Spring has been here for three weeks, according to the calendar,. Most of the time, with highs in the mid 20s to 30s, it has not felt like Spring here in Mid Missouri, but in the last week we have seen some of the things we were looking for to prove spring is here, including some nicer weather.
First, we saw buzzards and robins return to the area. The old timers have always told us to watch for the buzzards and robins. They know the weather, better than any weatherman. Normally after you see the first ones, there will be one more cold spell, so hopefully they were right, as we are seeing 70 degree days this week.
The next thing we look for at Oak Creek, is antler growth. We keep cameras out all year long to monitor the health of our deer herd. We can tell Spring has arrived as we start to see the bucks start to push antler growth. During the last week, we have seen several bucks that are really starting to grow. This young buck in the following photos is already out about 2 inches. Make sure to check in to our Facebook and other social media pages for new daily photos from the ranch.
Another thing we look for is the early flowers. Spring Beauties, Bloodroot and Dutchman’s Britches are the first flowers we see in this area and they are starting to bloom. They liven up the dreary browns we have had since the fall with their bright whites and purples. This year, we saw the first ones April 11.
These are all nice, but our favorite thing about Spring is the TURKEYS! There is nothing better to get up early on a Spring morning and hear the turkey gobbling off in the distance. We love to match wits with an adversary that can see as good as an eagle, run as fast as a horse and can fly too. For more video from Oak Creek, check out our Youtube page, there are close to 100 videos of past hunts and trail cams on the ranch.
Do you know of any more signs of Spring? What do you look for?
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