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.

Songbirds Barely Singing (Blog 401)

One of the most fascinating things about songbirds is how their singing changes over the course of the spring and summer. For both the yearlong residents and the migrants who come to breed, April and May are intense periods of sometimes practically non-stop singing.

But in June with mating over and the young beginning to leave the nest, the songs of the males begin to be heard less and less. Birds, of course, don't sing because they are happy but to attract and keep mates and to announce their presence and defend their territory.

By July, most birds have stopped singing. For example, this week Elaine and I spent one night at the home of Bill and Bonnie Amshey in Fairfax County. I went walking right after dawn broke, and only heard two birds singing: a chipping sparrow and a great-crested flycatcher. Even the red-eyed vireos weren't singing.

Getting Ready for Virginia and West Virginia 2018 Bow Season (Blog 400)

Today, I amped up the preparation for the upcoming bow season in Virginia and West Virginia. Elaine and I drove to our Monroe County land early this morning. We drove down the gravel roadway to the creek bottom, then I used a mower and scythe to prepare a pathway through the field to the woods.

I then used the scythe to cut our shooting lanes around my ladder stand. Later, I checked the stand itself to make sure all straps were still functional and safe. Meanwhile, Elaine had found a blackberry patch along the logging road that leads through our 94 acres. She busied herself with picking a quart of blackberries which turned into a cobbler for dinner. All in all, a really good start.

In a couple of weeks, I will put up  a tree stand in Roanoke County where the Urban Archery Season opens on September 1.

Locavore Walk, Talk, and Meal for the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy

Today, Elaine and I presented a Locavore Workshop for the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy at our Botetourt County home and woodlot, and we had a wonderful time. Six people attended, and Elaine did a presentation on our house being partially powered by solar energy, and I talked about raising chickens, fruit trees, and a garden and how we gathered wild foods and performed habitat improvement projects.

Elaine prepared a fantastic lunch with venison meatballs, an egg dish with chives, onions, and tomatoes from our garden, zuke bread with of course zukes from our garden, and for dessert we had wild blackberry smoothies from blackberries gathered by the participants. Just a wonderful time for Elaine and me.

Locavore Meal on a Summer Day (Blog 398)

One of the best things about summer is writing in the morning and then going gathering later in the day. Today, I wrote for two hours, then gathered two quarts of wineberries and a quart of wild blackberries.

Then I went to our two Rhode Island Red runs to gather eggs, made a stop at the garden to gather cherry tomatoes, chives, and zukes and dined on deer burgers for lunch. Fresh tomatoes from the garden make any sandwich better.

I did business-type writing related things after lunch, took a nap, and prepared for dinner and a game of Scrabble with Elaine. Not a bad day at all.

Bruce and Elaine Ingram to Lead Locavore Workshop (Blog 397)

Just a note that Saturday, July 14 on our Botetourt County land, Elaine and I will be leading a locavore workshop as a fund raiser for the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy. In case, you are interested, here is a blurb on what we will be doing and how to sign up.

I. Bruce and Elaine Ingram will be conducting a Locavore Workshop and Fund Raiser for the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy on Saturday, July 14  at their Botetourt County home and 38 acres. The Ingrams, who were the BRLC Landsavers of the Year in 2014, co-wrote Living the Locavore Lifestyle, a guide to hunting, fishing, and gathering for food, plus tips on raising chickens, fruit trees, and a garden.  Activities planned.

1. Elaine will explain how by using solar energy and a wood stove, the Ingrams only have an electric bill of about $10.00 per month.

2. Elaine will also share some of her favorite locavore recipes and prepare a locavore lunch for participants.

3. The Ingrams will share how they raise heritage Rhode Island Red chickens and keep them safe from predators.

4. Bruce, who won the forestry award from the Virginia DOF and Soil and Water Conservation Districts in 2005, will lead a tour of the Ingram's land, explaining how he creatively manages the land for wildlife.

5. Participants will gather wild berries for a cobbler.

6. The Ingrams will explain how they integrate raising chickens and growing a garden.

7. Bruce will discuss how he controls invasive plants on the land and discuss some of the worst invasives and how to eliminate them.

8. All participants will receive a signed, dedicated copy of Living the Locavore Lifestyle.

9. Bruce will identify edible wild foods on the property.

Here is also the link to sign up: 

https://www.blueridgelandconservancy.org/outdoor-adventures.html

Upcoming Events (Blog 396)

Yesterday, I turned in my first outdoor related blog to the Virginia Game Department. I'm excited to say that I will be blogging about various outdoor activities in the Old Dominion for the VDGIF. This is a wonderful opportunity for me, and I will be giving more details later about how to read these blogs.

Also, this Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00, I will be at Book No Further in Downtown Roanoke, www.booknofurther.com. I will be having a book signing for my two Young Adult Fiction novels, Ninth Grade Angst and Tenth Grade Blues.

And, finally, the rains have stopped, and I will be able to go summertime fishing for the first time this month. I have trips planned to the James, New, Shenandoah, and Rappahannock

Our 40th Wedding Anniversary (Blog 395)

Last weekend, Elaine and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary by having dinner at Liberty Station in Bedford and then spending the night at a wonderful bed and breakfast, Whitetail Lodge (www.wtlodge.com) operated by Dan and Lisa Lovelace. The B&B is situated near the rural community of Sedalia, and it was just the perfect romantic getaway for us.

The next morning we visited Tom Smedley's farm not far down the road. Tom's son Bob was one of the ushers at our wedding, and we wanted to hear from Mr. Smedley how Bob was doing.

Elaine and I had only had five dates when I asked her to marry me - the smartest thing I have ever done in my life. And she has given me the best 40 years of my life.

Elaine On Stage at the Barter Theatre (Blog 394)

Elaine and I spent Tuesday through Thursday morning in Abingdon doing magazine articles, one of which involved going to the Barter Theatre. We were able to have a tour of the Barter and as part of that tour, Elaine was able to go on the Barter stage with Amy Fiorini, one of the theatre's staff members.

So my wife now is able to say that she has appeared on stage at the historic Barter Theatre.  Here is a picture of Amy and Elaine documenting this momentous event.

Locavore Lunch on a June Saturday in Virginia (Blog 393)

Today's morning hours and lunch were great examples of why I enjoy summertime Saturdays - or any day - with Elaine so much. To start we turned our heritage Rhode Island Reds into the backyard to let them forage while we worked in the garden and yard.

I picked the last of the strawberries and also gathered spinach and onions for lunch while also pulling weeds. I forgot to gather some chives, but so it goes. The weeds were placed in our two chicken runs for our birds' green food and entertainment.

For lunch, we dined on venison burgers from a West Virginia doe I had killed last fall. The burgers were adorned with the onions and spinach from the garden. We also had sauteed asparagus from the garden and strawberry pie (obviously from our strawberry patch) for dessert. It was a really, really good morning and lunch.

Tenth Grade Angst Comes Out (Blog 392)

Thursday when I came home from Lord Botetourt High School where I teach, a box of books was on our stoop. My eight book overall, and second Young Adult fiction novel, Tenth Grade Angst is now out. After all these years as an outdoor writer/photgrapher, it feels weird to now also be writing fiction for high school students.

I'm half way through the third book in the series, Eleventh Grade Stress, which I hope to finish this summer and have my Creative Writing students proof in the fall, just as they did for the tenth grade book and the first in the series, Ninth Grade Blues.

Ingram on Western Virginia PBS Channels (Blog 391)

Just a little note that I will be interviewed on the western Virginia PBS series Write Around the Corner on Thursday night at 7:30. The show was originally on Tuesday night and this is a rerun. The show is about my writing career and also covers how Elaine and I met and how my students at Lord Botetourt High School helped me write and edit my first two Young Adult Fiction novels, Ninth Grade Blues and Tenth Grade Angst.

Interesting Morning on the Last Day of West Virginia's Turkey Season (Blog 391)

I didn't see or hear any turkeys, or even spot any fresh sign, on the last day of West Virginia's spring gobbler season. And both my tags for that state went unused.

Still, as always, there are always things to marvel about in the spring woods. I was hunting at over 3,200 feet in the mountains of my Monroe County land, so I was able to listen to a rose-breasted grosbeak singing for several hours. I kept scanning the tree tops to see him, but no luck for the longest time. 

Then, finally, the male materialized just 20 or so yards away and warbled his robin-like tune. The red patch on his breast was dazzling.

I had heard the distress sounds of a raven for most of the morning, so when walking out of the woods to go home, I decided to see what the bird's issue was.  I walked right under the raven's perch.  The bird was only about 10 yards from me, the closest I have ever been to a raven. The bird was struggling to remain on its perch, so something was clearly wrong. I was surprised that the avian let me come so close, again, indicating that something was wrong.

So my turkey hunting is over in Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia for the season. Next weekend, I am floating the James River.

Barred Owls Battle in West Virginia's Spring Gobbler Woods (Blog 390)

After tagging out in Virginia, I've turned to spring gobbler hunting in West Virginia. This past Sunday, I was making barred owl sounds, and four of these owls came flying in to my sounds.

They created quite a ruckus, and I saw no need to call further and decided to watch how the owls interacted. To my surprise, two of them attacked each other in mid-air and tumbled to the ground fighting. Then a third owl flew in to where the two were jousting on the ground.

I could not see which owl won the ground battle, but, to my chagrin, all of that hooting awakened nary a gobbler.  I went home empty handed, but it was a fascinating morning.

Spring Gobbler Success in Virginia Woods (Blog 389)

Friday, I took a vacation day from school and hunted my best Botetourt County farm and though I heard five gobblers, I also heard and saw hens. Saturday, I hunted another really good place and heard three toms off our land in the Sinking Creek Valley of Craig County. Sunday, I went to the best farm I have permission to hunt, one in Franklin County.  And never came close to killing a bird.

With my having to be at school on Monday morning by 8:45, I almost decided not to go. But, ultimately, I did and a tom came charging in to position, not long after he flew down from the roost. The gobbler and I were back home by around 7:00 A.M., time for Elaine to take pictures of the bird and me, and for me to clean him.

Spring gobbler hunting is full of little ironies, and such was the case again. Three days when I had to noon to hunt and never came close to punching a tag, and then on a short hunt before school, I tagged a tom quickly. Since I killed two VA birds in the fall, I am now tagged out in my home state. Saturday, I will go afield in West Virginia.

Virginia Gobblers Uncooperative, but Songbirds Are Returning (Blog 388)

I continued to struggle while turkey hunting this week. I have now been out seven times either on weekends or before school and have not yet seen a gobbler except for one that was about 100 yards away. The typical outing goes like the following: hear toms on the roost, they gobble a little, then they depart with their hens for parts unknown.

The songbird watching and listening has been great, though.  Whip-poor-wills and chuck-wills-widows returned this week as did scarlet tanagers, worm-eating warblers, and ovenbirds. Fascinatingly, a worm-eating warbler came within about five yards of me, and I watched it hopping about the forest floor looking for bugs.

The turkey hunting should improve soon, once more hens go to lay their eggs.

Spring Gobbler Opening day in Virginia (Blog 387)

Opening day in Virginia was today, and it was very uneventful for me. With brisk winds, warm weather, and humidity, I was not optimistic there would be much gobbling on the Franklin County farm I was afield on.

Unfortunately, I was correct in my predictions on how the day would be. I didn't hear my first gobble until 9:15, and it was in response to a crow call. I only heard two more the rest of the day, one in answer to the crow call and a random gobble in mid-morning.

Disappointed for sure, but I'm not depressed about it. Sooner or later, the birds will turn on, and then the excitement will begin.

Setting Up too Close to a Tennessee Gobbler (Blog 386)

This past Saturday, I was in Northeast Tennessee to hunt opening day of that state's spring gobbler season. I was afield with Larry Proffitt, my long time turkey hunting mentor and friend, of Elizabethton. Larry and I climbed a Sullivan County mountain in the dark, and while we were waiting for dawn, a gobbler began sounding off directly behind us.

Larry motioned for me to slowly scoot around to the other side of the tree, which I did. A while later, I was able to make out the tom in a tree about 50 yards from us. Larry had been making pitting sounds before the tom gobbled, which perhaps made the old boy start up.

Anyway, I felt doom was at hand when I saw that the gobbler was so close. Every time except one during my 32 years of spring gobbler hunting when I have, by chance, set up in the dark within sight of a roosted gobbler, the hunt had turned out badly.

This hunt, too, ended in failure as when dawn came, the tom pitched down and quickly rambled away out of shooting range. All I could do was watch him flee. Is there such a thing as being too close to a roosted tom? I think so.