Some thing out of place!!

[dozer]

Last night I was a little late. Didn't get headed home until near 8pm. I was going up my driveway and as I came to the old orchard (apples, about 130 years old) something caught my eye as it approached the road. Something large.

Up onto the road pops a bull moose!!!! Young one. There aren't supposed to be moose here. I guess no one told him that. I got home (another 250 yds up the drive) and called all the neighbors to alert them. I think everyone was out looking for him.

Over the years I have also seen 2 young big horn rams. Also not supposed to be here, but they do live about 15 miles from me so not such a surprise. Moose, none anywhere around here. There are sightings almost every year of singles or cow/calves moving through. No one has any idea where they are coming from. Nearest I know of are nearly 100 miles away.

To date on my place I have seen: moose, big horn sheep, elk, deer, bear, cougar, bobcats. Most of the small critters: racoon, skunk, bunnies, porky pines, beaver. Birds: turkey, pheasant, blue grouse, rough grouse, quail, huns. I've probably forgotten some, but I guess this place is wilder than I thought it could be!!
Doz

[Brent]

There aren't supposed to be moose in Iowa either, but every so often, some illiterate moose that doesn't know any better, shows up. Young males of many species do this. Mountain lion is another species that does this somewhat regularly.

Brent

[mdeland]

Dozer, ever have any wolverine pay a visit? I once, in my youth, was loaping down a moutain after sneaking up on some Dall rams above lower Russian lake on the Keni, ran up on an over turned spuce and jumped off the end. While in mid air I saw a flash of color underneath me and after landing, getting stopped and turned around saw a rather surprised Wolverine hightailing it up the slope I had just came down. I'm sure he though a wolf had about nabbed him. M. DeLand

[RMulhern]

dozer

Wished I lived up there so I could see all that! Nothing here but 'gators & Porch Monkeys'!!

[fatbelly]

All I see is hedgepigs and the occasional fox. Make the most of it Smokeater it might not last forever

[mdeland]

Yerterday at our midrange shoot on Ft. Richardson I saw a wolf come cantering down the road in back of the berm while setting up wind flags. I have not seen one this close to town before and was surprised to learn from a range offical that there is a whole pack of them that are commonly seen on the shooting complex.
I first spotted him at about 200 yards and thought coyote but upon a double take I realized it was twice the size of any coyote and then noticing the peculiar gate they have recognized what I was seeing. I love to see the wild critters. MD

[fatbelly]

mdeland

That is so cool, I love wolves, and all dogs for that matter.

Made it a rule to never be without a dog. We got a regular mutt at present, got him from a rescue centre, daft as a box of biscuits, but we love him even though the silly old bugger messes all over the kitchen floor sometimes. Senility ... comes to us all eventually. Er ... gotta run ... scuse me .....

[Handirifle]

MOstly all we see around here is gangbangers and jackrabbits. Unfortunatly the only open season is year round for jackrabbits. Nothing on the gangbangers, YET.

[Rickba]

Hey Smoke eater,
I live in NW Pa. Mountains. Not bad country But the people suck and 47% of your income goes to taxes. We even pay a 'Right to Work Tax'. You can't get a job unless you pay it. That's probibly why the people are so unhappy here. I,ve lived around the country and we pay higher taxes than anywhere I've ever lived. They need to rename this place Taxilvania.
I understand where you are coming fron though. We moved here to be near my wifes family. I hate it here, but she won't move. If it where up to me, I'd be in Wyoming or Montana.
Rick

[mnimrod45]

Hey dozer,

I don't know where exactly you live int he northwest but I have lived all over WA state and have actually seen a lot of moose here. I used to work in the woods as a wildlife biologist in Colville and saw many, many moose there. I have also seen moose in Pullman, Winthrop, Spokane and my buddy just showed me pictures of two he saw in the Tri-Cities-Richland, Pasco, Kennewick, of all places.

The buggers are here more than people think. WA is underated for it's big game compared to other western states but I believe we have more species than any other state-people just don't realize it.

We have blacktail deer, mule deer, white tailed deer, we even have Columbian white tailed deer. There are both Rocky Mountain Elk and Roosevelt Elk as well as both California big horn sheep and Rocky Mountain big horn sheep. Mountain Goats, Moose, Black Bear, Cougar and believe it or not there are both Grizzly and Woodland Caribou in small numbers in the Selkirk Mountains-NE corner of the state. Probably more critters I haven't even mentioned.

Just some useless info that I'm full of. Shoot Straight

[Trigger Dr]

Mnimrod45...
Damnit man,.... keep quiet about our abundant game... there are too many Californications moving in to the area and we don't want to encourage them.

[deerhuntsheatmeup]

Trigger Doc,

Might not be the Californicators you need to worry about, maybe it be the Dixie Skillet brigade that might do your herd more serious damage.

Short story, 4-5 years ago, my cousin asked me and a couple buddies to come up to his ranch in NW Nebraska and hunt deer. Seems a few locals had been hunting and had not had any luck, they could see deer, but could not get close enuff for a shot. Well, he turned 3 MS boys loose on 25k acres and we collected 6 mule deer in 3 days and were selective about what we shot. Needless to say, he ribbed the locals about not knowing how to hunt like us rebels. Of course we been sneakin' up on critters all our life, mostly large, smart whitetails, so them mule deer were like shootin' penned goats to us.

Anyhow, glad ya'll have plenty of game and I hope you many skillets full of venison filets, and the other wild game that eats better than most domestic raised meat.

Best, Barvid

[Trigger Dr]

Barvid,
I would welcome ANY of the Dixie Skillet Brigade. they's gooduns peepul
Jim