First Tracking of 2012

[JonathanD]

Due to work keeping me busy, and although it kept me outdoors in wild areas for 80% of the time, I've had little time for personal bushcrafty posts in 2011. So I started early this year and went up the local woods armed with my camera to see what I could find.

I missed the best part of the rut last year, so my main aim was to track and find the Fallow deer we have secreted in the area, which is usually easier said than done as the forest is very dense in places and they are secretive shy critters. Saying that though, I struck lucky with this track...

Looked a few hours old, but I decided to follow it anyway, definately Fallow...

After a good 40 minutes of following that track and veering off to follow fresher tracks, I found some very fresh droppings...

And after a few more minutes af sneaking about...

Result. Never found the buck, but I did go on to find a herd of about ten animals before some horseriders scared them into denser forest.

Also found these tiny little fellas...

And Brock, as usual...

A great start to the year, look forward to many more before the herping season kicks in.

 

[Shewie]

Nice pics Jon, good scouting

That's a fine looking hammocking woodland

 

[Radix lecti]

Great post Jonathan,good pictures too.

 

[JonathanD]

That's a fine looking hammocking woodland

Certainly is. There seems to be some good herping sites around there which haven't been recorded, so hopefully I can get a week or so of surveying in there, which'll give me an excuse to stick the hammock up and get paid at the same time.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Interesting pics, It's an ideal time to find tracks as the earth is good 'n' damp & holds the prints................................. it's good to have you back, did you have a fun in Tanzania ?

Hopefully there will be some more enigmas to 'chew on' this year

 

[JonathanD]

Interesting pics, It's an ideal time to find tracks as the earth is good 'n' damp & holds the prints................................. it's good to have you back, did you have a fun in Tanzania ?

Hopefully there will be some more enigmas to 'chew on' this year

Oh yeah, had great fun over there.

The ground is perfectly soft at the moment, so I plan to get up at every opportunity to have a look around. It's the same area where a certain object was found, so I was hoping some tracks would turn up... nothing though. But that's another thread.

 

[luckylee]

is that a new deval mate?
as i don't think i have seen that one before, or is it one of your old one's and the scales have taken on a new colour, as i'm loving the colour of those scales, what are they bud?

 

[JonathanD]

'Tis indeed a new one mate. Stabilised giraffe slabs. And on the subject of knives, I need to talk to you about a new sheath or two.

 

[luckylee]

'Tis indeed a new one mate. Stabilised giraffe slabs. And on the subject of knives, I need to talk to you about a new sheath or two.

i no what my next knife i make is getting for scales, they look awsome mate.
as for the sheath, just drop me a pm bud.

 

[JonathanD]

It is a very cool material. Antler was my favourite, but the diversity and oily feel of giraffe has replaced it as #1 for me. The fact it is highly impregnated with resin is also a massive bonus.

 

[Barn Owl]

Looking forward to Spring after seeing those pics.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Ah yes! This is more like it.
I've got a few things I'd like to do this year. My first challenge is to find some wild boar sign and get some trail cam pics.