Fire Hydrant of Freedom

In northern wisconsin a group of us just finished up with a wolf tracking intensive. basically two groups found usually 2 different wolf packs to follow on snow trails crossing roads and followed them for the day. In the evening we would share the events and observations of the time in the field. A kill site was found of a white tailed deer by one wolf later joined by 2 others. It was amazing this wolf chased in full tilt for 2 miles through thick trees, shrubs, galloping and bounding. At one point on this wolf's trail one could see there was a dead old growth pine laying down the wolf was approaching perpendicular at full speed. The wolf couldn't see over it, and chose to jump over this huge trunk leaping about 6 yards in distance. The danger at such high speeds of injury but full commitment to the hunt was impressive. It seemed the deer was taken by surprise as the deer was not running away at first, and when grabbed there was immediately huge patches of skin and soon blood and body rollovers in struggle.

The kill site brought in large amounts of scavengers. Fishers(large weasel), ravens, birds, red squirrels, red foxes, eagles.

Much of the week and when scouting for location of the packs is driving on roads and looking for the wolves tracks, urine or scat markings, along or crossing the roads.

It was quite fun to follow a trail that looked like one wolf in knee deep snow, then as they approached hunting areas one trail would split into 2 then 3 until sometimes 5-7 animals would be evident. Witnessing their coordinated movement and teamwork in the snow.

If all goes well, a few friends and I will be camping the next 3 days and following a wolf trail in snow to see what we see.

I am especially fascinated by the subject of the long time span of the human-wolf-dog relationship. Any interesting reading someone can point me to would great.

tim

Hi Tim:

My point was not that CFL light bulbs are a game changer either way, merely an example of good intentions with bad results.

I hear ya Crafty. It was the bad results I was going off on, where there are dark sides to most "green" solutions.

I hear global warming quite a bit, how about climate change? It is more vague of a term, change instead of warming. Possibly makes it a bigger subject, which I think it is.

My friend who has worked in Antarctica at a remote field station to help keep it ready for incoming scientists has rubbed elbows with some leading researchers there while at the main station McMurdo I think its called. They don't dispute something undeniable is happening to the ice and has been, according to him.

Honestly, treating this whole issue as though it is merely a bunch of leftist propaganda I think is right wing reaction.

Has anyone here seen photos or talked to people or gone to the Alps in France, there isn't nearly the ice there was in many places. The Andes in South America where ice has shrunk over the years, the thawing permafrost in Alaska where old-timers and Natives have lost their lives by the dozens falling through unsafe ice that does not match their experience of what constitutes safe ice at certain times of the year? Why are southern forest pests and diseases spreading north? That does hint at warming. Is all this a left-wing conspiracy?

As some writer said once, "both political parties are just two talons on the same bird of prey". What does the data show from scientists who are not being paid to hedge their research?

this guy     http://ferfal.blogspot.com/    says he lives in argentina and went through their economic collapse, i like what he says and i think he's pretty level headed. and he comes from another viewpoint that is not purely doom and destruction of everything modern. if nothing else a different angle is refreshing.