My Florida Destiny
- Thread starter bigbendmarine
- Start date
bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
In the last video I shared, I identified one of the bucks as "Lucky", a buck so named a year ago as I gave him a pass after he threw out a wild / weird beam from one side in what appeared surely to be due to pedicle damage. Here's a screen capture from last year caught as he raided my hog trap.
And here's a daytime pic caught from the stand in 2018 after he bulked up heading into the rut...
Can't help but wonder if I'm way off the mark, but here's another video of the deer I think *might* be him this year. If so he had quite the recovery on his left side (right side looking at him) but now looks to have something bit wonky going on with the base on his right side (left looking at him). He's the buck that shows up and intimidates the 12 point away from the mineral stump at the midpoint of the video.
Can't swear it's the same buck, but last year "Lucky" somehow seemed to just KNOW he was safe so I think I watched him feed in my plots more than any other buck and something in my gut makes me think it's him. Comparing the pic to the video, anyone have a strong feel for it being the same buck versus being two obvious different ones? If not the same deer, than Lucky who was almost entirely a homebody last year hasn't visited my place yet this year. And PROMISE no one will hurt my feelings telling me my gut's way off -- first, doesn't really matter in the big scheme of things, and second, I'll just strike the bad gut up to middle-age indigestion.
And here's a daytime pic caught from the stand in 2018 after he bulked up heading into the rut...
Can't help but wonder if I'm way off the mark, but here's another video of the deer I think *might* be him this year. If so he had quite the recovery on his left side (right side looking at him) but now looks to have something bit wonky going on with the base on his right side (left looking at him). He's the buck that shows up and intimidates the 12 point away from the mineral stump at the midpoint of the video.
Can't swear it's the same buck, but last year "Lucky" somehow seemed to just KNOW he was safe so I think I watched him feed in my plots more than any other buck and something in my gut makes me think it's him. Comparing the pic to the video, anyone have a strong feel for it being the same buck versus being two obvious different ones? If not the same deer, than Lucky who was almost entirely a homebody last year hasn't visited my place yet this year. And PROMISE no one will hurt my feelings telling me my gut's way off -- first, doesn't really matter in the big scheme of things, and second, I'll just strike the bad gut up to middle-age indigestion.
bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
And Bill to your prediction a while back that "Split Ear" likely would be getting in a scrap with one of other "Cherry Tree" bachelor bucks, can't tell you which one gave him a back massage but sure looks like one did.
bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
Perfectly comfortable 72 with a nice steady rain here, Bill, and after a long hot summer I'm loving EVERY SINGLE DROP of the H20. Gun runs from early Nov through mid-Jan for us so I'm fine with y'all holding the cold fronts up your way at least until the weekend!
bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
SwampCat, think I've historically set all at 10 second lengths though also with the cameras set to have the shortest interval between captures possible. Some refire quickly enough that as long as whatever triggers the camera isn't moving too fast I can stitch videos together and they look fairly seamless.
bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
Though we're bouncing around temperature-wise like somebody's calling out lottery numbers (few very light frosts last week), spring's blessedly in the air in North Florida and green-up is underway. Just sharing a few pictures today captured over the past few weeks.
First is of a kestrel that's been keeping a keen eye on one of my fields from a small chinaberry tree perch. Love how the Master Painter gave them true eyes in the front but also an additional pseudo set in the back for protection purposes.
Walked up on this little fella in one of my plots while pulling camera cards. As close as I've gotten to one when taking pictures and not sitting in a stand.
Had a handful of ringnecks visit over the past month or two (scare up woodies most every time I go to the pond year-round but they've proven much harder to capture with the camera).
For those who followed the discussion on mega-zoom cameras, even managed to capture it shaking water off its back...
And while not a perfectly tack sharp photo, it was QUITE a distance away... nothing but a TINY white dot visible (near center of the frame) from where I was standing when I took the photo!
Despite seeing more coyotes this past year than ever before, very thankful to have a few toms around right now as well.
First is of a kestrel that's been keeping a keen eye on one of my fields from a small chinaberry tree perch. Love how the Master Painter gave them true eyes in the front but also an additional pseudo set in the back for protection purposes.
Walked up on this little fella in one of my plots while pulling camera cards. As close as I've gotten to one when taking pictures and not sitting in a stand.
Had a handful of ringnecks visit over the past month or two (scare up woodies most every time I go to the pond year-round but they've proven much harder to capture with the camera).
For those who followed the discussion on mega-zoom cameras, even managed to capture it shaking water off its back...
And while not a perfectly tack sharp photo, it was QUITE a distance away... nothing but a TINY white dot visible (near center of the frame) from where I was standing when I took the photo!
Despite seeing more coyotes this past year than ever before, very thankful to have a few toms around right now as well.
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bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
As for deer and habitat shares, fields as green as Ireland right now!
Triticale seed heads well developed now
Don't have a game cam at this spot (leads into field of triticale pictured above) but sure seems to be getting some foot traffic...
As for deer, mature does bred earliest seem to be showing a bit to me...
Managed to get countless photos of Split Ear over the past month. Sure hope he makes it to the coming fall...
Triticale seed heads well developed now
Don't have a game cam at this spot (leads into field of triticale pictured above) but sure seems to be getting some foot traffic...
As for deer, mature does bred earliest seem to be showing a bit to me...
Managed to get countless photos of Split Ear over the past month. Sure hope he makes it to the coming fall...
bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
Finally a share I CAN'T make locally or at least have been asked not to by several official folks.
Was running a local spring-fed river and thought maybe I spotted something man-made. Turns out it is / or better said WAS LONG, LONG AGO!
Was running a local spring-fed river and thought maybe I spotted something man-made. Turns out it is / or better said WAS LONG, LONG AGO!
bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
Telemark, before giving it away here are the measurements on it - roughly 12' long x 18" wide. It's VERY easy to see once you've got an idea what you're looking for, though admittedly much of it is buried in the sandy bottom... and lest you feel irked for missing it, I bet hundreds if not thousands of folks passed it over the MANY years without giving a second glance to it.
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bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
Quite a few actually have been found in Florida, though supposedly this is the first known to be found in the body of water I was on. Though illegal to remove from the water, folks get arrested regularly in the state for trying to pull / sell artifacts from public waters -- thus the reason I was asked not to share too widely locally.
Interesting read on the subject for those interested...
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/dugouts-florida-archaeology-canoes-native-americans
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Still looking for the like×1000 button....
bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
Number of state / university resources did visit the site and worked to record measurements on it and verify it had tool markings along the edges.
I couldn't make it the day they visited the site, but my buddy did. He took them to it and got a few pictures of them working. They said pulling it up / restoring it can be a 5 year process and that sometimes they do leave them as found once mapped. Don't think they've reached a formal decision on what they're going to do quite yet.
While it's evidently a rare find in the specific spot we found it, again state-wide finds are common, especially in drought years. When one Florida lake was down MORE than 100 were found in the one SINGLE lake! Video speaks to the event and the average age of Florida finds being between 500 and 5,000 years.
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bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
No updates since early March, but still alive and kicking.
First update relates to spring turkeys. With lots of predators capable of targeting both nests and birds, didn't lift a gun this year but instead a camera with hopes the population might increase as a result. Guessing those who enjoy hunting the thunder chickens might enjoy seeing some of the pics.
Listen really close and you might be able to actually HEAR the picture below!
HAPPY to share that the most recent pics I've gotten are these.
First update relates to spring turkeys. With lots of predators capable of targeting both nests and birds, didn't lift a gun this year but instead a camera with hopes the population might increase as a result. Guessing those who enjoy hunting the thunder chickens might enjoy seeing some of the pics.
Listen really close and you might be able to actually HEAR the picture below!
HAPPY to share that the most recent pics I've gotten are these.
