continuing the pursuit ~

We're still at it ... pursuing the over populated, yellow gnarly toothed, web footed, tree killing, disease spreading woods rat - the beaver. 

This morning was an early start ... up at 5:00 a.m.  We wanted to get through some of the back woods roads before they thawed and became mud pits. It froze last night leaving a thin layer of ice on some of the ponds and creeks.

Most of them were still open water ...

Here's this same creek up the road a bit where the beaver have it flooded over ~ right up to the side of the road ~ now resembling a pond.  Last fall this was just a creek channel.

The county road crews can't keep up with keeping the culverts cleaned out from the beaver blocking them with mud and sticks; which causes the flooding.  They are really  happy to have someone like Dear Hubby come along and trap the beaver out of there for them :)

We saw quite a few Canadian Geese today, along with Mallards and Wood Ducks.  Sorry, I was too slow with the camera on the ducks; but did get this nice pic of the geese:

I just love reflections of trees and brush on calm, still waters:

Driving past a field we saw a Sandhill Crane and two humps out in the field that looked out of place.  I snapped off a picture of the field ~

and Dear Hubby put on the brakes to me telling  him ... "back up ~ quick ~ I see something!"



There were two coyotes in the field ... all hunkered down ... sneaking on their bellies towards the sandhill crane.  By time I got zoomed in on them one of the coyotes had already taken off for the woods.

I don't think they were too happy with us scaring off their breakfast.

But ... I think the sandhill crane appreciated our gesture:)

 Up the road a bit we came across these tracks of the coyote's big cousin ... the wolf.

Here's a shot of my foot next to the wolf tracks ~ to give a better perspective of the size of these critters.

Down another road, around some bends and past some swamps ... we came across a flock of hen turkeys ~

Off ... in the edge of the woods was Mr. Turkey ... all ruffled out and strutting about ... calling to his ladies ~

 do you see him?

now do you see him?

It was a good day.

A plentiful harvest.

~ Today and yesterdays catch hanging ... 

the day before's catch on the boards drying ... lining the walls of the workshop.

Time to take the dried pelts off the drying boards ~ and take the yard stick to measure them up ... they sell according to size in inches in diameter ...

brush them clean ...

and get them ready for the fur market

Tomorrow we start all over again with our harvesting of the beaver.

 It a way of life for us in the north woods ~ supplementing our income and doing our small part in the preservation and conservation of the natural resources that the Good Lord has provided.

note:  Beaver trapping, along with all other fur trapping and hunting is regulated by the State of Wisconsin.  You have to attend classes and hold a valid trapping license issued by the state to harvest fur bearing animals. 

My husband is a state certified trapping instructor in conjuction with the Department of Natural Resources.  He has been an instructor for over 15 years.  He also holds a title of a top lot trapper with NAFA (North American Fur Auctions) in Canada.  

 

Until next time ...

So it goes in my neck of the woods.

~mel