Beetle Attack, Elk Hunt Prep, Plot Planting

I started some pumpkins early this year - inside in starter cups.  I ended up with 22 nicely started 4" tall pumpkin plants that I stuck in the ground last weekend.  During the week, we got over 4" of rain so I was anxious to see how these new little plants held up.

 Boy, was I surprised.  The first couple that I looked at were like this.  Chomped off by a deer or a rabbit.

Then the real problems started to emerge.  This one was eaten down to it's skeleton.

 And this one was worse and still being swarmed with what I learned were cucumber beetles. Here's a video of them consuming my plants.  Eating Pumpkin Plants

 It was devastating.  I ran to the barn and found an old bottle of Sevin hose spray.

I sprayed the row but it may be too late to save anything.

I did take some comfort in watching these little buggers die.  See the video.  Die Beetles Die!!!  So it's looking like a wasted effort at this point.  I'll be starting over planting seeds in a week or so.

The fields got just dry enough that I could get my two new food plots planted. And the fertilizer spreader guy said that he would be out tonight.

 I'm going with roundup ready soybeans which help with weed control.

It was a race between lightening bolts and storm clouds.  My wife thought that I was a little daft being out there.

But it passed and we had a nice Memorial day picnic on the porch.

 Including s'mores.

I learned this week that we were successful in the elk tag draw in Wyoming.  So we should be good to go for our horseback, tent camp, wilderness hunt in bear and wolf country.  Here's the outfitter's website.  Thorofare Horseback Hunt  I'm experimenting with how best to carry my "bear repellant"  while also wearing a bino harness, a backpack and while carrying a rifle.  I like this chest rig for the 44 but there's just too much stuff going on.

With a 10 hour ride into camp across the continental divide, I figure that I had better get some "saddle hardening" in before then.  This was my first step, a two hour trail ride with Mark at Ben's Happy Trails

I survived ok.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.  Here's a short video of the action.  Riding with Mark

 Here's a little map of where we rode today.  His property is adjacent to Shawnee State Park and for longer rides, we can head over there.

 Lots of action at the bird feeders including this turkey.

 She stayed awhile and even cooperated for a video.  Hen at the Feeder

The rain washed out this previously repaired culvert on one of my atv trails.

 There's about a 20" culvert coming under the driveway and then it runs down this creek and is supposed to go into this culvert that is about 10".  That's not working too well.

 Lots of salamander activity in the frog pond.  Here's some videos. There were just a bunch of salamanders suspended out there.
Salamander 1
Salamander 2
Salamander 3

 Meanwhile, over in the salamander pond, there were a bunch of mostly frog tadpoles swimming around.  Some videos.

Tadpole 1
Tadpole 2
Tadpole 3

The weather has been nice enough for Joan to join me on the camera tour.

Putting some minerals out.  I have seen where some fawns have been spotted already by others.  Seems early to me and I haven't seen any yet.

Mowing to help the clover.

Now that turkey season is over, they are everywhere.

And lots of coyotes too.

The bucks are starting to grow some headgear.

A year or so ago, I had screen put in to keep the birds out of the porch eaves.  They dug thru the screen and are nesting up there. I tried wedging in some chicken wire - didn't make it 24 hours hours - found it on the ground.

A few more interesting skies from this weekend.