March 15, 2013 Interesting Discussions......

Since it is rather greying up out there,  I decided we needed another day brightener at the top of this.
Another of my currently blooming orchids! I do love my orchids and they usually please me by blooming at least twice every year.
The other day when I was out hiking with Toby to a place to photograph ice and explore a bit, we came across a serious blood trail crossing the path we were on.  Toby, was of course, fascinated by this and the smells.  We had been following several large wolf tracks and there was plenty of fresh wolf scat too.  They had been busy.  I told him to come on and we continued on our way.
Toby hasn't gotten to see a lot of that type of thing....or shall I say smell it.  Some of my other dogs did and quite often.  It isn't something you run on to every day; however, sometimes, it can happen a lot in a relatively short time frame.
One gal wanted to know how I dared walk all the places I do with Toby....since, most who know me know I am usually by myself.  I told her, I go prepared.....for whatever.  The "whatever" being wolves a majority of the time.  For all the up close and personal encounters I have had, with and without my dogs, with and without a gun, I have never had to use it.  A couple of times.....I gotta tell you....it was  tempting.  Wolves that behave in that manner make people nervous.  I have had them at 10 feet or less, more than once.....again, with and without dogs.
One big issue for me, even if I really wanted to pull that trigger.....and actually was within my rights....even tho it hadn't attacked, yet...... well, I have always had bird dogs.  Hunting dogs in other words!  If I had shot that wolf.....it would have meant, to the dog, fair game.  They would have, from that point on, chased that smell......which I had previously trained them to a "NO" on, even going so far as to use a shock collar....to "tree it"....or something, so I could shoot it.  Did I want that to happen......no thank you.
One of the hairiest, I think, was when Casey, my lab/golden mix, was 4 months old.  Willie, my black lab, a hundred and ten pounds of solid muscle, was leading.  It was a Columbus day holiday so I was off work and clear back in the sticks on a deer trail hunting grouse.  Casey, such a cute little squirt, was learning the tricks from pro Willie!  Anyway, as we were moseying down this deer trail, all of a sudden a deer come flying down the trail right at us.  She barely ran around us and didn't even slow down.  Here come the wolf.....right behind it.  Oh crap!  I grabbed Willie by the collar, pretty much sat on Casey, ....he was between my legs and I was trying to keep him contained....at any rate, and had the shotgun in my other hand.  A single shot .410 shotgun.  Wow!  So, you picture that...me sitting on the puppy while holding the collar of a mad black lab with my left hand and the shotgun in my right hand, with the safety now off.  The wolf was at 10 feet and still coming at this point.  Then, Willie couldn't stand it any longer and with a mighty pull jerked free of me.  He tore after that wolf, which was luckily a youngster....tho by October, decent sized...and it ran.  I yelled at Willie who finally came back...like...."did I do good, or what!"  Well, I guess he did.  Everyone was safe and sound.  It didn't mean we didn't have a few moments there.....
One other time was after Casey was full grown, with Willie, and we ran in to one in November.  Both dogs got on either side of the big old lone wolf.  I could have whacked that wolf with my rifle.....
Oh my word.....can I yell if I need to.....and I did.  I told those dogs to get over here  NOW!   And, they did.  Drop my teeth!  (Not really....mine are my own.....but, you get the point!)  I never, to this day, know what transpired there.  I never heard a sound out of the wolf and the dogs came and stood by me as the wolf walked off.  But, evidently someone gave off some vibes that said everyone better mind their Ps &Qs.
So.....two of the times, with dogs along, that turned out well.  It happens.  I am thankful for that.
We ended the conversation with maybe she should try that so she could go more often too.    And, you know what....usually....I said USUALLY, it turns out ok.

This is one of the photos I took after crossing the blood trail and getting to the beach.  It was such an absolutely gorgeous day out there.  I broke a few icicles getting in this ice cave.  I could have used just a bit more room.  Oh well....I fit!  :)   Toby was on top of it, waiting for me.......   :)

October 6, 2012 Wolves: To hunt or not to hunt, that is the question.

This is a hot button topic these days in Minnesota.  If they asked me....and they didn't, I would say that hunting the wolves in Minnesota is the best thing that could ever happen to them.  Why?  Let me tell you.  Back in the 1970s when it was legal, I trapped wolves.....and every thing else that was legal. Do you know what, most wolves were pretty dang smart about staying away from traps and people back then.  They aren't any more.  Whether it be the hiker, logger, hunter....don't matter....they will walk up to you for a better look.  And if you have a dog with you, they are thinking about their next meal.  If we start shooting a few wolves again, they may get back their former fear/respect of people.  I am assuming, here, that a few people anyway, are going to miss.  Now, being shot at even, is just another sound they have gotten used to because it has been against the law for so long to kill one.   Just a few years after it was no longer legal to trap wolves, or kill them, I had to even quit trapping fox one winter.  There was a big wolf pack hanging around and no matter what I did, they would steal the bait and dig up the traps that were too small to hold them.  There was yellow snow everywhere.  It looked like a wolf barn yard.  I could hardly believe what I was seeing, such a short time after the protection was started at that.  They are not dumb animals.
Since protection, I have walked up to and been walked up on .....wolves. Usually one or two wolves....sometimes 12 or 13 wolves.....when the big packs have been around.  When you are out deer hunting, as I was one time....just having come out on a rock outcrop....see movement, stop still....watch.....to see 13 wolves file by, that is quite a sight to see.
One other day, I was out prowling .... with a rifle ......deer season....I walked right up on a large wolf laying on a rock outcrop.  I was sooo close to it, even I couldn't believe it.  It saw me....got up, looked at me like "what the heck!"  It walked off a few steps, turned around, and looked again with that how did you manage that look.  It never, ever, once acted nervous or did it run.  It just walked off.  Of course, armed with a rifle, I didn't need to be nervous either.  But, that isn't always the case.  I have had some up close and personal stories  concerning our magnificent wolves that made even me pretty nervous.  However, so far, I am still here to talk about it.
Those are stories for another day.  I will tell you some of them some time.
My latest incident was in July of this year.  I was out for my early morning walk with Toby, on the county road we live on, and I met the whole pack that is hanging out here coming down the road at me.  It is July.....summer.....when they used to be back  away from the people for the season, and here they were......one of those few "oh shit" moments I have had in my life.  When you have your dog and see them all coming, it isn't a nice feeling.  However, just before they got in range of my Smith and Wesson I carry for that reason, they filed off into the woods without incident.  Boy, did I breathe a sigh of relief about then.
So, yes.....ask some of the people that live among them, lose dogs or other pets to them...in their yards....ask them what they think.  A bit of shooting at the wolves again for their education and safety would be a good thing.  In the long run, it will help a lot more of them live longer.