All About Pocket Knives

The girls are hard at it. I had to add another honey super today. So far they have one deep box full (it'll weigh 80lbs when they're done), a medium just about full, and I just added another medium. Fingers crossed, we might make honey this year.

Go girls, Go!!

Ray

Taken in our 'Front Yard' the Magpies alerted us to a visitor.
Goanna's aren't common in my area but now and then comes along (Probably looking for Love)

Nothing to give a size reference except the eucalypt tree is roughly 18 inches in diameter - and this fella about 5 feet nose to tail, probably a juvenile they do get a fair bit bigger. Sorry I have tried a couple of times now to rotate the pic but for some reason (?) can't.
I will try and add a few more 'Critters' from time to time that you folks in the US won't see in your neck of the woods.

Derek

I have never heard of a Goanna. Likely there are a few animals in Australia that are totally new to me.
kj

I've never heard of one of those either. I had to go to google. Very cool!

That's better ...

Cain't help but ask, is this something you would want to shoot or kill somehow? Is it dangerous or noxious? Like a snake or such?

Ray

Brumbydownunder wrote:December 2016 (11).JPG

That's better ...

Cool That's a big critter.

Paladin wrote:Cain't help but ask, is this something you would want to shoot or kill somehow? Is it dangerous or noxious? Like a snake or such?

Ray

Folk-law has it that if they are startled they can mistake a human for a tree and run up you with those claws they could make a fair mess.
But in my experience they just want to get out of harms way if disturbed.
In areas where they are common farmers welcome them around their barns etc to help keep the rats & mice populations down.
They are protected by law (as they should be) but in the past were common 'tucker' for the Aboriginal people.
Up close they have some beautiful markings/patterns on their skin.

That is a fine looking lizard! I am very partial to reptiles, which is just as well since I live in an area with plenty of them. Unfortunately, the largest lizards in my area are only about nine inches long. Just curious - how do cats get along with those Goannas?

So I took the boys fishing the past couple evenings.

Lots of new homes being built and retention/drainage ponds being developed......most of which are 2 years or less old, and which I would've assumed had no fish. Recent discussions about "how do bass" get in these ponds has led me to grasp the fact that they are actually stocked in many cases. I had no clue.......

We had 3 on the first time and they all came unbuttoned. But nit yesterday.....and we caught our first crappie (I've caught hundreds but it was first for the grandsons).

That's awesome Scott. Crappie and bluegill are my favorite eating fish.

Break out the peanut oil!

royal0014 wrote:Not too bad for such 'young' ponds.
Do you keep 'em or C and R ??

I C&R all bass. Now then, if the Crappie start to show frequently I may have to start a collection.

Me too Wade......bout the only fish I eat is Crappie, or Walleye (ain't no eyes here in FLA )

I have grown tired of the hunt but from the looks of these guys it is going to be a good one later on this year.
moss
PS: I agree with the Crappie and Perch, they rate IMO right up there with salt water Rock fish. A good fish fry never hurt anyone.
moss

Always enjoy seein' what's happening in the outdoors. Moss, you said a good fish fry never hurt any one with which I agree but a good venison fry ain't bad either. Those fellers show some promise of some good antlers, great pictures. Is that in your yard?

Scott, your grands are turnin' in to good fishermen!

There are several ways that borrow pits, man made ponds, retention ponds can begin to have a fish population. Birds can transport fish eggs stuck to their legs from one body of water to another as well as animals that "fish", 'coons and otters could also carry fish eggs stuck to their fur as they waded in an older pond then traveled to a new pond.

Any time there is running water, be it ever so shallow, fish will try to move upstream. Years ago when it rained a lot, an old neighbor would put a fish trap in a shallow drain that ran from a old pond in our pasture to the creek. When the pond got full from excessive rain it flowed to the creek. The throat on the "trap" was facing down stream, catching the fish heading from the creek to where ever the running water was coming from, which was the pond in our pasture. He would catch all sorts of fish in his ingenious chicken wire trap. These traps were used to catch quail as well as fish simply by changing the location of the throat with a piece of stiff wire. There is no telling where water comes from when it gets into a storm drain so a retention pond could receive water from a natural lake several miles away.

We've had 2 ponds dug on our place, the 1st was stocked with bluegills and bass in about 1978. The way it was constructed it receives nothing but rain water and there was a small spring uncovered in the deep end. It filled up and when it cleared up my dad had it stocked. There are all kinds of fish in it in addition to the 2 varieties that were intentionally stocked. About 100 yards from this pond, I had another small pond dug to help dry up an area of our pasture that was prone to remaining wet, it is low land. That pond was never stocked and it is the most exciting pond to fish in, you never know what you'll catch. There has been alligators, ducks, snakes, bass, warmouth, various catfish, crappies (we always called 'em speckled perch) and all the varieties bream.

One more possibility is during some rain storms that small "tornados", like the "dust devils" we see on dry land, will vacuum fish/fish eggs and they might be dropped in or near a newly built pond. I remember during a heavy rain, running up on a bunch of 2-3 inch bluegills on an asphalt road in Orange County many years ago.
Treefarmer

Lots of great stories & photos showing up here !!!! Ain't nuthin' like the outdoors !!!!!!

TF:
Remembering back, I enjoyed cubing a few pounds of shoulder and tossing it in a huge cast iron dutch oven with several Spanish onions and about three full pods of garlic with plenty of black and red pepper over some olive oil and frying it till tender. Ummm Good.
moss

Mossdancer wrote:TF:
Remembering back, I enjoyed cubing a few pounds of shoulder and tossing it in a huge cast iron dutch oven with several Spanish onions and about three full pods of garlic with plenty of black and red pepper over some olive oil and frying it till tender. Ummm Good.
moss

Now that sounds good.

Mossdancer wrote:I have grown tired of the hunt but from the looks of these guys it is going to be a good one later on this year.
moss

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PS: I agree with the Crappie and Perch, they rate IMO right up there with salt water Rock fish. A good fish fry never hurt anyone.
moss

Those are fine looking deer. And if that's your yard I must say you have a beautiful yard.

It is my neighbors place. I have neglected mine severely for the last couple of years. Planning on selling out this year so will be doing some work soon on mine. There is a bigger buck that would not cooperate with a photo. His Velvet must be near two-two and a half inches at the crown.
moss

The deers come at night and eat my bird food but the bunnies come early in the morning and late evening. There was three eating but by the time I got my phone one had move around to side yard.

Mmmm. Fried rabbit, biscuits, and gravy. Law!!!

Colonel26 wrote:Mmmm. Fried rabbit, biscuits, and gravy. Law!!!

Exactly what I was thinking.

Sounds good to me too but sweet thang would have a calf if you mention it to her.