I just finished placing my first letterbox series. Here is the info:

Signs of Life letterboxes
South Shore Management Area
South Kingstown,
Washington County, RI
placed: May 3, 2002

Clues:

Signs of Life (4)
South Shore Management Area
South Kingstown, RI

Difficulty: Hike & Clues easy (total hike approx. 1 mile) This is a
hunting area so mandatory florescent orange required October through
end of February. Observe all local & posted regulations. Take
proper precautions against disease carrying deer ticks and poison ivy.

Background: The South Shore Management Area is state-owned
management area located near the Charlestown-South Kingstown town
border. Today's hike takes you to two separate land parcels
separated by a short 2 mile drive along scenic Matunuck School House
Rd. The management area is on the major waterfowl fly way and is
teeming with wild life. Signs of wild life are everywhere. During
the fall & winter months there are distant views of a barrier beach,
salt pond, Block Island & the Atlantic Ocean. Many times deer can be
seen grazing in the corn fields at dusk.

Directions: Take Rt-1 to Moonstone Beach Rd. (about 6 miles south of
Narragansett exits) Turn south on Moonstone Beach Rd. The South
Shore Management Area Field #5 is a dirt road about mile down on
the right. There is no identifying sign however there are DEM
postings and a small wooden sign with the number 5 on it. Drive in
as far as you can & park in the small dirt parking area.

Clues: Walk from your car into the management area along the dirt
road. This land was once the Charles T. Cashman dairy farm until the
1950s when it was briefly a quarry. Follow the dirt path due west
past the brown management area signs into the corn fields. As you
walk along the path look for signs of life. Deer tracks can be seen
in the packed dirt. A good size pack of coyote live in this area.
If you look carefully you will find signs of coyote and fox. You
will soon pass a large rock pile (left over from the quarry days.)
When you reach the south west corner of the corn field, turn north
still following the edge of the field. At the north west corner of
the field turn east and there will be a path leaving the field to the
north. Take this path & immediately turn right. Follow this path to
a break in a stone wall. Look low along the wall on the right side
of the trail on a diagonal line between two trees to find
"Wily."
Stamp in and re-hide carefully.

Continue on the trail a short distance. Take the first trail you come
to on your left (west.) Follow this trail around to the south until
it comes back out on the main trail. Turn right and head back to the
opening in the fields (will be on your left.) Walk back through the
fields to the wooden signs. Turn right at the Charles T. Cashman
sign. As you walk down the dirt path you can see the large dairy
barn that was part of the original farm. On your right you will see a
small frog pond. Peepers in this pond announce the arrival of spring
each year. A red tail hawk lives in the pasture in front of you. If
you are lucky you may see him hunting for field mice. When you reach
the metal gate at the end of the path look between the two large
rocks on your left to find "Kermit." Stamp in. Head back up
the
path to the brown signs. Turn right to return to your car.

Leave the management area by turning right on Moonstone Beach Rd. Go
mile to the 4-way stop sign. Turn right onto Matunuck School
House
Rd. At 1 miles Green Hill Beach Rd comes in on the left and
Matunuck School House Rd turns sharply to the right. Immediately
after this sharp right turn, take a right onto Green Hill Beach Rd.
Go mile to South Shore Management Area Field #6 on the right
(directly opposite Auburn Rd.) You will have to park on the grass
along the road. Do not block the bar way.

Follow the lane down to the entrance to the fields. When you enter
the field immediately turn right and walk south along the edge of the
field. Walk through the break in the stone wall into the next
field. Turn and walk east along the edge of this field. When you
reach the tree line at the east end of the field do not continue
straight ahead but rather take the path 30 ft to your right into the
woods. Follow the path east keeping the stone wall and field to your
left. At the first grassy area you come to turn right. Just as you
reach the end of this small narrow field you will see an opening in
the stone wall on your left. "Peter" sits tucked in the wall
on the
left approx. 6 ft from the opening behind a 3-trunked tree.

After stamping in go back up the narrow field and turn right to walk
past the yellow "No Hunting" sign. Take an immediate left
into the
next field. Turn right and walk along the edge of the field. When
you reach the opposite side of the field from where you entered take
the path on the right through the trees into the next field.
Continue walking north along the edge of the field. When you reach
the next tree line keep walking straight (north) through the trees
into the next field. Walk into the field a short ways. You will see
a small pond on your right at the east end of the field. Head
towards the pond keeping the tree line to your right, the field to
your left and the pond in front of you. When you reach the edge of
the field by the pond you will see a path that runs along the right
side of the pond. Follow this path a short distance until you see a
stone wall coming in on an angle on the right. (there is an old
fence post at the end of this wall.) You will find "Bambi"
12 ft in
low on the left side of the wall. After stamping in go back down the
path the way you came and head out through the fields back to your
car.

I hope you enjoyed seeing these "Signs of Life."

Before setting out be sure to read the waiver of responsibility and
disclaimer.