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.