Trail Cam Tuesday - May 31, 2011

This Trail Cam  Tuesday is going to be short sweet and to the point. This was the first time in roughly two and a half weeks that I was able to check my camera, I was kind of disappointed that I didn't get more pictures, but after looking at them it was still a decent round of pictures. I wasn't able to feed before setting the camera out last time as it was still in turkey season, now that it's over I was able to set out some corn and supplements. I am hoping that with a fresh set of batteries, removing the 3 inches of what from inside the case of the camera, and the corn setting out, I should get a few more pictures this time. Even though this last set may or may not have had a few technical difficulties, one of which will lead to next weeks' Trail Cam Tuesday, but even with that I was still able to pull a couple of pictures from this current set to show everyone.

Just starting out as a little guy, but who knows what he'll grow into.. 

Everyone loves a little bear butt.. haha

Happy Memorial Day!!

Happy Memorial Day!! 

I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend of camping, fishing, or even just relaxing around the house. 

But let us not forget the true meaning of this holiday, to pay our respects 

to those that have and are serving in our Armed Forces!!

Image Credit: Wikipedia

P.S. - For those regular views, tomorrow's Trail Cam Tuesday will be an evening edition.

Trail Cam Tuesday - Postponed

Ok, so if you couldn't have guess I am postponing Trail Cam Tuesday this week, if all goes well I am hoping to have everything back up and running next week. Between still working full-time, starting grad school (which officially started last week), and the mini-vacation Cassie and I took this past weekend, my blogging has been lacking but it should start to pick back up soon. Thank you everyone for still following along with me here at Foggy Mountain Meanderings and the support everyone always gives the blog.

For everyone that still needs their weekly fix of trail camera pictures, I suggest you go check out one of my favorite trail camera related blogs - Joe at Massanutten Game Trails. He always has a great variety of trail cam pictures and his blog is where I normally go in between session of checking my trail cameras to get my fix. Just recently he has had everything from a sow and her cubs to turkeys and even a fox. So what are you guys waiting on, I'm already over there.

Trail Cam Tuesday - May 17, 2011

This isn't going to be a normal trail cam Tuesday, as you know I've been having issues with my trail camera and haven't had it up. I've managed to rig it so I could get it back up this week, but I have to give a big shout out to the customer service department at Moultire as they are some of the best I've ever dealt with. They were will to help me replace anything I need or offer suggestions as what to get to replace my current camera. I need to replace my case on the old camera, but I think I am going to be getting a new some sooner rather than later. I am really interested in the new 'mini' series that Moultrie just released. Two other cameras in the  running are the new Bushnell's (but there major issue last year have me hesitant to dive into their company) and the  new CuddeBack Attack, (their warranty is only 181 days for people like me who have their camera set up 24/7 that isn't a lot of time). The warrenty is something that I can't seem to get past, I know they have an impeccable reputation, but is doesn't seem they want to back up their products especially for that price. I'm hoping that by next week I should have a new case for my Moultrie and will have some new pictures for everyone.

In other news, Blogger still seems to be having major issues, anyone still experience problems? I have now had one post completely deleted and another reverted back to just the skeleton of a post, sure I want to retype all that so that I can repost it, due to the fact of their error. I've contemplated it before and this is making me seriously consider it again, Wordpress doesn't seem to be having these kind of issues.  This is the year that Blogger is suppose to making huge improvements to rival WP, it seems they are falling farther behind....

Sorry, I needed to vent on that one. If you have any opinions on my choice in trail cameras or Blogger please leave them below.

Random Ramblings #4

Hmm.. It seems I've been in a semi-posting slump. I'm not sure if I'd even call it a slump, it's not that I don't have anything to write in my posts or am at a lack of words (if you know me very well, you know that never happens). It's actually the exact opposite, I've been running around doing so much stuff lately, my blogging has been lacking. But I'm back at it and now to catch everyone up to speed...

• This past weekend started out pretty relaxing on Friday night. The weather finally dried up enough we were able to head to a friend house for a cookout and campfire afterwards.

• After a relaxing Friday evening the majority of the weekend turned into a whirl-wind of family events. It started out with my grandparent's 60th Wedding Anniversary, which most of the family was in for. It went over really well and I even managed to snap a few good pictures. On Sunday, as I'm sure everyone knows, it was Mother's Day. Per my mom's wishes we had a low key day and went out for pizza and ice cream that evening. That wasn't the finish of everything though, Monday was my mom's birthday also, after work we all got together and grilled out and just enjoyed the evening together.

• Even with all the family events this weekend I was able to squeeze some time in Saturday morning for a turkey hunt. That's really all there is to say about it. I listened to them gobble all morning and even got them to respond to me on and off for a hour or so, but they wanted nothing to do with me or anything near me. Maybe they knew what I was there trying to do.

• As par with this time of year we started keeping out the flower gardens and I found my old best friend the weed eater again. This year I have one more thing added to the spring to-do list. It was to till our first garden, I have had "pot gardens" (no, not that kind of pot) before, but I have never really taken the time to plant a full on garden. It looks like this is going to be a fun adventure. I do have some experience as I had stated, but if anyone has any advice on gardens I'm all ears.

• On the way home this evening I was looking at the river and it is starting to look like it is going to be prefer fishing level this weekend. Shortly after getting home I got the text message that they had just stocked the river with channel cats, looks like we are going to be camping sooner than we thought this year. 

Trail Cam Tuesday - May 10, 2011

With my trail camera being down for the last two weeks I was wondering what I was going to do today's post on. As I was pondering this, I was wishing I had the camera out so that I could be getting a few new pictures of the buck sprouting their antlers (I saw a buck this weekend while I was turkey hunting with 1/2 inch nubs). Just as I was saying to Cassie's that I wished I'd have just left it out a little longer / didn't managed to break the last clip, I stumbled upon a couple of pictures I had overlooked. If you look closely you can see  these young bucks just starting their antlers, they haven't even broken the skin yet, just little nubs.

One of the first "bucks" I saw this year.

A better picture that shows this bucks "antlers".

A bonus bear picture. Just another sign of spring and summer.

Woods and Waters: Not-so-conservative approach

This article is actually taken from May 7, 2011 edition of The Charleston Gazette, but considering it is written by the same John McCoy that authors the blog, Woods and Waters, I am going to label it as such.

Looks like it's time to start fling
a few more arrows than normal.

I am partially torn on this subject. I think that WV needs to become more conservative on our deer hunting regulations, but I also like having a longer hunting season.

After reading this article posted below and another one in a local paper this past weekend it looks like the state has approved to move the opening day of bow season in WV in to the first Saturday in October. Luckily, this year it happens to be October 1st, this will allow for bow hunter to have three full months to hunt. I am happy about this change and also believe that it allows bow hunter a better chance at taking a larger buck. With the season starting earlier, there are hopes that the bucks have not completely abandoned their summer patterns or completely broken up from their bachelor groups at that time. This one isn't so conservative, I agree, that's why I am torn, but still happy either way.

The other part of this article covers the fact that the state is reducing the amount of does that hunters are allowed to be taken per selected areas (my county has been reduced to one doe). This will help the deer herd with population, but will do nothing for the quality of deer taken. There was a small blurb in my local paper, on what I have been harping about for years now, reducing the number of bucks one hunter is allowed to take. As the Regulations read right now, any one hunter can take a single buck in Archery, Rifle, and Muzzleloader Season or two bucks in any one season (with purchase of an extra stamp) and one addition buck in another. They had stated in that article that they would bring up next year the idea of reducing the total number of three bucks down to two, between the three season. That would at least be a start!

Not-so-conservative approach
Antlerless deer-hunting regulations more liberal than DNR officials had recommended
May 7, 2011
By John McCoy

--It's official. West Virginia's deer-hunting regulations will be more conservative this fall, but not quite as conservative as anticipated.

Division of Natural Resources biologists had recommended regulations designed to reduce the 2011 antlerless deer kill. Members of the state Natural Resources Commission last week adopted most of the DNR's recommendations, but tweaked regulations in nine counties to allow private-land hunters to kill more antlerless whitetails.

Commission members also voted to open the state's deer archery season on the first Saturday of October instead of the usual mid-month opening date. To continue reading, click here...

Happy Mother's Day!!

Love you Mom!! Thanks for everything!!

Trail Cam Tuesday - May 3, 2011

This past Saturday was my first day getting out to Turkey hunt and with the trail camera pictures I had been getting I was optimistic about taking my first gobbler. As I slipped into turkey blind I managed to pull the card out of my trail camera, to say the least this got my blood boiling with excitement! As the morning wore on, I only had one turkey gobble early, well over 200 yards away, but I was still hopeful as the most of the pictures I had got where from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The other time they were in there was around 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, in WV we must be out of the woods by 1:00PM, so I was hoping they would make an early appearance that day, luckily one did. The only problem, the gobbler entered from a way I wasn't expecting. As he entered into the area he and I were calling back and forth and before I could even raise my shotgun, he bolted. After I was done hunting for the day I went to investigate what made him uneasy, come to find out they way he entered he couldn't see my decoys and when he heard a turkey but didn't see one he bolted. With these pictures, I am still hoping for better luck next weekend.

Look at the beard dragging the ground.

Gobble, Gobble!!!

They've been gobbling their heads off, too bad
that didn't happen when I was in the woods.

Hmm.. Vision of a double...

Thank You Service Men & Women!!

There not much more to say than that. It's time to rejoice for the moment, but still never forget the tragedy that transpired to lead to this event and the family that still suffer from it to this day!

Thank you to all the Service Men and Women 

that have served this country!!!

A short clip of the celebration that took place in Morgantown, WV after the news had been released.

I'm sure everyone will hear this song a couple times today, but why not once more here.