Productive Day

The day started out early and cold, 27 degrees but I was hot by the time I got back to the jeep after toting this 19.5 pound gobbler out of the woods.  I wore a toboggan for the first time ever this morning while turkey hunting. The ground was spewed up with ice on the road banks but the full moon was beautiful in the crisp cool air.  After taking care of the turkey I had told my dad and my uncle yesterday that I would help do a prescribed burn for them because weather conditions were going to be good.  We got a good burn and at the end of the day I was tired but it was a very productive day.  Tomorrow I will be in Montgomery for a meeting.  I know it will not be as productive as today.  A bad day in the woods is always better than a good day in the city. 

Prescribed Burn

The Alabama Forestry Commission did a prescribed burn on the property (belonging my uncle) next to ours last week.  I assisted in checking for jumps and was available for any questions they might have.  Another pair of boots on the ground while doing a burn is always helpful.  We got a good burn on the 75 acres and it will make the property look better, control competition, and will improve the wildlife habitat on the property.  Good job Nick and Josh!

It Is Officially Spring!

This big guy was putting on a show this morning.  Four jakes come in right behind these but they kept their distance.  Notice in the video the two hens walking by with beards.  One hen is the offspring of the other.  I have been watching them for four years.

Tracks and Trees

Mattie, Abby (our daughter) and I were out this week taking up a blind Abby and her husband Jay used for bow hunting this year.  Mattie, our 2 year old granddaughter, has started noticing tracks.  She took a liking to finding tracks where the animals had been.  Here she is looking at a deer track coming out of one of our wildlife openings.  She said it was a big deer!

Yesterday, my dad and I loaded three large trees that I had cut up to use for lumber.  One tree had blown down next to an area where a neighbor had just harvested his timber and the other two was cut down by the company cutting trees along the right of way a transmission line. We will get some good lumber out of these trees.