were gone, Spring has just started to happen.

The redbuds are close but not quite open yet.  Should be close to peak by next weekend.  Virginia was definitely ahead of us - the cherries were probably past peak there.

Our orchard had some green and a little bit of flowers.

The apples were still waiting to pop.

One of the two pear varieties was in full bloom.

When we arrived, I found a mouse in the trap in the pantry.  I got rid of him and reset the trap.

The next morning I had another one.  I wonder what all they've been into.  Sometimes we find M&M's in the strangest places - like in folded sheets in the linen closet.

The clover is greening up but some fields are in better shape than others.

I snapped this shot of a groundhog in the barn field.  Not bad with an IPhone.

 I did some disking since it was so dry and nice.  I did find this one small spike antler shed.

The pumpkin patch is all disked up.  That's Joan in the background catching a few rays.

During the week I was gone, Van and his crew started on some Spring chores.  This is Van doing a little disking in the orchard field.

Dave changed the oil in all the vehicles and did a little early mowing.

Donny helped Van out - they're going to work on stairs instead of ladders to a few of the existing stands.

We had a number of unexpected visitors during the week.

Here's another one.

My practice this week was on a wildebeest target.  Based on scale, shooting from 90 yards was supposed to be equivalent to 300 yards.  I took 12 shots and wiffed on one of them.

I saw my group looking a little high and tried to aim lower.  Anyway, getting better. Only a month until we leave.

Turkey season opens tomorrow.  I have work commitments and won't be able to hunt until next weekend.

Seems to be a fair amount of traffic.

Multiple day and night shots of rabbits on this camera. Easter bunnies?

I'm pretty sure this guy would spoil the party.

It's probably no coincidence that he's here.

But they do get around.

Still foxes about too.

This deer looked nice and healthy.

I'm not sure what is going on with this guy - his coat looks like it had been singed.

This deer looks like an alien.

I can only guess its a cobweb on her head and it glows in the infrared light.

Generally the deer appear to be in good shape for this time of year.

This one looks wooly.

I got hot in this long sleeve shirt - it got up to almost 80.

Much cooler last visit.