Need Help In Central Texas.........

[Bigtex]

10-4 SWW........sounds like excellent advice, it's only supposed to hit 94 today, a cool spell in Central Texas this time of year:)

 

I usually hike in North/South ravines this time of year in the heat as the direct sun only hits these directly a few hours a day, and stay cooler than the out of ravine temps. However, hiking the East/West ravines, and with direct sun most of the day, turn into ovens down in the ravines. I guess this is a survival tip hiking and/or lost in hot areas........stay in valleys or ravines that are perpendicular to the arc of the sun, not parallel. Also, these areas are much more likely to retain their water sources year round. 

[Guest]

A condensed history would probably be a good idea, 'tex. Especially as new members come along and once the archive comes online (if it does), your research threads will contain a massive amount information. It'd be great to have a summary version to help members new to your thread "catch up" to the latest updates.

Mulder: while I don't know if he's been back since then, we're pretty sure that the first kill zone was a body dump for roadkill. Once 'tex called the local government, the bodies just stopped showing up.

BigTex: I love the photos. The wall and the cave remind me of our first meet up, walking around the several hot spots around town. Which also reminds me, do you have any pictures of that HUGE cedar tree, where several of the branches were twisted and tucked under each other? To me, that was really impressive stuff.

There has been some speculation in my area of the PNW, by a friend of mine who has had some "events" that they visit the Goat Marsh/Mntn area to rub up on Cedar trees to get the sap on their fur for insect repellant. Cedar makes a great repellant and this area has many large Cedars. Interesting note he saw some ancient cedar roots that hung over a creek bed and looks to have been weaved together like a fish catching basket and then had grown into one another and creek had dropped lower from back in antiquity. Could be indians I said and he claimed no way with how big they were. Food for thought...I diff. buy into the cedar sap., 

[Bigtex]

I'm updating some of my equipment.......is anyone interested in this Silver Creek Parabolic Mic? I've used about 8 times, looks and works well.......private PM me:)

[Bigtex]

All well now......had a great hike on Saturday. Found this poor fellow killed the day before, and just seemed unusual the way it was wrapped around the tree. 

[BC witness]

Were there any tracks in the disturbed soil around the kill site to show what did the deed?

[Bigtex]

Hey BC.......it was hard to tell, when I hiked up on it, there were at least 12 buzzards having a feast, and they totally un-tracked the area:(

[BC witness]

Yeah, I certainly couldn't see any tracks in the pics, so I thought it might be a situation like that. I've seen similar coyote feasts like that in snow, just a large red trampled area. The buzzards sure picked your kill clean in a hurry!

[Bigtex]

I friend of mine here in town took this picture.......he was in his garage and heard a commotion in the woods across the street. He said there were 4 'dogs' chasing a Deer, managed to snap a picture of the last one. They were big and looked very similar - are they dog, feral dog, wolf, coyote, coywolf?

[SWWASAS]

Not coyote or wolf.    Everything different than coyote.     Head,  fur and leg length different than wolf.      Either some mixed breed dog or I suppose could be coywolf.     Never seen one of those so I have no idea what they look like.   But since wolves and coyotes both have a long legged look, a mix would probably have the same look.   Most likely wild pack of dogs.    I got chased out of the woods by a wild dog pack about a month ago. 

Edited July 7, 2014 by SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT

[Bigtex]

I agree.......my thought was a pack if feral dogs, would rather encounter real Coyotes or Wolves than these. 

[Bigtex]

Here are some pictures from recent hikes;

 

* Drought ruining my pool, more dead trees falling in:(

* Fresh Barricade across BF Trail, Ridgeback was spooked to go past it

* High Tree-Marker near to barricade, about 9' high, large living limb

* Water hole (Spring) 

* Beautiful 3 Level Waterfall

* Interesting Juniper Tree

 

[SWWASAS]

Hey Bigtex, now that the drought is on you thought any more about using water as bait for trail cams?    A water source would be hard to pass up if you are thirsty.    They might think a drink more important than avoiding getting their picture taken.  

Edited July 7, 2014 by SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT

[Bigtex]

I've thought about it before, but water is heavy, and I gotta watch my lower back due to HS Football injury and a car wreck .......plus, most of the places I hike are out there pretty good. I travel very light most times, only with a mini survival kit (use Altoids case), canteen(s), camera, phone, knife, and no back pack. With the drought going on 6 years in these parts, the dropping tree limbs that were once well above my head are several feet lower in most cases, and I have to do a lot of ducking low limbs.......it's very thick in some places, and have to move sideways, so very hard to carry much. With the dropping limbs everywhere, it makes the alleged BF Trails I have been writing about all the more impressive, since something is keeping them fairly clear height wise, notice this in previous pictures. Quick field note : I stay off the BF Trails mostly, even though much easier hiking.......mine are near and/or parallel, I just don't want to be potentially observed using theirs very much.

 

I must say.....the state of 'my' woods is extremely bad, many trees dying or dead, especially Maple, all Oaks except Live, huge seemingly healthy trees just snapping off......it's a disaster, and one hot fart away from burning for miles & miles, natural kindling everywhere, and sap-rich Junipers ready to explode.......yikes!! My #1 fear right now is one of these healthy looking limbs and/or trees snapping off on me.......I'm on VERY HIGH alert for this.

 

Also, the fresh Deer kill a few posts back.......I was out there 2 days later, and not a trace of it anywhere. The area where it was had no trace, and I scouted around all directions, plus the Wolfy didn't find it either. She loves eating the bits and pieces we find, so she's always looking for a snack.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Bigtex

[Bigtex]

Here are some more BF Trails, and with good clearance. 

[SWWASAS]

Your dogs looking off into the distance sure makes me wish I had one again.    He died over a year ago and I just can't get over it enough to get another one.     I saw just this last night on the news where there smelling is 1000 times better than ours.    If there was a BF around they would know.