# Morning visitors



## Erik B (Jan 19, 2016)

These showed up in on our driveway this morning. I counted 16 of them. I had seen some of their tracks in the snow earlier this morning when I went out to get the newspaper. They eventually flew into the woods.


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## blades (Jan 19, 2016)

last early morning vistors i had were also 2 legged, but they did require the shotgun for motivation to depart the premises even though the 4 legged guards were speaking to them quite loudly.


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## flotek (Jan 19, 2016)

I'd harpoon one with the crossbow if that was my backyard .


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## amberg (Jan 19, 2016)

Wow, I wish they were in my yard, We have to use turkey dogs here just to see them. We always fall hunt turkeys. My lab would break out a window just to get to them. Love the pictures!


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## alleyyooper (Jan 20, 2016)

We have some sort of visitors every morning and thru out the day here.

































 Al


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## blades (Jan 20, 2016)

great pictures


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## thombat4 (Jan 20, 2016)

Yeah nice pics Al


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## longbowch (Jan 20, 2016)

This was out of my parents back door a week ago.


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## thombat4 (Jan 20, 2016)

longbowch said:


> This was out of my parents back door a week ago.


Movies are always nice


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## Oldmaple (Jan 21, 2016)

I have a feeder out back (been there 2 years now) spitting out corn twice a day. Lots of deer, rabbit, squirrel, birds but no turkeys. They roost often in the trees nearby but don't seem to like the feeder. Found turkey tracks around the feeder a couple of weeks ago, thought ok now I will start to see them. Haven't been back since. I'm starting to take it personal.


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## alleyyooper (Jan 21, 2016)

We do not have any thing set up other than the salt block. We do how ever have the creek and woods that is a travel route for the critters.









I like this one Last Feb. 2015, day of 35 below wind chill this deer hid under my canoe.













 Al


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## srb08 (Jan 28, 2016)

We had these in the driveway a while back. When there's a lot of snow, they come up on our deck and eat from the bird feeders. The largest group I've seen at the house was around 50 birds.


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## svk (Jan 28, 2016)

Great pictures guys. 

My neighbor at the cabin feeds the deer. Never see a buck but we did find a beauty of a 5 point shed.


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## unclemoustache (Jan 28, 2016)

My morning visitors are kids coming into my room before I want to wake up....


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## Erik B (Jan 28, 2016)

unclemoustache said:


> My morning visitors are kids coming into my room before I want to wake up....


Been there, done that


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## amberg (Jan 28, 2016)

alleyyooper, wow! I have only seen 2 sucking fawns 1 time in my life that I remember, and I have seen a lot of deer.


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## alleyyooper (Jan 29, 2016)

We get a lot of fawns laying and feeding in the yard. I think their MaMa's know they are safe from coyote here.

 Al


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## mainewoods (Jan 29, 2016)

Very hungry female bobcat( just to the right of the suet feeder)


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## Logger nate (Jan 29, 2016)




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## mainewoods (Jan 29, 2016)




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## Logger nate (Jan 29, 2016)

Saw this bobcat out the living room window a couple weeks ago, seems crazy but we moved into town in October and have seen way more wildlife than we did living 5 miles from town.


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## mainewoods (Jan 29, 2016)




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## mainewoods (Jan 29, 2016)

Beautiful picture of the deer Logger Nate!


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## Logger nate (Jan 29, 2016)

Thanks


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## Logger nate (Jan 29, 2016)

Cut a tree behind the house this morning to try out the new 576 AT had to chase deer off to keep it from hitting them, as soon as I shut the saw off they moved in.


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## amberg (Jan 29, 2016)

You have a impressive amount of pets there. We can't get within a country mile of a turkey or a deer here. How do you like the 576 xp at?


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## Logger nate (Jan 29, 2016)

Thanks, sure enjoy seeing them. Love it! Used to run husky logging, always liked the torque and sound. 576 AT is amazing, runs very well, so smooth, good power, quick throttle response. Never really liked ellectronic's but love this saw.


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## Logger nate (Jan 29, 2016)




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## svk (Jan 29, 2016)

mainewoods said:


> View attachment 482395


Dinner time!


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## svk (Jan 29, 2016)

Logger nate said:


> View attachment 482397


Are those all muleys or is 6th from left a whitetail?


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## svk (Jan 29, 2016)

mainewoods said:


> View attachment 482389
> 
> Very hungry female bobcat( just to the right of the suet feeder)


Very cool. I still have to see any kind of wild cat. They are around though.


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## Logger nate (Jan 29, 2016)

svk said:


> Are those all muleys or is 6th from left a whitetail?


 All muleys, and only about 30' from the freezer.


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## Haywire (Jan 30, 2016)

We've got porch turkeys here


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## Haywire (Jan 31, 2016)

Same porch, different visitors...


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## amberg (Jan 31, 2016)

Porch critters, can't beat that with a stick! Like to have me a porch deer.


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## svk (Jan 31, 2016)

Quite the menagerie!


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## unclemoustache (Feb 2, 2016)

We got a red fox once last year, and a neighbor saw some deer this winter - I've NEVER seen any deer around here, but my folks back in MT can't keep them out of the yard - gotta clean up deer poop every couple days.


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## Sagetown (Feb 3, 2016)

Haywire said:


> Same porch, different visitors...


That's quite a variety of critters calling on you. Don't think I'd be interested in stepping outside after dark.


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## amberg (Feb 3, 2016)

Don't think I would like to step outside at night myself, there seems to be a good chance of stepping on a bear. not to sure the bear would like that. I am pretty sure I wouldn't. If you open the door I believe that deer will come on in and sit with ya.


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## Logger nate (Feb 4, 2016)




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## amberg (Feb 4, 2016)

Again, I have no idea how you guys get these critters so close. they may not last so long here. if we can even find them. ( and we try ) I would not even try to shoot a critter that is that tame. ( my golden lab would love to chase those critters ) 

I envy you guys!!


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## Erik B (Feb 5, 2016)

These pics were taken a few years ago. We were watching them make beds in the snow.


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## Logger nate (Feb 6, 2016)




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## amberg (Feb 7, 2016)

I know not what to say!! but damn!!! and again WOW. you the man!!


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## alleyyooper (Feb 7, 2016)

Mom and babies





































 Al


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## alleyyooper (Feb 7, 2016)

Al


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## alleyyooper (Feb 8, 2016)

Some people feed them as you can see in one picture piles of corn. When winter hits with deep snow easy to cut down a tree and the deer flock to it for easy food and if you read this some critters just raid the bird feeders.

We only have what the lord has placed her for The critters and salt block I put out for them by the house. Yes they do rend to like the shrubs we have planted. Burning bushes are one of their favorites.

 Al


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## amberg (Feb 8, 2016)

Love the turkeys, looks like the old hen only raised 3 little ones.


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## Oldmaple (Feb 9, 2016)

alleyyooper said:


> Some people feed them as you can see in one picture piles of corn. When winter hits with deep snow easy to cut down a tree and the deer flock to it for easy food and if you read this some critters just raid the bird feeders.
> 
> We only have what the lord has placed her for The critters and salt block I put out for them by the house. Yes they do rend to like the shrubs we have planted. Burning bushes are one of their favorites.
> 
> Al


Is it the deer that eat the burning bush? Most of my customers have problems with rabbits on burning bush and viburnum, deer love the yews and cedars. Then in the summer all the perennials get eaten. Then they ask me what can be done to stop it.  So goes living with nature.


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## alleyyooper (Feb 9, 2016)

Yes it is the deer that eat the burning bushes. With all the coyotes in the area now despite my hunting them hard there are very few rabbits. I guess I should not place all the blame on the coyotes as we do have Cooper Hawks, Red Tail and Kestrel's that work the area a lot. 

We have had really good luck by allowing the deer to munch on stuff in the front yard like the burning bushes they have made into trees. Placing fishing line around the perennial beds half way between the knee and thigh. But for some reason last spring that didn't hold them back so I installed a electric fence just above the knee high. Applied a bit of peanut butter along the wire and no more problems.

 Al


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## amberg (Feb 9, 2016)

Maybe, I am wrong , but we used to hunt rabbits about 35 years ago with beagle dogs and seem to enjoy it then. Now it seems you cannot even find a rabbit. the only thing we seem to find is a damn coyote! and or a hawk, We never had coyotes here until about 10 or 12 years ago. now they seem to like to feast on my new calves and what ever else they can find to eat. We are lucky enough here to be able to trap and shot them year round, including sunday's, I hate a damn coyote, alleyooper please try to eradicate all of them. 

amberg!


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## alleyyooper (Feb 10, 2016)

I do every thing I can to get rid of every coyote in Lower Michigan. I have 5 friends also like minded who just about every day we can make a pair to go after them.
Started about 4 years ago word of mouth because of John the farmer in our group volunteering us to get rid of some coyotes on a bee cattle farm. Since they word of mouth has gotten out and we get calls from farmers wanting us to do a number on the coyotes in the feed lots ECT. I just ordered a new call yesterday I am wanting to try out. Has a 300 yard remote.

 Al


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## Sagetown (Feb 12, 2016)

alleyyooper said:


> I do every thing I can to get rid of every coyote in Lower Michigan. I have 5 friends also like minded who just about every day we can make a pair to go after them.
> Started about 4 years ago word of mouth because of John the farmer in our group volunteering us to get rid of some coyotes on a bee cattle farm. Since they word of mouth has gotten out and we get calls from farmers wanting us to do a number on the coyotes in the feed lots ECT. I just ordered a new call yesterday I am wanting to try out. Has a 300 yard remote.
> 
> Al


300 yard remote ! Now; that's serious yote hunting. 
My son lives in town, and his buddies are all from town, and most are hospital staffers i guess U'd call them.
Well; he brought them out one Saturday night to call some yotes up with an electronic caller he' borrowed. 
They came in on the ranch just before dark, and I saw them heading out about 15 minutes later. The batteries on the caller were dead.
They came back in about a half hour later, and it was pitch dark. They were in one of those bronco's with extra large tires, U know that sets way up off the ground. Well these boys (men) were all over 200 lbs, and a lil out of shape. So the guy on the passenger side couldn't find the door knob in the dark, and when he did, the door popped open, and he fell out on his head. They finally all got out , and my son was trying to get the caller to work, as two guy climbed up on top of the bronco. The thing was rocking like a boat in a gail as they scuffled up there on their belly's trying to hold on. About that time my son got the caller to call a yote howl, and coyotes all around the truck lite up the night sky, and scared the life out-a them boys, and they all clambered back into the truck where it was safe, guns and all. They haven't been back out here since.


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## alleyyooper (Feb 13, 2016)

Ya a bunch of howling coyotes even in the day lite can make the hair on the back of your neck stand straight up.
I use a siren sound to locate where they are. That will get them to howling at the moon or sun.

 Al


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## svk (Feb 13, 2016)

Called this one in with a Johnny Stewart fawn distress.


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## abbott295 (Feb 13, 2016)

And the cats took it down? Looks like they're gloating.


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## Logger nate (Feb 13, 2016)

svk said:


> Called this one in with a Johnny Stewart fawn distress.
> 
> View attachment 485757


Nice one!


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## Jere39 (Feb 13, 2016)




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## Logger nate (Feb 13, 2016)




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## amberg (Feb 13, 2016)

Love you coyote getting guys, svk, would have stomphed that [email protected]$rds head off . the good news is I pulled a good shot at about 385 yds. in the cow field. waiting on the cow to have a calf. ( again I hate coyotes ) they will take anything they can find to eat.


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## esshup (Feb 13, 2016)

Love the pics. A buddy's uncle can walk out the back door of their house, rattle the corn in the galvanized bucket and the deer start walking out of the woods to be fed. During warmer weather he's got black bears visiting, but he doesn't stay outside if they show up.


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## amberg (Feb 13, 2016)

Logger nate said:


> View attachment 485789


l0gger, WOW!! does not happen here in Va.


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## amberg (Feb 14, 2016)

O, Wow , I do wish so much! I do try though!! about 04 degrees here now.


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## alleyyooper (Feb 14, 2016)

Just takes time and an ample amount of patience, and they like sweet talk & feed in the hand too.
Had one here that used to paly chase with my mixed breed yellow lab several years ago.
Then another one used to walk with me and my present pup on our morning and evening walks till she went off to have her baby.

 Al


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## svk (Feb 14, 2016)

amberg said:


> Love you coyote getting guys, svk, would have stomphed that [email protected]$rds head off . the good news is I pulled a good shot at about 385 yds. in the cow field. waiting on the cow to have a calf. ( again I hate coyotes ) they will take anything they can find to eat.


That's a timber wolf btw. I had three of them come in and surround me when I had the call going! Took the first one that presented himself. Craziest thing....the DNR did a tooth analysis...that one was a yearling!


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## mn woodcutter (Feb 14, 2016)

Cleaning up the leftovers from the bird feeders.


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## Logger nate (Feb 14, 2016)

svk said:


> That's a timber wolf btw. I had three of them come in and surround me when I had the call going! Took the first one that presented himself. Craziest thing....the DNR did a tooth analysis...that one was a yearling!


Wow! That would be a little exciting. Guess I was wrong, my wife thought it was a wolf I said no too small, very nice coloration on hide.


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## svk (Feb 14, 2016)

Logger nate said:


> Wow! That would be a little exciting. Guess I was wrong, my wife thought it was a wolf I said no too small, very nice coloration on hide.


I sent you a pic via pm of the wolf. People get pissed when I post it sometimes lol.


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## Logger nate (Feb 14, 2016)

svk said:


> I sent you a pic via pm of the wolf. People get pissed when I post it sometimes lol.


Thank you


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## Logger nate (Feb 14, 2016)

Amazing how people can get upset about a pic of a dead wolf they must not have ever seen what they do to other animals ( and a few people!).


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## svk (Feb 14, 2016)

Logger nate said:


> Amazing how people can get upset about a pic of a dead wolf they must not have every seen what they do to other animals ( and a few people!).


Agree. 

My kids got death threats when that pic went public. Not lying.


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## Logger nate (Feb 14, 2016)

svk said:


> Agree.
> 
> My kids got death threats when that pic went public. Not lying.


Wow!? Sick people!


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## alleyyooper (Feb 15, 2016)

Ask the people of Michigan's UP about Wolves. I am sure they would tell you what they would like to feed them.

 Al


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## svk (Feb 15, 2016)

Logger nate said:


> Wow!? Sick people!


It's unreal. 

They advocate violence against hunters all of the time.


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## amberg (Feb 15, 2016)

Yet another 2nd lowest form of varmint! I am so glad we don't have those horrible things down here yet. at least until some ( know it all ) person thinks that they need to be imported down here to.


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## Logger nate (Jul 23, 2016)




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## amberg (Jul 23, 2016)

Logger nate said:


> View attachment 515136



You are kidding right!!!


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## amberg (Jul 23, 2016)

This is the best that I got, A old hen with 9 little one's, Missed most of the little ones before I could get the camera up. I hope you can see the pics.


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## Logger nate (Jul 24, 2016)

amberg said:


> You are kidding right!!!


Lol, picture taken from our kitchen window .


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## Backyard Lumberjack (Jul 24, 2016)

amberg said:


> This is the best that I got, A old hen with 9 little one's, Missed most of the little ones before I could get the camera up. I hope you can see the pics.View attachment 515315
> View attachment 515316



good pix, amberg... right spot, right time!... great to see the momma and her brood. don't often get to see such sights...


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## Backyard Lumberjack (Jul 24, 2016)

Logger nate said:


> View attachment 515136



2 bucks, nice...


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## Logger nate (Jul 24, 2016)

amberg said:


> This is the best that I got, A old hen with 9 little one's, Missed most of the little ones before I could get the camera up. I hope you can see the pics.View attachment 515315
> View attachment 515316


I see them, that's cool, usually don't see the baby's very often around here.


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## Hoosk (Jul 24, 2016)

Recent trail camera pic. Hope they grow up healthy and stick around a while....Maybe I should train them for being hand fed, that is cool Nate!


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## Logger nate (Jul 24, 2016)




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## Logger nate (Jul 24, 2016)




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## GVS (Jul 26, 2016)

Logger nate said:


> View attachment 515485


TROPHY!


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## Logger nate (Sep 28, 2016)




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## Marine5068 (Sep 29, 2016)

flotek said:


> I'd harpoon one with the crossbow if that was my backyard .


You'd be charged here if you shot one with no license(If some one saw). Its a federal offence too. Need that special Turkey licence.


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## Marine5068 (Sep 29, 2016)

Logger nate said:


> View attachment 528287


Cute


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## Marine5068 (Sep 29, 2016)

mainewoods said:


> View attachment 482395


Yesterday I just saw 20-30 walking across a back road where my wood lot is. 
They just stood there at the side of road as I passed slowly with the trailer in tow,


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## Marine5068 (Sep 29, 2016)

Logger nate said:


> View attachment 482397


What a beautiful site, make for a great frameable pic


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## GVS (Sep 29, 2016)

Logger nate said:


> View attachment 485789


Seeing that pic made me think of a time the wife and I were out for a ride late afternoon.Came by this place in a wooded area and the owner was in the driveway hand feeding 5 deer slices of bread.I told the wife he's getting ready to put them into the barn for the night.


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## chuckwood (Sep 29, 2016)

Some great pics in this thread. I've got evening visitors, they come around at nightfall. They're easy to spot in the darkness I've got foxes hanging around in the vicinity of my woodpile, so I left out a pan of dog food to lure them in with for a pic tonite. Foxes have a keen sense of smell and they'll find that dog food quickly. They're real easy to spot at night, their eyes reflect light back towards your light, you'll see two bright yellow dots, and at great distances.


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## svk (Sep 29, 2016)

We've had extreme rains around here all summer and fall. Many lower fields and road ditches are flooded. 

On Monday I saw a grey squirrel swimming across a ditch. I thought it was a muskrat until I got closer and saw the fluffy tail. He was hauling too, pretty impressive swimmer lol. Wish I had the phone out for a pic.


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## 101mph (Sep 30, 2016)

We had these guys show up a few times this past spring. Momma bear and her 3 cubs


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## Hoosk (Oct 8, 2016)

So what was cute at first, now has my wife worried. I have this doe and two fawns that may not be able to leave my fence...five strand electric. I'm sure she can leave, but is she staying because the fawns won't mess with the fence? They appear to always be in the fence and she is skinny...not sickly but you can see her ribs....and she is brazen, always cleaning up after the goats. Afraid of us, but not very. Unlike Nates muleys, our yard deer are usually pretty wary.

You can't see through the foliage of this recently fenced in 2 acres so it will be tough to "herd" them out the gate, but we will try tomorrow. The crossbow pic was a joke for my wife.

On a side note, we have a very sick goat that may be related (if it's deer worm)


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## Hoosk (Oct 9, 2016)

So, they can come and go without any problem. We herded them out and the fawns easily dive between strands. I guess the just prefer living on the inside.


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## Streblerm (Oct 9, 2016)

I chased one of the little ones with the lawnmower for about ten minutes. It didn't think it could make it over the fence and kept circling the yard. The rest of the family joined it once I got 50' or so away. Some of them are tame enough to hand feed. Apple trees in my back yard keep them coming back.


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## Streblerm (Oct 9, 2016)




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## blades (Oct 10, 2016)

Red fox in backyard7:15 am yesterday- first time I have see him all year, later mowing the yard surprised a weasel in the wood stack. Only got a very short glimpse . Wasn't the same as the small ones I have seen before much larger all dark brown on top side not the light almost reddish of the other. Nope wasn't a rat either nice furry tail. Might have been a mutant squirrel I suppose but don't have any reds here just gray's, couple years back had an all white, gray around- likely had a short life cycle due to Hawks and Owls.


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## alderman (Oct 11, 2016)

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Logger nate (Oct 29, 2016)

Some unwanted visitors


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## sawjunky23 (Oct 29, 2016)

alleyyooper said:


> We have some sort of visitors every morning and thru out the day here.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


AL where are you at? That is a wooly looking deer. Must get pretty cold in your neck of the woods.


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## alleyyooper (Oct 31, 2016)

Michigan.But it was the year of the polar vortex, so there were a lot of days with 30 below wind chills

 Al


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## svk (Nov 5, 2016)

I put up two chickadee houses about 4 years ago. The wren filled one with sticks but never nested otherwise they have been unused. Since the birds don't want to use them I won't take issue to this guy moving in once he opens up the hole enough to fit.


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## sawjunky23 (Nov 6, 2016)

svk said:


> I put up two chickadee houses about 4 years ago. The wren filled one with sticks but never nested otherwise they have been unused. Since the birds don't want to use them I won't take issue to this guy moving in once he opens up the hole enough to fit.
> 
> View attachment 535396


Looks like he has his work cut out for him. Quite the acrobat.


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## GVS (Nov 7, 2016)

svk said:


> I put up two chickadee houses about 4 years ago. The wren filled one with sticks but never nested otherwise they have been unused. Since the birds don't want to use them I won't take issue to this guy moving in once he opens up the hole enough to fit.
> 
> View attachment 535396


I love wrens but they'll fill every box within a 1/4 mile and then go build a nest in a bush.I guess it's just to keep other birds away.


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## svk (Nov 7, 2016)

Saw a porky today up in a pine plantation on state land. I thought about how he'll probably damage some of those trees but I let him go. First porky I've seen up here (near my hunting cabin) ever.


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## svk (Nov 9, 2016)

A friend stopped while I was stacking this afternoon. There was a chipmunk on the ground too.


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## Logger nate (Jan 14, 2017)

Traffic jam


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## svk (Jun 12, 2017)

Found these guys while trimming my yard. Hit one with the trimmer, luckily appeared to only have cut his toe a bit. Hoping mom comes and hauls them somewhere safer overnight!


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## svk (Jun 13, 2017)

Well mom apparently was back and took care of them in the night although didn't move them from where I had relocated them to. I lightly covered them with grass again to keep them safer.


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## svk (Jun 13, 2017)

Also in my yard this morning. This gal was trying to (or maybe succeeded) in laying eggs in the spot where I recently burned out a stump. Had to keep an eye on her so she steered clear of the bunnies (about 25' away). On her way back to the lake she crossed my deck, which is far from the easiest route lol.


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## Marine5068 (Jun 14, 2017)

alderman said:


> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Nice. I was thinking of a game camera here to capture the deer, wild turkeys etc around the place.


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## svk (Jun 14, 2017)

Saw this one on the way home this morning.


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## alleyyooper (Jun 15, 2017)

Nice eating size snappers

 Al


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## rarefish383 (Jun 15, 2017)

I started to say, yum, turtle soup! But I never tried it. My hunting buddy used to catch snappers and keep them in a pen feeding them what he considered a cleaner diet for about a month, then he made turtle soup, Joe.


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## svk (Jul 23, 2017)

I had a friend whose father traps snappers on the Mississippi and keeps the one within the allowed size. If I had more time I would probably have harvested these after getting a turtle license. 

They are thick near this lake every June. Maybe someday I'll have the time.


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## svk (Jul 23, 2017)

This fledgling grouse was dumber than a stump and nearly ran under my car as I tried to drive around him. This road gets pounded by hunters in the fall so if he doesn't wisen up soon he won't see many more sunrises. 



Here's a chipmunk at the cabin that will eat out of your hand and let you pet him. He's at least 4 or 5 years old now and has lost part of his tail to something so I fear he's not going to be around all that much longer. 



The kids found a baby mouse next to the deck. Why he was out and about alone, I'm not sure but he hopped his way to safety under the building after I took this picture.


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## rarefish383 (Jul 23, 2017)

John haan't hunted turtles in years, I'll have to check and see if you need a license for them in MD now, Joe.


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## amberg (Jul 23, 2017)

A doe and the baby walking through the front yard. She raised the baby right behind the house where it was safer from the coyotes, we still see them hanging around house now.


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## svk (Oct 30, 2017)

The birds liked me this weekend. There are peanuts in this mix which are always the first to go followed by sunflower seeds then everything else. 

Chickadees are very tame as my neighbor 1/4 mile away feeds them all year and the nuthatch was a bit more shy (photos taken without telephoto). The juncos don't let me get close at all. Some of these chickadees will hover by you and consider landing on you.


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## svk (Oct 30, 2017)

These things are too tame. 


This is the follow up to the first video as the fawn's mother ran the other way behind the garage. If you turn it up you can hear the front fawn bleating.


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## blades (Oct 30, 2017)

my place deer sneaking in and out of corn 4am this morning, and turkey sneaking around just inside the brush line about 300 yards from house last night around 5pm


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## Logger nate (Oct 30, 2017)




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## GVS (Nov 2, 2017)

svk said:


> The birds liked me this weekend. There are peanuts in this mix which are always the first to go followed by sunflower seeds then everything else.
> 
> Chickadees are very tame as my neighbor 1/4 mile away feeds them all year and the nuthatch was a bit more shy (photos taken without telephoto). The juncos don't let me get close at all. Some of these chickadees will hover by you and consider landing on you.
> View attachment 609746
> ...


In a matter of days you can have chickadees eating out of your hand.They will line up to get sunflower seed.As soon as the one in your hand leaves the next in line lands ,leaves and so on.A momma chipmunk had a burrow in a small grove of trees in my side yard.I found the burrow and kept putting sunflower seed in it.Just poured a handful right in the hole.In less then a week this little critter would come to the edge of the trees and chirp at me for treats.If I missed her for a day I'd sit in a lawn chair and chirp for her.She'd come to the edge of the trees,look around,make sure the coast was clear and run over to me,climb up my leg and into my lap.First thing was give me a nip on a finger then rub each cheek on a finger,stuff face and charge back to her burrow.This went on for 3 summers before she died.


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## svk (Nov 2, 2017)

GVS said:


> In a matter of days you can have chickadees eating out of your hand.They will line up to get sunflower seed.As soon as the one in your hand leaves the next in line lands ,leaves and so on.A momma chipmunk had a burrow in a small grove of trees in my side yard.I found the burrow and kept putting sunflower seed in it.Just poured a handful right in the hole.In less then a week this little critter would come to the edge of the trees and chirp at me for treats.If I missed her for a day I'd sit in a lawn chair and chirp for her.She'd come to the edge of the trees,look around,make sure the coast was clear and run over to me,climb up my leg and into my lap.First thing was give me a nip on a finger then rub each cheek on a finger,stuff face and charge back to her burrow.This went on for 3 summers before she died.


We have a chipmunk that will eat from your hand and even allow you to pet him. He's been tame for 4 summers so I fear he won't be around much longer.


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## svk (Nov 8, 2017)

I'm in a buck only zone and you guessed it, all I've see is does and fawns since opener.


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## svk (Nov 8, 2017)

And a few others


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## chucker (Nov 8, 2017)

NICE pic's steve.. you do have some snow hey ! were all brown and the wood is still dry and easy to find.


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## svk (Nov 8, 2017)

chucker said:


> NICE pic's steve.. you do have some snow hey ! were all brown and the wood is still dry and easy to find.


It's starting to settle now but on Saturday evening it was nearly knee deep in the woods. Tomorrow is going to be azz cold, about -3 overnight then warm up into the weekend. 

I shared this pic once on the site, can't remember which thread. We got more snow after this.


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## svk (Nov 8, 2017)

Chickadee spread. I love how they keep switching angles to size you up. 

That last pic really turned out nice. Usually cell phone shots are just blurry wings.


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## GVS (Nov 8, 2017)

svk said:


> Chickadee spread. I love how they keep switching angles to size you up.
> 
> That last pic really turned out nice. Usually cell phone shots are just blurry wings.
> 
> ...


The last shot is great- for any camera.


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## Little Al (Nov 8, 2017)

The first winter in the house we are in now we were visited by around half dozen Ptarmigan & the winter was a really harsh one that was 2004 not seen any since then until today when two turned up. I wonder if we are in for a bad winter this year


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## svk (May 8, 2018)




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## bear1998 (May 8, 2018)

Morni folks.....we have been here for officially a year now n here is what we have seen n still here at our home....




2 different hens nesting close by....gobbler lookin for some action this past sunday....


Have bird feeders out...un wanted guest last week.....the damage...


Everyday visitors......


Last september...


Last august......

Various birds...blacked capped chicadees,tufted titmouse,gold finches,cardinals,blue jays,blue indigo buntings,bluebirds,robins,hummers....this year a few new ones....eastern towhee,rose breasted grosbeak....oh n 2 male cowbirds fightin over a female..

.
Got a few pics of some bucks on my good camera.....post later...


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## rarefish383 (May 8, 2018)

I've been playing with my bird feeders too. Got all the little tweety birds, Bluebirds, Gold and Purple Finches, Nuthatches and Chickadee's, Cardinals and Bluejays. Last week had a Sharp Shinned Hawk land in the tree over my feeders. A couple days ago I saw my first Rose Breasted Grosbeak, then the next day we had 2. Now I'm trying to get a couple Orioles to come by. I feed the squirrels too, they crack me up falling off stuff.


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## Logger nate (May 8, 2018)

Evening visitor’s ...


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## blades (May 9, 2018)

Just some eyes out 400 yards or so. too dark to tell what they belonged to. Pups were barking about 3:30am , reason for investigation.


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## svk (May 12, 2018)

Two male pike escorting a larger female



A small pike (we call them “hammer handles”) lying in wait for dinner. People say pike are daytime fish but this guy was definitively waiting for a midnight snack.


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## rarefish383 (May 12, 2018)

svk said:


> Two male pike escorting a larger female
> View attachment 651734
> 
> 
> ...


Ever try NOODLING for them. Up in the grass like that you can just grab it by the tail and toss it on the barby.


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## svk (May 12, 2018)

Pike are too darn slippery. You’d need to club or spear them.


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## blades (May 14, 2018)

They gots mean teeth also


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## svk (Aug 9, 2018)

I can tell autumn is approaching with all of the critters moving around more in the past week. Sorry that some of the pics are grainy. 

I’ve had a hummingbird pair that likes to look into my screen tent. I’ve only been able to photograph the female. 



Mouse climbing a tree



Whiskey jays showed up this morning for the first time since spring 



Multiple hatches of young chickadees around. Ironically I’ve had no luck getting them in my birdhouses



White admiral. These guys love to land on every piece of bear and wolf turd that I see on the trail which is kind of weird 



I’ve also seen tons of smaller birds of prey recently but they aren’t very photogenic. 

Have had raccoon(s) visiting my food scrap pile as well. If I had a spare game camera I’d put one over it as the are fun to watch.


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## svk (Sep 29, 2018)

The jays and chipmunk getting their fill while Mr Junco waits patiently (on the ground below chipmunk).




You know it’s cold when three jays will tolerate each other.


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## svk (Sep 29, 2018)

Saw this very small porky on the way to town


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## svk (Oct 1, 2018)

Went out to check the sauna last night and heard rustling and saw glowing eyes. Sounded like at least one other coon made an escape and this little guy treed in my yard. He was actually sleeping up there when I went out later. 

Before this year I’d never seen coons or even tracks this far north. I’d seen tracks earlier in the year and several times I’d noticed the cat staring intently outside so I figured they were around. 






There is very little of my stuff they can damage out here and as long as they don’t we shall coexist.


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## MNGuns (Oct 1, 2018)

svk said:


> Went out to check the sauna last night and heard rustling and saw glowing eyes. Sounded like at least one other coon made an escape and this little guy treed in my yard. He was actually sleeping up there when I went out later.
> 
> Before this year I’d never seen coons or even tracks this far north. I’d seen tracks earlier in the year and several times I’d noticed the cat staring intently outside so I figured they were around.
> 
> ...



Had this lil fella and his kin around a few years back. Just passing thru I suppose as I never seen much else of em.


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## svk (Oct 13, 2018)

Was cooking dinner and saw fur outside my window.


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## svk (Nov 20, 2018)

Feeding frenzy this morning. I need to get to the store and grab some black oil sunflower seeds. The birds much prefer that to the cheap blend of seeds. Need deer food too now that season is over.


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## Jakers (Nov 20, 2018)

I love feeding and watching the birds in the winter months. I feed them year around but in the summer they forage much more so a feeder full will last a couple weeks. This time of year it's two days. I also put out four suet cakes about once a week. Haven't started feeding the deer yet but will soon. The turkey and deer keep the dropped sunflower seeds cleaned up pretty well. Fairly cheap entertainment for 6 months of the year.

SVK, what is your food of choice for deer? I usually feed corn or grain of some sort but i also toss out some bales of good clean alfalfa. I read that corn takes more energy to digest than it gives the deer so it's actually counterproductive to feed. They sure love the alfalfa bales but get a grass one or a moldy one and tgey wont touch it. Smart animals for sure


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## svk (Nov 21, 2018)

I give them whole corn. I’ve actually heard the opposite, that alfalfa takes more energy to process. I don’t know, but after feeding deer straight corn for many years, I’ve never seen one that didn’t look healthy. Up at our hunting cabin my neighbor does a $ pool with all the neighbors and puts out a huge bale of alfalfa and the deer love that stuff too!

The local mill sells whole corn for 12 bucks per hundred so it’s pretty cheap. I guess the fleet supply sells “deer food” for 9 bucks per 50 and does sale price of 7 bucks per 50 so I may have to try that out.


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## svk (Nov 21, 2018)

The deer were already up on the deck as of mid day yesterday which hastened my need to get them their own food LOL. I left the house at 2:30 and got home at 8:30. In that time they cleaned up all of the bird food I had put for them on the ground as well as licked everything out of the feeder.


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## svk (Nov 21, 2018)

I have a number feeders for the birds that are not yet put out as I don’t really want the deer to empty them every night. I think I’m going to have to do a larger hanging feeder that utilizes a pulley system so I can fill at chest level and then raise it high enough so momma deer can’t stand up and knock food out of it.

I have a couple of suet feeders as well. Need to hit the meat market to get a block of suet to put in there. Love watching the larger woodpeckers work away at that stuff.


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## Erik B (Nov 21, 2018)

I had a possum sitting on the ground under my bird feeder. A few shots with my SR22 scared it away. The wife didn't want me to dispatch it. If it gets to be a problem.........


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## svk (Nov 21, 2018)

The doe and fawn brought a friend. The blue jays have also multiplied. Also saw a downy woodpecker and a goldfinch today, the first for both this feeding season. 

I don’t have any suet so I made a concoction with cooking oil and crushed crackers to put out for the woodpeckers. It’s solidifying in the freezer and I’ll put it onto an onion sack tomorrow and hang it from a tree.


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## svk (Nov 24, 2018)

Probably the coolest pic I’ve taken of my visitors. There was a second raccoon out in the woods too. 



The doe and fawn visit 3-4 tines a day. 



The other raccoon was over by the fire pit


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## Brad Burnette (Nov 26, 2018)

These little critters nosed their way in to inspect my operation and give me their approval.


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## svk (Nov 4, 2019)

I surely could keep this thread going with the menagerie that goes through my yard every day. 

Put out a couple of bird feeders yesterday and had the first customers today. Chickadees were first followed by nuthatches, woodpeckers, and blue jays. Only the jays were interested in being photographed today. 

Nobody has seen a bear in over two weeks so (knock on wood) they are gone for the season


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## Erik B (Nov 4, 2019)

A neighbor about a mile away was setting up a ground b lind for deer hunting when he saw a bear close by. He tried chasing it off an when he thought it was gone he headed back to his house to get his 4wheeler. The bear had followed him home and wouldn't leave. The neighbor had a loaded crossbow with him so feeling threatened, he shot the bear. He called the DNR to report it and they came and got the bear and were going to have it tested. They suspect something may have been wrong with the bear not to be afraid of humans. Makes me think I should be armed when working in the woods.


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## svk (Nov 4, 2019)

Erik B said:


> A neighbor about a mile away was setting up a ground b lind for deer hunting when he saw a bear close by. He tried chasing it off an when he thought it was gone he headed back to his house to get his 4wheeler. The bear had followed him home and wouldn't leave. The neighbor had a loaded crossbow with him so feeling threatened, he shot the bear. He called the DNR to report it and they came and got the bear and were going to have it tested. They suspect something may have been wrong with the bear not to be afraid of humans. Makes me think I should be armed when working in the woods.


In this day and age it never hurts to be armed at all times....

We have a lot of bears and wolves in the area here. If I go into the woods I carry an axe if I am not carrying a gun. Not that an axe would do all that much but in the very rare instance that wolves would attack, I would take at least one of them with me.


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## svk (Nov 28, 2019)




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## olyman (Nov 28, 2019)

svk said:


> View attachment 776356
> 
> View attachment 776355
> View attachment 776357
> ...


bluejays,,oh so pretty..but so damn mean!!!!!


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## svk (Nov 28, 2019)

olyman said:


> bluejays,,oh so pretty..but so damn mean!!!!!


The hairy woodpecker lays the smack on them though.


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## olyman (Nov 28, 2019)

svk said:


> The hairy woodpecker lays the smack on them though.


never have seen that,,but entirely believable!!!!!!


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## chucker (Nov 28, 2019)

svk said:


> View attachment 776356
> 
> View attachment 776355
> View attachment 776357
> ...


lake looks like its ready for some holes!


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## Husky Man (Nov 28, 2019)

olyman said:


> bluejays,,oh so pretty..but so damn mean!!!!!




You should see how Defensive and Territorial our Hummingbirds get over the Feeders, such little guys, but very aggressive, we have 5 feeders out, and if 2 show up at the same time, they chase each other 


Doug


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## olyman (Nov 28, 2019)

Husky Man said:


> You should see how Defensive and Territorial our Hummingbirds get over the Feeders, such little guys, but very aggressive, we have 5 feeders out, and if 2 show up at the same time, they chase each other
> 
> 
> Doug


hummingbirds are a hoot!!!!!


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## svk (Nov 28, 2019)

chucker said:


> lake looks like its ready for some holes!


About 7 inches in front of me


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## svk (Nov 28, 2019)

Husky Man said:


> You should see how Defensive and Territorial our Hummingbirds get over the Feeders, such little guys, but very aggressive, we have 5 feeders out, and if 2 show up at the same time, they chase each other
> 
> 
> Doug


The hummingbirds at my cabin are insane. Dogfights 4am till after sunset every day!


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## Husky Man (Nov 28, 2019)

I’ve seen videos of over 100 swarming some feeders,  but if we get 2 at a time, they chase each other off Relentlessly 

My Wife picked up a couple feeders at a yard sale, and we have Really Enjoyed watching them, they are getting a bit more comfortable around us, but up wood cutting, around 5,500’ I didn’t expect to see any, I practically had one land on my shoulder 

It looks like we will have a couple “Winter Over”, it’s Thanksgiving, and we have already had a couple light Snow Falls and they are still hanging around, so we will have to make sure the feeders stay filled and Thawed

This will be our first Winter feeding them, I am curious how many stick it out through the winter. I have read that a few species, the Ana’s in particular will Winter Over if they have a reliable food source.

They have been Entertaining so far, it will be cool to watch them in a Snow scape scenery 


Doug


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## Cowboy254 (Nov 29, 2019)

Not sure if this counts as morning visitors...

My old man told me a story a couple of weeks ago of when he was a teenager. A mate of his whose family had a farm has Dad up for a visit and says to him, lets have some fun. They bait some magpies - a bird, maybe up to a foot long which has a long sharp beak and is very protective of their young while in the nest. Magpies will swoop anyone they perceive to be a threat. So they throw rocks at this magpie then turn their back and when they hear the whooshwhooshwhoosh of the wings, have a swing at it with a golf club. They missed every time. 

But magpies are quite intelligent and never forget. Dad decides to go out for a run across the farm the next morning and is climbing carefully through a barbed-wire fence. Whoosh-BANG! The magpie hits Dad and opens up a 2 inch gash in his scalp. Dad is rolling around on the ground, holding his head, then stands up to see the magpie, hovering a metre away from his face, malevolent eyes glowing. Dad walks backwards all the way back to the farmhouse. I don't think he ever did it again. 

We feed the magpies on our property sometimes and they don't swoop us, though they chase every other bird away in nesting season.


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## Husky Man (Nov 29, 2019)

Cowboy254 said:


> Not sure if this counts as morning visitors...
> 
> My old man told me a story a couple of weeks ago of when he was a teenager. A mate of his whose family had a farm has Dad up for a visit and says to him, lets have some fun. They bait some magpies - a bird, maybe up to a foot long which has a long sharp beak and is very protective of their young while in the nest. Magpies will swoop anyone they perceive to be a threat. So they throw rocks at this magpie then turn their back and when they hear the whooshwhooshwhoosh of the wings, have a swing at it with a golf club. They missed every time.
> 
> ...




I think that may fall under the “ Karma is a Biotch” category 


Doug


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## svk (Dec 2, 2019)

Apparently I need to hang my jug feeder somewhere else.


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## Husky Man (Dec 3, 2019)

Well, at least you got A Visitor, I put up our Christmas Lights Saturday, and Sunday not a single one of our little Kamakazies showed up 

The Icicle Lights hang above their feeders, but I didn’t think close enough to bother them, but I may have been wrong 

My Wife called and said that two did show up today, but weren’t on the feeders near as much as normal 

Hopefully, they will get used to the Icicle Lights, if that is what the problem is 

The little Maniacs have got to be getting Hungry. I have read, that Hummingbirds are rarely more than hours from starving, they have so little fat, and such small stomachs, that they can’t store enough calories for the rate they burn them. From what I have read, their metabolism slows to a practically semi hibernation state while sleeping.

Hopefully they will adapt, we enjoy some morning coffee on the sofa watching them on the weekends 


Doug


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## svk (Dec 23, 2019)

A few randoms of my indoor and outdoor buddies.


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## Husky Man (Dec 23, 2019)

Our little maniacs seem to have adjusted to the Icicle lights, and have been back as usual 

Stihl the same little Kamakazies as before, 2-3 ounce birds buzzing and dive bombing a 6’ 265# man, if I get too close to THEIR Feeders 

I had to clean the gutters above their feeders, and they did Express some Displeasure  about that. They are getting more confident around us though I wasn’t more than 4’ from the feeders when they started feeding again. Maybe next year they will get comfortable enough to feed from our hands.

I do admit to antagonizing them a little sometimes, I will go “Adjust “ the feeders and they will try to chase me off

They are Entertaining too watch, I enjoy my weekend mornings coffee watching them 



Doug


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## svk (Dec 23, 2019)

Husky Man said:


> Our little maniacs seem to have adjusted to the Icicle lights, and have been back as usual
> 
> Stihl the same little Kamakazies as before, 2-3 ounce birds buzzing and dive bombing a 6’ 265# man, if I get too close to THEIR Feeders
> 
> ...


What kind of birds are these


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## Husky Man (Dec 23, 2019)

Hummingbirds


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## svk (Dec 24, 2019)




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## panolo (Dec 24, 2019)

HAHA! That is a great photo.


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## svk (Dec 25, 2019)

Merry Christmas! All pics taken in the past 24 hours here.


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## svk (Feb 2, 2020)

This orphaned fawn will eat from my wife and my youngest son’s hands.


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## Husky Man (Feb 3, 2020)

Well, more of an all Day visitor, he has Small Cedar and D Fir trees about 30-40 feet from the feeders that he will perch on, then every 10-20 minutes he will come feed, then back to his perch. Definitely stays where he can watch and Defend “HIS “ feeders 

Stihl amazes me how defensive such a small bird can get 




A Male Anna’s Hummingbird, we haven’t named any yet, they can be very hard to differentiate from each other depending on the lighting, that Brilliant, Red Head can lose all that color if the lighting isn’t right 


Doug


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## Husky Man (Feb 8, 2020)

I wish that I had my phone handy, but I was too mesmerized just watching the show to go get it, we had at least 4 Hummingbirds, on the kitchen window feeders a little bit ago, and it was like a scene out of a mass World War 2 Dog Fight, they buzzing and chasing each other, a couple even got into a hovering stand off right in front of the window, it was quite the show, they eventually called a Truce and both fed off the same feeder(Single "Flower" feed point) even, and the other feeder was only 6 inches away, it was quite the show.

BTW, what is the trick for posting videos in a thread? I have a 10 second video that shows how the lighting can change their coloration, but when I tried to upload it to a post, I got a file too large error code


Doug


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## svk (Feb 8, 2020)

Husky Man said:


> I wish that I had my phone handy, but I was too mesmerized just watching the show to go get it, we had at least 4 Hummingbirds, on the kitchen window feeders a little bit ago, and it was like a scene out of a mass World War 2 Dog Fight, they buzzing and chasing each other, a couple even got into a hovering stand off right in front of the window, it was quite the show, they eventually called a Truce and both fed off the same feeder(Single "Flower" feed point) even, and the other feeder was only 6 inches away, it was quite the show.
> 
> BTW, what is the trick for posting videos in a thread? I have a 10 second video that shows how the lighting can change their coloration, but when I tried to upload it to a post, I got a file too large error code
> 
> ...


Upload larger videos like that to YouTube then post the link here.


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## Husky Man (Apr 3, 2020)

We are seeing more Hummingbirds that we don't recognize, so they must be migrating to their breeding grounds, Hummingbirds are some of the earliest migrators.
We're getting some breeds we haven't seen before, Anna's are our Regulars, and we have been seeing some Rufous as well as a bird or two that we aren't sure what they are.

A couple of our Little Girls, ain't so little, Junie has definitely lost her Bikini Figure, looks like she is ready to Pop, she may be laying SOON by the looks of her, with their incubation period being 14-19 days, and nestling period of 18-26 days, we should be seeing some Fledglings by the end of May, Anna's sometimes rear two broods of typically 2, we might be seeing several young birds this year.

Work has been hit and miss with this China Virus thing, the Last two weeks, I spent part of each week helping another account in Medford, OR, delivering Telecomm gear, this week was pretty bad at my Dedicated account, less than 40 hours  and it isn't looking Good in the near future, but I got called to go to Wenatchee, WA for next week, and possibly the following week, for more Telecomm deliveries, so I won't get to watch our birds so much as I have lately, they sure can be Entertaining, but ya go where the work is

Hoping Everyone is staying Healthy and Happy

Doug


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## Logger nate (Apr 9, 2020)




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