The Tunnel of Doom

Years ago I got it in my head to cut a trail from east to west (or west to east) to see if the deer would prefer to walk on it.  I wasn't necessarily doing this for their convenience as there were two deer stands positioned within roughly a hundred yards of each end - the new Stand of Death 2.0 on the east, an older (but in really good shape) metal tower to the west and a third wooden guard tower in the middle.

The trail is a quarter mile in length and - yes - the deer prefer it.  I don't know if they're lazy or easily duped; although I think it is the former and not the latter.  

As the trees have grown-up the trail has gotten tighter.  Nevertheless, if I mow it and trim some branches a couple of times each year I haven't had any trouble keeping it open.  As a matter of fact, in some sections it has become more like a tunnel.

The Tunnel of Doom

Some of you may think that this affords the hunter an unfair advantage.  I would disagree.  With their keen sniffer and sharp vision it is the whitetail who generally has the advantage.  Think of this as creating three ambush points.  That is fair chase.  If we put out piles of corn and shot the hapless deer casually feeding on a corn pile that would be an unfair advantage.  While it is perfectly legal (so far) we don't hunt deer over corn as that is mere shooting and requires no patience or skill.  But I digress.

Here's some images recently captured before, during and after.

Mama and the twins...

 

Me on the New Holland Boomer going...

And returning....

Me and Ruby servicing the trail cameras on this particular day...

And the tunnel.....

 

Trail Cam Update

From the trail camera trap line is a selection of photographs....

Sunset

Gobblers

Sandhill Crane

Doe and Fawn

Woodcock

 

Wiley Coyote

 

Clickbait

If your experience is anything like mine you've likely got a couple of friends or acquaintances who are particularly aggrieved or otherwise disgruntled.  And they make a daily habit of re-posting memes on their Face Book pages reflecting their grievances over Joe Biden, Muslims, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, the Supreme Court or whatever.  I can think of four individuals in particular for whom it is a near constant effort.  It is a fixation bordering on mania.  Some days I wonder if these people have a life beyond bellyaching on social media.  

Since the beginning of this year I have endeavored to be a better person.  Not a saint, just better.  I don't have very many grievances and a relatively high tolerance for differing opinions.  Speaking if which, I have opinions too; but that's not the same as full-blown grievance.  Sure, I happen to not think very much of Mr. Trump and may post something on that subject once a week or thereabouts; if you think I'm coming-across as manic please let me know.   Other people's feigned Face Book outrage is annoying if you let it get under your skin; so it's better to scroll past.  Best policy for me is to avoid politics and religion on FB and if I have anything to say on the subject to restrict it to the Blog.  Visiting here is purely voluntary and not subject to an algorithm.  Read at your own peril. 

You won't find much cut and paste here as I place a high value on original thought and factual content.  I attempt to keep content on the blog diverse.  Anyway, as a public service and in the interest of spreading positivity on the interweb here are some very recent trail camera photos from our woods.  

This event is a dose of annual joy and always brings a smile to the lips of this old hunter.  If you don't like the appearance of spotted fawns you probably need to seek professional help and have your head examined.....

 

 

Leap of Faith

There is nothing more graceful than a running deer.  Actually, they leap more than run and are capable of vaulting over obstacles up to 8 feet from a standing position.  With a running start, they are capable of soaring over fences as high as 10 to 12 feet; although 8-foot fences are generally an effective deterrence.  They are also capable of horizontal leaps (forward motion) spanning up to 30 feet.  Which is quite remarkable.  

When I uploaded this photo from a trail camera recently a couple of things occurred to me.  If a hunter was in the stand pictured would the deer run towards the hunter?  And would the hunter be able to get-off a shot and knock one down?  The animal furthest away is roughly 40 yards distant and hauling ass.

I have personally been witness to the unpredictability of the direction startled deer will move and as a general rule they do not run towards hunters; unless, the wind in in the hunter's favor.  If upwind it is possible a hunter will remain undetected; the deer will not smell or 'wind' him. 

Although in the image here a deer running head-on at the hunter (likely caught unaware) and and closing the distance rapidly it is a leap of faith and the deer has the advantage. 

For the hunter this is a low probability shot situation and also would be a leap of faith to take a shot with a high probability of wounding.

I would pass; and await for a broadside shot at an unsuspecting whitetail standing or strolling.    

You? 

Shell Game

Because these buggers don't stand still and seem to materialize from multiple directions this is a little bit like trying to play a shell game.

Count them.

Count the whitetails...

 

Eat More Deer

Before sunset today this was the view east from the bedroom window.

I refer to this image as the solution to solving hunger in northeast Wisconsin.

I stopped counting at twenty.

In our household the culinary goal is a weekly venison dish; minimum. 

Lasagna tonight with fresh spinach on the side. 

Next time I’m gonna just incorporate the spinach in the lasagna and be done with it.

Pretty good chow if you can get it.

Eat more deer!

 

Winter Outerwear

If you're like me and don't head south for the winter months winter warmth is found in a walk in the woods with the dog, whipping-up terrific food in the kitchen and sitting fireside by the wood burner with a book or to watch British detective series or a good movie.

The critters that make their home in our woods have their own survival strategies to get thru winter.  Including the addition of new winter outerwear.  They do so by means of molting (shedding) their summer coat and swapping it out for winter pelage that is a thicker, denser, water repellent coat of fur that provides superior insulation and camouflage.  

When you live half-way between the equator and the North Pole the fall molt is especially important to animals adapted to cold climates. That new winter coat serves two purposes - warmth and concealment. 

This time of year the ubiquitous deer appear fuzzy or chubby in their cold weather wardrobe.  Whitetail deer sport a uniquely adapted winter coat that efficiently absorbs scarce winter sunlight.  Solar heat is trapped by coarse outer guard hairs - each of which is hollow.  For added insulation the layer beneath is dense and soft - retaining heat close to the skin.  Deer also produce an oily substance that works thru the entire coat to enhance waterproofing.  These insulating qualities are so efficient that falling snow will collect on the animal without melting.  Furthermore, the dull brownish-grey winter coat this time of year is superb camouflage.   

The long-tailed weasel changes into all white winter coat.  Brown in the summer months with an identifying field mark in the form of a black-tipped tail year-round.  This species is larger than the short-tailed weasel and the least weasel - who lacks a black-tipped tail.  

Then there is the larger mink who does not sport a white coat in the winter.

Indeed, like the mink, the fisher also does not sport white winter camouflage either. One of the largest members of the weasel family the fisher's coat is characterized by a soft suppleness and so prized as a fur bearer that is was oft referred-to as the American Sable.

Raising a toast to warm, winter outerwear.

Thirtieth Anniversary

This year’s Deer Camp is the 30th Anniversary Edition.  That’s not nearly as long as my neighbors multi-generational traditions but as a latecomer to big game hunting it’s fine by me.

Brandy from the land of my birth

Anyway, another tradition is the food. I’m going to overlook something I’m sure; but over four days I dined on something on the order of five varieties of sardines, two kinds of liver pate and two iterations of homemade smoked Hungarian sausage (old family recipe). 

 

Bobby’s homemade smoked Hungarian sausage

This was followed by venison chili dogs and Lawyer's gourmet venison bolognese.  

 

My infamous homemade navy bean soup built upon a foundation of Marchant’s smoked pork hocks.

Jägermeister. Ja!

Raw beef and onions on marble rye and a half a dozen kinds of cheese, sourdough bread, French baguettes and washed it down with adult beverages from the peninsula stretching all the way to Europe.  

The humble hard boiled egg is the perfect deer stand snack you can fit in the pocket of your parka.

Thanks guys for another hunt in the record books…..

Thirtieth Anniversary

 

Yes; 30 years of chasing deer.  Can you believe it?  The Deer Camp is celebrating a Thirtieth Anniversary.

Even the bear is getting in the game. 

The operative question is how does a person go about calculating the precise number of deer that have been killed and eaten  over those three decades? 

Wiley Coyote

From the trail camera trap line are some coyote video shorts

 

And because coyotes are opportunistic predators - a deer with a broken leg  

 

You Are What You Eat

I recently made a run to Miesfeld's in Sheboygan to fetch the last batch of venison from the 2024 deer season.  It took a while for everything to be processed; yet it's completed. 

Garlic summer sausage, snack sticks, wieners and bacon.  Yes, there is such a thing as deer bacon.  

I had previously taken an additional batch of venison to Marchant's Meats in Sturgeon Bay to have brats and regular summer made.  Much faster turn-around.  And by the time you read this all but the shares belonging to a couple of hunters will have been distributed and likely found its way to a summer grilling session. 

In case you're wondering about the economics it works out like this:

Four deer skinned, cut and wrapped was $520; split six ways is $87 a hunter.  Everyone received a generous helping of steaks, chops and burger.  On top of that there was another generous selection of brats, wieners, snack sticks, summer sausage and bacon.  $560 total ($381 Miesfeld's and $179 Marchant's) split six ways is $93 a hunter.  All-in that comes to $180 a hunter.  And if you've been paying attention to the price of meat lately this is a decent deal; considering the overall yield.  (Note to self - take photos next time). 

I take payment by check or Zelle®.

Fun Fact:  Three additional deer were donated to the food pantry network of northeast Wisconsin thru DNR's deer donation program. 

Milestone - Part Two

The number one animal appearing in the digital captures of Snapshot Wisconsin trail cameras is Odocoileus virginianus, the whitetail deer.

Same here.

Fun Fact: The top four animals captured here are as follows (in rank order) - Deer, Turkey, Cottontail and Racoon.

 

 

Variety

From the trail camera there are:  whitetail deer, screech owl, fox squirrel, a timber doodle, raccoon and a long beard gobbler.

Nice variety....... 

 

Better Safe Than Sorry

My trail cameras have been in their present locations for years.  Consequently, the local critters don't pay them much mind; at least as much as I can tell.

This inquisitive, yet hesitant, doe wasn't having any of it it however....

 

Trail Camera Collage

Some recent images from the trail camera trap line include:

A curious doe

A screech owl

A timber doodle (North American Woodcock)

A couple of gobblers 

And Wiley Coyote 

Affordable Housing

Inspected and cleaned nest boxes today. Fifty of them. 

 

Evicted four families of mice and in a Caddy Shack moment Jill was attacked by a squirrel hiding in a box.

 

After three decades of building these this is the final nest box design. Constructed of cedar they’re very durable. The right side wall flips-up for cleaning or inspection.   Took a page from Henry Ford's book on manufacturing - interchangeable parts make for efficient repairs.  Affordable housing for cavity nesting songbirds.

 

 

Our woods was thinned during COVID and now that the canopy has been opened all sorta natural regeneration is happening.  Like these spruce seedlings. 

 

The resident pileated woodpeckers are disassembling this snag.

 

 

Recently deceased coyote. I wonder what the backstory is.

 

 

Fetched a load of firewood from the north forty. Including a Smirnoff Ice bottle from the ditch.  Not from my tribe.

 

A whitetail that didn’t survive winter.   I wonder about the backstory. 

 

 

Me and my side kick catching some rays with a Guatemalan Lager