Mast Crops, Northern Style
There's plenty to eat out there for the animals now, the bears and the birds especially. Lots and lots of chokecherries currently, and raspberries too, with the last remnants of the blueberry harvest lingering around. The apple crop looks especially good this year (perhaps all of that rain this summer was good for something), so expect to find grouse in those old apple orchards again this fall.
We also found a low growing plant with clusters of red berries that I believe is properly called Eastern Teaberry, but that is commonly called "partridge berry" - I'm sure that someone will correct me if I'm wrong. I guess that our feathered friends eat these too on occasion, as they are readily available for the grouse on the forest floor.
Went out for a couple of hours this morning and got a couple of solid woodcock points from Rudy - the season is under two months away now, and we can't wait.
