A day in the woods-lots of pictures

[Backwoods Savage]

Yesterday was supposed to get to 37 but it was 32 instead. Still, a great day to be in the woods. As I so often do, I took a break and just enjoyed being alone in the woods. These first pictures I took while sitting on the atv and relaxing:

On the way to the splitting pile:

That splitting pile has not grown very fast this year and it isn't going to grow any faster from here on out either. But that's okay; we have plenty. Btw, there should be about 5 cords there.

Here is a twin that I've been watching for many years. It keeps splitting apart a little more every year. I hate cutting these things and this one is going to be bad as it leans towards a big cottonwood. Maybe I'll take that cottonwood out first, but still, it makes a good hunting tree. I can use the climbing stand and go up....way up as there are no low limbs and the tree is pretty straight.

 

[Monkey Wrench]

Thanks for taking the time to share !
Very peaceful !

 

[quads]

Nice pictures Dennis! I really like your plowed trails in the woods. Been raining here for the last two days, so some of our snow is going away, but no cutting for me this weekend.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

quads, that does really work out nicely plowing those trails in the woods. I started doing it a few years back because my wife likes to walk a couple miles every day. I don't let her walk back there until after December 1 and then she has to stop in April. That is because of all the deer we have. They do get pretty used to her though. Just a couple days ago she told me about one standing on a trail and didn't seem to want to move so she finally started walking again anyway. The deer calmly walked off.

I had 2 deer do the same to me just 2 days ago when I was on the atv. There is a little trick and I taught it to my wife now. If you watch deer and they are standing staring at you, many time they will do a head bob. When they do that, do the same. It is amazing how many times they will come closer after doing this. Sometimes I'll even initiate the head bob and it works. I always talk to the deer too and that seems to calm them and I'm sure every deer around here has heard our voices. Heck, they come into the yard and my wife talks to them out the window sometimes. Many times they clearly can see us in the house (lights on, near dark outside) but are not spooked.

But back to the plowed trails, I like it because that way you can get the trail to freeze up and it also is easier pulling a load on dry ground rather than on snow. However, this year we haven't had much snow and now we are getting some of that rain and it is 37 degrees out! Looks like we might end up with a mess before it is over.

 

[smokinj]

Yesterday was supposed to get to 37 but it was 32 instead. Still, a great day to be in the woods. As I so often do, I took a break and just enjoyed being alone in the woods. These first pictures I took while sitting on the atv and relaxing:

On the way to the splitting pile:

That splitting pile has not grown very fast this year and it isn't going to grow any faster from here on out either. But that's okay; we have plenty. Btw, there should be about 5 cords there.

Here is a twin that I've been watching for many years. It keeps splitting apart a little more every year. I hate cutting these things and this one is going to be bad as it leans towards a big cottonwood. Maybe I'll take that cottonwood out first, but still, it makes a good hunting tree. I can use the climbing stand and go up....way up as there are no low limbs and the tree is pretty straight.

Its just a matter of time before it splitts the trunk

 

[colebrookman]

Nice pics Dennis, thanks for sharing. It looks a lot like my backyard, just add extra large rocks and boulders. be safe.
Ed

 

[PapaDave]

Nice Dennis,
been wondering when you'd post something. I guess you're so far ahead, you don't bother as much anymore.
I've got a bunch of maple similar to that I may take down this year.
You were right on the weather changing, too. Supposed to start getting colder Mon. night, but first, the rain has started here a little while ago. Boy, won't it be just great when it all freezes over, and the roads get bad, and you slip and fall in your own driveway? Wait, that was LAST year. :ahhh:
We were going to head up to Clear Lake to watch the sled dog runs, but they won't do it with this weather. If the rain will let up a little, I might do some more splitting.
What kind of wood is in your "to split" pile? Oak?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

There is just a little bit of soft maple but it is mostly white ash. You probably noticed all those bad ash trees in a couple of pictures (just notice that twin and you see it has been hit by the bug). Right in that area there are probably 30 ash trees and all have been hit by the ash borer. Amazing that only a few are completely dead but the rest are fading fast.

This is poor weather for the sled dogs. Also poor for tip-up-town. Not sure when it is this year but probably is going on now. Yuck... Slush on top of ice, water flying every time a snowmobile passes.

 

[savageactor7]

32° is good ...could you still stay on top of the snow, nice when that happens. Good pics B Savage will you be storming the castle this afternoon too?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

There is not a whole lot of snow to stay on top of and what we've had this year has been pretty much all fluff with little moisture.

I'm taking the day off. I may watch some football. Playoff games is about the only thing we watch here. The tv stays off most of the year. While watching football I'll get on the bicycle as I have a trainer so I can get the exercise in winter. But mostly, my back has been terrible lately so I need the easy days for a while.

 

[ohio woodburner]

There is just a little bit of soft maple but it is mostly white ash. You probably noticed all those bad ash trees in a couple of pictures (just notice that twin and you see it has been hit by the bug). Right in that area there are probably 30 ash trees and all have been hit by the ash borer. Amazing that only a few are completely dead but the rest are fading fast.

This is poor weather for the sled dogs. Also poor for tip-up-town. Not sure when it is this year but probably is going on now. Yuck... Slush on top of ice, water flying every time a snowmobile passes.

Dennis tip up is this weekend and next. I'm staying home went out on the big lake Fri night i think it was the first time i was scared on the ice :ahhh: i did catch six nice perch though. Nice pics by the way. i also like how you plow the trails. I bet your wife really appreciates that.

 

[rdust]

I'm taking the day off. I may watch some football.

Sounds like a good plan to me, that's the way I plan to spend the rest of my day! I played in the rain earlier moving a weeks worth of wood into the garage, that was about it. Now I'll fire up the tv and watch some football, lets hope this week we have some better games!

Thanks for sharing the pictures!

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Very nice pictures-nice work and thanks for sharing them with us.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

Nice Dennis. You guys are lucky with the level ground. My conditions are extremely steep down in the woods. I can only cut near the house this time of year. Once I get my trails more established I may be able to venture out more in the winter. I tried it over Christmas and it wasn't pretty. Could not pull a trailer full of wood and eventually I could not even pull an empty trailer. My Bobcat will straighten out the trail situation this summer, however there will always be hills.

 

[bogydave]

Great pics. Thanks. Like seeing pics in the woods.
Nice stack of rounds.
Will you get it all split before it gets warm & the bugs come out?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Dave, I do all the splitting in March and April. When the spring thaw comes, then I split and generally put the saw up until the following December. Sometimes I have to cut a bit in the off times but only if it has to be done then. I'd rather wait until winter for cutting for many reasons which I'm sure most are familiar with.

btw, that splitting stack is a long ways from the house. It is actually right in some good deer hunting area but I don't think it will bother the deer. Heck the deer go right along beside some of the wood piles near the house so I doubt it will bother them there.