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Turkeys!

Posted in Wildlife on April 13, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Today was the first day of trout season I Pennsylvania. I don’t care for the crowds on trout opener, so I decided to go for a walk and look for some Morel Mushrooms.

I crossed a creek near to where I was raised and walked the steep slope towards the top of the hill. This woods is an open woodland, so I had high hopes of wandering onto some of those fine-tasting ‘rooms. I have found Morels at this location in past years, but the morsels evaded my eyesight.

The day, however, was a productive one in other ways. Squirrels were abundant, both the Gray and Fox squirrels species. Chipmunks raced over the dry leaf-litter. I saw some Rufous-sided Towhees. that sighting always insures soring is here to stay.

I heard a commotion and saw some movement along the side of a Wild Cherry tree. Young raccoons were at the den. the cute little buggers were inquisitive of my presence allowing a few photo ops. While moving about near their den tree I saw a turkey flying across the hollow. As I watched I heard gobbles way down the ridgeline. I believed I would venture in that direction.

I entered a field and eased over the terrain to see two turkeys about eighty yards away. I set up and called. Gil-obble-obble-obble was the response. I waited surprised to have four jake gobblers come within twenty yards of my position. The camera was shooting. One became nervous with alarm putting. I responded likewise , but they were all nervous. two more jakes and a hen entered the scene. they were right near me when two longbeards showed up. One had a massive beard close to a foot long I surmised. I tried to move the camera onto those beauties and the close birds began putting, too. they all quickly disappeared.

I used the field’s terrain to circle and saw them way off eventually in another field. I called, but the mood was gone.

I headed back towards the jeep still looking occasionally for Morels. I saw the two longbeards again. I saw eight deer and a Red-tailed Hawk and the nest. I, also, saw a pair of Wood Ducks in a wetland-like area.

Frog eggs

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State Game Lands 304

Posted in Hikes, Wildlife on March 18, 2019| Leave a Comment »

I am guessing the last time I hiked on Pennsylvania Game Commission State Game Lands 304 was twelve to fifteen years ago. The timing of this venture was in late August or September. The Deer Tick explosion in my area of Pennsylvania was in full force. I parked along a township road and headed up and over a hill in that year. Memory and time cheats me of specifics, but I either called and had turkeys answer me or I simply hear turkeys and set up to call them in.

Skunk Cabbage

I set up armed with a camera and began turkey talk. Their interest was apparent as I waited to see the birds sneaking into camera zones.

Buffalo Creek

For whatever reason I looked down only to see many ticks crawling upon my camo pants and shirt. I began removing and killing before getting up and leaving. the turkeys would have to wait. I couldn’t stand all those ticks crawling on my clothes. I needed to act and remove and kill as needed!

Today, I revisited this particular game lands, but not at the exact place I had been those many years ago.

I walked down a slope and eventually walked alongside to Buffalo Creek. The creek was beautiful. As I walked along I went upslope before hearing the distinct sound of a hen turkey. She began yelping, cackling loudly followed by others. In short order a gobbler or two began gobbling. Fighting with loud purring was heard as well. The wings were beating loudly as various birds pushed to maintain or gain positions in the pecking order. The birds were across the creek. I eased slowly in their direction and eventually could see turkey movement about a hundred yards away.

I soon saw a big strutting gobbler, his white “snowball” head could clearly be viewed as it appeared to glow. (Turkey hunters will know what that means.) About a half-an-hour of this show ended abruptly with the turkeys starting to feed again. Sad to say I could not get any photos due to the thickness of limbs.

I heard and saw Wood Frogs. I, also, saw some Red-spotted Newts and a pair of Mallard Ducks.

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Single Digits Don’t Bother Me!

Posted in Hikes, Wildlife on March 7, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Yes, recently this week I ventured out in some cold weather with stiff breezes to hike around a game lands. I hunted bear at this site last fall and wanted to explore some areas I hadn’t ventured into as of date. Immediately upon leaving a gas well road to move upslope the signs of deer beds were prevalent. This area was shielded from the wind gusts and I suspect the deer made use of that fact. Numerous tracks were present as I hiked this adventure. I would see three deer later during the hike.

I circled around the hill’s side and old long-abandoned highwalls to fight Multiflora Rose and autumn Olive. I still have several thorns embedded into my hands as I type.

Once I moved up onto the top flats of this hill the winds became more brisk. They felt, almost, as a personal attack on me. However, I was prepared for the cold.

Turkey scratchings

I spotted some exposed leaves among some downed trees and discovered turkeys had been scratching the day before. Several hundred yards away I

Deer bed

came across fresh tracks. the tracks soon led to six to eight turkeys. I managed a few quick photos. I actually broke the flock up. If the cold was so demanding and may have set up to call some back, but I elected to continue moving to keep the old blood moving.

I walked a quarter of a mile and heard something moving in the brush only to see an adult gobbler. The brush did not allow any photos.

The cone of a Tamarack. (Larch)

Note the swollen left side of this deer’s head.

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Fresh Morning Snow

Posted in Hikes, Wildlife on March 1, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Before dawn I was busy cleaning the driveway from the several inches of fresh snow. The tractor’s battery had died and I decided to manually clean the drive instead of taking time to put the charger on the battery,

White-throated Sparrow

Interestingly, I soon began to hear the mating sounds from various birds. the Cardinal and Tufted Titmouse’s chirps were distinctive. Soon I heard Canada geese and a pair flew over me honking away. nature’s mating season is in full force.

Later this day I would need to be ready to play at two nearby rest homes, but I managed to get several hours of hiking.

Deer tracks were numerous as I moved along. Fortunately, I spotted a deer bedded down among the fallen trees. I quickly located three more. I clicked some phots and moved on without spooking any of the three deer.

Birdlife was plentiful this morning. Cardinals, Juncos, White-throated Sparrows were common. I succeeded with getting some decent pics.

Cardinal in flight

Peek-a-boo

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Woodland’s Time

Posted in Hikes, Wildlife on February 22, 2019| 2 Comments »

My friend, Frank “Muskie” Maus did out annual mid-winter hike time today. Frank wanted to explore some new woodland areas bordering a Pennsylvania Game Lands. He has a nephew who purchased some acreage with a home so the potential of hunting the area needed some exploration. I have been on these particular game lands, at least, three or four times, but not on the acreage mentioned above.

Hill Country!

The area is typical with some old, long-abandoned, highwall mining sites, Autumn Olive and multiflora thickets. While traveling through these wooded areas we saw plenty of deer tracks.

We circled the hill’s edge and returned to the road before traveling to another site familiar to Frankie as a hunter. AT this site we traveled along some high and steep river hills. We could see the mighty Allegheny River at times.

We didn’t make to this slope!

During this venture we saw around 10-12 Wild Turkeys. I arrived home after 1:00 so our time afield covered over four hours. Snow was still present in most of the areas we hiked. We, both, enjoy having some snow to help us see and observe tracks. Talks of another venture were made and we discussed future fishing adventures.

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Out In The Snow

Posted in Misc. Nature, Wildlife on February 18, 2019| 2 Comments »

Bald Eagle

Once the morning gloom dissipated I elected to get out in the snowy day and enjoy some woodland time. Snow fell all day, but never very hard. Also, any snow falling would remain on the light side. Rural roads, however, had some slick areas in spots.

I arrived at my destination near Cochran’s Mill to walk along the old Baker trail near the lower end of Cherry Run. I didn’t walk the trail exclusively due to drainage issues of water and mud. Also, plenty of big trees were down across the trail throughout. That was just fine since the area along the creek is much more attractive to gaze upon.

While walking I became a little down with my thoughts. I began thinking about the many areas I used to tramp upon and hunt that are now posted and/or developed. That made me sad. I find I am become increasingly discouraged with hunting due to such issues.

Nature seems to often find away to help clear such thoughts. Instinctively, I guess, I looked up to see a mature Bald Eagle coming up the hollow at treetop level. The beautiful bird turned and circled again and flew over allowing for one quick photo in an opening. The eagle seemed to telling me to not be down as the wings carried it up the hollow.

I would see three deer feeding along a field’s edge. Also, I saw a darkened mass in a cut corn field only to see a flock of Wild Turkeys. I managed a half a dozen pics.

Cherry Run

Later while moving along Cherry Run I noticed a brown ball of energy going upstream. The brown mass was a mink. I took two quick photos, but they were both hazy. The mink eventually went among a root system. I always enjoy seeing a mink in the wild. It is rare. I did get a good photo of a Mink several years or so about half a mile upstream.

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Bald Eagles

Posted in Flintlock Hunting, Misc. Nature, Wildlife on January 16, 2019| Leave a Comment »

One of, at least, four illegal bucks I saw while hunting with my flintlock named, Old Jacob.

I have been very neglectful of my journal entries. There has been much going on between my step-father’s accident and a pulled calf muscle on my right leg. I did get some flintlock hunting in, but failed to connect. I never have had the blunders I had this past flintlock season. I “flubbed” ten shots. Most shots would have been down deer in the past, but for some reason, or reasons, I just didn’t fill a freezer. I came up with a thought late and that idea was to have prescription glasses made for distance and not these “progressive” lenses I currently have. maybe that will do the trick.

One day I went out leaving my priming powder in another coat. I used the 2F powder from my primary loading horn. It is a coarser black powder. I

Notice the strutting gobblers.

eased up onto a feeding doe only to have a hang fire. The powder in the pan went off, but slower than normal. I actually witnessed the barrel move as the gun went off. One happy doe there my friends! I sense I may be having difficulty judging depth perceptions. I am getting older ya know.

I had two unbelievable mishaps this season. I came down over a steep high-wall onto a sphagnum moss area. This is the moss used in making peat moss. It is usually spongy to walk on. Suddenly I was up to my belt in muck and old moss. Either I, instinctively, leaned forward or naturally fell that way. Regardless I was stuck for a few moments and, to be honest, somewhat scared for a brief time. Eventually, I freed my left leg followed by my right leg. I was soaked. My arms were soaked too from falling forward. Of course, I used my flinter to aid in getting out by throwing it ahead to use as support. Later, I had difficulty getting it to go off, but luckily managed to get enough dry powder moved around in the breech to shoot. My “possibles” bag was completely soaked including patching and such. Luckily my camera in my shoulder bag didn’t get soaked for the fabric was somewhat water resistant, plus I always keep a plastic bag at the bottom of the shoulder bag.

Another incident occurred while being above another old strip mine. I was easing down at the mine’s edge to seek out a deer when my left leg suddenly went down into a fifteen to eighteen inch diameter hole. I quickly removed my leg only to see where an old coal mine had shifted allowing for a hole to form hidden under goldenrods and grasses. Lucky me for I didn’t break anything.

Now let’s get back to the title of this journal entry… Bald Eagles. A friend, Bob “Slim” Bowser contacted me about walking. I told him I was free on Tuesday (January 15, 2019.)and we planned a walk to Crooked Creek to see if any Bald eagles could be viewed. We lucked out. We saw two mature Bald eagles and, at least, three immature ones on this dark and gloomy morning hike.

We even managed to get some photos of a pair of eagles settled onto an old snag. I met up with another photographer friend named, Craig Remaley. he takes great photos!

Eagle track and wing marks in the snow.

Immature Eagle

Cherry Run Photos

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Crooked Creek Time

Posted in Misc. Nature, Wildlife on December 18, 2018| Leave a Comment »

I visited mom’s house early to do a few things in preparation of my step-father, Bob returning home from the hospital. He is believing he’ll be coming home soon. We will see!

Upon returning to my abode I decided to visit Crooked Creek Dam area to see how many Bald Eagles I could view.

I elected to walk a trail along the creek just below the dam’s outlet area. The water is high at the dam and those involved with water control were allowing a swift flow exploding from the outflow. I saw one eagle flying over me and away, but I didn’t get any photos.

Seed pods from a Sycamore Tree.

My next stop was to park in the park and walk to the partly flooded beach area. I would see three more Bald Eagles during this walk and watch adventure. None of these majestic birds offered any good photos, so I simply enjoyed watching.

Also, on the lake were Common Mergansers. I fact there were quite a few of these birds. I would see three deer today.

Boulder Fern

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Third Time The Charm?

Posted in Fall Turkey Hunting, Misc. Nature, Wildlife on November 10, 2018| 2 Comments »

The old adage, “The third time is the charm” may apply if only I could find that third one. I came very close on two occasions on bagging a turkey last Wednesday, November 7. In fact I had the shotgun leveled with the safety off both times, but failed to shoot.

Christmas briars

Wednesday morning seemed like a great day for hunting considering the winds and rain this season has had daily. However, at daybreak the winds began to increase, as well. I do not like hunting turkeys in windy conditions because of the inability to hear well. I can’t hear them as readily and they can’t hear my calling as readily either. Also, a flock of birds can be heard scratching leaves for some distances on calm days. With that in mind my hunting strategy is to cover ground searching for a flock to break up and set up on. Then I can call them back in. I tramped miles this season and haven’t walked onto a flock of turkeys. This is hard to believe.

Anyway, I was disappointed when the winds began at daybreak. I knew hearing roosted birds could be difficult unless I was within a couple of hundred yards. I did enjoy the soft hooting of a Screech Owl for a few moments before circling the point calling and listening. I reached the point and crossed over the top. I called periodically. Soon, I peered down into a woods and saw a turkey. The bird walked behind a big tree and I dropped. I began calling and suddenly to my right I heard turkey talk and could even hear the bird walking in the leaves. The turkey was close. All I could do was play the cards dealt.

The Remington 870 was leveled when the bird appeared. Unfortunately for me the turkey came into an area where landowners had dozed ground to level years ago. So mounds of dirt and limbs were present along with grasses and pokeberry stalks. I was in the open and the turkey was in open woods. Unfortunately, this mound and vegetation was between the two of us. However, there was an opening for a chance. The turkey was visible and all the bird needed to do was take a step to be in a clear shot zone. The turkey spotted the orange and darted across that opening and ran down the hill. I wasn’t prepared for that. I could have shot through the pokeberry stalks, but I was certain the shot would happen. Oh well some excitement for only a few moments. I hunted all around the area searching for a flock.

I moved north to hunt an area where I have had much success over the years. I walked up a gas line and peered over an abrupt roll on the terrain and spotted a gobbler scratching for food. The bird was about 45 yards. I backed away immediately. I moved to my right and set up where I could see seventy yards to where the turkey was. The windy conditions kept the bird from hearing my approach. I began calling. The bird came in silent, but to my left. The gobbler stepped behind some trees at around twenty yards and the shotgun was ready for a shot. I was sure the shot was to happen, but the bird became suspicious and walked over that knoll directly behind the tree. I called and his head and neck reappeared.

Not a good photo of a Bald Eagle.

A limb between the turkey and myself was directly across the visible head and neck. A shot would have been successful I am sure, but I held off for the bird only needed to move a couple of inches to expose a great shot. IT DIDN’T HAPPEN! The turkey alarmed putted and dropped over that knoll. I called an had answers for a moment then silence ruled the woods. I tramped around until about 1:00 and quit for the day. I am getting old ya know!

Thursday, November 8, was looking great as well, but again the winds did pick up at daybreak. I walked and zigzagged a finger ridge and failed to see any turkeys. I quit about noon. These last two afternoons I needed to work with mulching leaves.

When one spends time in the autumn woods amazement occurs as to how rapid the colors of the leaves turn. Also, how the trees can be loaded with their foliage and a few days later the woods can be barren of canopy leaves.

I did see a lot of deer and squirrels while out and about. I watched a Bald eagle for several minutes circling over the Cherry Run Watershed. I have been hearing and seeing Ravens often.

Morning shadow line

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A Day Between Rain and Wind

Posted in Fall Turkey Hunting, Misc. Nature, Wildlife on November 5, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Yes this fall turkey season has been one with some weather not agreeable to hunting those birds. Rains have been common. Winds have been unyielding. However, this day was rain free and the winds were tolerable. Rains and winds make hearing difficult and the ability to hear is important for turkey hunting.

I arrived about fifteen minutes later than I wanted because the early morning time had some rain falling. I monitored the radar and could see the rains were about to cease in my area. Off I went!

I was disappointed while slowly touring the ridgeline straining my ears to hear birds on the roost or to receive an answer to my calling. Nothing. Approximately two hours into the morning I elected to travel a couple of miles farther south to hear better. The road noises were strong this morning.

I drove a short distance and saw a turkey in a tree about a hundred yards or so from the road. I stopped and watched the bird fly down. Unfortunately the bird was in lease land for hunters from Ohio. I drove just a short distant more and saw several white heads. Yes I could see gobblers among the vegetation. I looked out ahead and could see around eight young birds feeding along. They were all within that same land. I snapped about ten photos and moved on.

Deer search…

I began walking up the long steep grade at the planned hunting area. I was about five-hundred feet from the top and I heard a turkey responding to my calling. I quickly set up, but within a few minutes I became very concerned. The calls did not feel right and I elected to leave the area. My hunch was proved accurate when I saw a pick up parked along a farming/ gas road. I would later see the man and we chatted for about twenty minutes. he was the one calling.

I made a long sweep into promising areas and saw or heard no turkeys. Plenty of deer and squirrels were about the woodlands. Bear sign was found.

I retraced some of my walking and called often. I swept an entire point of this long ridge and repeated the same scenario. No turkeys!

The time was about 1:30 and I decided to stop in and see my mother and stepfather for a little while. Tomorrow rain and winds are in the forecast again.