A bit of dirt time

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

tommy the cat

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 6, 2007
2,138
1
55
SHROPSHIRE UK
Started in my old stomping ground the quarry..
4bfccb5c1123e02f47adef9611d96b09.jpg

Quiet although saw a few birds long tail tits, bull finches ..
Plenty of deer sign.
88d16568b34a0f39717450265173b9b7.jpg

31650385d5578b484abeee8160db789c.jpg

Playing in the mud
20c6d444fc85fd5dd0bf6c636cbfcc49.jpg

e782e1dde3e32c578ebf8d481b869429.jpg

Change of scene... fallow deer jumping this fence to browse in the field
.
1f25950c73609b50a0206ca2f844323e.jpg

Landing zone.
d7880e43c68c268be9e294a863237569.jpg

Croatia
d411c11627b9df812bad137ba1013116.jpg

Poor focus sorry but a nice example of a browse line...
99a41335c9014c5522cbc847b42eff5b.jpg

Lots of tawnys in this part of the woos so thought I'd have a look for pellets.
87d90405eb795a4fd70949dbbe83712e.jpg

3c8b959e13336b7de91ee10ed225f570.jpg

Squirrel feeding sign
2338419ee56e5d84bc84663bcfa9028c.jpg

More feeding sign...
801f11970461b6f23670f7ae1dd9c53b.jpg

A close up.
ebec9c0e06a873621fa27ffc87f6ba99.jpg

Squirrel hazelnut sign
5cbf6da4cb190ce1e3014f578ee95332.jpg

Squirrel claw marks.
01a5625df5d5a25ace7e4a075132cb49.jpg

An enjoyable few hours
d
 

falcon

Full Member
Aug 27, 2004
1,211
33
Shropshire
Some great detail in those pics Dave ...we need to sort out that tracking day and a night out. Very envious ;)
 

tommy the cat

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 6, 2007
2,138
1
55
SHROPSHIRE UK
Thanks Hugh....I'm a bit lazy with my posts as it's off the phone so a bit more difficult to go into detail.... I'll put up a few pics of the pellets dissected when I do them if anyone is interested? ?
Stu we do mate.... Ive been getting quiet into reading on the subject but deffo not enough dirt time....
 

tommy the cat

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 6, 2007
2,138
1
55
SHROPSHIRE UK
Thanks petrochemicals ...no its on the Wrekin and not man made. Wood sorrel I wasn't until now!!! To be honest I am pretty careful what I handle and wash my hands asap or use antibacterial gel.... everything we do has some form of risk but I think it's pretty unlikely to be of a high risk..???
 
Jul 30, 2012
3,570
224
westmidlands
Thanks petrochemicals ...no its on the Wrekin and not man made. Wood sorrel I wasn't until now!!! To be honest I am pretty careful what I handle and wash my hands asap or use antibacterial gel.... everything we do has some form of risk but I think it's pretty unlikely to be of a high risk..???

What about the sharp cuts in the wood? Unlikely to be deer with sharp angular cuts, and claws do not leave behind such indents. I take it the trees dead ?
 

tommy the cat

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 6, 2007
2,138
1
55
SHROPSHIRE UK
The sharp cuts I'm confused about ???? I would be very very suprised if it was done by humans.
The location is very off the beaten track, the people who own the woods are NOT going to just hack at a tree with no purpose. The tree is quite poorly but I'm not sure if it was rotten can't remember.... I'm going back to put up a trail cam at the weekend so I'll have a look.
Thanks for your interest.
d
 
Mar 15, 2011
1,118
7
on the heather
Hi Tommy
Quarries are great places for tracking, I have have 2 massive sand quarries around here to play in and I'm totally spoilt for sign.

On the first post , Images 3 and 4 look like Badger to me, Pic 13 might be mouse, 15 the scratches look mostly in parallel pairs so maybe teeth marks perhaps?

Post 6 some old and new damage there ,I see the sharp angular lines Petrocemicals mentioned and they do look a bit man made but maybe just Brown Rot :dunno: pick a bit out and see what it looks like underneath, how high is the new damage off the ground ? I can see the quite a lot of older holes in the tree, any woodpeckers in your area ? you got me curious now :confused: ( amuse me ) when you go back have a dig into a couple of the holes, 177 or 22 ;-) good luck with the trail cam.
 
Last edited:

tommy the cat

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 6, 2007
2,138
1
55
SHROPSHIRE UK
Thanks for that...its great 5 share ideas and thoughts.
The more I look into tracking and signs the more you realise how fascinating the subject is.... I left the CSI side of it great fun.
Will have another look at the weekend.
 

Joonsy

Native
Jul 24, 2008
1,483
3
UK
that looks very much like the quarry by Limekiln Wood (just south of wrekin golf club), walked it last summer a few times, and also the larger quarry too on The Ercall which is more well known. Looks like you took the photo from the public footpath which runs alongside the golf course, there's a clearing right by a pf post which looks down on the quarry. Did a lot of walking around the Wrekin area last year some nice views from rocky outcrops of The Needles Eye but can get very busy with people, the quarry in Limekiln wood is much quieter.

The signpost on the popular walk up to the summit directing you ''This Way'' -- ''That Way'' -- ''The Other Way''
1f20d348-cf58-4bde-a4a8-6eefc60b8cfa.jpg


Needles Eye on wrekin taken last year
d9bab2f0-605c-4179-ab58-cba10eb5f564.jpg
 

Joonsy

Native
Jul 24, 2008
1,483
3
UK
Good spot. ...bang on.
Nice area but can be too busy for me so I'm usually found the other side of the Wrekin

thought so :) it sure gets busy round there, too busy for me too, likewise I prefer the quieter places, generally I am much further south or west in south shropshire or worcestershire. ATB.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE