I am a predator. What about you?

I quote from Ecology Individuals, Populations and Communities By Begon, Harper, and Townsend the second edition. "Predation, put simply, is the consumption of one organism (the prey) by another organism (the predator), in which the prey is alive when the predator first attacks it." I think this is a fairly widely accepted definition and it puts me in the same category as the mountain lion, jaguar, and Bald Eagle. With that said, my favorite devastating carnivore is the.......... Box Turtle. Cute, unless you are a earthworm then he looks like the Grim Reaper. I think Disney has skewed the perception people have of nature. Eating other critters to survive does not make you mean like some cartoons insinuate. It just makes you part of the circle of life. I am no worse than a box turtle. My worms just say MOO.

A top ten list for my 50th post

Top Ten Hiking destinations in Tennessee according to THE ENVIROCAPITALIST.

1. The Big South Fork NWR.
2. Great Smoky Mountains National Park *
3. The Cumberland Trail (smokey mountain segment)
4. Appalacian Trail (south east Tennessee)
5. Savage Gulf
6. Cumberland Trail (ozone falls area)
7. Fall Creek Falls State Park
8. Norris Dam State Park
9. Big Ridge State Park
10. Frozen Head State Park.
    * I included the very crowded and commercial GSMNP even though I avoid it for the most part because of its legendary status.

Den Leader?

on Tuesday the 22nd my life changed for good. We have joined the cub scouts. Tiger cubs to be exact and I have volunteered to be the den leader. This doesn't sound like much but I am already the Tee Ball coach so I will be busy. But I do believe in the scouts and I hope my son wants to stay a scout for longer than I did (made it to WEBELOS). I think the scouts are a great place for kids to become young men, learn morals, work ethic, and a code of conduct that will serve them the rest of their lives. I am honored to serve and excited to be apart the experience. Future blogs may include my new den and pack so stay posted while I go scouting!

My first Morel.

My wife thinks I am crazy for picking a mushroom out of the ground and eating it based only on my own expertise. So I have been acting dizzy and saying things like " I feel funny" ever since dinner just to mess with her. I think the humor is lost on her. It was a great day. No T-Ball practice so me and the boy took a walk in the woods. After several conversations about yellow jackets and poison Ivy we stumbled upon two glorious common morel mushrooms. Not only one of the tastiest mushrooms in the eastern United States but also one of the top four in ease of identification. I never look for them so I have never picked any and brought them home before. But being with my young son in the woods causes me to be much more aware, not only of danger but also of anything I feel would interest him. My fatherly focus had yielded a treat on this day. We drove home and I immediately washed and quartered my bounty and set it to sauteing in butter. Meanwhile my wife had been cooking green beans and potatoes for dinner so I began to grill the deer burgers at her behest. I know what you are thinking "deer burgers! potatoes! and green beans!!" this man lives like a king. Yes I know, but I had only thought I had tasted a great deer burger before now. The addition of the softened morels to my burger was incredible. The morels rich nutty flavor was the perfect compliment to my burger. I have now become a mushroom hunter, they should all shudder under their caps.

Hunter's Code?

(1.) Obey the game laws. (2.) Be adequately armed for the game you are hunting. (3.) Respect the rights of the property owner. (4.) Extend courtesy to your fellow hunter. (5.) Aim only for a clean kill.(6.) Pass on these ethics to younger hunters. Here is the hunter's code I display at the bottom of my blog, I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on it. Am I missing anything, is this sufficient, do you have your own code for whatever outdoor activity you participate in. I wait Breathless........

What I did instead of Turkey hunting

Nice Shot! He is a chip of the old block. Instead of filling my freezer with Turkey and Crappie, I have been playing with my son. I got him a basketball goal for his Birthday and we have not stopped playing. I will kick myself in August when the freezer is empty, but for now I am having the time of my life with my little buddy.

Son's Birthday...Goood Times

Teaching my son how to properly pose for a picture after discovering new lands. I like to call it the explorer pose or the conqueror pose. The party was held at the East Tennessee Discovery Center and most of his kindergarten class showed up. It was a great success.

This is the cake my incredible wife made to spoil my son who loves space. Kinda fitting, I always loved the wilderness frontier. My son Loves the last frontier of space. I hope everyone had a good Easter and God bless.