Share A Picture Or Experience From The Outdoors

[Painthorse]

]Our property borders the Ouachita national forest in Arkansas. I've been setting out the cams for six years and this is my first Arkansas black bear.

Throwing in the acrobatic possum for good measure, with the black barn cat as his audience in the lower left of the pic, lol

Edited July 19, 2011 by Painthorse

[Drew]

Tsalagi, I had a similar experience with the hognose snake I posted above.

I had gone through the checklist; round pupils (vipers have vertical pupils), no rattle (Michigan's only venomous snake is a rattlesnake) and I had the thing by the tail to get some close up photos, I was getting it to an open spot, and my brother yells "RATTLER!!" and I let go. It took off, it had puffed it's head up, and into a triangle shape, so my brother thought I had just tailed a rattlesnake and was looking out for me.

[Guest Tsalagi]

]Our property borders the Ouachita national forest in Arkansas. I've been setting out the cams for six years and this is my first Arkansas black bear.

Throwing in the acrobatic possum for good measure, with the black barn cat as his audience in the lower left of the pic, lol

Those are both really adorable pics. I like the angle of the bear photo. Did you have the camera on the ground?

[Painthorse]

Couple snakes pics also, I'm a big reptile fan, catch them, take pics and release.

Arkansas Hog nose and a young Ar King.

[Painthorse]

Those are both really adorable pics. I like the angle of the bear photo. Did you have the camera on the ground?

Thank you

I've learned that if we lower the cams I seem to get better pics. We used to set them at the 4' level and then started lowering them. Some we set as low as a foot off the ground but never over the 2' level.

[Guest tracker]

Thank you

I've learned that if we lower the cams I seem to get better pics. We used to set them at the 4' level and then started lowering them. Some we set as low as a foot off the ground but never over the 2' level.

do you camo them or angle them up?

[Painthorse]

do you camo them or angle them up?

No, we don't camo the cams. What has worked best for us is keeping the cams in the "same locations" for months at a time.

Angle them up?..........Yes, just a bit by putting a small rock between the tree and the cam.

[Guest tracker]

No, we don't camo the cams. What has worked best for us is keeping the cams in the "same locations" for months at a time.

Angle them up?..........Yes, just a bit by putting a small rock between the tree and the cam.

yea low is good if covered and angled. the only draw back is every little thing sets them off (or they might get kicked?)

Edited July 23, 2011 by tracker

[Guest Tsalagi]

the only draw back is every little thing sets them off (or they might get kicked?)

Well he's still cute anyway! Good pic!

[Guest Tsalagi]

Couple snakes pics also, I'm a big reptile fan, catch them, take pics and release.

Arkansas Hog nose and a young Ar King.

Those are good pics Painthorse. That hognose sure is big!

[Guest]

When I was growing up, my grandparents played a big part in raising me. Part of the lore they handed down was calling hognose snakes "spreadin' adders". The old country folks thought that the black ones were harmless, but that the "peitted ones" (spotted ones) were venomous. One of my rites of passage as a youngster was learning to kill my first snake. My grandaddy and I ran across a spotted "spreading adder" in the corn patch when I was about 7, and he showed me how to break a corn stalk and kill it. I realize the ignorance of many of the old ways now, but I still enjoy my connections with that past heritage, much of which my children will never know.

Here are 3 hognose snakes my wife and I ran up on in May 2010. There were 2 of the yellow spotted ones, which I had never seen before, and one black one. The yellow ones were alternating between fighting and attempting to breed the black one. I tried to get a better pic, but they didn't hang around after I put the GPS equipment down, lol

[Guest Tsalagi]

When I was growing up, my grandparents played a big part in raising me. Part of the lore they handed down was calling hognose snakes "spreadin' adders". The old country folks thought that the black ones were harmless, but that the "peitted ones" (spotted ones) were venomous. One of my rites of passage as a youngster was learning to kill my first snake. My grandaddy and I ran across a spotted "spreading adder" in the corn patch when I was about 7, and he showed me how to break a corn stalk and kill it. I realize the ignorance of many of the old ways now, but I still enjoy my connections with that past heritage, much of which my children will never know.

I have heard the term spreading adders but never understood what they were. Thanks for explaining this. Sounds like you are really wise when it comes to snakes as I've heard killing them actually makes matters worse because snakes aren't around unless there are rodents around. So if too many snakes get killed the rodent population will get out of control. I figure if they don't bother me I'm not bothering them. Mutual respect is a good thing.

[Guest toejam]

Last weekend we spent camping in an area where we've had previous activity.

I went for a walk one morning and found this Pine Marten. First time I've seen one of these.

Too bad I left the photo gear back at the tent!

Edited August 6, 2011 by toejam

[Guest]

Toejam- Great clip of the Pine Marten. The Pine Marten are actually making a comeback in the Siskyou Mtns. here in California, thanks to the protective regulations sent in place by the Ca. DFG in the 70's. Also the wolverine is now making a comeback in the sierras. thanks agian for the clips ptangier

[Guest]

Thanks Toe Jam for the video of the Pine Marten. He is the cutest little thing and so curious. I've never seen one except in a still picture. Video was great. He is an odd looking mammal, a catish/ferretish face and that long body. Awesome!!!!!