A travel year in review: 2017 / January 24, 2018 by Tara Tayan

Hey there friends. I'm keeping it short and simple - A year in review of different 2017 adventures.

Weeks of erosion left the California coast in disarray. Massive mudslides and flooding. CA Residents said they hadn't seen rain in California in 6-7 years. The coast was completely transformed. As we travelled down, we soon realized this trip w… — Weeks of erosion left the California coast in disarray. Massive mudslides and flooding. CA Residents said they hadn't seen rain in California in 6-7 years. The coast was completely transformed. As we travelled down, we soon realized this trip wasn't going to be what we thought. Big Sur dreams were put off for next time.

Shark Fin Cove, a one of the many nondescript parts of the the coast along PCH in Davenport. Absolutely breathtaking views.

The rain cleared just as we drove into Santa Cruz, stopping to eat, then walked out to the wharf where there was a lot of tourist shops and and barking seals.

Joshua Tree National Park. I love the desert.

One of the many beautiful sunsets in California at Arch Rock.

Pioneertown! Originally built as a Western movie set in the 40's even with places to stay for the actors, this town is a strange and definite stop while in the Joshua Tree area.

Sunday morning we woke up to Gabby yelling "OH SHIT! IT SNOWED." I simultaneously   wanted to look and keep sleeping. And sure enough I got out of bed, looked outside and saw a pristine soft white over everything. Quickly we got dressed and rus… — Sunday morning we woke up to Gabby yelling "OH SHIT! IT SNOWED." I simultaneously wanted to look and keep sleeping. And sure enough I got out of bed, looked outside and saw a pristine soft white over everything. Quickly we got dressed and rushed otuside to take advantage of the lack of people and gorgeous light.

White turkey hunting, I found lost treasures at the Delaware Water Gap in NJ.

Spring break started at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, looking for Sika deer ( google it.)

Stopped for some pulled pork at Woody's Beach BBQ in Chincoteague.

Longwood Gardens, opening of the new fountains.

Stayed at some pretty rad Airbnbs but this one in Ashland, at the beginning of our road trip through Oregon, tops many of them.

You don't need a license to fish at Crater Lake, just patience. Rainbow trout and kokanee salmon were dumped in here by some rich dude in the 1800's.

You could see the ash fall from the sky and there was a constant smell of smoke. Here's just one of the bloody, apocalyptic sunsets in Bend.

SCRAP PDX, a funky junk/ art supply store heaven.

Thought I saw dinosaurs in Redwood National Forest.

A banana slug's favorite snack is dandelions.

Epic picnics in the backcountry of Salem, NJ.

Ended the year at the happiest god damn place on earth.

Exploring the Delaware Water Gap Part II - The Hunt / July 25, 2016 by Tara Tayan

The other recreational activity Zack has introduced me to is hunting. The Water Gap has provided Zack and his family hunting adventures and wild fare for over 10 years. It took some convincing, with promises of “free-range, steroid-free” meat and remote photo-shoot locations, but this past spring we embarked on a hunt for wild turkey. However, I quickly realized in observing the nuances of the hunt and Zack’s intimate knowledge of the area that has come from hunting the area for so long would provide plenty of unique photography opportunities. Here is a general guideline for the process of turkey hunting and some photographs along the way.

During this trip to the Delaware Water Gap, this hunter uses Lynchs turkey box call.

Taking a relaxing break against a tree trunk in the Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey.

Locating Turkey Populations

Before the hunt can begin the turkeys’ approximate locations must be found. We narrowed our search to old farm fields and the wooded ridges that surround them. Some of the fields are completely over-grown now, some are mowed and others are still leased out and used for farming. All make for great turkey habitat. Turkeys can be located using any number of calls impersonating a turkey. Zack uses a “box call.” It is ideal to find their location just before dark because the turkeys roost in trees for the night, so you know they’ll still be there in the morning.

Searching around an abandoned farm field in preparation for turkey hunting in the Delaware Water Gap.

A Lynch Box call.  The underside of the lid has a thin layer of chalk and is scraped across one side of the box. — A Lynch Box call. The underside of the lid has a thin layer of chalk and is scraped across one side of the box.

This hen (female turkey) was getting ready to roost in the area close to where we decided to hunt.

Preparing our camp for the night.  We slept in the car. — Preparing our camp for the night. We slept in the car.

The Morning Hunt

The key is to get close enough to where you think the turkeys are roosting, but not too close as to alert them of your presence. The turkeys must be lured to you using a call, but using a decoy turkey can also add incentive, if you can find a spot open enough for the decoy to be visible while also offering enough cover for hiding. As the sky begins to lighten, the turkeys begin to talk to each other. We knew their approximate location, so we tried to plant ourselves amongst them in hopes of luring one within range. All morning we could here them calling in what seemed like every direction, but no luck.

Early morning turkey calling in the Delaware Water Gap in New Jersey.

Setting up the turkey decoy hen or jenny to lure in some male turkeys or jakes.

Hiding in brush with our camouflage to hide during turkey hunting in the Delaware Water Gap.

Our decoy turkey hen waits for other turkeys in the Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey.

Placing the turkey decoy in an open field during an early morning hunt in the Delaware Water Gap.

Hiding in brush, waiting for toms(older turkey) and jakes(young turkey), photography by Compass & Canvas.

In the Delaware Water Gap, turkey decoys are put out to lure in male turkeys.

A Browning semi-automatic for the hunting and a Mindshift backpack for the photographing.

A hunter walks through the Delaware Water Gap in New Jersey looking for turkeys, photography by Compass & Canvas.

The Late-Morning Hunt

In New Jersey turkey hunting is only permitted until 12pm to prevent hens from being disturbed as they hunker-down in their nesting areas for the afternoon. In the final hours before noon Zack likes to find a sunny-open area, preferably on a ridge close to a stream and take a little nap. After putting our decoy out about 30 yards from us, we relaxed under cover amongst dense vegetation surrounded on all sides by a mowed field. Zack would pop his head up every 15 minutes to look around and call. Sure enough, after about an hour two turkeys came out to investigate. The result was turkey chili.

Looking out from our hiding spot amongst the brush in the middle of the field.

Lynch's long beard turkey box-call is a great tool for helping hunters lure in turkeys.

The Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey side, is a vast space for hunting turkeys and other wildlife.

Wildlife photography documenting the science and knowledge of hunting turkeys in the Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey.

Finishing the job

Shooting the turkey is not the end of the hunt. After properly tagging and checking the turkey in at the proper location, the task becomes removing and cleaning the meat.

After enough of the feathers are removed cut along the sternum to remove the breast meat.

A recently shot turkey is being butchered and prepared for a tasty meal.

A turkey foot is removed during the process of preparing turkey meat for eating.

After the breasts are cut out, the skin can be pealed away from the drum sticks (basically turning them inside-out) and then cut them away from the body. — After the breasts are cut out, the skin can be pealed away from the drum sticks (basically turning them inside-out) and then cut them away from the body.

A look at the iridescent brown feathers of a wild turkey, photography by Compass & Canvas.

If you missed part I of our favorite things to do at the Delaware Water Gap, click here.

Our Favorite Things To Do at the Delaware Water Gap / July 19, 2016 by Tara Tayan

The Delaware Water Gap National Forest boasts a large swathe of preserved land on both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey sides of the Delaware River, offering endless recreational activities. Plus, exploring past human developments ended by the purchase of the land by the Federal Government, now frozen in time by the protection of the park, can be just as fun. It is awesome having land preservation on such a large scale less than 2 hours away from Philadelphia. The miles of, at times treacherous, back roads make one feel as though they are in a remote wilderness.

Crossing Dingman's Ferry Bridge from PA to NJ.

A scenic view during a hike in the Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey.

The smoke from a forest fire on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River from New Jersey.

Outdoor hiking in the backwoods of the Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey.

The Delaware Water Gap National Forest came into existence in the 1960s when the federal government began buying up land in the area in order to put a dam on the Delaware River. The plan fell through and the land was turned over to the National Park Service who continued to buy up land in the area from anyone willing to sell. In many cases the settlements on that land, farms, inns, houses and even small towns remain and are left untouched. This scattered abandonment offers a unique natural experience and a glimpse into the areas history. Plus, it makes for some damn good photo ops. Here are a few of the best locations for abandoned development in the Delaware Water Gap National Forest…

Looking across Long Pine Pond, New Jersey, once the center of a Boy Scout Camp.

Pondering if we should take a dip into Long Pine Pond, New Jersey.

A picnic area, part of which is now in Crater Lake, New Jersey.

An overlook close to the Appalachian Trail, New Jersey.

An abandoned farm house we passed on the way to Buttermilk Falls, New Jersey.

An abandoned farm off of Mountain Road travelling north toward Buttermilk Falls, New Jersey.

Hiking through the Delaware Water Gap on the way to Buttermilk Falls in New Jersey.

An old, abandoned outhouse structure in the Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey side.

An old abandoned destroyed structure in the Delaware Water Gap forest in New Jersey.

Abandoned farm at the intersection of Old Mine Road and Kuhn Road, New Jersey.

If you walk toward the Delaware River from the farm shown above you come across some older ruins.

Remains of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad Bridge at Karamac.

As far as more traditional recreation activities, we love hiking through the park, specifically in the summer when the destination is a waterfall or some sort of cliff where we can jump into a pristine, or at least refreshing, body of water. There are opportunities for this on both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey side of the park. Here are a few locations for swimming, cliff jumping, or at least sight seeing in the Delaware Water Gap National Forest.