The Happy Trappers...

Back at King Salmon

2009-06-24T13:33:00.001-07:00

We had a great time out in the big city of Atlin, BC. population 300. We talked with friends and went lake fishing. Helped pour two cement pads for friends. Shopped for supplies in Atlin and then flew back in here. The chickens, cats and garden were happy to see us back. While we were gone the lake had come up another foot, extremely high water this year. Lucky for us there was no flooding of our place.

We are flying out tomorrow!!!!

2009-05-31T23:26:00.000-07:00

It is sooner than we wanted. So many things to do. There are 78 Tomatoes in the greenhouse just starting to blossom, 5 rows of potatoes planted, 1 of Beets, 1 of Turnip, 1 of Carrots and some Broccoli and Cauliflower, and 57 Cabbages. The electric fence is up and running on Solar. Everything is away so the Bears can't play!!!!! Everything in the deep-freeze has been canned. The cats have a BIG bag of catfood. The chicken are on a stream feed waterer and 2 large self feeders. We had original planned on being out for 3 weeks after being in for 8 full months but now we think we will be only out for 10 days. So much to do here and see. I am not taking the computer so no more posts until we fly back in.

Boxcar....A Huge Grizzly

2009-05-27T00:25:00.000-07:00

We spotted this Grizzly standing in 7 feet of water, his shoulders and head above water infront of Lodge dock 1 km east of us. He definity had our scent. His nose going back and forth collecting the scent floating across the water. After we were sure he was gone we boated over. He had left incredible footprints. This is one Big Bear. Probably 5 feet at the shoulder heigth. Side Note..... Bryan was sitting in the outhouse 2 years ago when this same Bear showed up 25 feet away.....made a big impression on Bryan then. he called him Boxcar. Didn't see him last year. This is one bear we do not want to meet on the trail.

3 " Pocket KnifeFront Foot

Hind Foot

This morning we found Boxcar had visited us during the night or early morning. We found his large foot impressions 10' from our back gate and also found a place where he had bedded down. He had stayed along time here. Hopefully he will not be back tonight.

Humbling...Stump removal

2009-05-27T00:10:00.000-07:00

Humbling for a man who used to own a Back Hoe, a Cat , an Excavator, a Skidder and a Hi lead Yarder

Each Season is Welcomed!!!!

2009-05-26T23:58:00.000-07:00

What is wrong with this Trumpetor Swan?????

2009-05-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

This poor Trumpetor has been collared or if not it has been attacked by a Golden Eagle. It has a 5" band at the bottom of it's neck that is bright red. we couldn't get any closer to see for sure.

So Many Special Events Here!!!!!

2009-05-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

Like the day the ice goes off (May 20) and the day the Goats come back (May 21). Lake was overed in 4 " of soft ice in the morning and at noon the wind come up and by four it was all pushed down to the east end of the lake. Our world just got alot bigger. Four castes and nothing. Lake is forest green.

At noon Brown Black Bear with her last year's cinnamon cub.

At 7:30 pm 3 Mountain Goats showed up. The 2 big Nannies that came last spring and their last years baby.

Bryan looked two minutes later and they were gone. He found them way up the canyon on a steep cliff huddled together. Knowing something had startled them into hiding, he scoped the other area where they had been and there was a Black Bear eatting grass ioo yards below them unaware of the fright he had created in the three Mtn Goats. (This pic is before they went into the cliffs)

Long Legged Dark Grizzly

2009-05-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Hearing a loud snap we thought it was the old cow moose and her calf that we had just seen 100 ' behind the cabin.....but no, it was this long legged Dark Grizzly across the narrows from our cabin. An interesting side note....this same Griz walked the same route one year ago today. This year on may 18, last year may 19. We keep a calender with every animal and bird sighting so we can compare.

Black Bear...Grizzly Bear

2009-05-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

We'd been watching a Black Bear and a Big Blonde tipped Grizzly on the Bear Mountain behind us. Now they were 300 yards apart and on the same altidude....the Grizz and Black unaware of each other, just busy eatting. As the Grizz got closer and closer, we watched ....thinking Holy S---. The Grizzly must have got wind of the Black, because off it went at a run towards where we had last seen the Black. We haven't seen either since. This was two days ago.

Wolf Across the Narrows

2009-05-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

We'd stopped work for coffee at 2. A shadow form appeared in the brush across the narrow from us 200 feet. Out stepped this big boy. The ice is too weak to support him now.

Narrows is open

2009-05-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

A MARTEN came for coffee

2009-05-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

This mature female Marten visited us while we were sitting on our front porch having morning coffee. She was growling the whole time in a low voice. They are guite curageous. She will have a nest of offspring near here somewhere. Usually a batch of 4 to 6. Once the young leave their nest they are independant hunters on their own. Eatting voles, small birds, ducks and grouse.

Pair of Fleckers

2009-05-06T19:20:00.000-07:00

They've been checking out these holes for two days now....it might be too busy here for them to nest.

It's Bear Watching Time Again

2009-05-06T10:21:00.000-07:00

He's just under the snow belt curled up on a grass slope with his back against a big rock bluff sleeping. Yesterday we watched him near the same area. There was also a big brown boar Black bear just above the Lodge. He would lay on his back pulling poplar branches down to his head eatting the new buds.

Wolves have found our lake

2009-05-05T21:08:00.000-07:00

The howling started well over a month ago. The snow had changed and had a hard crust on it. We knew it would not take long for them to come. All winter because of the deep snow accummulations of 10 to 15 feet, a group of 15 moose had stayed on our lake, using the skidoo trails to get around. They conserved their energy only getting up very little. At the end of the winter they were looking pretty grime, but they did not deserve this. I love to hear the long mournful howls.... it is amazing......but my heart can not get past the torment they cause.....If they killed outright it would be one thing. But they don't. They feed on the ass end, pulling out the intestines and eatting off the back quarter, all the while the poor moose is rolling it's eyes. This goes on for 3 to 4 days depending on the size of the pack. It is just horrible. I can not imagine the total fear and horror the moose must go through before it dies. Wolves are an important part of the food chain but I have not joy when they are here. I want them to go.

How is it we get Jet Lag whenever a plane comes in

2009-04-23T19:32:00.000-07:00

Our friends in a Super Cub flew in and stayed for 4 hours chatting. They are heading further south about 25 km. Everyone in the plane wears earmuffs...even both dogs. It is incredibly noisy in the small air planes.
It was great fun......but then we are so exhausted after .....a funny thing. This is the eight visitors since the 1st of October. Quite busy here.

Everyday is Earth Day....One day won't do it.

2009-04-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

Highland Lynx and Desert Lynx plus Poem

2009-04-20T19:18:00.001-07:00

Emmi
Big White
Emmi
Fuji
K-2
Emmi
We've got a cat and her name is Fugi
every month she likes to Boogie.
We'd get her fixed, but we're way too far from town.
She moans and she groans and she flaunts her stuff,
But I really don't think she can get enough.
She sounds just like you turpentined a hound.

We got a cat and her name is Fugi
And every month she likes to Boogie.
My dog wants to kill her and put her in the ground.
She's as skinny as a rail and she's got no tail,
When she opens her mouth, can she ever wail
But - Big-White is nowhere to be found.

I'm just a cat and my name is Fugi
And every month, I like to Boogie
So I go outside, and I make my natural sound.
I got an itch that I can't scratch
I just want kittens, a nice big batch
But everyone is always putting me down.

We're got a cat and her name is Fugi
And every month she likes to Boogie.
We'd get her Fixed but we're way too far from town.
She moans and she groans and she flaunts her stuff
But I really don't think she can get enough.
She sounds just like you turpentined a hound.

Bryan

"THAT IS THE CHICKEN" added
Cats need fixin' else they drive you nuts.
Cats need fixin'....no ifs no buts.
What you guys need is a vet on a Skidoo.
Though I guess that'd make Fuji pretty blue!
So you'll just have to imagine that she's punk rockin,
A howling and a yowlin'...or you could just put a sock in!

Hopes of Green

2009-04-19T21:41:00.000-07:00

Tomatoes, cabbages, Brocolli and squash and Pumpkin

Henri's Vole

2009-04-17T20:03:00.001-07:00

We came upon this little Vole on a Beaver Pond. His strategy was to stand perfectly still so that we wouldn't see him moving. This little animal is why there are so many Marten here. Because of all the debris on the ground it is perfect habitat for Voles also called Meadow Mice. A Marten will eat 5 to 8 Voles a day. It made us smile as it scurried away.

Now is it a SAW-WHET or PYGMY OWL????

2009-04-16T14:42:00.001-07:00

In the middle of the night we heard that little owl houting away. Tonight we will know for sure which little owl it is. This morning at coffee five Red Crowned Kinglets showed up on our Puzzy Willow bush infront of the cabin. Fairly soon we will have coffee outside to welcome our returning birds but right now the fire pit still has a 3 ' wall of snow around it.

Henri Left and the Birds came

2009-04-15T15:33:00.001-07:00

In one day the little birds came back to our land....the junco's and the pine siskines. We also hear the little owl, a Saw Wet which nests just behind us. Also our two Raven's "Heckle and Jekyll" are busy getting ready for a new family just behind our cabin where they always nest. Still 3 ' of snow but it's going fast.

We Have Company!!!!!!

2009-04-06T16:14:00.001-07:00

Our friend Henri came in with the fuel barrels and propane. He will stay for 3 or 4 days...... just enough time for us to talk his ear off.

Heavy Snowload on Weir Cabin

2009-04-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

This snow load is the compact remains of 12 to 14 feet of snow from this last winter.

Probably 9,000 lbs hanging off the north side of the Salmon Weir cabin at the far end of our lake. This cabin is 10 feet off the ground so that the Grizzlys are not a problem when our friends the Taku Tlingit are here for 2 months counting the Salmon run. Bryan took apart a hand saw and bolted it to aluminum poles that he had drilled and bolted together to make a 25 feet tool.

Tracks in the Snow

2009-04-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went for a tour around our lake. There were at least 10 open Otter holes, fresh Lynx, Otter, plus Lone Wolf tracks . Two different Wolverine were out also because one set was alot bigger than the other. Only saw one Bull moose. Hope the wolf was just passing thru. The 15 moose we have wintering on the lake don't need the hassle. Although we dought a lone wolf would tackle a moose alone.

First Wolf tracks on lake this winter

Big Bull Moose runs out onto the lake for better advantage

Otter sliding above, Wolverine on left

Wolverine and Otter