My Buck in December 2012

Since I had a successful hunting experience last December... I've taken time to check to see if I could locate my buck among the pictures filed away on my computer .

Flipping through my digital pictures, I searched to match up the right hand side tines of bucks that had passed my trail camera, or my digital, having chances to catch them as they found their way around my neighborhood.

This is the Whitetail Buck I had the privilege to harvest with the help of some neighbors.It wasn't until finding these pictures that I had a better idea of his age. I would place him in the 2 1/2 - 4 1/2 yr.  old age bracket. Wide range I know, however, exacts aren't my forte.
 

He was taking time on his way through to leave scent behind as he rubbed the lowest branch of the Bur Oak, one of the main backbone trees that provides shade and food for wildlife in this timber.

Another thought  coming to mind would be that he was checking scent that had already been left prior to his arrival - since he was not the only buck active in this part of the woods.

Shortly after getting the picture above he turned back looking at me head-on from the edge of the timber via an escape route.

His left G5 tine resting on the right G4 of his rack when it was intact. The hardened G4 shows where the G5 nested after full development post velvet stage.

Using the pictures I was able to get a tine count...the total was nine.

The light was getting low in the fall evening hour and my  camera was having troubles catching the rich color of its surroundings.

The quality was compromised in order just to get the models  standing before me. Adjusting a few things in my photo-editing program I was able to produce a picture that would pass as a portrait for my  personal remembrances.

I didn't remember this guy the next time I saw him in the moment of the hunt, as he ran up the deer path behind me in a panic on December 3. 2012. He was missing the left side of his rack and  leaner in his physique. It is totally conjecture on my part  but I had him losing it to another buck in battle over a fair doe.Not difficult I'm sure since it has such a palmate curve at the top.

The days were starting to have increasingly cool evening with fronts passing around sunset - providing some fantastic moments to stop and watch as dark overtook the light...

The last rays of sunlight bring peace to the evening

Decorah Eagles 2013

Last fall the return of the popular eagles to the Decorah area to nest was exciting. However, the couple decided to relocate their abode and with that choice the ability to keep a 24/7 watch on their every activity will not be possible this season. Periodic glimpses and alerts can still allow you to see what is going on in their vicinity.


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Lake Petocka - Bondurant IA

Last week I had the opportunity to take a short side trip off Iowa Highways 65/330 in Bondurant,IA. 

Turning right off the south end of the bridge coming into town I went a block west to Pleasant St. NE.
Taking another right, heading back north I traveled for another block to arrive at Lake Petocka -located at 520 Pleasant St. NE, it is to your right.  

It has been relatively easy  to keep an eye on ice fishing activities as I pass bye.

Lake Petocka was the host to a trout stocking event on January 26,2013 by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Searching on Google I found another central Iowa Blogspot Blogger talking about another trout stocking at Lake Petocka  back on November 2012. Please stop by FishnDave to catch some tips on what Fly Patterns to use for what fish you are planning to hook.

Thursday, March 7th,was the second time I had seen some birds sitting on the lake within two weeks...it made me curious.

I can't verify of course that these birds were the same group that I saw earlier, but the location and count  was reminiscent of my previous fly-bye

 The bird's species was a question for me to answer after I caught them resting on the shallows of the melting ice shelf.

I found myself entertaining the thoughts of Snow Geese and Trumpeter Swans. 

However, comparing my pictures to the physical traits seen at the Trumpeter Swan  website - then at the Snow Geese website. I found white feathers, black beak and legs coincided with Trumpeter Swans...

 Beautiful, graceful birds remaining undisturbed  by the human activity around the lake. While I visited there was only one other vehicle in the area with me watching the birds.

My research on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources  about indigenous populations provided information on the tagging and collaring of the birds. How to locate biographical information by noting the color and number. Where did they come from?

This group of birds didn't have collars and their wings weren't exposed for me to see if by chance they had wing tip tags. So, I can only guess if they were coming home from the southern states, or just stopping until the weather improves further to our north.

The south side of the lake provided shallow open water.

On the opposite side of the lake there were still some ice fishermen enjoying an anglers retreat and open holes. The morning started off in the upper teens, warming to the middle thirties by the afternoon.

Ice conditions have deteriorated in recent days due to melting ice/snow. Higher temperatures with rain are creating ideal conditions for replenishing the water supplies which are in dire need, but could be leading to the end of what seemed to be another short ice fishing season.

Please click here to get a March 7, 2013 Iowa Department of Natural Resources Weekly Fishing update...