Vitamin D fix

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March 21st, 2014, 09:43 PM
Species8472

Vitamin D fix

So I was outside today on a job site and at 11:30 am I said enough of this. So I quit early and headed out in the sunshine. I stopped at home grabbed my snowshoes and my 17hmr. It was calm, sunny and the temp was right around the freezing mark - just a stunner of an afternoon.

I headed up to our camp on the Saugeen between Flesherton and Durham and put about 5 miles on the snowshoes scouting for turkey sign and anything else of interest. Brought the gun with me on the off chance a crow crossed my path. No crows, but I still put 50 rounds down the pipe target shooting. No sign of any turkeys and the only deer sign was down along the river in the cedars.

Lots of Snowshoe Hare sign. I came across track everywhere on the property:

http://i1363.photobucket.com/albums/...ps76fa65aa.jpg

Picture below is a blind platform on one of the food plots. To put the snow depth into context the width of the platform is 8 feet and it is 12 feet in the air . Depth on the flat in the sun was 20-24 inches. In the bush depth was 30-36 inches or even more in a few places.

http://i1363.photobucket.com/albums/...ps891dd034.jpg

This is in the cedars down close to the river. Gun is at the bottom of the snow pack for scale regarding depth of snow.

http://i1363.photobucket.com/albums/...psd0f5ace8.jpg

Deer run in the cedars along the river. There was about an inch of fresh snow the day before and nothing had come through since:

http://i1363.photobucket.com/albums/...ps92bf275d.jpg

This is one our best apple trees (both for fruit and scrapes) split down the middle in the ice storm:

http://i1363.photobucket.com/albums/...ps155fa95f.jpg

Looking up river - lot of melting needed before the trout opener. Second area of open water at top center consistently holds nice specks.

http://i1363.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1d98cb3b.jpg

Looking down river. This place is good for my soul.

http://i1363.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8fb6294c.jpg

Trail through one of the meadows. I broke through the crust the odd time due to undermining from the numerous springs on the property. One leg sunk to my crotch the other on top and trying to extricate myself without setting the gun down in the snow.

http://i1363.photobucket.com/albums/...psafc213f0.jpg

All in all an excellent way to spend an afternoon before winter hits us again tonight.
March 21st, 2014, 09:51 PM
TurkeyRookie

Beautiful pictures, looks like you own a slice of heaven, well done.
March 21st, 2014, 10:15 PM
Species8472

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurkeyRookie

Beautiful pictures, looks like you own a slice of heaven, well done.

Thanks, it really is a blessing to have a place like this. I own a 50% share and my brother-inlaw owns the other 50%.
March 22nd, 2014, 04:24 AM
JMatthews

Looks like a great place. No better way to spend the afternoon.
March 22nd, 2014, 08:14 AM
GW11

Nice pics. Looks like a great place. Days like that are just that much better when you're supposed to be at work.
March 22nd, 2014, 08:27 AM
Gilroy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Species8472

Thanks, it really is a blessing to have a place like this. I own a 50% share and my brother-inlaw owns the other 50%.

Thats expensive real estate in that area for hunting,are you sure your not a Liberal.LOL
March 22nd, 2014, 09:26 AM
Species8472

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gilroy

Thats expensive real estate in that area for hunting,are you sure your not a Liberal.LOL

You'd be suprised at the deals you can find. Cheaper than a lot of Muskoka and higher deer density as well. I looked for a few years before I found this place. It was cheaper than average because the entire frontage on the side road is swamp. This scared off a lot of buyers as a 150 yard driveway and entrance was necessary to get to the high and dry portion of the lot.

Fortunately I own my own equipment and looking at the local geology I knew I could source my own aggregate on site. Took me an entire summer in my spare time to dig up the gravel, excavate topsoil and peat and than build the driveway and entrance. Other than my sweat equity and oil changes on the machines and about 1k in fuel it was done at the end of the first summer that we owned it.
March 22nd, 2014, 05:26 PM
Gilroy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Species8472

You'd be suprised at the deals you can find. Cheaper than a lot of Muskoka and higher deer density as well. I looked for a few years before I found this place. It was cheaper than average because the entire frontage on the side road is swamp. This scared off a lot of buyers as a 150 yard driveway and entrance was necessary to get to the high and dry portion of the lot.

Fortunately I own my own equipment and looking at the local geology I knew I could source my own aggregate on site. Took me an entire summer in my spare time to dig up the gravel, excavate topsoil and peat and than build the driveway and entrance. Other than my sweat equity and oil changes on the machines and about 1k in fuel it was done at the end of the first summer that we owned it.

Excellent job and I,am sure your hard work will pay off in the long run.I found a very similar set up years ago right up north of Shelbourne, the only way in was basically over a small river.Had to pass it up too much work without equipment and also a very
possessive neighbour who did not want to see this vacant lot sold as he was using it for hunting.