Weather Breaks - Walk In The Woods

Snow last weekend transitioning to an inch of rain on Friday and sunny with high in the 60's today.  Must be March.

 Two of my Florida hunting buddies are recuperating this week.  Kristen had her much delayed hip surgery.  I'm sure that rehab will go smoothly with two little ones at home.  Todd decided to do battle with an automobile on one of his routine 75 mile bike rides.  He's lucky it's just a sprained ankle.  Aunt Karen has these two and Lily to nurse back to health.  Lily is their 10 year old golden-doodle that just had a knee repair.  Get well soon everybody!

 This is what greeted us on arrival.  The mice are still active.

After an inch of rain, and given the melted snow, there was standing water everywhere.

 Even the turnip field was holding water.

 With the snow gone, an antler appeared right in front of the main field stand.

 It's a nice 4 point.  He probably wasn't a shooter this year but should be by next season.

 These are the shed antlers that I have found this season.  No shooters but all have a good chance for next year.

 Here's my collection of shed antlers from previous years.  I usually only keep the interesting ones.

 I finished up the jerky batch that I started last week.

Now that the turnip field is clear, you can see that they have eaten virtually all of them.

 A couple warm days with rain and the clover is already starting to green up.

 Saturday night this pond field was full of deer nibbling on these little clover sprouts.

 I'm always surprised to find large new upturned trees.

 Most of the time these creeks are dry.

This is the spot where I had a buck down last December.

 Close by I found a bone.  It wasn't from my buck but I did lose an archery buck in this area a couple of years ago (the high 8).  I couldn't find any more bones.

 Interesting tree.  I think this is the work of a pileated woodpecker.

 They are pretty efficient.

 More buck rubs - this time on a cedar.

 The trash that I find in the woods is always interesting.

This skull was in the woods by the pond stand.

 Green clover.

 Sunday morning  I tried to follow the deer trails in hopes of finding more shed antlers.

 I drove down to the valley stand and then walked a huge loop around the woods above it.

 Several large trees caught my attention.

The beeches are always interesting.

 Big cavity in this tree.

 Many beeches have hollows.

Atv trail down to the creek crossing.

 The ferns seem to be immune from the deer.

 Another woodpecker tree.

 Joan and I touring last week.

 A week later and all clear.