Outdoorsman Thread

[WillyCamaro]

May the Lord be praised, no one was hurt .
Even then, the shear power of nature, strikes the fear of the Lord, into a humble heart, that's for sure .
Thank you for sharing David

[doglegg]

That particular storm has some 'larger' than soft ball size hail in it. Through roofs and wind shields.

[FRJ]

Here fishey, fishey, fishey, fishey!

I tell ya', these little Sunfish become quite accommodating once they get used to your voice.

[1967redrider]

Nice fish, Joe. How big do you think they are?


I did a hike around our property on Friday and snapped some pictures. I use the Caynax Sports Tracker app on my phone to map my hikes. Started out with Duke and Barney, the family GSPs, but Barney decided to high-tail it back home for some reason so I had to double back to make sure he was heading in the right direction.

The weather was a little sketchy but it was great to be out in the woods. All kinds of critters were out and about, enjoying a nice Spring day.

Yesterday I finished planting our garden, put in a dozen peppers and cabbage and 3 dozen more tomato plants. Last year the deer ate most of the tomato plants early in the season and we didn't get many tomatoes. Nothing like a fresh tomato caprese salad with basil, brined Mozzarella and balsamic vinegar for a hot Summer lunch.

We thought the late frost killed the plants on the left but they seems to be doing fine now. The weather has been very strange, it was snowing 2 weeks ago but this weekend seems like Summer is arriving.

[jmh58]

Great pics.. 3 mile loop on your property??? SCHWEET!!!
John

[1967redrider]

Great pics.. 3 mile loop on your property??? SCHWEET!!!
John

That's around the South boundary, there's a pasture field just North of that (further to the left in the picture) and with the grass still wet I decided to skip it. My boots were soaked but wool socks are the key, you don't even realize your feet are wet until you take your boots off. I was wearing those old Vietnam style canvas jungle boots with leather toes and heels.

[jerryd6818]

Great pics.. 3 mile loop on your property??? SCHWEET!!!
John

That's around the South boundary, there's a pasture field just North of that (further to the left in the picture) and with the grass still wet I decided to skip it. My boots were soaked but wool socks are the key, you don't even realize your feet are wet until you take your boots off. I was wearing those old Vietnam style canvas jungle boots with leather toes and heels.

Where did you get a pair of jungle boots? I surveyed both pair of my boots before I left the mountain to come home, hoping I would get some jungle boots but ended up with a pair of the new Doggie boots and a pair of the old rough out boot camp boots. Shoulda just kept what I had. Surveyed some utilities too, hoping to get some of the new jungle utilities but ended up with the ones with the patch pockets.

[1967redrider]

Great pics.. 3 mile loop on your property??? SCHWEET!!!
John

That's around the South boundary, there's a pasture field just North of that (further to the left in the picture) and with the grass still wet I decided to skip it. My boots were soaked but wool socks are the key, you don't even realize your feet are wet until you take your boots off. I was wearing those old Vietnam style canvas jungle boots with leather toes and heels.

Where did you get a pair of jungle boots? I surveyed both pair of my boots before I left the mountain to come home, hoping I would get some jungle boots but ended up with a pair of the new Doggie boots and a pair of the old rough out boot camp boots. Shoulda just kept what I had. Surveyed some utilities too, hoping to get some of the new jungle utilities but ended up with the ones with the patch pockets.

A surplus store in Alexandria https://www.fullmetaljacket.com/Default.asp has about every size, I think Sportsman's Guide carries them too. I wanted to buy them locally to make sure I got the right size, so I paid a little more but at least they fit right.

[FRJ]

Nice fish, Joe. How big do you think they are?

These are small 5 or 6 inch Sunnies.

[1967redrider]

Thanks, Joe, they looked like they might be nice sized.


Jerry, here's a boot source- https://www.recreationid.com/rothco/5-s ... 5140516042
Those other two sources had them a few years ago, maybe they sold out?

[jerryd6818]

Thanks, Joe, they looked like they might be nice sized.


Jerry, here's a boot source- https://www.recreationid.com/rothco/5-s ... 5140516042
Those other two sources had them a few years ago, maybe they sold out?

Why thank you. That's mighty Caucasian of you.

[1967redrider]

I think I'm about due for a new pair. But they're pretty cool on a hot day.

[Dinadan]

Great hike photos, Red! I have been seeing some box turtles out in my garden - I think they like spring the best. Unfortunately, spring is about done in my area and summer is here.

Regarding boots and wet feet, here is my thought. I worked on land survey crews for a few decades, and most mornings my feet would be wet by mid morning from walking through dewy grass. Then I tried some Gore-tex lined leather boots. Wow - my feet stayed dry unless I waded a creek or pond. So for the last twenty years or so I have worn Justin boots with Gore-tex liners and my feet stay dry. I wear Wellington style Justin's: they are not cheap, but they are comfortable enough to wear all day while walking for miles and standing behind an instrument. And they last a long time.

I did try Jungle boots from Sportsman's Guide, about twenty five years ago. Back then those boots were cheap in every respect, did not last long at my job and were not that comfortable to my feet. Maybe they are better now.

[Steve Warden]

Noticed a lone bat flying about last night whilst sitting around the fire pit. I know they can consume a far amount of mosquitoes, even in a single night. So I says to myself, "Self," I says, "I might oughta look into bat boxes."

Any of you have any experience with bat boxes?

[treefarmer]

Here you go Bro.Steve, how's this for a bat house?

Treefarmer

[Mumbleypeg]

I’ve contemplated a bat house but haven’t put one up. We have some bats here but I don’t know where they live.

As for boots, I’m sold on Tony Lama 3R work boots. I’m on my third pair of them over the past several years, and the pair I have now is on its second set of heels. Can’t wear out the uppers. Waterproof, with steel toes, and they’re the most comfortable walking shoes I own. Not cheap but worth every cent. Those steel toes have paid for the boots several times over! https://www.tonylama.com/footwear/men/c ... ork/RR3206

Ken

[Steve Warden]

Here you go Bro.Steve, how's this for a bat house?2009-07-03 001 649.jpg
Treefarmer

Now that's some skeeter control!!

[1967redrider]

Thanks, Mel.

[WillyCamaro]

That is too kool Philip .
Might I ask, what kind of bat are they? I'm not familiar with bat's too well, so it's always nice to learn something new .

[treefarmer]

Willy,
Google says there are 13 varieties of bats found in Florida. I have no idea about the ones in the picture. They took up residence in an old library building at the old high school. A local community Job search/employment group was given permission to use the old library. There were a bunch of computer stations in the building for the job seekers to use, one was unhappy with the project, came back after hours and set the place on fire. It had a metal roof above the original concrete "T" roof construction shown in the picture. The building was vacated, our maintenance office and shop was directly behind this building so we cut a big hole in the west wall and used it for storage. It stayed dry, a good place for A/C filters, sheet metal and even a Ford tractor. The bats took up residence and created quite an odor problem. It was amazing to watch them pour out at dusk, kinda' spooky.
We were encouraged by the Florida Fish and Game Commission to trap them and release them in the woods. Lets say they left on their own accord.

Locally bats love the attics of homes and businesses. It was not uncommon to get a call that a bat had found its' way into a classroom. Always a health risk I suppose. In the woods they live in hollow trees and in some of the small caves in the area's limestone sinkholes. They tend to hibernate most of the winter and they begin to venture out in the evenings near the end of our deer season in late February as it begins to warm up.

That's your layman's official observation on the Florida Panhandle bats.
Treefarmer

[Paladin]

Willy,
Google says there are 13 varieties of bats found in Florida. I have no idea about the ones in the picture. They took up residence in an old library building at the old high school. A local community Job search/employment group was given permission to use the old library. There were a bunch of computer stations in the building for the job seekers to use, one was unhappy with the project, came back after hours and set the place on fire. It had a metal roof above the original concrete "T" roof construction shown in the picture. The building was vacated, our maintenance office and shop was directly behind this building so we cut a big hole in the west wall and used it for storage. It stayed dry, a good place for A/C filters, sheet metal and even a Ford tractor. The bats took up residence and created quite an odor problem. It was amazing to watch them pour out at dusk, kinda' spooky.
We were encouraged by the Florida Fish and Game Commission to trap them and release them in the woods. Lets say they left on their own accord.

Locally bats love the attics of homes and businesses. It was not uncommon to get a call that a bat had found its' way into a classroom. Always a health risk I suppose. In the woods they live in hollow trees and in some of the small caves in the area's limestone sinkholes. They tend to hibernate most of the winter and they begin to venture out in the evenings near the end of our deer season in late February as it begins to warm up.

That's your layman's official observation on the Florida Panhandle bats.
Treefarmer

We have several congregations of Mexican Freetail bats in this part of the state. To borrow a phrase from Forrest Gump, we have about a gajillion of 'em under the Congress Street bridge in Austin. There is a big colony under a bridge over at Round Rock and both Bracken and Fredricksburg have well known colonies. The latter of those colonies live in an old railroad cave. Crowds gather at the Congress Street location to watch the little rascals leave. I never quite understood the attraction, myself.

Ray

[Mumbleypeg]

We have several congregations of Mexican Freetail bats in this part of the state. To borrow a phrase from Forrest Gump, we have about a gajillion of 'em under the Congress Street bridge in Austin. There is a big colony under a bridge over at Round Rock and both Bracken and Fredricksburg have well known colonies. The latter of those colonies live in an old railroad cave. Crowds gather at the Congress Street location to watch the little rascals leave. I never quite understood the attraction, myself.

Ray

It’s really simple Ray. There are a lot of batty people in Austin.

Ken

[Paladin]

We have several congregations of Mexican Freetail bats in this part of the state. To borrow a phrase from Forrest Gump, we have about a gajillion of 'em under the Congress Street bridge in Austin. There is a big colony under a bridge over at Round Rock and both Bracken and Fredricksburg have well known colonies. The latter of those colonies live in an old railroad cave. Crowds gather at the Congress Street location to watch the little rascals leave. I never quite understood the attraction myself.

Ray

It’s really simple Ray. There are a lot of batty people in Austin.

Ken

Ain't it the truth, brother.....

Ray

[Steve Warden]

We have several congregations of Mexican Freetail bats in this part of the state. To borrow a phrase from Forrest Gump, we have about a gajillion of 'em under the Congress Street bridge in Austin. There is a big colony under a bridge over at Round Rock and both Bracken and Fredricksburg have well known colonies. The latter of those colonies live in an old railroad cave. Crowds gather at the Congress Street location to watch the little rascals leave. I never quite understood the attraction, myself.

Ray

It’s really simple Ray. There are a lot of batty people in Austin.

Ken

Glad I wasn't drinking anything. It would have shot right out the nose!!

[treefarmer]

Some game camera pictures from the pond about a hundred yards in front of our house:

Wiley E. on patrol.

Bambi's growing his rack.

Wiley E. again.

Treefarmer