Cabin Fever

Well, sort of... It would sure make a cool mount!

My wife needed to return something to Eastview Mall in Victor today, so I rode along. As we were driving through the parking lot, I noticed an odd looking critter 10-15 yards off the parking lot. It was a jet black woodchuck! First one I've ever seen! If traffic wasn't so bad, I would have swung back for another pic. I drove by it 3 times to look at it though! My wife said it looked like a seal! LOL

Happy Birthday Dino and Elmo! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Could it be a green heron? Sure looks similar to the bird that was showing up on my deck for about a week. Bird ID - General Chit Chat - Hunting New York - NY Empire State Hunting Forum - Bow Hunting, Fishing, Bear, Deer (huntingny.com)

Is there any "advantage" to allowing access that I'm missing? They cross my neighbors farm, but I don't like the disturbance that it causes to myself or unnecessary stress it might cause to the deer that were pressured all hunting season and now have deep snow and limited food availability to contend with.

Heritage Outdoor Sports is the best archery shop I've ever found! Couldn't ask for nicer or more knowledgeable guys than the owners, Mike and his son Louis. They also do so much for youth, veterans, and many others to get them involved with archery. Very humble guys too!

Good God... those bucks!!! Cool to see the one shedding already! I just noticed on my last pull that some are starting to get their darker winter coats! It's coming!!

I started looking into this myself for backyard pests. There's a lot more to it now days with all the different pellet options. Sounds like accuracy depends on finding the right pellet to feed it! I was leaning towards a .22 cal vs .177, but not sure yet. There's a lot of good info and reviews on YouTube.

I use Sevin as well on under ground yellow jacket nests. Works like a charm! Funny that the last time I looked at the label, it listed a bunch of insects that it kills, but didn't mention yellow jackets! Hell, I'd be pimping that as a selling point!

I have 8 Tactacam Reveals (3 Gen 1 and 5 X's) and like them. Not thrilled about the cost of the plans, but usually only have plans on 4 of them at a time ($). I just use the others as regular/non-cell trail cams. I have a few old Browning cams that are ready to be put down, so I would like to add another 2 X's to the collection before season. The Verizons are next to impossible to find though.

WOW! Great score! Are they AT&T or Verizon?

Cool videos! What are the chances of getting that on cam, twice no less! LOL

Wow!! Got any other pics of the buck in the back? He looks like a dandy too! Great looking pics too! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Apparently I'm not as slim and agile as @moog5050 on stand, so I only buy ladder stands with a full platform. I like the option of standing, leaning back against the tree and moving around to get the blood flowing to warm up.

Man you have some dandy’s there!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Same. Good 2.5, but could possibly be 3.5 at most.

Wish I could make it, but my son's getting married on the Sept. 18th.

Interesting read. I don't have much to work with, land wise, but I made an effort this year to do what I could. In the spring, I turned the back half of my back yard into a mini-foodplot and planted clover and chicory for the deer and turkeys. We have ag in the area, but there's no clover around. I thought it would be easy for me to plant and maintain and provide the deer and turkeys with something they love and aren't getting elsewhere. I now have 6 hens that are in my yard 2x/day, morning and evening. spending 4-5hrs/day feeding, preening, and lounging in the shade in my measly 1/2 acre yard. They must be pretty content spending that much of their day in my dinky clover plot. Plus, being in my yard, they probably feel safe from predators. I started thinning out the nest raiders last fall, so that should help too.

Now that I know what they are, I've been kind of intrigued by the critter and doing some reading. Sounds like they're usual habitat is marshes, rivers, and pretty much around water. I'm in an ag area with no water, that I know of, anywhere around me. Since they left my patio table, they've been perched in a tree next to my deck preening themselves and just hanging out for the past 5hrs!

Looks like momma just showed up! She's been eye balling the hot tub! NOT COOL!!

That's what I was thinking! LOL It kept pecking at the table or at it's own reflection! It's just laying down on the table now chillin'!

I just looked it up and I think you nailed it Jay! My first thought was WTF is that!?!?! My second thought was, Is that one of those elusive northeastern roadrunners??? LOL Thanks!

This bird just showed up on my deck and I've never seen a bird like this before!? It's walking all over the patio table and chairs! I loaned someone my bird ID book. Any idea?

Sorry to hear... Be positive.

The one on the right is a bearded hen.