Weekend by myself at BCP, Stayed outside cabin after eating fish

Isaac's triple beard

One of my boys, Isaac, with his second bird of the season!

So my son has out done me, taking this triple beard! (I have never taken a multiple bearded turkey)

It was taken the last day of the season, gobbled from 300 yards away, shot at 10 steps, no blind. 

Here are my 2015 Turkeys. 

One Osceola(froostproof Fla)

Two Eastern (Bear Creek Plantation Eastern N.C.)

Two Marioms (Idaho)

Big Joe is the only one who can claim a bow kill here at BCP.  However, to make sure no one can top him he killed this nice bird in the 2016 season with the recurve bow as seen in the photo.  Unbelievable.  

BOBCAT in Box stand

So Isaac and I were closing the main gate Wednesday at dark after turkey hunting.  From high above us the box stand that is about 20 feet high I could hear a loud hiss sound.  I told Isaac it was a bobcat. Needless to say it was intimidating to have him over your head and trying to close the gate.  We tried to get it to jump by shooting around it and throwing rocks.  It hissed louder and louder.  It did not move so we left, gate open and all.  J.O. Went back the next morning and was able to get a picture of the scary beast.   SEE BELOW LOL!

2016 Turkey Fla/NC

Here are pics of my Osceola and Eastern for 2016.  Heading West for Marrium in May.

Youth Turkey 2016 and DAD!

Greg and Jacob (father/son team) were able to sneak off and go hunting in the afternoon by the pop sickle stand.  It was  the first week of season.  After setting up Greg let out a Yelp with a box call.  Within 10 mins three red heads showed up.  Both were able to bag their FIRST turkey together.  Congrats!!

Youth Turkey 2016

My son Isaac and I were able to get this great gobbler during an afternoon hunt.  We set up in a blind by the swamp.  We had a hen come into the field by herself.  About 20mins later another hen can in to the field and started fighting the first hen.  We were on edge just knowing there would be a gobbler behind the second hen.  About 10 mins later this gobbler showed up.  Isaac shot him with his 410 at less than 20 steps.  This is his second turkey, and first gobbler!!!

Stump Blind repair

This weekend did some work on the food plots.  Joe and I went out Friday before daylight and heard several gobblers.  We did see 6 in one group and one in a seperate group.  Here is a pick of Joe's stump blind.  We had to fix the door.  Definitely the coolest blind at BCP.

Future East Impoundment

So Jameson has finally gotten all the Beavers out of thee east Impoundment site.  Funny thing is I just had my Dozer moved to the west side to work on the fire range and pond.  Well, I guess it will just have more time to dry out!  We plan on clearing a few acres and building one of my Cadillac duck blinds.

Generator Problems abound

So the generator is once again on the frits.  Out of no where the back cylinder started ticking in the lifters.  Hopefully we can do a cheap fix.

Cabin Pond Full

Long Leaf Pine planting NWTF, USDA, and GFR

After almost two years of work with the NWTF, USDA and GFR  Bear Creek finally has some trees in the ground!!  (Around 3-6-2016). Although the plan calls for almost 300 acres, we where only able to burn and thus plant just over 120 acres. (3-13-2016) It finally rained on my trees but only 2/10.  Now I want it to rain, it will not.   The rest of the project is delayed to this summer and fall because of all the rain from October till now.  We will get the rest done by December.  NWTF has helped from the beginning with a forestry/wildlife plan and unlimited time and help with this project.  The Duplin County USDA office has been Johnny on the spot in everything!  The agent there seems to be as OCD about getting stuff done as I am.  He has helped with the delay of the project because of all the rain and saved our tree money.  Here are a few pics of the new trees.  The lack of rain for a week, my trees are turning a little brown/yellow but they are very hardy and will make a come back quickly.

Food Plots for spring 2016

Joe ended up planting all the food plots twice! Once to put out wheat/rye (3-7-2016) to have atleast some kind of cover crop.  Then Joe planted all the plots in white clover (3-12-2016).  It rained 2/10 on (3-13-2016).  We planted some in the fall and it is doing ok but we are trying the spring time.  We will also plant the new fire breaks with wheat/rye and clover.  I have some NWTF chuffa but it will not be planted to the fall.  Last year we planted it but did not get it deep enough and within two weeks the mice etc ate all of my seed and you could see the pile of white/yellowish remnants all over the field.  Sad day.  We also put out some salt/mineral blocks.

Three or more days of above 50 degrees you get MOCASSINS!

Gobblers on the attack and on the hunt

The first two gobblers are attacking a gobbler a friend of mine(TJ) had just shot.  I actually had shot one five minutes before this and my bird is laying to the right of the camera about 20 yards.  The second set of gobblers where called in on a scouting expedition.

Calling in a Water Moccasin with a brim

This Water Moccasin was about 75 yards away when I saw him.  Given that I caught one the week before there, I decided to see if I could get a second one.  I caught a brim and played him on the surface of the water.  I actually have all the footage from start to finish but only did two clips.  I had to catch a second brim because the first one played out.  It took this snake three strikes to land a deadly one, which the week before snake did the same thing.

Duck, babies, beaver dam bust up, 8pt buck, etc

Trappers Corner

Here are a few pics of our trappers.  The largest beavers caught so far where 58,62 and 64 pounds.

Stump Jumper Supply Run for New Duck Blind

Stump Jumper First Voyage at BCP

NC Swamp Duck Blind Design Cadillac

This Blind is 5x12, I took mulitple blind designs and came up with what best suited my needs in the Swamp I was hunting.  I have this Duck blind set up where I can have several guest and our children. It has a top and sides for the highest comfort for the youngsters.  You will notice there is a two foot section on end, that is for the dog.  This Duck blind cost around $600 in material.  Not as cheap as my other one but a lot more accomadating and comfortable!

NC Swamp Duck Blind design Simple

Here is a Duck Blind that will not break the bank.  It is Duck Blind that is fixed in the swamp and can fit two to three men.  It is 4x8 in size so minimal cutting. I have about $150 in material, all salt treated.  We drove the post in the ground with an oversize T Post driver. I have found out it is easier using my Jon boat as a work bench for the base.  Nail the two 4' end pieces to the 8' long side on the boat(remember to have 8' side board go to the far end to cover up the end of 4' ends, otherwise 8' deck boards will be short).  Use the square plat form to guide where you drive you Post.  Once you square it up and get two opposite side post in you can remove the boat.  

TURKEY

Here are a few turkey pics thus far.  We are currently working with the NWTF and the USDA in planting 300 acres of longleaf pines.  The NWTF continues to be a big help in our turkey management here at BCP.  The two things I have learned about turkeys at BCP is, 1. They love water and will stand in it to feed and 2. They will use bald cypress as a highway system to cross large sections of land by flying tree to tree to get where they want to!

Deer

Here are a few pics of the deer taken so far(two seasons).  We are practicing QDM so no buck will be taken unless he is 5 years old or older, unless it's a "first" buck for someone.  I want to thank some of my neighbors for sending their pics too.  The two large bucks here were killed just off of BCP.  We have mulitple pics of them and the Unicorn buck(the one with horn in middle of his head) was on our hit list.  Now going into the third season at BCP there are about six or mature bucks that will be on the hit list this year.  Next season that number should increase as the management plan gets in full swing.

The Cabin