Deer Season Is On

This morning my grandson was able to go hunting with his dad and I.  This is what it is all about!  He was so excited about getting up early and getting in the woods.  Can you tell?.  We sat in a tripod. (Try sharing a tripod with a seven year old.)  It was cold and frosty and you might think we would not see anything but it was just the opposite.  We first saw a doe and a yearling then we watched three coyotes just off our property and not able to shoot them.  We then watched ten turkeys fly down and feed in one of our green fields. Later James was with his dad watching for deer.  We then saw five deer as we rode back home.  We saw 14 deer 20 turkeys, and three coyotes.  James had a blast and is already asking when he can go again.

Two days earlier, Thanksgiving morning, it was cold. 16 degrees.  I wanted to back out but I knew it was a good morning but this cold this early, I am not use to it. 

There was still a good bit of snow on the ground from two days before.  It was like January but such a beautiful morning. 

Nathan got a nice eight pointer that morning that was in the longleaf pines.  The deer weighed 185 pounds. 

25 Years Ago

Twenty-five years ago on my first trip to Kansas City, Missouri and my first FFA Convention I was leading FFA members as their advisor.  It was all new to me.  We had won the State Forestry contest and one of the team members had won the state and regional FFA Forestry Proficiency Award.  He was one of the seniors on the team along with another senior and two freshmen and he had to decide whether to remain on the team or compete in his individual award area.  Only three could compete nationally at that time.  I encouraged him to try to win the Forestry Proficiency Award because of all the hard work he had completed on his property and that is what he did.  He won the National Award in Forest Management and was able to tour Europe as part of his award.

At the same time as he was going through interviews the team was competing against 42 other states.  These young men had worked hard preparing from June to November for the contest reading and studying everything they could about forestry.  Their work paid off for them!  They also won the National FFA Forestry Contest, a first for Alabama.  This was such an honor for me and a great learning experience!     

Smokey the Bear

Last week I worked with our Clay County Forestry Planning Committee at Heritage Day.  We had a special guest that was a big hit with the children, it was Smokey the Bear. Smokey you did a great job!