FJRiders.com

Along our way home from a pre-dawn lookabout. We were returning from along the ridge in the background.

Reesee still jazzed after she covered lots of ground.

I think I relate to the old man in Matt Dale and wish I was half the hunter he is. I had to sleep in this morning. Sun, Mon, Tues mountain hikes bested me. I had the exact same thought of getting steeper every year all three pre-dawns running. Taking an easy day. Tomorrow, another climb!
I think he's in east TN north GA but similar topography.

South by southeast of the office.

Perfect little point to setup and call.

Due south, the knob in the background is almost a guarantee to hear gobbling at daylight. I've had lots of entertainment there since about 1990.

One gobbled his fool head off on that knob this morning. I was actually closer but I let "Box Call Bob" go to him. I heard his ATV coming in from the backside as I was walking in. Not a gobbler on earth worth getting shot over. I changed my bearing and went scouting around the mountain from where "Bob" parks his damnable 4-wheeler and left him to screw up his hunt by over calling.
I've been on the mountain with "Bob" before and I knew he would try to hunt such a vocal bird even if he did hear me calling to it. Btdt. FYBoxCallBob!

Visited a branch office this morning.
Had a nice perch from which to listen.

Didn't hear a peep...not a care in the world

My Grandpap must have been tough as a Black Gum knot to have built about 3 miles of Chestnut rail fence starting from standing trees; axes, crosscut, horses, wooden mallets, gluts (wooden wedges)...dayum.

Greening up at the intersection of 13th and Main.

Old skid roads are turkey and turkey chasers magnets. Almost topping out here.

Simple mountain lunch fare.

I was going to scold you for omitting the (what I believe to be) obligatory Reese picture. But then I realized that taking the Chief Security Officer on a Gobbler trek might be just a smidge counterproductive. Therefore, I respectfully rescend my scolding and am resolved to STFU.

Carry on....

Hppants wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 9:40 am I was going to scold you for omitting the (what I believe to be) obligatory Reese picture. But then I realized that taking the Chief Security Officer on a Gobbler trek might be just a smidge counterproductive. Therefore, I respectfully rescend my scolding and am resolved to STFU.

Carry on....

Yep. She's a bit too rowdy for spring gobbler hunting, but she's great at preseason scouting.

I wish you could have seen her last Sunday on her first hike in the wetland. We came to a WVDNR swinging footbridge that provides foot access to a wildlife management area and I thought she would be skittish about crossing. Bounded by me up the steps and across in a flash. Being roguish with the local wood duck community (apologies to all the ducks), she discovered mud flats and back channels. A case of the zoomies set in, water and mud flew everywhere and I thought she was going to do herself in running with and across the stream bed. She balked a bit and had to backtrack once in the heavy swamp grass and water backed up around a beaver pond; saved her. One docile kid on the way back home.

Way back when, fall turkey hunters would train young pups to lay still under a jacket and then charge into a turkey flock to scatter the birds so they could be called back in. The dog would be called back and settled. The hunters used hen assembly yelps and kee kees of young birds seeking the safety of their flock. Today's trivia.

Young Reesee was malleable enough to have caught on once upon a time, but she is beyond redemption now.

Reesee psyched to go back roading.

First stop. Meadow River Rail Trail. One mile out and back in a slice of paradise. No pics. Forgot phone as Reesee was pushing, really, me out the car door.

Second stop. Moto dealership. Nothing to see hear. Seriously, I came for this?


Return trip. Hominy Falls. Nice hike in Hemlock heaven.



Home James. Smoothly s'il vous plaît, but chop chop. My beauty nap is overdue.