Well, that was a pleasant trip to the woods

The stars were out this morning, but all my clothes and gear were still wet. I put on my driest dirty shirt and pants, and found a pair of fresh, dry socks. My boots were still soaked, so dry socks were only a temporary luxury. Nephew was supposed to come, but didn’t show. After I gave up on him, I made a quick walk to the woods and found more hog- rooting. There was no sign of the pigs or where they might go during the day. I loaded up and headed back to town with a lot of wet gear that needed care. I managed to hunt a little, got some chores done, went to the old family church, and visited some kinfolks. The weather was a bit warm for hiking and hunting, but I had lots of critter- encounters and hardly noticed the heat. I did, however, notice the no- see- ‘ems that were chewing on my bare hands…those little gnats don’t make a welt, but leave an itching and burning sensation that vexes me for a long time afterward. I had to dab on the bug dope. I couldn’t find what the deer were feeding on, but I suppose they are browsing the greenery. A few acorns were being shaken loose by breezes, but there was no evidence of specific feed trees. They didn’t seem to be nipping the French mulberry yet; it’s often an early- season browse in that area.

I got soaked!

I got “conscripted” for church Sunday morning, as the preacher was away and much of the congregation had to work for the Prison Rodeo. Sparse attendance was expected; maybe they needed me to make a quorum, or something. They included an interesting speaker in the service… someone from the Gideons, the hotel- bible folks. In additions to hotels, they distribute bibles to prisons and colleges, and have issued them to military personnel since World War I. When I was very young, my Dad gave me his, issued when He joined the Navy and carried through the World War II. That hit home, so they won a contribution from me, too. Anyway, I didn’t hunt Sunday morning, and that allowed me to finish the tombstone transcriptions I’ve been working on for the family cemetery.
After lunch and a quick siesta, I sauntered off for an afternoon hunt. There were some gusty breezes that should cover my movements. A few slight sprinkles should moisten the leaf litter enough to lessen the sounds of my walking. The sky was overcast, but bright, as it had been all day. I tipped along and stopped in several likely places, but nothing was moving. I reached Beech Hollow, my old campsite where the great beech tree stood, and I knelt in a hidden spot to watch the creek, the hollow, and the hillsides. Suddenly, it started raining… no warning, it just rained. I was somewhat sheltered by the trees, so I waited for the shower to end. It just got harder. Well, I got soaked! So I headed back to the cabin to dry out. It rained hard, but for about 20 minutes, only. The creek was muddy when I crossed and water was pouring off the hillsides and down the gullies. It was only a short rain, so the creek will probably be down and passable by morning.

More critter encounters

Nephew came Saturday, for a morning hunt. I headed out early for a spot where a game- trail crosses Panther Creek. I set up my tree stand, the one I can strap to the tree and my feet still reach the ground. I’m too old for any more of those crash- landings. At first light, a coyote howled across Panther Creek. He was atop that big hill. Squirrel season opened that morning, but there was no shooting nearby. I heard a few shots in the distance, though… probably on the Wildlife management Area. About 9 am, a doe came tipping through the woods and stopped behind some brush. I couldn’t find a clear lane to shoot through, and she was small anyway. Eventually, she spotted me and hopped off through the bushes. She stood off and snorted, and snorted, and snorted. After about 5 minutes of that, I figured the hunt was over, and hiked back to camp for another cup of coffee. I watched the squirrels and birds play that afternoon, but saw no deer. After dark, I was washing the supper dishes when some critter growled outside my cabin door It was just one snarl; sounded like a cat or a ‘coon. I grabbed my light and my revolver to investigate, but I saw nothing outside. I guess some critter passed by and was startled when he saw me through the screen. He just snarled and ran.

Lots of critters

I found a likely- looking stand area where some game- trails crossed and hunkered down to wait and watch as the afternoon waned. Birds fluttered around the trees and squirrels bounced from limb to limb. After sunset those ground- birds started scratching around and turning leaves to search out some supper. Those guys keep me upset, mostly thrashers and towhees. Their sounds of rustling leaves keep me distracted from watching for deer- shapes to materialize among the shadows. At dusk, just as dark was creeping in through the woods, I watched the squirrels cross overhead, bound for their den- tree. The wind lay for the evening and an owl hooted in the distance. A cool air current sifted down from Hickory Ridge; it felt good after a hot afternoon. Through the thicket on my left, a deer snorted and dashed off to his 100- yard flight distance. He stood off there and snorted repeatedly, punctuating the end of that day’s hunt. That enjoyable breath of air had carried my scent to the hidden deer. I crossed to the creek for an easier hike back to camp. Walking the open creek bed, daylight lingered on the white sand. I could see without a light, I was away from the tangled brush and vines, away from the snakes and ticks. But, as I approached a small bunch of driftwood, a cottonmouth slithered out of it and off toward the water. He wasn’t as large as those I saw in the spring, but certainly made me attentive to where I was stepping. Sometime after midnight, I heard a “dogfight”. It was not far away, west of my cabin. Wrong direction for dogs, so I figured it must have been coyotes. The next morning, I found fresh rooting along the creek bank… those were wild hogs involved in some late- night disagreement. If they do their foraging in the middle of the night, it’s no wonder I can’t find them in the daytime.

Archery Opener

Well I didn’t “live” in the woods and hunt the whole time as I had wished, but I did walk around Monday morning and Monday afternoon carrying my bow and arrows. October 1st is opening day for Louisiana’s archery deer season. I was scouting, more than hunting, and had a great time. The familiar sights, sounds, and smells were all there to appease me. A few squirrels and chipmunks were shaking branches and scratching in the leaf litter. Breezes shook loose a few leaves to flutter down. Here and there, acorns were dropping with a “plop” on the forest floor. I’m home again! I wait all year, anticipating this. I had a good trip, despite a few distractions. I’m still doing some work at the family cemetery, there is always some maintenance needed around the place, and boundary markers needed refurbishing. Monday night, there were lots of stars, and several screech owls were nearby to sing me to sleep. Tuesday morning, I had time for only a short hunt, so I couldn’t venture very far. It was foggy and had cooled considerably overnight. In fact, it was damp and chilly enough that I wished for my insulated vest; I usually keep one in my daypack… I’ll have it next time. Although I didn’t manage to get close to any deer on this trip, but I did see a young doe and I jumped another deer, unseen, as I walked near a thicket; brought that adrenaline rush back again.

Wascally Wabbit

This guy was feeding in a small clearing yesterday. He spotted me when I rounded a tree, and he struck this pose to watch. He held like that for a long time, and let me take several pictures before he hopped off. I was surprised he could balance on two legs for so long. It was steamy in the swamp; I guess hurricane Humberto is pushing that Gulf moisture in here. My busted hip is still notifying me when these tropical systems approach, but it doesn’t interfere with my playtime.

Is it fall yet?

The autumn is my favorite time of year. Yesterday I saw the first hint of it… admittedly, not a very big hint. On a quick waltz through the Bluebonnet Swamp trails, I noticed that the humidity was low, the temperature was not too abusive, and the air just had that “fall” feel to it. There was a sprinkling of leaves on the trails and boardwalks, and I noticed that things seem to have begun changing from summer- green to warmer shades of fall.

Oh, yeah… lantana

I found this at the park; see it other places occasionally. I had trouble remembering the name, lantana. It’s a good one to remember, though; they say that stuff is pretty toxic. Sight of lantana always stirs some memories for me. Back in a previous life, I saw lantana along the roadsides, on my late- summer trips to Colorado. Now, every time I see a patch of lantana, it reminds me of my annual pilgrimages to the high country.

Oh, deer me

I found four deer feeding in the field. Well, well, that makes me excited for bowhunting… it’s less than a month. I’m back out of the woods now, and it was a hot trip. I had to take my grass mowing and fence work slowly. I got a few things accomplished and I did get to play a little. I looked for animal tracks in the creek and watched for pottery shards. I got to practice with my bow, too. I’ve been “field testing” some of my camping recipes, so maybe I’ll post some of that soon, over on Campdaddy’s page. There were fresh deer droppings in the camp yard; looked like a fawn visited during the night. There were deer hanging around across the creek, too; wonder if they were the same ones in the field. I saw or heard them several times from the bluff. I only got a good look at one… a medium- sized doe. The evenings were very nice… warm summer nights, perfume of wildflowers in the air, heat lightning flickering a sky- show … stirs some memories. Lightning bugs were flashing and crickets singing all around (probably some kind of conehead katydids, but “crickets” sounds more romantic). There were several screech owls calling in the night. An occasional coyote howled and, in the distance, a barred owl was making quite a racket.

You never know what to expect in the swamp

The big grasshoppers didn’t seem to mind the heat. These guys were involved in making more grasshoppers, at least the victor was. The loser was headed south. There were enough pools in the swamp to keep the mosquito fish in business, but for Rocky Raccoon, it must have been troublesome to wash his dinner. There were lots of ‘coon tracks wandering the mud flats.

Hot ‘n dry in the swamp

It’s been hot and dry, and water is low in the swamp. The webs were sun- baked, not moist, this afternoon. This one took on a golden sheen where a shaft of sunshine peeked down through the trees. I enjoy seeing spider webs with dew droplets glistening on them, too. Close up, they look like beads on a necklace. But they kinda give me the creeps… they give me shivering memories of walking into the sticky stringy messes, and spiders crawling on me. I love the woods, but those encounters are unwelcome.

Hotter ‘n a hen in a hayloft

My grass- mowing project in the country had progressed to bush- hogging weeds. I needed to get it done before it got worse; it surely was hot, though. The recent spell of cool nights seemed to have ended just when I needed it… it never did cool off last night. I took my boy along for an overnight in the hills, and, despite the heat, we had a pretty good outing. We took a detour on the way, for some sightseeing and discussions of people and places and happenings from bygone times. We visited Cousin’s house and caught some nice- sized brim from the pond. We were planning a fish- fry, so we needed enough fish to go around. We had caught several, but wanted two more before going back to start cleaning fish. Wouldn’t you know it... I kept missing strikes, losing fish in the water weeds, and hanging backcasts in the trees and bushes. My boy could only catch bass (I caught two of those, myself). The bass were only recently stocked into the pond, so it’s too soon to start depleting their numbers. We finally gave up, one fish short, and hiked back to start the cleaning and cooking. Supper was good, as was the company, and we had plenty fish.

As we were leaving, there was a buzzing sound from the driveway that I couldn’t recognize. It was a constant monotone and was too low- pitched for cicadas. There, in the shadow, a cat was crouched low. She faced toward a pile of coiled rattlesnake, about two feet away. There was rapid deployment of lights and guns and, at the first shot, Kitty made her escape; I hope she hadn’t already been bitten. That excitement, right there in Cousin's yard, kinda messed up my work projects… it's hard to concentrate on getting things done when you’re constantly watching the ground and flinching at every leaf you brush.

You never know what’s lurking in the swamp

This guy is a white ibis, and I had never seen a wild one this close. I was able to confirm my identification with a picture they had at the swamp's nature center. I also saw a green heron, a few songbirds, and a broad head skink (those guys get pretty big). I visited the swamp today, on my way to work. I usually get to see some critters on Sundays… they open at noon, so I get to the trails before other visitors have frightened the wildlife. Weekdays, in the summer, there is youth programming… day camps. By the time I get there, in the afternoon, the animals have usually had all the excitement they can stand and are in hiding. The swamp will host a couple of night hikes next month, and I think I might like to join them if time permits.

A little work, a little play... glad to escape the city

Well, I had to come back to town… even part- time work interferes with my fun. It’s been a busy few days in the woods; I played some, got some things accomplished, and greatly appreciated being away from the city. I got my weedfield mowed with a big tractor and that saved me the sweat and toil of marching behind my little one over all that rough ground. I was glad to get that mowing done to enhance the wildlife habitat, and I need to plow a piece of it too. Unfortunately, I still have to leave a wide swath of the frontage grown up with weeds, to avoid all those good citizens poaching deer from the road. There are multiple shift changes… all day and all night, so a lot of trashy people pass on that road. I am continuing to work on developing a hedgerow across the front; progress is slow and it is slow- growing. I think I have stopped the power company from continuously destroying it, but I am beginning to doubt whether I can live long enough to complete it.

I continued my fence repairs at the old family cemetery, and have most of that completed, now. Wow, that’s a hot job and I’m not accustomed to such. Working short stretches, early morning and late afternoon, and drinking lots of water, I have made good headway. I probably would never be able to repeat that project, but I hope the repairs will last until after I have claimed my own plot there. I was working there on my Dad’s birthday (he would have been 86), but was too busy and too hot to do more than merely acknowledge it. I had never spent long periods at the cemetery, and was amazed how much traffic there was. Lots of people visited while I was there and everyone felt the need to interrupt my work… I won’t go back on a weekend. An interesting side note: next weekend, the annual hummingbird gathering will be held at the Rogillio property, which surrounds the cemetery. I must work, but maybe next year… They will capture, band, and record biometric statistics on the hummers, and enthusiasts come from all over.

I had some first- rate critter encounters on this trip. Lots of birds were flitting around and singing. After an afternoon shower, two armadillos came charging through the woods. They were of adult size, and I don’t know whether this was a matter of foreplay, or some kind of territorial dispute. Then a rabbit came nibbling things around the yard, eventually hopping off toward my garden spot. Just as daylight was fading, a young ‘coon, about half- grown, came prowling around. Soon after dark, I heard a deer snorting nearby. So, it was quite an interesting wildlife parade, that day.

The next day, I drove into the yard, returning from my cemetery project, and a deer bounded away. She seemed to have been under the pear tree, probably feeding on fallen fruit that those pesky squirrels have been knocking down. A rabbit passed my window the next evening, too; I think he was smaller than the previous one. Maybe the whole family is over there, gobbling up my young plantings. When I walked over to check the cutover field, there was a coyote poking around. He was successful at finding food… I saw him catch something and give it a shake… maybe a mouse or bug of some sort. After watching him for a while and taking a few pictures, I stepped out into the open. He soon spotted me and loped off to the woods.

At church, Cousin was telling me that I should come fishing at their new pond. It was reworked and stocked about a year or two ago. It was a pond Uncle had built years ago; I had fished it a number of times, but it’s been a long while… I recall some nice bass.

I really needed to get back to the fence- work after lunch, Monday, but first I wanted to check for ATV tracks in the creek… those kids get out of hand and tear up the land if you don’t stay on top of it. On impulse, I kicked off my boots and went wading up the creek, squishing the sand between my toes… I hadn’t done that in a while, either. I didn’t find a fishing hole or even a spot for skinny- dipping, but I had a nostalgic time. I was relieved to find no ATV tracks, even in Panther Creek, but erosion damage from the recent rains was obvious on the neighboring property.

So I shorted my Monday afternoon fence- work. After my sunshower (by the way, 98- degree water is not warm enough in a breeze), I headed over to try fishing the pond. . When I arrived they were talking about the hogs rooting up the pastures. I happened to have my bow along for some practice shooting, so I dragged it from behind my truck seat and went for a hike. Sure enough, there were a number of rooted- up spots. I saw no hogs, but the sun was still high; I probably should go back and try to help with that hog problem, dontchathink? Barbecue? It was a great walk! I went all the way to the farthest pasture. I saw a hen turkey along the way. The coyotes were howling all around. Their sounds carry farther and longer in those open pastures, than they do in the tight coverts of my place. On my way out, the two donkeys caught my attention. I was walking along, watching the donkeys and something fluttered away right beside me—brrrp—scared the wits out of me. I didn’t see it; had to be a quail.

I took my fly rod, walked over the hill to the pond, and caught a fish on my second cast. The pond had been stocked with fast- growing hybrid brim, and this one was bigger than my hand, heavy and thick through the body… beautiful fish. They were aggressive and gullible, and put up quite a fight… I’ve got to bring my boy. I made only about 9 casts and missed 3 strikes, but I caught and released 4 big brim and was quite impressed with the pond.

High water in the swamp chases the critters out of the flood- plain. This little skink was still smiling, but perhaps a forced smile. Bunnies were grazing around the parking lot, risking the people- threat to gain higher ground.

Swamp's fillin' up

I had a quick rainy- day jaunt in the swamp, yesterday. The water was rising, but had not yet covered the boardwalks. It was cool and the birds were singing happily. The wood ducks sailed through the woods, squealing; they didn't seem to mind the weather. The ground is already saturated and this wet stuff is likely to continue for a while.

Maypops

I have always been impressed by these... some call them passionflowers. They are so showy and exotic- looking! Maypop vines are quite common in my neck of the woods, growing in clearings and along field edges. The fruits are about egg- sized and they turn yellow as they mature. They are said to be sweet; I know they are full of seeds and make a "pop" when squeezed. But, like some of the other wild fruits, I never seem to get a sample because the critters like them so much. Maybe I could cultivate some of these and keep them out of reach. I bet they would make jelly or wine.

Swamp Creature

I met this weird moth yesterday,on a trail in the Bluebonnet Swamp. It [she?] was running toward me rather quickly, was impressively large, and had only vestigial wings. The moth was nearly the size of my finger. She was about the same size as that water oak leaf which is also in the picture. While I was stopped with the camera in hand, she climbed on my shoe. When she headed up my leg, enough was enough! I went on about my business and left her to her's.

Friends said it may be a luna moth; that had been one of my guesses, too. I finally matched a picture of it on this website.

First Thursday

After the daily monsoon, I got away for a quick Tramp through the Bluebonnet Swamp trails. The rain left it very cool and the air was washed clean. Not many critters moving, but the flora looked fresh and sparkly. While I was there, the director helped me with some map questions about BREC facilities. I am on a determined search to find a variety of convenient fishing spots.

Thursday night’s meeting of the hiking club included an interesting discussion of gear; and I was especially pleased that Little Sister joined me for the meeting. She seemed genuinely enthused and observed that “those people are really serious about hiking”. Little Sister is emphatic that she is a day hiker and “not going to sleep in the woods”.

And I won a door prize, a fine pair of Smartwool hiking socks. I had been admiring those in the catalogs and they get good reviews, but I never could justify the expense to test- drive a pair. Up- close and personal, they look really good. I’m washing them right now, and will try them this weekend.

Nature Deficit Disorder

I have always suffered from this malady, knew the symptoms, and knew what was needed to cope with it. However, until I saw the term in Backpacker Magazine, I did not know it had a name and was not aware that fellow- sufferers were out there. Although I have more free time nowadays, work and domestic demands continue to keep it cut up into awkward chunks. Frustrated by inefficiencies of time use and today’s high cost of rambling, I have been seeking outdoor opportunities that are nearby, convenient, and cost- efficient in terms of time use and travel expense. I have found some interesting hiking options in the local parks; those are much more to my liking than pounding streets or sidewalks, and I would stay in bed rather than go to a shopping mall. Along these lines, I have been pondering and researching local park options for fishing spots. Today’s cross- town trip was to the Blackwater Conservation Area, and I was very pleased to find such a lovely park site. This is a reclamation project by the Corps of Engineers and managed by BREC, of former gravel pits located along the Comite River, and the site is dedicated to casualties of the September 11th attack. There are lakes, river access, gravel- paved trails, and woods. I saw bunnies and birds and not- too- many people. Bank- fishing was difficult, with willows and brush along the shores and water- weeds extending out into the shallows. I only managed to catch a few small brim, but there were bass swirling and I saw some larger brim. I’m going back soon, with my canoe to access better spots and at a better time of day. Wish me luck!