Sunday drive to Lake Placid, FL, and more than 40 beautiful murals

Part of a large Lake Placid, FL, mural depicting a cattle drive.

     Went for a drive Sunday afternoon for lunch and to view murals painted on the side of buildings.

The trip took us to Lake Placid, FL, a small town in south-central Florida. There are approximately 40 murals painted on buildings throughout the downtown area. The murals depict a large variety of subjects.

All paintings are large, and some are huge. One very large mural is of a cattle drive. It is truly impressive.

Lake Placid is surrounded by lakes and is quite scenic. It apparently is named for the famous Lake Placid in New York. There are numerous interesting shops, and plenty of places to eat, although a couple we sought are closed on Sunday.

There isn't much of anything better than a plate of fried morels

Photo by Phil Junker

Black morels, which usually appear before white and yellow mushrooms, are just as tasty fried as their counterparts, which follow.

Brother-in-law Paul Cooper stopped by and announced he brought a surprise. It was a good one. Morel mushrooms.

Paul, who is a great “shroomer”, hadn’t found any, but managed to buy a pound of wild yellow morels that had been shipped for sale at a market near Bainbridge, IN.

Upon his arrival, the valuable fungi cargo was placed in the refrigerator. My obligation was to obtain steak for the next night, and Paul would do the cooking.

“What else do you need for the cooking?”, I asked.

Paul indicated I probably had everything needed, but he needed a stick of butter. I use the make-believe butter stuff, but said I would obtain the real stuff for the mushroom cooking. I also obtained a pound of shrimp to enjoy during the cooking. What a feast.

Paul cooks morels slightly different than my routine.

He rolls them in a batter of egg and flour. He likes to fry them in a cast iron skillet. He melts a stick of butter in the pan, and then adds fresh cooking oil, frying them golden brown.

Many people cook them many different ways.

My cooking process varies a little, but if I have enough, I always fry them. Maybe not the healthiest, but the way I like them.

Morels fried are delicious, especially with steak or a platter of walleye, crappie or bluegill. 

When I return home from a hunt in the woods with mushrooms, I cut them in two pieces lengthwise. Rinse off any dirt and bugs, and place them in a bowl of salt water. I let them soak in the salty water overnight to kill any bugs missed in rinsing. There will be some.

When I’m ready to cook them, I rinse them again. Next I roll them in flour, salt and pepper, and place them in a skillet with about a half inch of hot canola oil. 

However, I cook up several cut up pieces of bacon in the skillet for flavor, before adding the oil. In my opinion, it enhances the taste.

I cook them until golden brown, then place them on paper towels to drain prior to serving with the rest of the meal. Unfortunately, I seem to sample so many, it’s tough to cook a serving plate full. Don’t put paper towels on top of the fried morels or place them in layers after cooking. It makes them soggy.

Ron Kruger, writer friend from Missouri. posted on Facebook on the internet, “I finally found a few mushrooms.”  He said his favorite way to cook them is to flour and sauté them in butter, then cook them in eggs.”

I like Ron’s method, if I only have a few morels early in the season. I cook them the same way and finish them in scrambled eggs.

However, If I have enough, frying is the best way for my taste.

Ever seen an armadillo? They may be headed north your way

Photo courtesy IDNR

Armadillos appear to be expanding their range northwards and have been seen in Kentucky and Indiana. This one was hit be an auto in northwestern Indiana.

Recently, Conservation Officer Brenda Louthain, was called to a bridge to check out a road kill in the northwestern Indiana community of Monticello. 

What Brenda found was a bit of a surprise as well as a rarity. It was an armadillo. If you haven’t seen one, it looks a bit like a live armored tank on legs. And while you might expect it to be slow, an armadillo actually iis quick and can jump, sometimes jumping into the underside of a vehcile.

Armadillos are native to South America, but over the years made their way though Central America and then on to the Southwestern United States. Eventually, they made it to Florida and now have headed north.

Although several armadillos have been spotted in southwest Indiana and north central Kentucky in the past several years, the road kill in northwestern Indiana is the farthest north one has been spotted.

It is not known how the animal in Monticello made it that far north. It could have been natural migration, but someone also could have transported one or several north.

A southern Indiana truck driver friend used to joke at dinner about bringing a couple from Texas and releasing them in Indiana, but I always thought he was joking, and as far as I know, he never did. Their migration to the Ohio River valley appears to be natural.

A writer friend says he has spotted several in Kentucky.

According to a post on the Indiana DNR’s Facebook page, "We have no idea where it came from or how it got here," It also observed, "We have learned that armadillos smell terrible."

However, it is known that these strange looking animals that look like small armored vehicles with legs rather than wheels, have been expanding their range in recent years.

The first confirmed armadillo report north of the Ohio in the Hoosier state was back in 2003 on I-64 just east of the Illinois line in Gibson County, according to the Associated Press, but they've also been spotted in Daviess, Dubois, Parke, Perry, Pike and Vanderburgh counties. There likely have been other unreported encounters.

The armadillos seen in Kentucky and Indiana primarily have been what is called the nine-banded armadillos. They have been reported across Kentucky (at least 32).

Throughout the America’s there are a sizable number of species of armadillos, but what is found throughout the this area is the nine-banded armadillo.

They are prolific diggers. Many species use their sharp claws to dig for food, such as grubs, and to dig dens. The nine-banded armadillo prefers to build burrows in moist soil near the creeks, streams, and arroyos around which it lives and feeds. The diets of different armadillo species vary, but consist mainly of insects, grubs, and other invertebrates. 

Although the animals are interesting and an attraction when first sighted, as their numbers increase in an area, they often become unwanted as the dig up people’s yards, flower beds and gardens.

According to Wikipedia, “Armadillos have short legs, but can move quite quickly, and have the ability to remain under water for as long as six minutes. Because of the density of its armor, an armadillo will sink in water unless it swallows air, inflating its stomach to twice normal size and raising its buoyancy above that of water, allowing it to swim across narrow streams and ditches.”

So, if you see a strange looking, short-legged animal that looks like a small armored tank in your yard, most likely, it is an armadillo.

Turkey season rapidly approaching; still time for some planning

Find a hen turkey in the spring, and a tom probably is nearby.
(photo courtesy NWTF)

Turkey season opens in a couple of weeks, so time is running short to prepare to bag a tom.

Opening day is April 22 in Indiana ,and the spring season runs through May 10. Youth turkey hunt weekend is April 18-19. Across the Ohio, opening day is April 18 in Kentucky, and the spring season also runs through May 10. 

A hunter can get lucky and take a bird almost by accident, but planning is a key to success. 

One morning, years ago, when I headed to the woods with my friend Phil Kirby, he accidentally slammed the truck door when we arrived near our planned hunting spot. It caused a tom to gobble, and Phil shot it a couple minutes later. But, that’s a rare exception,

The National Wild Turkey Federation has several suggestions for increasing your chances on opening morning.

“The first step towards enjoying a successful spring hunt is to find a place to hunt,” according to NWTF. “Your state or provincial wildlife agency can help you identify public hunting land.

“If you plan to hunt private land, make sure you get the landowner's permission before hunting or scouting. Wherever you decide to hunt, make the most of your time afield by spending time before the season opens, learning the lay of the land and where the birds frequent.

“Once you pinpoint were the birds roost and where they head during the day to feed, plan a strategy that puts you along their travel routes

“Practice calling. Communicating with a wild turkey to work it to the gun is a thrilling experience. Today's market offers a variety of calls — everything from mouth calls to box calls to peg calls and more.”

Calling takes practice. If you aren’t experienced with mouth calls, a box call may be the easiest to learn in a short amount of time. Slate calls also can be learned rather quickly, but it takes time to perfect any of them. But, then a truck door slamming sometimes can excite a tom in mating season.

Prior to the start of hunting season, many hunters head to the range, set up a turkey target at 40 yards, pull the trigger and are satisfied that their pattern is more than adequate. So they put their shotgun back in its case until opening morning. That can be a mistake.

One long-time hunter said, “I can't tell you how many birds I've seen missed, not because a hunter was shooting at a bird at the limit of his range, but because it was too close. That's right, too close.”

With today's choke tube offerings and tight-patterning turkey loads, the shot that covers a pie plate at 30 or 40 yards can be smaller than your fist at just 10 or 15 yards. 

If you shoot a little to the right or the left of a gobbler's head and all you're going to see is flapping wings and tail feathers as that old' tom takes flight.

Be ready for any approach by a wary longbeard this spring. Know how your gun patterns at 10, 20, 30 and 40 yards by practicing on targets at those ranges before the season. Then, you'll be prepared to take the proper shot. Remember, you don't have to shoot. He'll be there again for another try.

Pesky ticks can be avoided

It's not too early to be concerned about ticks. In fact, these little pests never go away.

For the most part they are just a pesky nuisance, but caution is in order in dealing with these little nasties.  Taking care of tick bites, and avoiding them, if possible, is important. Some ticks do carry lyme disease, however the presence of ticks shouldn’t keep people from avoiding the outdoors.

There are hundreds of species of ticks, but only a few that really bother people. And of course, those are the ones to be concerned about. Among those one of the most pesky around these parts are called deer ticks. Some people call them turkey ticks, and others call them bear ticks or some unprintable bad word. The deer ticks (what I call them) and their numbers seem to track with deer. 

Some people think the number of ticks expand during a mild winter, and their numbers are reduced by really cold weather. However,  research reveals it is almost impossible to freeze out the tiny pests.

Dick Gadd, president of SCS Limited, a company that specializes in tick and other pest repellent, said in an interview, ticks bore into decaying leaves, and can withstand prolonged periods of subzero cold.

While ticks can lead to bites that itch,  in rare cases they can cause Lyme and other diseases. However, they aren’t a reason to stay indoors when one should be enjoying the outdoors. Prevention is the key -- avoid the bite.

In order for a person to become ill, a person has to be bitten by an infected tick (only a very small percentage of ticks are infected). A little prevention can eliminate the bites.

People usually think of finding ticks in the woods, but in fact they are just as likely to be found in tall grass. Make a special effort to avoid tall grass, and around your home, keep the grass mowed.

The best way to prevent bites, if you plan to enter a grassy or wooded area is to wear a long-sleeved shirt and light-colored pants. Tuck the shirt in at the waist and the pants tucked into your socks. When in an area with lots of ticks, I use long socks and put a rubber band around them to hold the pant legs in place. I also at times wear hunting pants that have a draw string at the bottom.

It also is important to wear a hat. This will keep ticks from dropping off overhead branches into your hair. Light color for the hat and clothes make it easier to see the tiny nasties.

Repellents are most effective in keeping ticks away from any exposed skin, if you spray the clothes. I use Duranon Tick Repellent, which contains permethrin. Whatever brand you use, the ingredient permethrin is important. It needs to be sprayed on clothing a couple of hours prior to wearing them.

After leaving a grassy or wooded area, you should check for ticks on your clothing or skin. If a tick is attached to your skin, it can be removed with either tweezers or forceps by grasping the insect as close to the skin as possible. Try to move the head of the tick.

Ticks should not be removed with your bare fingers, but if tweezers or forceps are not available, you can use tissue paper or a paper towel to prevent the passing of any possible infection.

I use a tool called a Tick Remover. I keep one hanging on the side of refrigerator along with family pictures, doctor appointment reminders,  and my wife’s “To Do” lists.

SCS Limited has a very good website with information about ticks and other insect pests, how to prevent them, and much more. The site is: www.tickinfo.com.

Ah, spring; ah, morel mushrooms

Black morels usually are the first to appear. They can be tough to see, but are good to eat.

        It's been a tough winter, but with spring finally on the horizon, thoughts change from shoveling snow and salting ice, to catching crappie and hunting for morel mushrooms.

Black morels should be making their way through deep woods leaves in the near future. I have found them as early as the last week in March, but that is rare. Early April usually marks their arrival.

A quick look on the internet indicated  a few black and small gray morels were found March 11 in Georgia. As the weather warms finds begin to move north, and will continue till late spring in the northwoods of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Dedicated mushroom hunters (shoomers) follow these tasty fungi all the way to the northern border. Many find plenty to sell to folks who don't want to, or can't, venture into the woods distant from home. 

Two keys to a good spring morel season are moisture and warm weather. We've had the moisture this winter, now for the warmth. My friend Doyle Coultas also believes a snowy winter also is benfeficial to spring mushroom finds.

The early black morels, also called “hickory chickens” and by probably a dozen other local names, are the first to appear. 

The blacks are usually found in heavy wooded areas, and are first found on the south or southeastern side of hills where the early spring sun strikes first. It won’t take too many sunny days and it will be worth a trip to the woods to see if any blacks just might have popped through the leaves.

The blacks are  followed (and overlapped) with the long stem variety, then the white morels and the big yellow sponges. There usually is three weeks or so of good hunting.

While hunting morels, it also is a good opportunity to scout for wild turkeys and find good hunting sports for the season that opens in Indiana April 22 and runs through May 10.

It’s also fun to enjoy a combination day of mushroom hunting and crappie fishing. If successful, it 

Word of caution -- Don’t eat any mushroom you aren’t sure is safe. The morels are wonderful eating; however, some other types of fungi are poisonous. There are numerous books and internet websites which identify the edible mushrooms. 

There are many types of mushrooms; however, I concentrate on the morels. They are the ones I know best, and I feel confident picking and eating them.

The mushroom books are good, but I highly recommend first time hunters try to get out with an experienced “shroomer” as the hard-core hunters call themselves. An experienced hunter not only teach you to identify the morels, he or she also can provide tips on how and where to find them.

Bass pro Jordon keeps spoons handy

Photo courtesy Yamaha

Spoons can be successful in catching northern pike, lake trout, and muskies, however Yamaha pro angler Kelly Jordon also uses them for largemouth bass.

Spoons have produced northern pike and lake trout for this old scribe for years in Canada, but I never gave much thought or effort to using them for bass in the Midwest.

True, I have caught several bass on a Johnson Silver Minnow over the years, but that is the extent of my spoon success stateside. So, a recent news release from Yamaha was of considerable interest. It is worth sharing.

“If you caught 15 bass, each weighing between four and six pounds, on the first 15 casts you ever made with a new lure, wouldn’t that lure become one of your all-time favorites? Of course it would, which is exactly what happened to Yamaha Pro Kelly Jordon several years ago when he decided to tie on a big flutter spoon one afternoon at Lake Fork. Ever since that day, Jordon has kept a box full of spoons in his boat and ready to use, regardless of the time of year.

“I had known about the big six-inch flutter spoons for some time, because they’re made right at Lake Fork by a friend who had designed some special spinnerbaits for me,” admits Jordon, “but I just never had considered using them. Then, when I found a school of bass suspended about 25 feet deep off an old sunken bridge and didn’t have any other lures I could use efficiently at that depth, I put one on.

“On my first cast, I counted it down to what I thought would be the right depth, jerked it once, and a six-pound bass just slammed it. I caught a four-pounder the next cast, and that’s how it started. I caught 15 bass on my first 15 casts before I lost one.”

The Yamaha Pro believes the 1 1/2-ounce lures trigger strikes because they imitate a shad either dying or being chased by another bass, since they can be retrieved to flutter erratically up and down throughout the water column. Jordon has caught fish on them from 10 feet down to about 50 feet, but knows other anglers who’ve caught bass as deep as 80 feet with the big spoons.

“The winter months are a good time to use big spoons because they do work so well in deep water,” says Jordon, “especially when the fish are very close to the bottom. I like to make a cast, let the spoon sink completely to the bottom, then hop it lightly. I do this with my rod tip and only hop the lure six to 12 inches up above the bottom at a time, and after two or three hops, I’ll just let the spoon lie motionless. 

“I have actually had bass pick up my spoon when it is lying on the bottom, but not often. Most strikes come either as the spoon begins its upward movement, or when it’s falling.”

If he locates bass suspended five or six feet above the bottom, Jordon will still begin by making short bottom hops with the spoon, but then he’ll suddenly rip the lure up through the fish and let it fall again. When fish are suspended even higher, he’ll cast beyond them, let the spoon sink, then begin swimming it back, sometimes reeling really fast, then stopping so the spoon sinks. Because of the way they are designed, these lures flutter as they’re falling, too.

“These big spoons are not effective around vegetation because the dangling treble hook does get snagged, but they’re excellent winter choices around deeper structure like ledges and breaklines, humps and high spots, and certainly along sunken roadbeds and old bridges. If they do snag, you can usually jiggle them free because they’re so heavy.

Yes, this old scribe, now also keeps several spoons in my tackle box.