Bigtex Posted August 31, 2013 Author Share Posted August 31, 2013 Wow.......it's hot out there hiking! One of the things that I like to do is to always blaze new trails off my main hiking trails so that I can explore more of the area. If you always stay on your main trails, you are missing much of the action. Making parallel and semi-circle trails off both sides of your main trail will always offer new & interesting things. Yesterday was one of those days. While making a new parallel trail, and on a slight ridge just above one of my main trails, came across a mini kill zone. It's within 30 yards of the main trail, and offers a good ambush point. Here are some pictures of this very small area, and all of the Deer kills are within clear sight of each other, some older kills and new ones, roughly 10 kills total.........very creepy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted September 5, 2013 Author Share Posted September 5, 2013 Always glad to see the natural predators handling the wild piggie problem, the poop is full of pig hair:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 5, 2013 Share Posted September 5, 2013 The pig population in Texas is ridiculous. I have snapshots from a game camera with 12 pigs in it. Taken in west exas where 10 years ago pigs were few and far between. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted September 9, 2013 Author Share Posted September 9, 2013 (edited) These wild and/or feral hogs will kill and eat you if given the chance. Then we have the naturally occurring swine native to South Texas, the Javelina.........mean & nasty creatures.They lack the tusks of most pigs, but have 4 large canines that can do some serious damage. Where there's one, there's always more, and if you mess with one, you mess with them all. Edited September 9, 2013 by Bigtex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bipedalist Posted September 10, 2013 BFF Patron Share Posted September 10, 2013 Pig on a pole, interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 (edited) Finally getting some cooler weather for hiking.......if you consider 92 as 'cooling off', we do in Texas:) Hard to find sign of anything though, it's so dry, and no real rain in months. Found this most bizarre scene yesterday, is a real head scratcher, and would like to get opinions. This poor Deer seems to have been impaled, or skewered on this tree limb. The limb is not attached to the tree (Cedar, aka Juniper), couldn't find tree it came from, and appears to have come off the tree & dried out long before the Deer came along. I guess it could have impaled itself running through the woods, just never seen anything like it before......any ideas? Also, the piece of spine in the picture is just scattered older bones from another kill, and is one of the areas with many Deer kills shown in previous posts. Edited September 12, 2013 by Bigtex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 I was discussing with some of my hiking buddies the other day about what to bring when heading out to the woods for a day hike, and it was amazing our differences on this subject. I've always been a minimalist, but some of my buddies dress heavy, and carry large backpacks. Guess it depends on where you are located for sure, weather, and the terrain you are heading into. For most of the places that I hike in Texas, and on a normal 2-4 hour hike, I take an old WWII canteen kit with a large cup/boiler, 2 lighters in canteen pouch, iPhone 4, and sometimes a Sony HD Video camera. For hiking in areas that I am not familiar with, I take the items previously mentioned plus the little water-tight box shown, worn on my belt, and with more survival stuff inside than you can believe, including - Compass, 3 auto fishers, 3 sizes wire snares, 4 ways to start a fire, high quality multi-tool, multi-blade knife, water purification tabs, and much more. What do you guys take on a normal day hike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted September 16, 2013 Author Share Posted September 16, 2013 (edited) It's that time of year again........migration that is for our hairy friends.......I will be monitoring the Power Lines that go through my main area here in Central Texas. Edited September 16, 2013 by Bigtex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 Here's a short video of the location of the recent Deer kills pictured a few posts back, and gives you an idea of the small area involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted September 24, 2013 Author Share Posted September 24, 2013 Finally......some nice weather and rain! Lucy enjoying water in the creek, and part of an old jug in an old pioneer settlement area. The wooden structures are long gone, no trace thereof, just the crude foundation stones, and a very old over grown road that is hardly visible, no tire ruts either. The Beauty-berries are out........you can make some wicked wine out of these:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted September 25, 2013 Author Share Posted September 25, 2013 (edited) Nice evening hike, and switched out my Game Cam at the bone pile. Been out there 3 days, and as expected.......lots of Coyotes. Here are a few pictures of them, and a 90 pound Wolf for scale. Two of the pictures were just minutes before I showed up yesterday, and you can see them looking my direction. They certainly look healthy. Since I mostly hike with dogs these days, critters definitely hear me coming........which is a good thing, but not good for bigfooting. Edited September 25, 2013 by Bigtex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 26, 2013 Share Posted September 26, 2013 BigTex is she a full-blooded wolf, or a hybrid? (By the way, she is very nice looking...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted September 26, 2013 Author Share Posted September 26, 2013 She is a high-content hybrid @ 96%........not very much dog in this animal, and acts more like a small child than a dog, VERY demanding, but it's no problem:) Check out these claws, they are semi-retractable, no clicking on floors, and she's very quiet when she moves, but watch out when the claws come out.......they are sharp! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 Yow! Those look like they might inflict a bit of pain... My wife and I breed German Shepherds and do a bit of training (schutzhund/IPO), and it can surprise people that dogs can use their claws, if they are inclined. Our dog's are not as sharp, as we have really abrasive, sandy soil here; but all that means is that they don't necessarily cut you up too bad when applied; they just bruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtex Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 Hey guys........I've been a sick pup, no hikey in a few weeks makes 'Tex a dull boy:( Almost ready to get back out there, the wolf is about to chew my legs off, and my buddies in the woods surely miss me:) Gotta have a picture though.......this is the old pioneer road mentioned a few posts back near where I found the pottery piece, and shows a single middle rut, made from mostly horse travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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