Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Tuckahoe

A few pictures from a recent hunting camp at Tuckahoe.....15,000 acres of protected bottomland along the Savannah River in Screven County. Tuckahoe is state-owned land, and is available to the public for hunting, fishing, bird watching, canoeing, hiking…... The hunting is limited, but is exceptional when open.

I can't find a definitive meaning for the word Tuckahoe. Some say the name refers to an underground tuber used by Native Americans as "bread", or to the seeds of the marsh plant arrow-arum. Still others refer to a medicinal herb by the same name. Regardless, the word rolls out easily in conversation and fits the quiet beauty of the land.

The river swamp at Tuckahoe differs greatly from our coastal swamps near home. Instead of the wet and tidal gum/cypress wetlands, Tuckahoe gently rises with mature hardwood flats broken by switchcane belts, and winding seasonal sloughs. This is Kilgo country......Cypress knees, swamp chestnut oak, and the hammering staccato of pileated woodpeckers. There are Indian mounds, and the numerous oxbow lakes along the river are accessible year round for canoeing, fishing, and camping.....we plan on a family trip soon.

There are many free and under-utilized public lands across the state….get out and enjoy them!


Wild turkey feather










Fresh venison


Slough


My companero, Ernie


Cypress knees along an oxbow lake











The long drag to camp, a good kind of tired.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Love the spider/spider web photo...It should be submitted to a nature magazine.