First Bird '08

The heavy frost of the morning gave way to an unusually warm, blue-sky, fall day. Started the day on campus in colloquium, but left quickly afterwards and played hooky with Paul for the rest of the day. For his birthday I bought a 100 rounds of sporting clays at Warriors Mark Shooting Preserve. We headed down there with a couple shotguns and a pile of shells for the afternoon. I’d never shot a sporting clay course – 18 stations with throwers set at different angles, positions, and speeds. Pairs of clays are shot from each station in either following or report fashion – the former being two clays thrown in rapid succession, the latter, two clays thrown in sequence with the second clay thrown upon the report of the gun firing at the first clay. We each shot 100 rounds with varying success – many of the stations had clays flying at severe angles and speed and removed from the station a good 50 yards or more. It really made you think hard about the arc of your swing, the lead time, and overall form. Timing, too, was big from some of the very distant throwers. I think the final tally was 56 for Paul and 61 for me. Certainly a lot of room for improvement, but definitely something I hope to do again soon.

We took a quick drive around the preserve after talking with the owner for a bit. They have beautiful fields and some thick lowland areas for hunting. One guy was out hunting his lab – made me jealous. We also got a chance to watch a pair of hen pheasants feeding in one of the cut rows. You don’t get to see that much so we watched through the binoculars for a while before heading home.

On our way home, we stopped and peered into Spruce Creek along the Harpster property where Jimmy Carter fishes. Huge browns and rainbows dashed for cover under the bridge. As we pulled away, a Bald Eagle soared along the stream channel just overhead lit brilliantly by the afternoon sun.

At home I found wired dogs, crazy from a day being cooped up, and an urge to take the DeHaan out for a walk. I’d used the Remington all day at WM as shells are much easier to come by and cheaper than for the 16ga. Plus, seeing those pheasant gave me an itch for the flush of a bird. As light was fading, I quickly loaded up the dogs and headed up to Greens Valley for a quick hunt. We worked the pines just to the left of the side road – nothing – then headed up to the right of the side road gate. On the edge of the side hill thicket the dogs flushed a woodcock. It went fluttering up and off to my left as the gun rose and fired. I didn’t see it go down, but was pretty sure I’d made a good shot. “Dead bird” got the dogs going and quickly on the downed timberdoodle. First bird of the year. Tried to take some time with the dogs to enjoy the moment and get them riled up by our first kill. The dogs, however, needing no more encouragement, weren’t happy about a break in the action and although interested in the bird were more anxious to get going again. We circled through the thicket and worked the cover until dark – no more flushes here today. Maybe later this week…

Start of Archery

PA archery season opened this past weekend. The weather was looking great for the early season: cold and clear. Paul was able to get out for the morning so we had plans to meet at Colyer. Somehow, all the meteorologists got it wrong...big slug of rain coming down from about 5am to 10am, exactly when we were going to hunt. I'll hunt in a lot of weather, but 40 degree rain on the first day of archery aint it. Came home and did work for the day and headed back out in the afternoon. Sat in my permanent stand set up off of Thickhead Mtn road. Didn't see anything while it was light out, but jumped at least 5 on my walk out - they're there - it's just a matter of time.

Went out spotting with Paul last night. Saw 72 deer. Yes, 72. And only 4 descernable as bucks. But one of 'em was a goddamn bruiser. Biggest buck I've ever seen. As soon as we hit him with the light he turned around, tucked tail, lowered his head and just walked quickly out of the soybeans back into his bedroom: a nicely posted 5.7 acre piece of isolated woods in the middle of ag fields. I talked to the landowner today, but they are too sick of hunters causing damage and acting unsafely that they aren't allowing any hunting anymore. The woman said they had farmed there since 1960 and only posted it 2 years ago because of all the issues. Thanks a lot douchebag poachers and "hunters."

Took a walk this afternoon onto a piece of property that the County bought from Penn State a few years ago. Ran into a nice guy "Bill" who hunts it frequently. He was hesitant at first to talk, but ended up sharing with me some information about the property and surrounding areas good for hunting. After I left him I parked along the access road and took a walk. Beautiful fields, thick honeysuckle, rubus, and black walnut, and a stand of spruce; deer trails everywhere. Jumped 3 doe out of a finger of trees between two fields and got within 20yrds of one of them. Found a couple trees to sit in, but it seems to be one of the only places I've come across here where a blind would work well.

Today's retard encounter: I got back to my car to find a note saying "Private Property - your vehicle plate # has been reported to Township authorities" signed, Centre Region Rec and Parks Dept. I was confused at first, maybe someone thought I was walking on the other side of the road? Maybe this property is off limits (even though I knew it wasn't and they guy I'd just ran into said it wasn't)? Then I started thinking, why would the rec and parks department be putting notes on peoples' cars warning about private property? So on my way home I called them and asked. The response was "Oh, yeah, you can go ahead and ignore that note - our guy was confused." Hm. I kept the guy on the phone and he gave me some line about how the property was open to hunting (I didn't mention hunting, he did) and would remain so until they start "developing" the site. Developing, huh? When might that be? Well, a few years out, maybe two. I hung up and have been getting more and more pissed ever since. Who is this guy? He works for the County region; he gets paid with tax payer dollars; he doesn't like people hunting "his" "secret" spot?; he leaves threatening notes ("reported to the authorities!") on peoples' cars who might be infringing on "his" spot, which happens to be PUBLIC land, open to hunting. I don't think this is the end of this - I'm calling back tomorrow and getting a name.

I did get into the stand this evening though and saw 6 deer. Big ruckus in the woods in front of me around 6:15. 3 doe came running by - took a shot, but a running one with no luck. Shouldn't have done that...oh well. Shortly thereafter, I could see a doe sneaking through the brush 25/30yrds to my right; too thick for a shot. Another little one was another 10yrds beyond following mom. A 6th one must have seen me turn around in my stand and went bounding back the way she came. No good shots, but a good time for the second day. I could see deer like that all season and be happy.

Cold, wet, uneventful morning

Went out this morning again. Had two guys on one of my spots near lower greens valley road, calling like idiots. Trucks were from colorado and florida...

Got one bird talking, but he was over a rise and about 200yrds on private, posted land with hens; no luck.

Cold morning here - temperature must have dropped nearly 20 degrees since Saturday.

Big plans for a big bird on Thursday.

Whippoorwill

Headed out last night to try my hand at roosting turkeys. I was hoping to either sneak up on some in one of the fields and listen to them roost or elicit a gobble using an owl call. Neither worked. I think I may have better luck hearing them gobble on the roost early in the morning rather than sighting them in the evening - there aren't that many secluded fields around here. It was nice, though, to be out at dusk in the woods. Saw another grouse (actually, I think it was the same one as T jumped yesterday afternoon) and the whippoorwills were calling everywhere. Walking up the gas line, worn from ATVs, I must have flushed 10 of them warming themselves in the soil. It was a hot, sunny day and you could feel the heat radiating off the ground long after the sun went down. Spooked a couple deer and heard some owls, too - not sure what kind; going to have to look that up.

Grouse...

...are everywhere. Libby saw five yesterday off greens valley road (half way to the gate, on the left, by the old deer carcasses). She and I saw one and heard others drumming yesterday next to Penns Creek at the end of tunnel road - about 100 yards down the path, after crossing the footbridge, on the left in the rose bushes of the floodplain. I saw three today up on greens valley (two about 100 yards from the lower greens valley road gate on the right, and another at the trail intersection just above the large, private field on the preserve). Hopefully they'll hold out for next fall :) With all this dry weather, the little ones should do well. Also saw nine deer in those fields and 2 more on the way home - odd for a hot day (78 on the bank sign today).

Bears and Flies

Took the dogs for a run today up on Greens Valley. Ran out some new trails toward the end of the road and ended up on top of the northern ridge in back of the new deer exclosure. There were three or four turkey vultures on the knob behind the fence and we jumped a hen turkey as we walked along the upper side of the fence. But the real surprise waited for us on our way back down toward the car: three bear, a mother and two cubs. The mother and one cub had just scaled the fence and headed into the thicket of black birch to our right, but the second cub was still inside the fence. I called the dogs off and with them by my side, we watched the cub scale the fence, seemingly without effort, and head off into the woods with mom. We waited a few minutes and proceeded down the path, the dogs on heel, me yelling to keep the bears informed of our presence.

It's also the first day the grannom caddisflies are hatching on penns. Headed out tomorrow afternoon with Libby - looking forward to it...

Porcupine (Luckily, in a tree)

Went for a nice walk yesterday off Green's Valley Road. The air was cold, but the sun was warm and softened the snow on the south facing slope of every little rise and every hill. The road was mostly ice, so we took a detour onto an old jeep trail and followed it along the ridge. We had to leave around 5:15 to drive to Alexandria to meet Julia and Denny at Main Street so we were just about to turn around - we'd gotten to a wide clearing, probably used as a log landing some years ago. Instead of turning around, we decided to take a quick jaunt up a side trail to the top of the ridge and (hopefully) a view of the valley and Pleasant Gap below.
I could see the dogs getting more and more "interested" and even said, "They seem to like something up there..." They did: a porcupine. Luckily, the little guy found his way up a small maple sapling before the dogs could get to him. He kept climbing as they jumped and barked and whined and he made it up onto all but the highest and tiniest branches. We tried to keep the dogs quiet, admired the dark creature peering down from his perch, and quickly departed before we scared the poor thing too much (or he lost his grip and ruined our good luck!). Hopefully that will be the closest encounter we have with porcupines! I've heard dogs react one of two ways to porcupines: Either "That things hurt! GET IT!" or "That thing hurt! Better leave it alone!" I'm content having no idea which strategy my dogs would take :)