Spring is Here!

I can't begin to tell you how beautiful the weather was Saturday!
Bob (Lowrider) invited me to go Squatching and I was there!

I admit I am a fair weather Squatcher! After camping in WVA last year with Rick, Nick and Larry in March, I decided maybe I didn't need to show everybody how tough I was camping out in 30 degree weather!

Bob is still, in my opinion, the BEST squatcher in Ohio! He had already baited the area before I arrived so I did a 3/4 mile hike on the trail and met him back at the car. He then asked me if I wanted to go on an extended hike and I was more than happy to. The temps were in the upper 70's, there was a nice breeze...you could smell the earth awakening and releasing itself from winter's cruel grasp.


We headed southwest at first and found an area that was littered with abandoned deer stands. Our first sighting was that of a 4.5 foot long black rat snake. He let us take his picture and we stayed out of his way. We then saw what could be a small cave under the creek so we decided to hike down the ravine. Man were we ambitious. At one point we had to cross a small creek (2 feet across) and I found what appeared to be a large footprint (16 inches) heel impression, visible toes, leaves smashed to the side...possible...Bob will be posting the pics.


We then headed back north and then crossed Mill Creek and hiked to the Grand River. We traveled up river and found an area littered with clams and snail shells...hundreds of them! We saw beaver tracks, and an eviscerated turkey carcass.


After 4.5 hours we headed back to our vehicles. I felt like I had just competed in a marathon!

Oh the best part was when we were crossing another part of the creek and I went to step up the bank and slid face first into the mud! I laughed so hard and it felt great to get dirty like a little kid and not have a care in the world!

Weather permitting, I will be joining Bob and another squatcher this Saturday to hike in the area of a sighting from 1986 in Paine's Falls.