Growling in the woods, torn trees, need help.

If I get in any possoms and they hit the cute stage, I'll post pictures. I'll have to be quick, that stage only lasts about 23 minuites.

ROTFL!!! I'd be interested in that!

CP, I feel for you! My mom is unable to walk so I do all of her gardening for her. If we don't how will we show our children how to treat us when we're in that situation? Besides I kinda like the old gal and making her smile[ and she doesn't have rocks to haul].I hope you have a big bathtub and lots of hot water,cause that kind of labor screams hot soak to me.

Yes, I am pretty achey. I do have a big tub. MIL is pretty active for her age, but tree trimming is a little much for her. DM is in her 80's and still pushes her lawn mower, on a steep bank by the lake. Both of them are in better shape than I am most times. You never know with your health....I am glad I can walk, and enjoy the woods every day. Someday I may not be able to. I have been working on resealing our 3 decks at the house. This may kill me long before the bear.

Took some more pictures yesterday morning. This is a bridge to a long strip of land that floods. This is where I look for tracks. The bridge spans an overflow from the river. The ferns seem to pop up overnight and take over.
This bridge is very very heavy, made of cedar logs and palet boards. It will move in the high water, sometimes ending on its side against the tree. It is very difficult to move back. This year we put an extra post at the end of the bridge to secure. It has not moved this year after 4 floods so far. The deer also use this bridge, as well as many other animals. We built the bridge several years ago to get to trees that the beaver had cut for us for firewood.

Tracks degrade quickly so it is fun to see who was around during the night. Looks like coyotte are looking for the fawns to be born.

Looking up the ridge, you can just see my little cabin against the sun.
That is all for now. It got very cold last night (30') and might have riled up the animals in the woods. I know the coons were in my bird feeders last night as I had to go find them this morning.

Haven't checked in on your adventures in a while cpart--had to have cataract surgery on both eyes (one at a time tho), so thought I better see if you ever figured out what your critter was. All that sure is pretty around your house. I can see why you enjoy walking in the woods every day--must be very relaxing (except when you hear something growling, lol). Spring paints everything extra pretty too, doesn't it? I haven't gotten to go to our deer camp with my camera yet but hope to soon. For now I have to settle for pictures right here around the house. Watch out for those coyotes too. Quite a few years ago, I was bow hunting over a food plot. Had one doe come in with twin fawns and then another doe came in with one fawn. The first doe (biggest one) took offense to the second doe getting on "her turf," so she charged her. I had the enjoyable experience of watching the two duke it out for a couple of minutes and then the younger doe conceded and went to the other end of the plot. It started getting dark and they made no move to leave. I didn't want to spook them so I just sat tight and watched them. Eventually, it was getting dark enough that I could hardly see them so I decided I would just have to spook them since I hadn't brought a flash light with me (brilliant, right?). It was a real long field and I hadn't gone more than a few yards when a pack of coyotes started howling right across the creek (no more than a hundred yards!!). There I was, no flashlight and just a bow for protection, OMG!!! That was the longest walk I ever had back to my four wheeler. They were still howling when I cranked up to go.

Had simular experience with the coyottes. Pretty spooky. Esp when you hear them from behind. I am carrying my bear spray this year for bow hunting, also rifle. The spray shoots 30 feet. I will feel better.
Are you happy with the surgery? Must be nice to see better. You do not realize how bad your eyes are until they are fixed.
Hope you are now as good as new.

Unfortunately we can't legally carry any type of gun during bow season. Might have to get some bear spray myself. Yes, I feel much better after surgery. Before my vision was 20/70 in right eye and 20/40 in the left. Now it's 20/20. All I need is el cheapo reading glasses from Wally World to read with. I can live with that!!

Sounds great. Glad everything went well for you. We cannot carry guns either during bow season. I always feel vunerable with just the bow and the noises of the early morning before light, or walking back to the house in the dark. Also I have seen bear tracks in the bait. The bait being really close to a tent full of snacks and lovely smelling hazel nut coffee. Yes, I will be taking the spray with me, for sure. Better than throwing a donut at the thing, and hoping he will go for that.

One donut for a bear--ROFLMBO! Brings that old potato chip commercial to mind--"Betcha can't eat just one." He'd scarf that one down and come to you looking for MORE!! And he'd probably want some of that good smelling hazelnut coffee to go with it! I'm soooo glad we don't have bears down here. I walk in to my stand in the pitch dark in the morning and out at night in the dark. Coyotes are enough! And, of course, when it's hot, we have to worry about those sneaky no-shoulders. I've seen several rattlesnakes that were 5 to 6 feet long. Killed my fair share of them too. Came reeaaal close to stepping on a couple of them. One of them helped me figure out just how fast this ol' lady could go up a steep bank BACKWARD!

Lol. You can keep the snakes.
I have a tiny flashlight that hangs around my neck. I know the woods well, but there are small bridges in the swamp etc. It is a whole different world in the dark. Nothing gets your blood moving like a buck snort right next to you when walking to your blind. Last year DD boyfriend went out with us. I walked him to the short path to his blind and continued on. He got lost in the short path with a flashlight. I had to come back and show him the way. (he was familiar with the path, had walked it several times). The dark is tough sometimes. Some of the woods pictures I take you can spot the cats eyes on the trees we use to navigate in the dark. You can see them in this picture on the right. One means going in...two means going out.

My daughter doesn't deer hunt (they look too sweet to shoot) but used to squirrel hunt with us. One time she and I were walking along a deer trail looking for squirrels when a deer snorted at us (it was real close). I thought she was going to come out of her skin. I was laughing so hard at her reaction I had trouble explaining what it was. We hunt in a club with about 20 other members so we don't use the cat eyes--don't want everyone else finding our "spots." If I'm in unfamiliar turf, I hang kleenex tissues on trees on my way in and then collect them on my way out in the dark.

I want to come and live where you do. I don't get around well but think I could manage the scooter in a few of the places. It looks so peaceful there.

Thanks for the kind words all.
It is hard to discribe how easy it is to get turned around in the woods at night. I do well on the trails. The cat eyes are for when you get off the trail, then find a trail and need to know which way to go. You don't want to be lost out there after dark.
I am not sure the scooter would work. Loose sand and
stumps, ruts, roots and muck that is like quicksand. The quad has a problem in the really good areas. When I get back to work I want to get a Mule or other 4WD vehicle that you can safety take a passenger. This will access the woods to friends that otherwise cannot walk it.
It is peacefull here. When nothing is growling at you. :)

You're absolutely right about the woods looking totally different at night! I've gotten turned around a couple of times but have made sure that won't happen again. Hubby and I would love to get a Mule or Bad Boy Buggy, something like that. We have two four-wheelers right now and they suit us real good since there are many times he hunts one area and I'm somewhere on the other side of the woods. But at 57 and 58, we're starting to stick a little closer together out there. Anything can happen. We got radios so we can "try" to stay in touch but the hills and hollows here in Vicksburg are really outrageous so we can't always get through to each other. And I agree cpart, no matter how rough, hilly, wet or nasty the woods are, they are still beautiful and I just love roaming around in them. The peacefullness and quiet is not easily described--you just have to experience it.

Starting part two.
Please follow along on the continuing adventure here.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/725711/