A Norfolk mooch

[Snufkin]

It was my day off today and as usual I headed down to the woods. Didn't get off as early as I'd have liked but you can't have everything.
I'm trying to get my eye in again at the wildlife watching. I'm remembering to go slow, stop alot and look but I'm having trouble emptying my mind. Things are still racing around my head when I should be passively observing, hohum, it'll take time I suppose.
I was stopping a fair bit to take pics for my Bison Guide shirt review but I did manage to get up on some stags. Pretty poor pics and not good light conditions but I got to about 30m before they spotted me, and in to about 15m before they started getting wary. Thats when I took the pics, then drifted away and left them in peace.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/LJintheUK/bushcraft/2008_0215Image0039.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/LJintheUK/bushcraft/2008_0215Image0040.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/LJintheUK/bushcraft/2008_0215Image0047.jpg

I wondered on and did a bit of path maintenance (cut a drain into a particularly muddy section of singletrack), gathered some wood and did a bit of spoon carving.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v54/LJintheUK/bushcraft/2008_0215Image0053.jpg

All in all a very pleasant way to while away the day:) .

[Bernie Garland]

excellent pics you'd make an excellent stalker,deer that is

bernie

[Snufkin]

excellent pics you'd make an excellent stalker,deer that is

bernie

Cheers mate but it was mostly luck. I've been playing in these woods for over 30 years and I'm familiar with their favourite bedding areas. I spotted the antlers from about 50m away and there is a little path that took me near them. It was a gusty cross wind and there were two separate groups of screaming kids around so they weren't going anywhere if they didn't have to. There were five in all and the boss (the one on the right in the last pic) was very comfortable. If he hadn't been there I think the others would have moved off.
The woods are well used but most folks don't venture off the main paths so the deer are pretty comfortable with people at close quarters. While I was watching them three people walked along another path not 20m away and didn't see the deer or me.

[SOAR]

Looks like you had a good productive day, great pics by the way and that knife of yours is stunning.

Simon.

[falcon]

Nice one mate.....I like the John Denver signature too...he created plenty more if people know where to look ;)

[Snufkin]

Looks like you had a good productive day, great pics by the way and that knife of yours is stunning.

Simon.

Cheers mate. Although the finger indent came out more pronounced than I was aiming for it's my current favourite knife, and I'm really suprised at how good it is for carving.

[Snufkin]

Nice one mate.....I like the John Denver signature too...he created plenty more if people know where to look ;)

Can't beat a bit of John Denver now and again:).

[Shambling Shaman]

Can't beat a bit of John Denver now and again:).

Annie's Song, Got to be one of my all time favorites.

[Snufkin]

Annie's Song, Got to be one of my all time favorites.

Of course a bit of Jethro Tull goes down well too. eh Shambling S. Heavy Horses is a fave album of mine.

[JonnyP]

Always good to see deer out and about.... Nice spoon there, what wood did you use..? Can you put up a pic of the finished spoon please Snufkin..

[Snufkin]

Always good to see deer out and about.... Nice spoon there, what wood did you use..? Can you put up a pic of the finished spoon please Snufkin..
It's from a brash pile from a fallen tree, I'm pretty sure it's sycamore. I'll stick up a pic when it's finished, I haven't done any more work on it. I may leave this one knife finished rather than sand it as the wood doesn't have much character.