[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Video–2014 Backcountry Hunters and Anglers National Rendezvous Denver #18607

There are very few occasions I regret not having attended some conference. But this is now at the top of that exclusive list.

Kudos to all involved, and thanks for the chance to experience a tiny bit of this event, however vicariously!

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Spring fever #17435

They are indeed turkey tracks. I’ve been having a ball following their comings and goings. At times they’ll follow woods roads in squad-sized groups or larger, marching for a half mile or more without even pausing to look to the side.

I was out stumping yesterday – had to stick to the packed-down snowmobile trails and could have used snowshoes for sure in the woods. The bottom has dropped out of other trails and in the woods, so the skiing has pretty much ended. But there’s still hope, Colonel. Thirty days and counting. 😈

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Spring fever #14875

Hmmm, 32 days and counting …

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Spring fever #14212

R2 wrote: Looks like you got more storms coming your way.

One should never forget the possibility of this when living here in New England:

The Year Without a Summer

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Spring fever #12153

dbartlett1958 wrote: Yesterday I was able to get outside and shoot some in the driveway. It was a nice change from the basement range.

Much better lighting and distance options.

Looking good! I got out for some limited stumpin’ the other day. I thought today’s predicted downpour was going to wash away more snow, but the rain has moved on and there’s still a couple feet in the woods. Only the bases of our trees are bare so far.

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: New Traditional Archery #9778

Rudy, if you haven’t already, you should hook up with The Cook Inlet Archers. Tell Vikki that Charlie sent you.

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Hybred Deer in AZ. #62751

Good general discussion of hybrids here: Tails With A Dark Side: The truth about whitetail – mule deer hybrids

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Red dot #61761

Great tip, Jason! Now that I know it, I can’t “visualize” not using it from this point on.

Anyone know how much duct tape I’ll need to get my shotgun scope attached firmly to my new-to-me Morrison custom Dakota? 😈

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Spring fever #55989

Two to three feet of stout, walkable snow in the woods here in NH. Three to five inches more forecast for tonight, with lows this weekend and beyond in the single digits.

Still lookin’ good for chasing turkeys while I’m on my skis – 45 days and counting. 😈

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Practice in Less than Ideal Conditions #54456

OMG, the camera-shooting virus has spread westward against the wind. 😉

Good on ya for getting out to practice and thanks for the video!

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Wolves and Rivers Video #47022

Thanks for the tip!

“The strongest explanation for why the wolves have made less of a difference than we expected comes from a long-term, experimental study by a research group at Colorado State University. This study, which focused on willows, showed that the decades without wolves changed Yellowstone too much to undo.”

Astute, data-craving readers of this thread know that already, of course. 😉

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: cool documentary #46106

Smithhammer wrote: This has been on my ‘watch’ list for way too long. I need to cue it up – thanks for the reminder.

Yeah, what he said. 😉

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Wolves and Rivers Video #44093

donthomas wrote: Also, please note that your third reference concludes, in essence, that it’s more complicated than that. It usually is. Don

Yes, I thought later about clarifying this point, because I could have worded it better. My listing of the three links should not be read as saying that the Monbiot talk and video were based on those three studies in particular.

I surmised that the talk and video were based on such studies, but I don’t have explicit evidence of that. I added the links for the benefit of those who wanted data from such studies.

Sorry for any lack of clarity on this point. Correct attribution to sources is a very big deal to me and has been since I participated in my first debate contest, back when Fred Bear was flinging arrows at polar bears. 😉

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Wolves and Rivers Video #44080

It was indeed Aldo Leopold:

“We reached the old wolf in time to watch a fierce green fire dying in her eyes. I realized then, and have known ever since, that there was something new to me in those eyes—something known only to her and to the mountain. I was young then, and full of trigger-itch; I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters’ paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view.”

– Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac, 1949

As it happens, there was a film released last year concerning what he wrote that you may be interested in:

Green Fire – Aldo Leopold And a Land Ethic for Our Time

[Charles Ek]

in reply to: Spring fever #41477

The turkey season here in NH opens on May 3rd. I have long held an ambition to use skis to hunt them. Came close a few years back – this year is looking pretty good with a morning low of -6, three feet of snow in the woods and a possible big storm next week.

I’m inspired by one of the hunters depicted here:

Böksta Runestone

[Author]

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