Spring Breaks at Long Ridge Deer Camp

 Here are a few earlier spring pics I forgot to post. And a picture of my buddy and best friend Chris who passed away a year ago. Deer camp misses him...As do I.

2023 in Review at Longridge Deer camp

We had two great camps this year, a muzzle loader and the a rifle weekend. It was wonderful to see some hunters we hadn't seen for some years (things ARE returning to normal?) and to catch up on family, work, retirement as well as meet some newcomers. As usual, after Friday afternoon's hunt we gather for cocktails and treats around camp and the fire. Main supper will not be served until 8PM after the worlds best chicken wings are prepared and eaten!. 

Meal prep below and a finished plate!

Typically venison, with a particularly proprietary wild game sauce, baked potato with butter and sour cream, and a big salad. Healthy, unprocessed, and from the land.

We seat ten at a time.

A mix of fall pictures below. I am fond of the flying bird pictures, and of course of the big bucks.

This is the biggest white oak on the farm, and a great hunting spot. Two adults cannot even get their hands close. I should measure this one...

Full, and relaxing.

No deer camp would ever be complete without this.

Some of the bunks are full at 

8:30, others at 11PM!

I particularly love this photo. It reminds me of a silly painting I saw somewhere, though I cannot remember what it was.

Pitch black out and a drone chasing this deer!. Flying squirrel?

This immature Gray up behind the house. A game crossing right there!

No decent fall would be complete without wild apples!

We had some several pictures of this buck below. Somehow he lost one. Not uncommon, as every year I have one or two with a severely broken of malformed antler. 

Almost time to wrap it up for an early morning hunt to come!.

 Not much to post this winter (we haven't had one) and because of the lack of snow and so much browse, I have not set up a census station. There is no point in these conditions as deer can and will travel miles for corn. It would surely be a flawed number. In any case, I will be posting more often this year and hope you all enjoy! Comments and critique welcomed! 

Jack Zeller

jcottonzeller@gmail.com

LRDC Archery Starts in Less Than a Month

I love a deer eye. 

This is a heathy group up on a ridge.

This summer is the most exceptional one for buck pictures in 25 years. Never have I had so many photos of all ages and sizes. The dispersal obviously hasn't started yet.

Little guy, in velvet and camera curious.

This will be a taker if we see him.

Never without a ton of turks!

This may be the same one I got on the East Ridge.

Cute little guy camera perching!

I love porcupines. I know lots of folks shoot them,. as I did when I was young and uninformed. It is true they used to go in sheds and chew axe handle for the salt, but who really uses axes much any more. And the old adage - that they do damage to timber. That is hogwash.  I have never seen any tree diminished in value, or killed by them. It is true that in winter they do chew on hemlock, but so what? And in summer, they will graze day and night in fields of clover and hay. 

Here are three hunters doing trail work and stand loosening earlier in the summer. Stalwarts all.

And below, a beaut.

More coyotes this year. Tons of small game and fawn for them.

The two below will be sought after by our hunters.

And never without a bear or two around. Hunters took some 80+ bears from this region last year and I thought that might be unsustainable. But they are plentiful still so I may have called that one wrong.

This one is mine I hope.

I got a whole series of pictures of these two kissing and nuzzling. This was August, before dispersal, and well before any hormones of course. I like to think it is last years boy telling Mom he loves and thanks her for her year long guidance, before he disperses.

A good size bruin.

We'll give this guy another year or two? What would you do?

Not the one below though!

As many healthy fawns as any year in the past. Bodes well for the future.

Another shot of black.

I marvel how deer and turkeys coexist. The fawns are always curious!

Weird eye shot under an apple tree.

Speaking of apples, she took a big one. Lots of fruit this year, not so good on mast.

So with this, wishing all a successful and safe archery season (just over a week away now) and let me know how you do!

As always comments and critique welcomed!

jcottonzeller@gmail.com