3/30/15 Observation

         I went out into the field a few times over the last week but due to a hectic schedule I was not able to post anything. On Monday, the 30th, I got up at 5:15 and walked the towards the west part of the property. I walked over the first ridge at around 6:15, there was nearly zero light but I could faintly make out a figure on the horizon a little ways off. I quickly realized it was a deer and before long it took off over the hill. As I walked over the next ridge there was a little more light and I counted five more deer along with the other one. They were feeding in the field without a care. As I continued to walk the fence line I finally got their attention and they bolted. I found a nice fence post to sit down next to near some cattle on the adjacent farm. It didn't take long for the turkeys throughout the river valley to start piercing the air with their clucks and gobbles as the rising sun filled the entire sky with a beautiful lavender color. While I sat in the dry grass. I began to see deer after deer after deer. It seemed as if they would come out of nowhere, and disappear just as quickly. In the couple hours of being there at least 40 deer could be seen walking the fields or the river bank. At one point I saw a half of dozen deer I had been watching take off in the opposite direction they had been a moment ago. When they stopped they all turned their heads back as a coyote trotted out into the field. This is the first coyote that I have seen on this property in some time now. As the sun continued to rise I saw a flock of turkeys walk out into a grass field about a half mile away or more. This flock has gone into this field every morning that I have watched for the last few years right after dawn. As I watched a tom strut around the flock I noticed two more bodies come into the field. A doe and her yearling were walking directly towards the birds. They walked within 20 feet of the flock but kept moving, paying no attention to the turkeys. After those birds moved over the hill I decided I had seen enough for the day and decided to head home.

       On the following Friday I went to go set up a blind to sit in the following day because youth turkey season started Saturday. As I set up the small blind in the sun's early hours I heard gobbles to my west. I noticed eight or so deer along a hill to my east near where I sat on Monday. As I was leaving to get back in time for school I saw a single turkey sitting in the field to my west where I had been hearing all of the noise. Like clockwork the birds that roost across the river were right where they were every morning. At least their is something I can count on!

See it??