Land Prepping for Deer Season (Blog 405)

With Virginia's Urban Archery Season starting next Saturday, I spent this Saturday rejuvenating a food plot on our Botetourt County land. First, I lightly tilled the soil, then raked the debris, and last planted clover.

After that was accomplished, I went around the perimeter of the plot and cut down saplings, mostly ash, pine, red cedar, and redbuds. The removal of those trees should allow the plot to receive more sunlight.

Sunday, my son-in-law David Reynolds and I plan on visiting our Eagle Rock land and putting up a tree stand there. Later in the morning, we hope to errect one behind the house and check on the status of the other ladder stands. I hope next Saturday some time in the morning or afternoon that Elaine and I will be butchering a doe.

Frogs, Turtles, and Toads on the Road (Blog 404)

I typically walk three miles before going to teach school every morning and many mornings I do in the dark. With such a wet summer, I often encounter frogs, toads, and various species of turtles on the road.

I don't like to take box turtles away from their chosen paths because they have well-defined territories. I will "help" them across a road by depositing them on the other side.  Painted turtles are another matter.

The other morning I saw a young painted turtle crossing the Botetourt County road we live on. There was no water source anywhere near him and definitely not one in the direction he was heading. I figured he had gone out looking for food in the wet weather and was still questing about.

I don't generally like to interfere with nature, but I decided to take the turtle home so that he could head for Catawba Creek which flows through our land. I hope I did the right thing. At least, I knew I wouldn't see him crushed on the road later in the morning when I headed for school. Here's his picture.

Spring "Sensory" Story for Smoky Mountain Living Magazine (Blog 403)

The editor of Smoky Mountain Living magazine has assigned me to do a story on the favorite sights, smells, and sounds of spring. For the lead of the story, I interviewed Virginia's Sherry Crumley, a board member for the NWTF, about her favorite sights, smells, and sounds.  The editor has posted the lead of the story and has asked readers to contact me at bruceingramoutdoors@gmail.com if they would like their sensory experiences to be considered to be a part of the story.  Here is the link to the story lead...http://www.smliv.com/blog/things-to-see-hear-and-smell-in-spring-forests/

If you would like your favorite sensory experiences to be considered to be a part of the story, please contact me via e-mail. Thanks.

Time to Renew Hunting Permission (Blog 402)

It's the first week of August, and, to me, this is the time to renew hunting permission for the properties I hunt in Virginia and West Virginia. Monday, I dropped by one property and brought the landowner several packages of venison from a deer killed on the family's place.

Yesterday, I contacted another landowner on a parcel where I will go hunting during Virginia's Urban Archery Season. Tonight, I hope to renew permission for a Botetourt County cattle farm. And so it will continue until I have contacted all the folks I need to.

I've bought new arrows and blades, and my two bows are ready to go, so that is taken care of as well.