Outdoorsman Thread

[singin46]

I've lived in this house for 9 years now and we had always heard this owl at night, hooting away right after dusk, all the time. I'm sure he took care of a lot of rodent, mice mainly. Myself and my neighbor Randy were sad to see him go!

[garddogg56]

Thats a shame they are beautifull birds

[zp4ja]

I've lived in this house for 9 years now and we had always heard this owl at night, hooting away right after dusk, all the time. I'm sure he took care of a lot of rodent, mice mainly. Myself and my neighbor Randy were sad to see him go!

What beautiful pictures Perry! Too bad the owl died as it was a beautiful creature for sure. Thanks for sharing. Those pics are awesome. It is a shame he is no longer around.

I have a couple that hang around the house one of which I got a good look at once and I think it is a great grey owl. Once in a while at dusk I see him flying over the house pretty low and it may sound stupid but it is pretty exciting.
My latest bird of prey is a Red Tail Hawk that likes hunting and hanging around the house and perching on an old abandoned telephone pole close by. I was just outside with a steady 20 mph wind blowing and that hawk was at 500 or more feet stationary and I imagine the wind was whipping a bit harder up there. He tucked both wings and accelerated to the deck leveling off low to snag some unsuspecting critter of the ground.
I have personally had the pleasure of seeing Osprey and Bald Eagles fishing. When you see a bird like that crash into the water and come out with a fish in it's talons it is a pretty amazing sight.

Have not seen you on much lately but I hope life is well.

Regards, Jerry

[singin46]

Thank you Garddog and Jerry! Been very busy here and very well!

[treefarmer]

Each year we start looking for a "banana" spider somewhere near our house. The Latin name is Nephila Clavipes , also known as a Golden Orb weaver, woods spider, banana spider, etc... common local names.
This year the spider showed up next to our front steps coming up to the screened porch. She has built her amazing web between the porch and a live oak, just a few inches from the steps and handrail.
These big spiders are quite entertaining. When another insect gets entangled in their web they rush down and subdue the entangled victim. They probably inject something to kill the prey, sometimes they eat what they caught and sometimes they wrap it in silk and hang it for a later snack. It was always entertaining to the children for daddy to feed the spider . Simply catch a bug and toss it into the web and watch the show!
As the season progresses, we usually notice a very small spider also in the web, this is the male spider. All this continues through the summer, one day in the early fall if the web hasn't been disturbed, you'll check on the spider and she will be gone . Don't know the life cycle, but another one always seems to show up the next spring.
If you walk into one of these webs, it's amazing how strong and sticky they are. As a youngster growing up in central Florida, I worked some in the orange groves where these large spiders also lived. The men that operated the grove tractors always had a tall slender sprout fixed to the nose of the tractor to keep the spider web from getting on them.
Thought y'all might enjoy this year's spider, as she is in the outdoors.
Treefarmer

[carrmillus]

.....up here, they're called "Mississippi" spiders because of the thickened area in the center of the web looks like the word "Mississippi" scrawled in it!!!.......my kids used to feed them bugs!!!..... .............

[TripleF]

Great info Philip! Much appreciated!!

[philco]

Philip there's a whole other world of life being played out right under our noses. We so rarely take the time to seek it out and ponder it. My granddaughter made her first tadpole catch a few weeks back while wading the creek with her grandma. She was facinated and it reminded me, just as your spider has, how much we too often fail to pause and appreciate.

[FRJ]

Philip, how big do those banana spiders get?

[carrmillus]

Philip there's a whole other world of life being played out right under our noses. We so rarely take the time to seek it out and ponder it. My granddaughter made her first tadpole catch a few weeks back while wading the creek with her grandma. She was facinated and it reminded me, just as your spider has, how much we too often fail to pause and appreciate.

...great observation, philco!!!...... .........

[treefarmer]

Joe,
This spider is probably a little over 4 inches overall, the main part of the body is about the size of the 1st joint on your little finger, maybe 1 inch long and 5/8 inch diameter. Reference material gives some dimensions that are in millimeters , I'm old and don't think or compute metric . I saw a picture in one article where a golden orb spider had captured a small bird, this was in another country.
Yesterday I watched "our" spider ride out a pretty severe weather event. She actually was making a big hole in the web just as the storm hit. This seemed to allow the 30 mph winds blow through with less damage to the web. During the 0.9" driving rain, she just hung from the web, head pointed down with the four long front legs extended almost straight. This morning the web was all repaired and I watched her capture and eat a bug that got hung in her web.
Another of God's amazing creations!
Treefarmer

[carrmillus]

..back when I was a kid(a long time ago), my brother and I were shooting at a big one in the corner of my grandmothers garden, and she came running out and explained to us that they ate lots of harmful bugs, so we started catching bugs and throwing them in the web. in a couple of weeks, that spider was so big, it's web was sagging!!!! ........................

[jerryd6818]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7sCl56PsXQ[/youtube]

[carrmillus]

....good one, jerry!!!........that even looks like the spider, too!!!......... ............

[treefarmer]

Been seeing these little fellers since they had spots, they are regulars along with their mamma at the feeder and food plot.
Here's one that shows a little more promise.
Treefarmer

[garddogg56]

Fatten them up TF

[zp4ja]

Cool spider and game pics TF.

Well are seeing these deer in the area I drew a tag for, I may just keep my buck tag and screw trying to use all my point for the other zone next year.

Not sure if you will be able to see them or not or if the pics will expand. These are cell phone pics thru a spotting scope.
First pic the buck is bedded down just past the rock in lower pic center. He is a pretty huge buck.
Second pic he is pretty easy to see but not the best pic. He is slightly bigger than the 3rd pic cape mount which was my son's buck from 2 years ago and his is one big 4X4. I would be happy with one like my son got. Great job on the mount and man is it impressive in person from 5 feet away.

If one of you photo shop gurus wants to take a crack at enhancing the spotting scope pics, it will be much appreciated.

Jerry

[jerryd6818]

A little bit better. Looks to be pretty good size. Sure looks to be aware and checking you out.

[Dinadan]

Very nice deer, Jerry. On the second photo I could not get any enhancement better than Jerryd6818. Here is my effort on the first photo. Clearly a big rack. That looks like great country to hunt in!

[jerryd6818]

Mel, I couldn't even see him in that picture until you cropped him out.

[Dinadan]

Mel, I couldn't even see him in that picture until you cropped him out.

That rack just jumped out at me!

Since we are doing deer photos, here is a coy doe who wanted to keep an eye on me last winter when I was kayaking.

[zp4ja]

Thanks for doing that Jerry and Mel.

Jerry, Those pics are from about 1000 yards out. Scanning landscape with good binos at long distance while scouting is like looking at lots of knives, not difficult to spot something that looks off if you put in alot of time doing it. Just like knives, if you don't look close, one can slip by you.

[zp4ja]

Mel, I couldn't even see him in that picture until you cropped him out.

That rack just jumped out at me!

Since we are doing deer photos, here is a coy doe who wanted to keep an eye on me last winter when I was kayaking.

Very cool pics Mel. That is some beautiful country. I do love the desert but I also have a love for the woods too. Unfortunately, can't be in 2 places at once.

Jerry

[treefarmer]

Once again it is evident we are a diverse bunch. The 1000 yard photos and those just a few yards away. I suppose that our outdoor activities are usually close to where we live, unless we can afford to go to some great spot across the country to hunt or fish. I always wanted to go out west and deer hunt when I was a young feller but somehow that desire has cooled considerably. I have enough trouble killin' a few deer around the house each year. All this said I do really enjoy reading and seeing what other AAPK members are doing close to home or on one of those far from home safaris.
Keep the pictures and tales a rollin' in !
Treefarmer

[jerryd6818]

Just found this big boy in the garage. First we basted him in WD-40, then fried him with the butane torch.

Edit: I think it may be a fishing spider (first I've heard of them). Other opinions encouraged.
http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/fishing-spider