Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Walking Trail on Old Railroad Bed

I have completed the walking bridge across the stream where the old railroad once crossed. I am trying to decide whether to make it a covered bridge or leave it open.  I have a plan for the bridge saved like I would like to build if I decide to cover it.
This is looking down the old railroad bed where we have constructed a walking trail.  We are planning a "Walk in the Forest" event here this spring for ladies.  Felicia wanted to do this to help get more women involved in outdoor activities.

Below is a track of a big gobbler.  I made the picture about two weeks ago while Abby and I was checking game cameras.  I can't wait to here those birds making a statement about how they are the boss.   We enjoy sharing our property with them.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

A Little Bit of Everything

This week has had a little bit of everything in it.
The week started off with a major hike on Dewberry Lands with a local historian, Mike Pettus, who is writing a book about the railroad that once ran through our property over 100 years ago.  We had a good walk, talking about the old railroad and forest management on his personal property, especially managing the original longleaf pines that are left there.  The picture above is where the longest trestle on the railroad was located.  The old picture I posted earlier (February 28, 2011) of the train was made at this location in about 1905.

The next day I had a different kind of hike.  I repainted the boundary lines around our Pine Grove property.  It was a beautiful February day to be in the woods by yourself with no one to talk to but GOD.

The week is ending with an advocacy workshop in Auburn and a symposium on forestry and wildlife.  I have a jaw bone from a deer we took this year that we need to see what age this deer was because of the way the rack had grown.  I am going to have a biologist age it.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Good Buck!

There is a great story that goes with this buck.  He put on a show two days after the season went out.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Another Season Ends

It is always somewhat sad as the sun sets on the last day of deer season but it also means tomorrow we will start the process of preparing for the next season.  Today I moved and repaired three stands and have more I hope to move soon.  That way they will be ready when next season rolls around.  Our goal is to grow bigger racks next year because we had an abundance of young bucks this year.  Our management plan is to only harvest does and good bucks. We want to find the best forage we can produce to provide the nutrients to grow good racks.  We are going to do some research on this matter. 
This is what our cornfield looked like the last day of the deer season.  There was not one grain of corn left in this field and when the season started the deer had not eaten any.   
It is really unbelievable what this field looks like.  There is not a stalk standing or a grain of corn on the ground in this two acre field of corn.  If you would have had humans try to knock down the corn they could not have done a better job than the deer did to this field. It looks like a tornado has been through it and totally destroyed it.