florida07

January 5--January 13, 2007
Florida Trip

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Got down to Ft. Myers around 1pm on Friday the 5th. Went to the woods and hunted for a while. Nothing seen. Ate dinner with the boys and got to bed early. It was hot for a change. Hunted Saturday morning and went back to Alva Saturday to unload my stuff. Back to the camp and up early Sunday morning. Took the swamp buggy with Campbell to the far side of the lease and waited patiently, but no go. Ian killed a button buck and Lin a fairly large hog. Sunday afternoon we went home and cleaned up and had the pleasure of Wiley and Betty for dinner, along with Mr. P and Buddy. All kinds of other stuff. Look it over.

I'm covering the front, but never got to fire my shell. The turkeys were just not doing their part.
Frank and Campbell in the swamp buggy very early taken without flash. Campbell was quiet and observant. A real hunter in the making.

These turkey vultures were our closest approach to game. Each one was warming up on his/her favorite post.
The real attraction of the hunt is the scenery, the open land and sky. I never get tired of seeing it. This area would normally be under water, but this year was dry. As dry as I remember.

The fire at camp was always burning to clean up scraps and trash. This guy was crawling around in the back of a pickup, so I put him on a plant and he seemed to appreciate it.

Beautiful Buckeye butterfly near camp.
Sandhill Cranes.

Teddy and T. J. T. J. got his first shot at a gobbler, but it was so close the pellets didn't have time to spread and he missed. Wait'll
next year!
Lin knows how to get a pig cleaned efficiently.

T. J. and Campbell came to get me for breakfast Sunday morning.
This softshell turtle was crossing the road as we left camp Sunday. We gave him a lift across the fence into the ditch.

Sunrise at Mann Farm. Beautiful scenery and weather.
This otter was in the drainage ditch on the west edge of Frank's property. He wasn't shy and stayed around for several photos.

Sunday night with Betty, Wiley, Mary, Frank, Mr. P., Buddy, and me.
Frank's oranges and tangerines are so nice.

I think we went fishing Monday, but can't remember. Not much luck except for this 15" trout and a couple of sheeps heads. We took them home and ate them later, however.
I believe this was Tuesday night. Dinner with the Queen Bee at the Yatch Club. She's 94 and just as spry and sharp as ever.

Ibis in a tree.
Colorful vines.

I took a trip out to Ding Darling Sanctuary on Santibel Island on Tuesday while Frank attended the county commissioners meeting. Saw this 9-10' gator. Two young girls on bikes had just passed and asked if there were any gators. I told them to look in the open places. The went on and stopped 50' ahead. There it was.
Betty invited us to her retirement party from the News Press. Lots of big shots and politicians having their say, but everyone loves Betty and wishes her well.

Wednesday and Thursday we went back to the lease to work on this deer stand. We expanded the floor space and put up sides. It was a good excuse to revisit the lease and look around. Mary went with us Wednesday afternoon.
These Ibis were in a tree next to the pond near camp.

A flotilla of Brown Pelicans near the ramp where we put in to fish.
My plane left at 7:10 and we had to get up at 5am to make it. We had plenty of time and ate breakfast at the Waffle House. I got this shot of the sunrise over the wing.

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I'm covering the front, but never got to fire my shell. The turkeys were just not doing their part.	Frank and Campbell in the swamp buggy very early taken without flash. Campbell was quiet and observant. A real hunter in the making.
These turkey vultures were our closest approach to game. Each one was warming up on his/her favorite post.	The real attraction of the hunt is the scenery, the open land and sky. I never get tired of seeing it. This area would normally be under water, but this year was dry. As dry as I remember.
The fire at camp was always burning to clean up scraps and trash.	This guy was crawling around in the back of a pickup, so I put him on a plant and he seemed to appreciate it.
Beautiful Buckeye butterfly near camp.	Sandhill Cranes.
Teddy and T. J. T. J. got his first shot at a gobbler, but it was so close the pellets didn't have time to spread and he missed. Wait'll next year!	Lin knows how to get a pig cleaned efficiently.
T. J. and Campbell came to get me for breakfast Sunday morning.	This softshell turtle was crossing the road as we left camp Sunday. We gave him a lift across the fence into the ditch.
Sunrise at Mann Farm. Beautiful scenery and weather.	This otter was in the drainage ditch on the west edge of Frank's property. He wasn't shy and stayed around for several photos.
Sunday night with Betty, Wiley, Mary, Frank, Mr. P., Buddy, and me.	Frank's oranges and tangerines are so nice.
I think we went fishing Monday, but can't remember. Not much luck except for this 15" trout and a couple of sheeps heads. We took them home and ate them later, however.	I believe this was Tuesday night. Dinner with the Queen Bee at the Yatch Club. She's 94 and just as spry and sharp as ever.
Ibis in a tree.	Colorful vines.
I took a trip out to Ding Darling Sanctuary on Santibel Island on Tuesday while Frank attended the county commissioners meeting. Saw this 9-10' gator. Two young girls on bikes had just passed and asked if there were any gators. I told them to look in the open places. The went on and stopped 50' ahead. There it was.	Betty invited us to her retirement party from the News Press. Lots of big shots and politicians having their say, but everyone loves Betty and wishes her well.
Wednesday and Thursday we went back to the lease to work on this deer stand. We expanded the floor space and put up sides. It was a good excuse to revisit the lease and look around. Mary went with us Wednesday afternoon.	These Ibis were in a tree next to the pond near camp.
A flotilla of Brown Pelicans near the ramp where we put in to fish.	My plane left at 7:10 and we had to get up at 5am to make it. We had plenty of time and ate breakfast at the Waffle House. I got this shot of the sunrise over the wing.