Memorial Day Weekend

I've been trying to get some fields fertilized and planted, and this is the kind of weather we've been getting.  2.5" in the gauge on arrival this weekend.

 Also had this little joy from the pantry.

 And this is how I found the bird feeder.  Did this little guy lift the glass up, get inside, and then couldn't get out?

Sure seems like it.

 Had two grandsons in tow.  Here's one of them fishing at the pond house.  Little did he know that...

 This guy had taken up residence inside it.

Found his recently shed skin close by.

 We did the usual touring.

 And found this lively little box turtle in the clover.

 They sure liked pressing buttons on things - like the headlights and the 4wd button.

 It's prime time for deer minerals - both antler growth and fawning does.

 We took the opportunity to tune up a little bit for an elk hunt coming up later this year.

 There are 3 shot groups here from both the 30-06 and the 300 win mag. at 100 yards.  It took a little while to get the 30-06 back on target.  We eventually got them both shooting 1" groups at 100 yards.

 I haven't chosen yet between these loads for the 300 wm.  They're both shooting pretty good.

These are some 200 yard shots off of sticks.  I think we're in business.  Now we need to keep practicing.

 We got more rain over the weekend.

Did a little mowing with the new machine.

 This photo goes with the next one.

First fawn of the year and really quite young - a day or two?

 Here's some of the characters looking for fawns (and poults).

Hard to see but this is the first bobcat sighting in a couple of months.

 I hope they all satisfy themselves with bunnies.

 Lots of gobblers survived the season.

Some does still carrying.

And a few bucks putting on antler.

 Some shots from last week.

That was the end of spring turkey season.

Humans and Wildlife

Here are two articles both reporting on the same scientific study.  Interesting.

Article Number 1

Article Number 2

The Research Article

Do you think packaging (presentation) matters?

Strike Three on Turkey Season

 The season closed on Sunday so I got a couple more hours of hunting in this weekend.  The closest encounter I had was while I was checking the card on one of the trailcams.  Somebody let out a loud gobble that seemed to be very close - I jumped when I heard it.  I set up and tried to call him in - no luck.

 This is another example of my prowess.  The time stamp says 5:17 but I believe that this camera never "sprung ahead".

 Strutting away on the trail.

 And here I am passing by 20 minutes later.  I had been set up calling out on that field edge.

 They pretty much showed up on camera everywhere.

Here's a hen dusting in the plowed field.

Gang of three.

 Oh well.  Maybe next year.

 The newest toy was delivered this week.  Of course, when I had a chance to use it, the skies opened up.

 Bad Boy zero turn - 48".

Not sure if you can see the amount of water coming off the roof.

 When it stopped, the plowed field steamed.

 There were some very interesting skies and big booms.

In just a couple weeks time, the woods have greened.

I believe that these are blackberry brambles.

 One of the clover fields looks great.  I'm fighting weeds in a couple of the others.

Brad, the service forester, was out to survey for OTFL.  I asked him about the invasive, autumn olive, and he went ahead and flagged one for me.  It just confirmed what I thought.

 I had multiple images of deer chewing on this tree.  It made me curious about what they were finding so attractive.  Most of this treeline is black locust.

Here's a daylight shot.  There are redbuds mixed in with the locust - I have heard that the deer like the redbud seedpods - maybe that's it?

 The bucks are starting to put antler back on.

The grass had obscured the stump with the minerals.

Check out the ticks behind the ear.

Maybe the friend is helping out.

Grass even taller.

 What is he doing with his mouth?

 Coyotes.

Now the long wait until deer season.  Will be planting plots soon.