Howardsville is just South of Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Ocean County, just North of route 72. Howardsville cranberry bogs are very old, having been created in 1872. There are 9-11 bogs in a row, depending upon who's counting.
The Pine Barren Explorer's took a 5 mile trip in and around the bogs on this sunny warm saturday in December. These bogs are heavily choked with high bush blueberry and greenbriar, and the going was rough and intense. There were open spaces yes, but they were only around the fields and causeways. Once we got to the last bog, we continued going through very thick woods until we reached the very beginning of this branch of the Oswego River.
We are all exhausted, and had to stop at Mayo's for a couple cold beers when we got done. Coming along on this trip in addition to myself were: Bear (Steve), Guy, Ben, Woodjin (Jeff), ChrisNJ, Long-A-Coming (Tom), and Paul. Here are some photos, and I'm hoping the other guys will post some more:
A nice cedar on the way in. Thats Guy claiming it as his very own. There were quite a few nice, tall, perfectly round beauties on the streamsides.
There were many old, old spillways. Here is one:
Jeff, Bear, and Chris in one of the bogs that were not choked up:
Here is the infamous oak tree in the Howardsville Field:
A hidden hideaway camp spot deep in the woods. We all felt great in this spot with the sun shining down and warming our weary bones.
Jeff, in a hunters plastic chair right as it was collapsing beneath him!
And finally, in the deer field at the end of the trip, the big man himself:
It was an overall decent day. We gave the trip a 7.2 out of 10.
The Pine Barren Explorer's took a 5 mile trip in and around the bogs on this sunny warm saturday in December. These bogs are heavily choked with high bush blueberry and greenbriar, and the going was rough and intense. There were open spaces yes, but they were only around the fields and causeways. Once we got to the last bog, we continued going through very thick woods until we reached the very beginning of this branch of the Oswego River.
We are all exhausted, and had to stop at Mayo's for a couple cold beers when we got done. Coming along on this trip in addition to myself were: Bear (Steve), Guy, Ben, Woodjin (Jeff), ChrisNJ, Long-A-Coming (Tom), and Paul. Here are some photos, and I'm hoping the other guys will post some more:
A nice cedar on the way in. Thats Guy claiming it as his very own. There were quite a few nice, tall, perfectly round beauties on the streamsides.
There were many old, old spillways. Here is one:
Jeff, Bear, and Chris in one of the bogs that were not choked up:
Here is the infamous oak tree in the Howardsville Field:
A hidden hideaway camp spot deep in the woods. We all felt great in this spot with the sun shining down and warming our weary bones.
Jeff, in a hunters plastic chair right as it was collapsing beneath him!
And finally, in the deer field at the end of the trip, the big man himself:
It was an overall decent day. We gave the trip a 7.2 out of 10.
