Trail Camera Basics

In a recent post I mentioned that spring is a good time to scout and pattern deer movements.  That's because whitetails tend to be creatures of habit.  They tend to stick to the three or so miles of cleared and mowed trails I've carved-out or they create their own trails through the woods.

Spring is a good time since the ground is wet and muddy and the deer trails stick out like a cow path leading to a barn.

Like this:

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Which is why I moved one of the cameras directly in the line of this path.  It will be interesting to see who we see.

RCG

Reed Canary Grass (RCG) is an unwelcome invader of wetlands.

It can form a dense, thick, mat of turf and crowd-out all of the desirable native plant species.  Nobody eats it.  It looks like hell. It serves no useful purpose.  Therefore, it must die.

Easy to say.

After almost a couple of decades I will tell you it cannot be killed.  You can burn it, spray it, mow it and short of digging it out with a back hoe - it eventually comes back.

Yesterday I mounted my big sprayer on the quad and did battle with the RCG.  The sprayer holds 15 gallons of Rodeo mixed with a surfactant and some turf dye.  The blue dye is marvelous for helping to know where you've sprayed and where you haven't.

Now is the window of opportunity for spraying.  Many of the natives are still slumbering in the soil while the cool season grasses are lush, green and vulnerable  If I can knock-back the RCG - long dormant seeds and plants will be released.

Tough work.  Had to maneuver the ATV into some remote areas, fording water while driving in low gear with the four-wheel drive engaged.  Tall, rubber boots too.  By the end of the day I applied 45 gallons of herbicide with high hopes of giving some of the natives an opportunity to spring-forth.

Like this Marsh Marigold.

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Wurst

In my initial foray into  charcuterie here is the first batch of chubby breakfast sausages.

This was a trial run with six pounds of pork grinds and a commercial seasoning.  I wanted to make sure all of the equipment was in working order.

Good thing too.

Cabela's had the wrong size collar for the stuffing tube in the box so the sheep casings couldn't be utilized.  Substituted some hog casings instead.

Replacement part is on back order.  Stay tuned...

Haircut

Out walking the dog recently and I came across this pile of hair.

It's deer hair.

And it's clumped around like you see on a barbershop floor.

No hide.

Just hair.

I wonder what the story is?

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Doe

 
Another of the resident deer.
 
A doe.
 
This deer has a domed head - a field mark identifier for a female of the species.
 
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Buck

One of the resident deer.

Do you know how you can identify this whitetail as a buck?

Look closely at the head and you can see that his antlers are just beginning to sprout.

Female deer have domed heads.

Male deer that haven't grown antlers are called 'flat tops'.

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Guess The Critter

The weekend before last I bagged a really nice tom turkey during the spring hunt.  After I processed the bird into its component edible parts I took the remaining parts  - the wings, head and neck and some entrails - and dropped them in front of the game camera. 

I was hoping to attract someone that would dine on this delectable repast.

Sure enough - look who came along.

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Who is it?