Happy Walkin' Bird Day From Your Friendly Neighborhood Trailblazer!

In anticipation of the coming Holiday, I figured I should post the best camera trap picture of a Walkin' Bird (Meleagris gallopavo) that I could ever hope to get.  Some students and I obtained this picture in the spring during a class exercise.  We didn't get any photos of hens on this occasion, so I'm assuming they were behind the camera.  This is the pose one would expect from a Tom on a greeting card for Thanksgiving (which is ironic, seeing that they usually adopt this posture in the spring, during the breeding season, and not in late November).

Also...have a look at this rafter (look it up :)  ).

Happy Halloween from Your Friendly Neighborhood Trailblazer!

 

Happy Halloween everyone!!

 

 

 

The Bull in the Jar

I recently needed to access the specimen collection housed at a nearby University.

This collection has many specimens that are of historical importance.

As I was climbing up and down the ladder, looking through various jars, I happened to glance up and see the following tag.....

Peering back at me through the sheer wall of his eternal resting place, sat The Beast......

......a large Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi), which is now a rather rare species in our neck of the woods.  In fact, it has likely been decades since one has existed on campus at the now urban university where this specimen is housed.

Although his clouded eye didn't see me, I couldn't help but smile at him.  It may seem strange to smile at the sight of a dead snake in a jar....and it is perhaps a shame that this once impressive critter ended up sitting in preservative on a shelf.

Yet, my smile was broad. 

Just imagining this large fella scaring the hell out of the inhabitants of the "men's dormitories" at the university over 80 years ago....one cannot help but chuckle.

An Interlude of Mink

At about 10:43 pm on the evening of February 18th, the dog scratched at the front door.

He's getting old now (over 12 years) and although I usually take him out right before bed.....I didn't want to risk making him wait, given his advanced age.

The temperature had been into the 40s during the day, and it had rained steadily since about 5 pm.  As has happened several times this winter, most of the snow had also melted, so everything outside was sloppy.  At around 9 pm, the temperature dropped and that rain became a wet, heavy snow.  By the time our dog scratched at the door, the snow was already about 1.5 inches deep.

I was in the middle of grading an assignment that my students had just turned in and didn't really want to stop at that moment to take the dog out.  Yet, I figured I better not push his old bladder.  I knew there was snow outside....but not enough to warrant my boots (the dog just walks along the driveway, usually).  I slipped on my "winter resistant" mocs (warm, but don't cover the ankle and not fully water proof).  I was also wearing light flannel pants that were a tad too long....but figured I didn't need to switch into anything warmer just to take the dog out quickly.

So, I threw on my winter coat and gloves, threw the leash on the dog and stepped outside with the flashlight.  Sleety snow was coming down pretty heavily.  The front yard was fairly well lit up (the snow was fresh and the cloudy sky must have been reflecting enough light back from town nearby).  As I was letting the door shut behind me, I happened to glance out into the front yard.

Before my eyes, a dark, elongated shaped bounded across the front yard towards the large spruce trees along the south border.  I was so astonished that I completely forgot about my flashlight until the last minute.  I turned it on just in time to shine the critter as it bounded around to the back of one of the spruce trees.  It's fur was very dark, altough it's back and tail were covered in snow.

That's gotta be a mink, I said to myself.

I had never seen mink near the house before....although I had seen roadkill along the creek not far from here.

I quickly walked up along the driveway to the road in the hopes that I'd see the mink if it was crossing.

Nothing.

So, the dog and I plunged into the newly fallen, wet snow to find the trail.  The tracks and trail indicated the animals was clearly a mustelid.  Bounding gait, five toes, and the trail led all over the place in an almost chaotic fashion.  It appeared to stop frequently and dig into the snow (for what, I'm not sure), only to keep moving.  The dog and I followed it frantically....through snow covered wet grass and into the apple orchard to the east.  Here the trail continued to meander almost aimlessly, circling back...stopping to dig.  At one point, I saw a fresh, glistening pile of scat.  I couldn't make anything out in the excrement that would indicate diet...and my flashlight wasn't the best, anyways, so we kept moving.  I was hoping to find where the critter went to, or came from.

Finally, the trail in this direction had looped around itself when I wasn't paying close enough attention.  As a result, it mixed with my tracks and the dog's...plus the sleet was covering my glasses....and I lost the trail.  It's possible I could have found it again, but wanted to see if I could located the other end of the mink's trail somewhere to the south.  So I moved over to where I saw the it go around the spruce tree.  My "too long" flannel pants were now getting soaked around the ankles....and snow balls were starting to form on the cuffs, which slapped around as I trudged through the snow (man, it was a dumb move not to have better leggings on!).  My less-than-appropriate footwear was also starting to threaten it would give in, but I was hoping to get an idea of where the critter was heading too.

Around the spruce tree, the snow had not started to collect yet.  I only found fragments of the trail here and there.  I tried shining my flashlight under the bottom boughs to see if I might catch a glimpse of eyes shining back at me......but no luck.  I had a brief concern that maybe I had actually seen a skunk (what an unpleasant thing, to be sprayed in the face while peering into the lower boughs of a spruce tree).  Yet, there is no way a skunk bounds like that....or had the tubular body like a mink. 

The dog and I wandered around the spruce trees for a few more seconds, as I hoped to pick up the trail again, but our tracks just made things indistinguishable.  Plus, I was getting alittle cold by that point and my glasses were so covered in sleet that they were more of a liability than not. 

So, we headed back up to the house. 

Although we didn't figure out the entire mystery, we still got to see a mink!

I have to remember to thank the old boy for making me get up from my computer.

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BTW....the videos above are from a completely different location than the one in my story.  If you are interested in knowing what these Mink might be looking for....here's an idea.....

Merry Christmas From Your Friendly Neighborhood Trailblazer!

Hello Y'all....

Not much new to post.  After the craziness of the end of the semester, finals, etc....we almost immediately left and drove over five hours to visit the in-laws for a few days.  After that, we went to visit my side of the family (but they live close by, so it was just for the day). 

Thus, there's been little time to think about blogging.

However, one good thing happened....we finally got some snow.

This made my daughter (and me) happy.  It was nice to have some of the white stuff around for Christmas. 

My daughter and I took some time to play outside quite a bit recently.

Then, on Christmas Eve, I built a little fire.....lit up the grill....and enjoyed the cool whether with a few dark, malty libations while cooking some grass-fed Porterhouse steaks for the wife and kid.

Very enjoyable.

No real wildlife-related pics or videos from this year....and even looked back through my files from last year and really could find only this little clip of a very nice buck taken on Christmas of 2011. 

Not one of Ol' St. Nick's....but with a rack like that, it looks "Reindeer-ish" at first glance.  :)

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to everyone!!

See you on the other end of the trail!

The Mad Sciurus

I have no idea what's going on with the demented behavior of this Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger).  Obviously, its trying to get at something....but what could be so absolutely essential to your survival that you'd act like this to get it?

Can someone please explain?

Catching bizarre or unique behaviors like this is one of my favorite things about camera trapping!

Ornery Little Stinker.....

I can't help but chuckle every time I watch this clip.....

Yes.....LET'S Talk About the Weather: winter's stubborn ways.

In an effort to play off of a post by the good fellas over at Camera Trapping Campus (see Let's Talk About the Weather, posted Feb. 23, 2012).....I say, "yes, let's do talk about the weather!"

Here in the upper Midwest, winter has decided it's not giving up so easily.  These pictures were from this morning after several inches of wet heavy snow fell and clung to all available surfaces.

Now, for folks who don't like snow....this would be annoying for late February....

....but....I'm alittle weird....

...and I was glad to see some of the white stuff again.....

...especially when it looks this incredible!

(although I can't help but be slightly envious of the 75 degrees and sunny that they are getting over there in California!)

Getting Rid of the Winter Blues



The key, in this case, is to have an annual ice-fishing trip with high school buddies in northern Wisconsin.

We've been taking this ice fishing trip since 2004 and it always falls on the same weekend (the weekend of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day).  Fortunately for us, we have access to a cabin owned by the father of a friend of ours (Nate). 

Usually a smallish group of individuals go along, and we exert alot of effort putting out and checking tip-ups (for those of you not familiar with a tip-up, stay tuned and I will explain).  It's not all hard work, though.  We also try to put forth considerable effort sitting in the cabin playing cards and reminiscing.  Or maybe just enjoying the incredible crisp, cold weather that is normal of a January in Wisconsin. 

So, anyways....we arrived on Friday evening and unloaded the gear, including the tip-ups.  These are a fishing apparatus designed so that a spool of fishing line and a hook can be placed below the ice (see pics below).  Bait is attached to the hook and when something strikes the bait, the spool moves, which causes a flag to pop up. Thus, a flag that has popped means you may have a fish.

The prep-work for ice fishing is substantial.  First, you have to give all of your tip-ups a good once over (new line, hooks, sinkers, etc.).  The evening that we arrived, Nate began the tedious process of preparing all of the tip-ups for deployment the next morning on the ice. 

Above: Nate preparing the gear for early-morning deployment

Early the next morning, we got dressed and trudged our mountains of gear out onto the ice.  To fish through the ice, one obviously needs to make a hole.  This is done with an auger and we were fortunate enough to have a gas-powered auger available to speed up the process (there was roughly a foot of ice to contend with in most cases).

Because of all the hard-work required, it's okay to take a break from time to time.  It's supposed to be an enjoyable experience, afterall!

Above: Justin and Chad show us how to relax on the ice while deploying tip-ups.

The result is a nice hole for your tip-up to rest on.

Once the holes are popped, any ice/snow that falls in must be scooped out.

Next, the tip-up gets carefully placed over the hole in the ice.....

Of course, it's always helpful to have a nice fire nearby to warm your chilled bones......

...or perhaps a cabin to step into for lunch and a drink....

If you're lucky, all of the hard work pays off and you get to have fresh fish for dinner....

Above: Nate and Andy give a lesson in how to haul in the big one through the ice.

Above two pictures:  A pair of Walley (Sander=Stizostedion vitreum) caught on tip-ups 

Above: Northern Pike (Esox lucius) is another species we commonly catch on this lake

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There's also usually a treasure-chest of tracking opportunities thanks to the snow.  There had been a nice snow-fall the night before we arrived, so I found a number of fresh tracks and trails to follow.  The snow was alittle deep, however, and good photos were hard to come by.  In the past, I've seen gray wolf (Canis lupus) tracks near the cabin.  None this time, however.  Yet, the usual cast of characters could be found: White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Squirrel (based on size, I'm assuming eastern Gray Squirrel; Sciurus carolinensis), and Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus).

Fox (I'm assuming Red Fox; Vulpes vulpes) were also present and always fun to track.  On more than one occasion, we crossed the trail of an individual who wandered across the ice on both sides of the peninsula.  This one moved with a purpose and took advantage of trails in the snow left by folks on snow-mobiles. 

Something also stopped by and made a meal of a bait minnow someone dropped on the ice. 

This could have been done by a bird, such as a crow.  The spattering of frozen blood almost seems unlikely for a fox, which I would assume would chew this up and swallow quickly.  A crow would hack away at a frozen minnow, making the scene above.  However, we never noticed any crows on the ice near our tip-ups.  It's possible that a fox chomping a frozen minnow would have spattered a bit of blood on the snow.....especially if that minnow was frozen to the snow and the fox and to work to get it out.

Just not 100% positive....At any length, the remains of the macerated minnow were right next to the fox trail I found.

More evidence of wildlife activity below.  The drillings of a woodpecker and based on the size, I'd say it was a Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus).  We saw them fly overhead on two separate mornings and they are incredible critters.

Another one I'm not 100% positive on.....an example of a raised-leg urination (or RLU) from a canid.  This was along the road near the cabin.  The tracks associated with this were fairly large and looked like a domestic dog, but I couldn't be certain.  Unfortunately, this individual didn't make it past our road-side camera trap (see below).

There were also a few large Canid tracks on the ice.  They measured around 3.5 inches from tip of the nails to the back of the inter-digital pad.  They followed the edge of the lake, investigating the shoreline, and at first I was excited that they might be wolf tracks.  It was hard to see the details of the print in the deep fluffy snow, but they didn't jump out as domestic dog. The top pictture below doesn't show details well, but you can at least see the general size of the tracks.  It's almost a double-register (i.e., the hind foot just about registers directly on top of the front foot).  Yet, it's not quite a double-register so the track looks a tad longer in the picture than it really is.  The bottom picture (with the tape measure) gives a better relation to size and detail. 



We followed the trail for a while, but eventually ran into some fresh human tracks running parallel to the Canid tracks......probably a domestic dog and it's owner.  Big dog, though!

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Of course, while I was there...I decided to throw out some camera traps and have alittle fun.  The cabin we were using was on a peninsula, so there was limited human activity in the surrounding area, and the threat of theft was reduced.  I figured it would be easy to put a few cams out with less rigid security measures in place.  I also knew from the wildlife activity I had observed in the past, there was the possibility for some neat pictures.  However, time was working against me....... the cameras could only be out for 2-3 nights.  I was hopeful, but also realistic.  I also decided to help the process along, if possible.  I'm not one to put alot of bait out in front of my cameras, but in this case I pulled out all of the stops due to the short time-frame.

Above: a bog that borders the lake we fished on is a great place to find evidence of wildlife

We had found several trails that appeared very much like that of a weasel.  They made the classic "dumbell"-shaped 2-2 pattern that Rezendez and Halfpenny talk about in their tracking books.  They also appeared to wander back and forth, checking every possible nook and cranny for food.  For some reason, I never took a picture of the trails....but they prompted me to set up a baited camera trap.

The trail lead to the root system of a blown-over tree, and it came in and out of this root system several times.  Looked like a good place to put up a camera to me.

Above: the root system burrow that I saw the apparent weasel tracks enter.

Above: hanging the camera next to the root system.

The view from the camera is below...the blown over tree is to the right just out of view.  You can see the small pile of bait minnows......  I also put a dab of commercial trapper lure for weasels on a stick poking out of the snow just left of the bait pile.

The weasel I was hoping for never showed, unfortunately.  Instead, I got pictures of an Eastern Cottontail......

....and two visits by a Red Squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus).

Although it wasn't a weasel....the Red Squirrel is a species I've never camera trapped before.  It's more of a northern species, preferring coniferous and mixed forests and isn't found in the more southern locale I currently live in.  It is one of five tree squirrels in the area.  The others being the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), the Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger), the Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) and the Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys volans).

The Red is a cute little critter, coming in at only 11-14 inches long (including it's 4-6 inch tail) and weighing 7-10 oz..

Our second camera location (below) was selected based on evidence of past activity, and it's protected nature.  It was on an island we hiked out over the ice to reach.  A series of deer trails passed right through the middle of the island, which was covered by a small grove of evergreens and no understory vegetation.  It was obvious that critters used the spot as a little oasis when crossing the large area of open ice, where they were very exposed.  In past years, I had also seen weasel tracks on this island, and was again hoping for pictures of one of the little mustelids (which always seem to elude my cameras!).

So, we put down some more bait (minnows and some fish guts)...and I put a few drops of liquid smoke on the tree that the camera faced.

I've had good luck with liquid smoke in the past, and I hoped it would draw something in.

Above: having help in the field makes all the difference!  You can see Justin above helping me make my camera adjustments before securing it to the tree.

Unfortunately, open ice is also good for something else....snowmobiles.  On at least two nights I heard them zipping around on the ice and it sounded like they were very near the island.  Not much of a chance that any critters would venture out there on a night when the snow mobiles were cruising nearby. 

As a result, this camera produced nothing. 


The last camera was a road-side camera (below).  I had noticed the roads were the highest areas of wildlife activity during our past ice fishing trips (easier than pushing through the deep snow). This is a dirt road that is little traveled, since the cabin is on a peninsula.  So....hoping for wolf photos....I used alittle commercial wolf urine in front of this camera as an attractant.   I knew this might actually scare off anything else, but I REALLY wanted some wolf photos.

But...alas....no wolves showed themselves.

Apparently, however, fresh wolf urine isn't a big deterrent for Eastern Cottontails :)

And, thus, ended our 2012 ice fishing trip.  Although the camera traps were a disappointment, a great time was had by all and I can't wait to get back next year!