Lower Route, Section #25

I'm back from a great Thanksgiving trip home to the farm and found that things were quiet on top of the hill while I was gone. There were pics of a few birds and squirrels, but these two turkeys remind me that I wish I'd brought some leftovers back to Athens ;)

Note: Deer Gun Season in Ohio begins Monday, December 1 and runs through the 7th. Please be careful in the woods whether you're a hunter or a hiker. It's not worth getting shot by confronting a trespasser or a poacher. If you see one, just call 1-800-POACHER and let the Ohio Division of Wildlife handle it.

Upper End, Section #21 and Lower End, Section #17

The two cameras are pointing toward the same spot today - the peak of the steepest hill. Turkey and deer were at the upper camera, while one lone squirrel showed up on the hill itself.  I moved both cameras today, and they are now (finally) pointing at each other (I think).

First, though, a couple of pics from my digital camera. Here's a look at the hill from about 1/3 the way up, and a shot of the view from the side of the path at the top of that hill.

From the upper camera:

Notice the beard under the far turkey's neck

First time we've seen this young buck

Just one shot from the lower camera and it's not a very good one, but you can see the final climb of the hill. If you look closely, you'll also see a squirrel.

And finally, it was a long walk for my sidekick today, so when we got to Luggage Beach, she decided to take a break ;)

Lower End, Section #16

We're half-way up the big hill now. These pictures are not good, but I've already moved the camera higher up the hill so this is the only look at this section that I have to share - at least until the other camera starts coming DOWN the hill.

Upper End, Section #12

No rabbits or squirrels today - I deleted all those pictures. You get a couple of deer photos, one of Mama Raccoon and child, and then we add another animal to the list of the Critters of the Path.

That darn Smoke Monster!

Early Morning Risers

At just about the same time, 100 yards apart, two creatures of the forest get an early start on the new day. At the bottom of the hill, a young deer climbs the hill to the safe sleeping grounds above.

Meanwhile, at the top of the same hill, the first turkey of the Fall has left the roost for an early search for food.

Hodge-Podge

Here's a catch-up collection of some of the recent visitors to the trail cam on the hill:

The Final Appearance of Long Tines

The buck whose tines you see was harvested by a bow hunter last weekend. R.I.P. Long Tines

Turkeys stopped by the feeder again,as did a stray cat

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Another One Finds the Corn

Because of all the rain and snow, most of the pics on the memory card were ruined by mud or water droplets. Making their first appearance, though, are a couple of wild turkeys.

Do you see wild turkeys in your part of Ohio? Here's why - and why you wouldn't have a hundred years ago: (click on title)

Restoration of Wild Turkeys in Ohio

Turkey with Four Legs and Two Tails!

Look closely at this photo and you'll see all 4 legs and 2 tails:

Just kidding ;]   The next photo was snapped just 2 seconds later and shows the truth:

If You Feed Them, They Will Come

First time I've had corn in the feeder for a couple of months. The turkeys found it in a couple of days.

No Need To Go To The Trail Cams

...when I can stand in my living room and take photos like these! The birds came by around 11am this morning.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'll be back with new photos and videos on the 28th. Have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Haven't Seen Ms. Hopper for Two Years...

...but the way both of these photos show a turkey with the same foot held off the ground, I have to wonder if she's returned.

It would be wonderful and amazing if it turns out to be her!

Mixed Bag of Visitors

2 days of rain kept me away from the cameras for a couple of days, so a bit of catching up to do today. Here is a look at a few of the critters that stopped by the lower camera spot this week - including the first visit by a small flock of wild turkeys!

First up, a blue jay that appears to be crowing like a rooster.

It's great to see that some turkeys have returned!

 Middle-of-the-afternoon bucks have been rare at this location.

 A 22 degree morning brings icy frost earlier today.

Sunday Flashback: Ms. Hopper

With little to post today, I thought it might be a good time to remember Ms. Hopper, a turkey with a permanently-disabled leg. She came to trust me enough that she would come to my call and let me feed her every day one cold winter. She disappeared in the Spring, so I can only assume she's Hoppin' around Heaven these days.

To see more photos and learn more about Ms. Hopper, click on her label in the list on the right side of this page.

Rabbit Rabbit White Rabbit

I don't know why, but (by far) the single most popular page in the history of this blog was not one of the big buck photos I was lucky enough to catch. The favorite page is over 2 years old and still gets hits almost every day, with many of them coming from Eastern Europe and Russia. To see the page I'm talking about, look at the list of labels on the right side of this page, scroll down and click on "Rabbit Rabbit White Rabbit".

Before you go, here's another photo that's been very popular.

Testing the Posting of Videos

I set up one of the trail cameras this morning, so hopefully I'll have new photos to share tomorrow. In the meantime, here's a short wild turkey videos from the past.

Turkeys Are Back!

I haven't seen any turkeys here in months, so these photos were a pleasant surprise!

From the Old Wooden Chair

Some of you may remember that last year I pointed a camera toward an old wooden chair back in the woods to see what was eating the corn from the chair each day. (It turned out to be mostly deer and raccoons.) This shot was taken with a camera sitting on that chair, and shows once again that turkeys love drizzly days.