Checking Out The Locals

This 8-point has been in the neighborhood for over a week, checking out the local girls.

Winter Firewood

After last year's mild Winter, I still had firewood left over. With a forecast of rain this weekend followed by colder weather it was time to add to my firewood stockpile.

I stopped to take a break from splitting wood and this curious young deer came over from the nearby brush to investigate.

The Buck is Back

The buck from last evening's wildlife drive was back in the neighborhood this evening looking for love.

Let the doe know you're in the area by building a buck scrape.

Place your scent high so it will carry.

The buck scrape is in place, time to show off for the "girls".

Check for the scent of doe in the area.

If you build it (a buck scrape), they will come.

Bucks in Rut

Last evening was another rainy day and a good time to take the ATV for an evening wildlife ride. The does and fawns were out feeding when this buck with a dazed look appeared. The buck walked closer to us and got within 15 yards of us. The blur in the background is one of the does scattering.

We continued on the evening wildlife ride and after a short time found the buck had moved to a different location, but still looked to have the same subject on his mind.

The Turkeys Have Landed

I was watching college football on TV when a flock of turkeys flew over our house and landed in the backyard. After a few minutes to regroup, the turkeys moved closer to the house searching for food. Two more weeks until the start of fall turkey season.

"The Rut" Has Begun

The white-tailed deer mating season has begun and some of the local bucks are acting "strange".

I went to check the memory card on one of the game cameras and found this buck standing next to it and paying no attention to me in my ATV.

After a few photos the buck moved out of view. I restarted the ATV, moved forward and again found the buck paying no attention to me.

I now had a few photos of this buck and moved to a location with a better view of the buck. Again, no reaction from the buck which is about 25 yards away. After about 25 minutes of watching this buck, he decided to move off, into the brush. I never did get a photo of the buck with the game camera.

Mourning Dove

We've had a family of mourning doves at our barn since this Spring. The mother hatched several broods this year and now they wait for me to feed them each day. This young mourning dove is just starting to fly and I'm able to hand hold the camera within a foot of the bird.

Blue Mushrooms

Matt found this lone Indigo Milk Cap (Lactarius indigo) along a trail on our cabin property this weekend.

I went back today to get a few more photos of this distinctive mushroom and discovered several more blue mushrooms a short distance up the same trail.

While the outside of the Indigo Milk Cap may be a pale blue, the inside is a deep blue and will ooze a blue "milk", or latex. These mushrooms have a firm/meaty flesh and are delicious when sliced and cooked in butter.

Building Habitat for Homeless Bats

While Matt was in the woods for the first day of archery deer season, grandson Reed and I were building a habitat for homeless bats. I found plans on the Internet to build a bat house from three 6-foot cedar fence boards.

Cut one 26 inch board and one 22 inch board from each of the three 6-foot cedar fence boards. The 26 inch boards form the back and the 22 inch boards will form the front. I used a biscuit joiner and wood glue to form each panel.

A ventilation strip is cut 6 inches from the bottom on the front panel.

The instructions called for cutting grooves or attaching plastic mesh on the inside of the panels, making it easy for bats to grab on and nest comfortably in their dwelling. I stapled stainless steel wire mesh to the inside.

Reed attaching additional supports to the inside of the bat house.

The back panel is complete, now attach the front panel.

Assembly is complete, time to paint and add hangers.

Reed and completed bat house.

The bat house was hung outside the south facing, second floor window of the barn. This puts the bat house about 20 feet above the ground.