I've hiked on the Halpata Tastanaki Preserve trails a little more this month because they are doing some prescribed/control burns on some of the Florida Trails I usually hike. It's a good thing and they alternate burns but it still means you go to plan B when you see smoke. lol
I met a young man recently that had found something pretty unusual, a deer antler still attached to a deer skull.
When I first saw him, he was standing away from the trail to give me a chance to pass.
His dog was from a shelter and did not trust people so he kept the dog close to him. (all dogs are on leashes even on the forest trails) He sure was a beautiful dog and now he has a good home!
I've never found a deer antler but I did a search online HERE and learned a little more about shedding.
We learn so much from getting out in nature, don't we?
Birds abound in Florida at this time of year.
Phoebe and Bluebirds
Flycatcher
And wildflowers are blooming like crazy!
Yellow Jessamine
Blueberry bushes are in full bloom too!
Have you ever found deer antlers on a hike? I don't think I really look for them but I probably will from now on!
40 comments:
No, never, but I know hikers who regularly hit the trails find interesting things. Have a fun weekend!
Hello,
Love the cute dog! I have never found deer antlers, I know some people would love to keep the antlers as a trophy. I love the Eastern Bluebirds, Phoebe and Flycatcher. It will be nice to have some blueberries. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your weekend.
not only have I never seen an antler or a skull with antler, i have never seen a deer in the wild.. any of which I would love to see. I also would love to have seen/met the rescue dog. All our dogs have been rescue and this one is a beauty.
All amazing captures!
That deer skull was quite a find. Shame about the dog being scared like that. It's so unfair to the animal when bad owners get a dog without having any idea how to train them. Stay clear and safe from those fires Diane.
I know about antler shedding and I hope I can find something, one day, in the forest around my home.
Wishing you a happy weekend!
My daughter hunts sheds and that is her fun for the season. She hikes all over and finds some really good ones.
Cat
...are you going to hang the skull on your living room wall, it would be art!
Great photos, interesting to see deer skull with antler!
Beautiful dog, glad it has a good home now.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Getting out into nature really is a life enhancing experience. I realize just how much I don't know about the world around me. Makes me grateful for the easy access to information to learn new things all the time.
Your photos are lovely - love the yellow Jessamine and wow! to see the blueberry bush in bloom. How nice to meet that young man and his lovely dog, and to get a good look at that deer skull-antler.
Happy Saturday, Diane!
any time i see a dead deer, i always stay far away. i worry about diseases and deer ticks. i reread your words and i think the deer itself was gone. but either way, no to finding an antler.
the dog is beautiful, and what a thoughtful owner. i need to keep my distance from dogs as i have been knocked over a few times. i have been seeing a lot of birds too, those that left for winter are starting to return, you captured some beautiful images!!
the flowers are so pretty, have a wonderful weekend!!
No deer antlers on any hikes here but it has been a long, long time since I took a really good hike. Ten years with bad knees and now that the knees are good... I'm old! LOL I always enjoy your photos and going along with you through your blog!! xo
Beautiful through out, deer antler, must been killed by predator. I love the dog, and the birds, fabulous.
Neat find there
All the times in the woods, I have never found an antler. I once found a crow skull. I put it on a stump to dry out from dirt and leaf guck. It was gone when I returned to get it. Weird because I was on family property. No idea what kind of varmit would want a bird skull.
I think it would be interesting to find the antlers. I never realized till blog reading that they shed them!
That is a beautiful dog. Sure was an interesting find with that deer skull.
Glad the dog has a nice forever home. Finding antlers, what a surprise that must have been. Beautiful shots of the birds and blooms. Have a wonderful weekend!
I've never found antlers. You are lucky to have such nice warm weather - we seem to be going back and forth from winter to spring.
On a trip in the Far North, we saw reindeer skulls with antlers, but I've not seen such a thing here despite very large deer populations.
best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Hello Diane, :=) That was quite a find the young man was holding. There are no deer where I live, only in the far north of Portugal. The wild flowers are lovely, and there are plenty of them on the farm. The dog and all the birds you saw are beautiful.
Enjoy your weekend Diane.
All the best.
Wow what a discovery! Your photos are so pretty. I have loved every place Ive been in Florida. My husband retired this year now we ca travel more.We were just in St Augustine last part of February
I haven't found antlers but have found skulls.
Beautiful photos along your hike.
The blueberries have such a pretty blossom :)
It's always nice when you see a shelter dog find a good home and just seeing that young man taking him for walks and buying him such a fine harness makes me think that he's going to be loved and cared for :)
Interesting. Dogs on forest trails should always be kept on leashes, and short ones at that. Dogs tend to tangle with other critters, even bears.
Going out into nature is a truly wonderful experience.
This is a beautiful dog, nice that he has found a good home again, his owner does a good job of keeping him on a leash.
Greetings Irma
Soring has arrived in your neck of the woods!! Beautiful birds and sweet dog. Here, there are brush fires, but not intentionally set.
Thanks for taking time to share these with us!!
I have discovered many interesting things on my strolls through nature, but a deer antler has eluded me, let alone one still attached to the skull. A friend of mine has an interesting collection of animal skulls she has collected over the years in her china cabinet! Makes a whole lot more sense, and is a whole lot more interesting, than all the stuff we have in ours and which we are wondering what to do with at this stage in our lives!
I am always amazed when my family discovers antlers in the woods. How unusual to find one attached to a skull though.
I am so happy that sweet dog has a forever home.
Happy Sunday- xo Diana
Thank you for my Birthday Wishes!
That man with the rescue dog, makes me so happy. He is so caring with the dog. I'm happy for both of them, but especially for the dog. :-)
And his find, is the icing on the cake.
Gentle hugs...
Hi,
My sister, her husband, my dad and my husband all have found antlers in the woods. My sister was going to train her dog to find antlers. It really is a unique find no matter the size.
Thank you for sharing.
xx oo
Carla
That deer antler still attached to the deer skull is amazing.
All the best Jan
Precioso reportaje el de hoy. Me encantan las flores silvestres. Besos.
That is fun! I found five antlers one year, but only a couple since. It was a hard winter, and the males stuck around here. That was unusual.
I've found sculls on the ranch! Cow, coyote, probably dog ones too. Snake skins, dead chickens, turtle shells....but no antlers.....
Wow! I haven't found any deer antlers in all of our walks in the woods, which now that I think about it, it seems like I should have because we lived in the Ocala National Forest where deer abound. I have found some other bones from deer, however, who died in the woods apparently. I've also found a gopher turtle shell, but I left it there, and it's still there where I left it. I see it often and debate on whether or not I should take it home, but then I think, no, this is his grave and I shouldn't remove it. Love all the birds and wildflowers that are everywhere right now. It is a beautiful time for hiking! We've had such nice weather! Thank you for sharing this with us!!
What an interesting find for the young man. You have beautiful clear blue sky. Love all the beautiful flowers.
cute birds and attractive wildflowers ..
That's a nice hike ... it's good to have alternatives when they are burning. Are those blueberry bushes wild?
No, have never seen deer antlers before. This area is full of deer though, and somehow always manage to survive the cold Winters with their families. The dog is so cute, and he looks happy taking a walk on the trail. The yellow jessamine and the blossoms from the blueberry bushes are really pretty. This looked like a nice day with blue skies and a few clouds. : )
Have a restful weekend, Diane.
~Sheri
cool to find an antler and it looks rather clean. I have a Roe deer antler but that is a small one. From our smallest deer species.
You found some pretty flowers too. :)
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