Last week one morning, while I was sipping my first morning coffee, I saw something in the pasture where we planted a food plot last summer behind the tobacco shed. It was a deer working up the snow. I grabbed my binoculars and tried to get a better look. Ellen joined me at the window and we watched the critter paw and dig down to get at the food plot tubers and leaves that were still bright green poking out from under the snow. I tried a few shots with my Nikon too. Later, I hung a trail camera up there to try and record some of the critters who may be taking advantage of the tubers, roots, and greenery showing a glimpse of last summer through the snow. (There had been some pumpkins and squash tossed out up there after Halloween and they are completely gone.) The next day, Ellen and Scout went up to check the area. I was messing around in the shop when the girls came in with a newly dropped 4-point antler they found right in front of the camera. It wasn’t there the day before. We found we had over 50 pictures of at least six different bucks and a couple of does in the area - from just one night. Several of the bigger bucks were actually having a wrestling match. There was a coyote who was running away with his tail between his legs, no doubt startled by the camera flash. We also have a shot of the buck we figure is the owner of the missing antler right in front of the camera. While we can’t hunt deer per se right now, we can hunt for part of them; tis the season to hunt sheds, that is the shed antlers of whitetail bucks - generally lost in mid winter. I suspect somewhere an antler or two is falling off as I write this. Ellen texted her brother Bill with a picture of the antler in the snow. He said the bucks on their cameras down south were all bald already. He recommended that as she looks for sheds, she keep a sharp eye out for morel mushrooms. That Bill, he is always thinking! Ellen is actually taking his advice to heart, making a mental note of possible mushroom trees to check around in warmer times to come. Anyway, going to hunt for sheds is also kind of a cool reason to get out in the woods and see who is doing what and where written in the tracks in the snow. El has seen grouse tracks, turkey tracks, bigger birds of prey tracks, coyote tracks, squirrel tracks, rabbit tracks, mouse tracks, Labrador retriever tracks, and today she saw a huge owl, only in a tree. Anyway, It is time to get out for an antler walk.
The wild turkeys are out in the fields a lot now. I imagine the mast in the woods is finally running out, so the birds are scratching out a living in the picked corn and bean fields. Speaking of that, Ellen fixed some of her famous roast wild turkey in mushroom and wine gravy with wild rice for dinner the other night. Let me just say, that bird did not die in vain.
I know it may be weeks away, but seeing the antler and deer reminded me to remind you that the Deer Committee Chairman for Vernon County, Jason Leis, recently informed me that the Vernon Country deer committee will meet on March 23 at 6 PM at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve building. He said he hoped more people would attend as the more people who see how this works the better. I’ll also start right now and remind readers for the first time that the Annual DNR/Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring County Rules hearings are April 11 in every county. Mark your calendar.
Until next time, get out - the Genoa National Fish Hatchery is again hosting a Kids Ice Fishing Day. The event for ages 5 to 12 is this Saturday, February 6th at the Hatchery south of Genoa. The event is from 8:30-12:30. There will be a warming tent during the event and the hatchery will have ice fishing poles to loan or you can bring your own. The hatchery will supply all the bait for the event to prevent the chance of spreading fish diseases. Finally, the 13th annual Stoddard Bay Jiggin’ Jamboree Ice Fishing Derby is also this Saturday on Stoddard Bay. Fishing times are 9 AM-1 PM. with $10 tickets available in advance at the Stoddard Village Hall or at the Stoddard landing headquarters the day of the Jamboree. Enjoy.
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