Next Stop Africa?

Next weekend we will go to a wedding in Texas and then, on 5/23, we leave for South Africa.  When we get back from Africa, I have a conference in Colorado.  So, this is the last visit to the farm for about a month.  It was also my last chance for turkey hunting this year.  My planting may be late this year - so be it.

This was last week but I looked just like this this week.  I had several encounters and some conversations with turkeys, but no shots.

This is what I was looking for. 

No joy this year on the gobblers. 

I got in one last practice session with the 30-06.  This is 100 yards shooting standing off sticks.  The scale of the target makes it equivalent to 275 yard shots. 

I ended up with 10 good hits, 6 pretty ugly misses, and four shots that were too far forward and may have caught a carotid artery or something like that.  Probably got offside shoulder bone. 

The weather looked good so I mixed up a tank of weed killer.  I got it 1/2 applied and a thunderstorm rolled in. 

It really poured so I got my clothes organized for Africa.  When it finally broke, I ran out to spray the rest of the tank.  When I went out past the pond and hi-rise, there were 4 gobblers standing in the field - all red heads.  Figures. 

This is shortly after the rain.  the weather was very nice. 

Sunday morning sunrise.  There was a pretty good fog everywhere. 

I saw a bird moving thru the fog in the barn field as I was heading out.  I heard a few gobbles, had one talking to me for awhile, but nobody really came in close. 

Amazing the difference a week makes.  The woods are completely green now. 

Another wildflower of some sort. 

The ferns have really taken off. 

A wood pecker tree that I saw on my walk. 

Here's Dave and I out touring last week.

We had absolutely no action last week.  This week, I was at least seeing them and hearing them. 

The bird attack on the trailcam.

An another one.

The deer are looking pretty scraggly.

There are lots of them around. 

This buck has a start on some great antlers - the bases are really wide. 

Tough winter.

But they're over the hump now - everything has greened up.

Stand off between a bunny and a doe. 

The coyotes are still around. 

Night and days - singles and pairs. 

Also a few foxes. 

Coyotes in daylight - somewhat rare. 

Camo makes me look pudgy. Obviously it's the clothing.

If I have a good internet connection, my next post may be from South Africa.  I hope that I have something fun to share with you.

Flowers, Mushrooms, But No Turkeys

 Dave drove down to hunt turkeys with me this week.  We got good weather - highs near 70, lows about 45.  There were a few far off gobbles and that was it.  No luck at all.

This is what we were looking for.  Of course they were on camera but the woods were quiet both mornings. 

Either one of these gobblers would have made our day. 

It's possible that these guys made them scarce but I don't really think they were a factor.  I did spot two coyotes outside the dining room window as we sat down to dinner on Saturday. 

Look closely at the turkey on the right.  It has an arrow sticking out of its back.  Last year I saw one like this - could it be the same one still living with an arrow stuck in it? 

This photo is just a moment later and there's no sign of the arrow - where did it go? 

Dave had a good eye on our travels and spotted a number of morel mushrooms. 

I have never hunted for them before but I know that the locals all look for them. 

Dave cooked them up for us and now we're hooked.  I'll be keeping my eyes open for them from now on. 

As always, we saw some interesting stuff on our travels looking for birds.  The woods are really starting to green up.  The redbuds are done and the dogwoods are at peak. 

There was a variety of wildflowers.  This one looks like a small iris. 

Violets I think. 

Not sure. 

Trillium 

Dunno. 

The ferns are coming out and will take over some of these hillsides. 

We took Joan on a tour and she brought her camera to practice for Africa.  A little trail clearing was necessary. 

It's nice to have a clean up crew behind me. 

Eagle eye Dave spotted this turtle. 

He wasn't quite as big as Penelope (Amy's 3 legged turtle). 

Dave and I did some shooting in about a 20 mph cross wind.  Bullet drift wasn't as big a problem as the wind blowing the rifle while holding. 

I shot this wildebeest from 100 yards and that scales to about a 350 yard shot. 11 hits and 4 misses.  We also blew up some beer cans and moved back to the 200 yard mark with the 223 and 30-06.

Speaking of Africa, a friend sent me this image.  I wonder if Joan knows what she's in for...  Nah, there won't be any lions where I'll be hunting, right?

Wearing my facemask as a hair net. 

Last week Mark stopped by for a tour. 

We did a little shooting and took a spin.

I did some spraying last week 

This buck is starting on antlers but his ribs are showing thru after a tough winter.

I'm sure some (most?) of these does are pregnant and will deliver in a month or so. 

 They look pretty good.

Bucks starting to grow from their pedicles.

This one already has wide bases.

 There are plenty of turkeys around.  Either they were on vacation this weekend or our calling sucks.  Your guess.

I do need to work on thinning this population somehow.  My calling hasn't been too effective for them either.