In My Dreams

Today everywhere I looked seemed to have a deer of one shape or another occupying the space. I am wondering if it is because they feel safe here after the bow season has been going on for so long and the anterless season which ran over the weekend finished up last night. People have been using the south side of our property for their personal use without permission. Most evident on our return from the Thanksgiving holiday when we had time to survey things Saturday morning. Caught someone leaving after dark when I was returning from a grocery run Saturday evening. They were intending to come down the hill from the other side but I was blocking the way. As I started their direction the exit through the cornfield was the escape of choice. Will continue to make more runs down that direction to keep them on guessing. My mail excursion happened shortly before 3:00 today. What was unexpected were the 2 bucks and 2 does feasting west of Hubby's runway . Later,working on putting a few Christmas decorations up I glanced outside. My eyes grew wide as saucers, not unlike those of a child in awe of new sights. Feast your eyes on what I saw and know what will be in my dreams,to focus on , in order to get ready for the shotgun seasons beginning at the end of the week.

Iowa Bobcat Season Closed

The conclusion of the first Bobcat season in Iowa came on Monday, November 19th. Reaching the quota number of 150 ended anymore hunting and trapping of the animal for this year. Initially the season was set to run from November 3rd, 2007 - January 30th, 2008. It appears that the population of the elusive cat is more prevalent than most people are aware of. As the hunt was limited to the southern tier of counties this year it might indicate how large of a group that is already active there. Trappers, hunters, and drivers, still need to report any accidental killings, traffic collisions, or sightings to the Iowa DNR in order to keep current on movements anywhere within the state.

Everybody Up!

The deer have started the familiar schedules I have seen in the years past with the daylight influences. On Sunday, the 25th, as the rays were barely perceptible there was one doe feeding in the field as I went to the car to drive to town after a paper. In front of the house, in a sheltered area, two more young deer were roused from their bed. Coming back from town about a mile from home I saw a buck and doe still in bed by a local creek. It was frosty out so the circulation probably was not moving very quickly...I likened it to those cold mornings when we don't feel like getting out from under the blankets. Arriving back home I was met by the "Welcome Deer Band". It was a sight to see them all turn and run as I pulled up, big and little alike. This Monday morning after 7:00 the doe and fawn in the backyard joined the others in the pasture in deciding to checkout of the hotel to start the day...Time for an acorn or two, with a side dish of grass that has not yet gone completely dormant. Continued assurances were exchanged that they all would be back for their room later.