While mowing hay seen Male Ring-neck, One Hen and about 6 chicks. Today seen one hen, male, and 10 larger chicks, plus same hen and 6 chicks. Worker said he seen 10 adults, males and hens.
What is funny is the males are with the hens and chicks, never thought they would stay in a family group.
First time we have had ring-neck chicks here in the area for 30 years. Never on fields we work.
Just nice to see.
Last week I was leaving for work at 6:00AM and saw 2 turkey hens with probably 25-30 chicks between them
Only trouble with pheasants nesting in hay fields is the number of them killed by the hay mowers. Rabbits and deer fawns also are killed by hay machines by hunkering into the standing hay and aren`t seen. Seen this alot during my farming days.Robert
Don't forget snakes and skunks, more than once the hay loader would throw up a skunky bail, and I would just kick it off the other side of the truck. lol I once rolled a bale over to get to the strings and a mad copperhead just had his tail caught in the bail. It amazed me that he had gone through the baler and was still kicking and fighting mad.
I was driving to work the other morning and saw 2 quail on the side of the road. I haven't seen quail here (Central MO) in over 30 years either. It was only 2 but it was nice to see.
Turkey chicks here too - lots of them.Originally Posted by Pipefitter
Hey Starmac, that makes a guy move just as quick as the copperhead too. Have rolled bails up to throw on wagon and look eye to eye with black snakes. Have been lucky and never got the copperhead nor rattler in a bail. Have heard quail calling on the hill across the road, and walked up a small covie in the spring. No ringnecks around here. Was a bad year for turkey chicks the weather messed up hatching.
CD
When you find you are in deep trouble, look straight ahead,keep your mouth shut, and say nothing.
A man who is good enough to shed his blood for the country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards
Theodore Roosevelt
Snake in hay sure does get the wife screaming. I get A Huge TEDDY !!!! Snake !!!!! and off the wagon goes the bale.
Pheasant ; Up date, have seen the birds off and on all together Hen with 10 chicks, hen with 3 checks, hen and male with 6 chicks. Group of larger birds mix of 10. To date don't think we hit any with haybine.
Had a doe and 3 fawns cross in front of me on main road 1/2 mile from town. They got the horn to move them along.
I got to know your secret. Just how do you get your wife on the wagon to stack hay while you drive. lol
Back when I was a young guy I could rarely get help that would work the second day hauling hay, everybody thought they wanted to, but one day was enough for most, and toooooo much for some. lol Any my wife, girlfriend at the time would drive, but I don't remember getting her on the trailer. lol
I remember as a boy the `excitment` that comes when you try to bed down milk cows in the barn if there are dead snakes in the straw bales. The snakes were `blue racers` from a marshy area where wheat was grown. Repaired a few stanchions when the cows tore them down to get away from the snakes in the straw. Dad figured the straw wasn`t worth all the trouble. We threw out and destroyed about 300 square bales on the fields as manure.Robert
They all say they will drive, and then comes the hills and they all just let me do it. We ramp the bales onto the wagon from baler. Normal is for two people on the the wagon. About 100/ in 45 min. Heavy hay little faster and better to have 3 people. Slower years at 4700 sm. sq.
Well not sure how many made it from summer hatches, asked around and everyone is seeing them. PA GC stocked about 1 1/2 doz. mixed birds this week, so we went hunting.
So we all got shooting and young man got to see his first flushes. Not too bad for 4 hours and no dog, heavy to lite brush.
Anyone know how to tell age, of males?
Posting Permissions
| BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
| BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
| BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
| C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
| HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
| PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
| LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
| GC | Gas Check |
Reply With Quote