Grouse hunting on the state forest.
These are a few cell phone pics from an overnight camping & hunting trip a couple of weekends ago. This is a large (27,500 hectares) forest administration area and there are lots of corners to explore with wildlife everywhere.
I'm not a very serious hunter, but I did manage one Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (
Sylvilagus floridanus). I had never seen Rabbits in here before, but I observed this one along with another in the campground and a couple more along roadsides. So it must have been a good year for them. Any Rabbit here must stay on high alert at all times because almost every possible native wild predator is present including Red Fox (
Vulpes vulpes), Gray Fox (
Urocyon cinereoargenteus), Coyote (
Canis latrans), Gray Wolf (
Canis lupus), Black Bear (
Ursus americanus), Fisher (
Pekania pennanti), Bobcat (
Lynx rufus) and various predatory Birds (Accipitriformes, Corvidae, Strigiformes).
With about 15 miles of hiking I flushed a few Ruffed Grouse (
Bonasa umbellus), but with so much foliage still on the trees visibility was poor and I did not get any shots.
Other highlights included a large Black Bear and huge bull Wapiti (
Cervus canadensis), both seen from the car. I was too slow with the phone to get pictures of these before they slipped into the forest.
It's always a privilege to get out here in the forest with the trees and the open space and the fresh air. Time goes by so quickly, but I hope I will get a couple more chances this fall.
