Larry A. Smail's Blog

Fog over Mahoning Creek

   I, once again, went to State Game Lands 287 in Armstrong County to try my hand at walking up on a bear. The rains began early and maintained a steady pace for most of the morning.       

Praying Mantis egg case

The first critter I saw was a small rack buck. he walked by me and my camera was in my shoulder pack to avoid as much rain as possible. I failed with some potential great photos of several flocks of geese too.

Rhododenron

   I walked slowly along the side of the hill through an area with lots of grapevines. Some years ago, I walked onto a bear resting spot in    this same area. the bear went out ahead of me. The bear had hollowed out a depression at the base of a fallen tree.

Eventually my hunt crossed a road into an area of the lands I had never been in before. I love exploring new haunts! My plans were to walk parallel again to the road but on the northern side of a steep hollow. This site has plenty pf rhododendron and hemlock trees and scattered vine thickets.    

Pileated Woodpecker holes

Alone this trek I walked into a flock of turkeys and saw various deer and grouse too. The ticks were more prevalent today too. I picked over twenty and destroyed in my rubbing alcohol “broth”.

I crossed the road again and the rains were really beginning to soak through my clothes. My plan was to sneak along a clear-cut area and then move farther downslope and sneak back towards the car. My walk was good for I watched a buck stand up about 25 yards from me. The wet forest floor allowed quiet stalking. This was the same buck I seen earlier. This time he allowed me to gather my camera for a few photos. Fog would come and go throughout the morning too.      

As I approached the road near my car I saw a number of vehicles in a line heading towards Widnon, Pennsylvania. I drove in that direction and saw vehicles and hunters positioning themselves for a big drive. Later I stopped across MahoningCreek to view some beautiful sites and heard 6 shots from where they were driving for bear. I had walked through one side of this hollow earlier. However, my style is to catch a bear for a shot not to scare out. Bear drives are the most productive method for hunting the critters.  I prefer sneaking around…I am weird that way!                                                       

Fog!

Mahoning Creek

I debated going back out, but decided to head home and dry out.

I saw over ten ring-necked roosters in two different flocks today. That sure brought back some good memories.  They are such a beautiful bird!

Ringneck