Wednesday, May 20, 2020

North America’s Apex Predator











     North America has many predators, but which one is its top predator? Could it be the great white shark? The invasive species the python? How about the python’s only predator the alligator? Could it be maybe the wolf or the grizzly bear? Maybe even the pesky mosquito?

     
     Many of these animals are the apex predators in their habitat, but which is the king of North American predators? With over 700,000 human deaths world-wide to its credit, one might think it’s the mosquito, but this pesky little reaper isn’t considered a predator. All these predators    mentioned above are capable killers and have even killed humans from time to time, but there is only one king. This massive beast has been turned into a political pawn by the environmental groups. These people have depicted this apex predator as a defenseless creature adrift on the ice. It has been said that their food supply is in such short supply that they eat their own offspring and that in a few short years their habitat will disappear.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Polar Bear


     The first thing we notice about this bear is color of its fur. The polar bear is white, right? Yes and no. the color is more of an optical illusion. The fur of the polar bear is two layers of thick hollow translucent hair that reflect its surroundings, with its black skin this bear is right at home in the artic north. The next thing we might take note of is its size. The polar bear is the largest bear in the world. The males can grow to nine and a half feet and stand over five feet at its shoulder. These massive predators can weigh up to sixteen hundred pounds with the largest ever recorded weighed in at 2,210 pounds and stood at eleven feet.


     These bears are forceful swimmers. They can cover up to sixty miles at a time without stopping and can reach speeds of six MPH, they can also dive down to fifteen feet for two minutes. The next time you see one of these majestic bears on an ice flow adrift on the Bering Sea, don’t feel sorry for him he is right at home.


    
Why is the polar bear he apex predator of North America? Its sheer size and strength are a major factor. Another reason is their hunting ability. These ice bears have an amazing sense of smell, they can smell prey from ten miles away. They also stalk their prey on ice flows and even while they swim. If A polar bear spots a seal laying on the ice, he will swim up to the backside of the ice and in one quick motion jump from the water and charge the seal. Though only 2% of the hunts are successful. They will also stalk a seal swimming under the ice and wait for it to come up for air and pounce. Polar bears have no fear of man and have been known to take sled dogs and even stalk the musher. Polar bears are opportunistic feeders, if one comes across a recent kill or a washed-up whale carcass, that will do nicely.


     Polar bears are fierce. They fight over females, hunting grounds and to protect their food. A polar bear fight is an awesome sight, the two bears will rise up on their hind legs, swat and claw each other with their twelve-inch paws, they push, bite and wrestle each other until one runs away bloody, with deep scratches, bites and maybe a missing tooth or two. There is another side to these massive predators. Polar Bears also have a playful side, at certain times of the year big males, that are usually solitary will find a friend to travel and spar with until mating season then all partnerships are dissolved
.

     Like many other animals’, (the lion, baboon and even the red squirrel), males will kill the offspring of other males. This protects his blood line and saves food for his young. This is also done so that the female will go into heat and be ready to mate. More times than not, this will begin with a fight with the female protecting her cub.


     As you can see these helpless political pawns are not so helpless. Some predict that the polar bear population will plummet by 50% by 2050, but since the 1960’s when there were 12,000 bears to the last count of 2019 of well over 28,000 bears, it seems like the apex predator of North America are thriving

Sunday, March 29, 2020

Troubled Times










Coronavirus, covid-19 or whatever you may call it, it’s here and so are troubled times. So, what should we do? Unfortunately, what a lot of people are doing is panicking, hoarding household necessities and medical supplies. This is where, as Americans we have failed. Buying up everything 
in sight and leaving nothing for anyone else. Why did we do this?


1.      Who’s at risk?

2.      What should we do?

3.      What freedoms are we willing to give up?

4.      What help should we expect?


We are all at risk from this virus. From the very young to the very old, but the people who are in the greatest danger from this virus are those over 60 years of age, with heart disease or respiratory issues. People with a compromised Immune system and people who smoke or vape just to name a few. What about “essential personal” they may be at a greater risk than those who are able to shelter in place. They do this to make sure that our lives stay as normal as possible, but who are the “essential personal?”


In these troubled times some of the “essential personal” are easily identified. The medical professionals, the first responders, the police, fire and the paramedics, but who else is essential to keep our lives as normal as possible? Let’s start with the farmers who grow our food and the truckers who deliver our food, medicine, fruits, vegetables, clothes, gas and almost everything we use every day. Yes, they are essential. Who else? How about the retail workers? You know the one that the guy in front of you cussed out because she told him, store policy was one package of toilet paper not five.


Are the restaurant workers important? You might think, well we can’t go sit and eat, so why are these jobs important? You can and should, (if you can afford it) buy one meal a week, curbside from your favorite local restaurant. This will help keep them in business. But are they essential? Some of these restaurant owners, feed their laid off employees at least one time a day, so they know that their employees are able to have one good meal a day. Others are feeding the emergency room workers at no cost. I think that you say could that they are essential. How about the blue-collar workers? The repair man, the plumber and the pest control guy, are these jobs essential? If your refrigerator goes out, or your toilet backs up, you might need the first two, but pest control? What do they do that’s essential? How about protecting the food supply of the nation from vermin? Protecting your home and health from household pests such as; German roaches, bed bugs, rats and other disease caring invaders. I’d say that the blue-collar worker is an essential worker.


What can we do to let these “essential personal” know that we appreciate them and all that they do for us in these troubled times? We can be kind. These people are out there at a risk to their own health to make our lives easier. Smile and say hello. Kindness goes a long way especially in times like these. Encourage the retailers, first responders and service people you see. Offer them a bottle of water, a kind word and pay your bill at time of service.


One thing the people and the government seem to forget, if you are bringing home a paycheck and provide for your family, then you are “essential personal!”

Remember we are all in this together. Many people are scared. Many are losing their jobs, through no fault of their own and money is tight. People are getting sick or have family that are elderly. Stress levels are sky high; everyone is on edge. This is the perfect storm for people to panic. What should we do? First turn off the news. Stay informed, we all need to know what’s going on, but not 24/7.


Take personal responsibility. Stay home when you can. Listen to the CDC. Wash your hands, practice social distancing and the other things that we are asked to do. The more we do this, the faster our lives can return to normal. If you know of an elderly person go shopping for them, it will ease their mind. If you have an over abundance of a household necessity, then make sure that your neighbor has enough to get by.


Keep moving. The doctors tell us that exercise increases our endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin and dopamine which are all mood enhancing chemicals in the body. Take a walk or a run around the block. If you are quarantined, then there are many exercise videos on-line to help you keep moving. 

Try to eat healthier than when you are rushed to get to work. The top ten foods for mood enhancement may surprise you.


1.      All kinds of nuts

2.      Fish (you can catch your own)

3.      Whole grains

4.      Fruit

5.      Vegetables

6.      Fermented foods (Sauerkraut, kombucha, some yogurts)

7.      Beans and peas

8.      Hot cocoa

9.      Grain fed beef

10.  Coffee (Yes even coffee is a good mood enhancer)  


Keep in contact with your loved ones. Call, text and facetime your kids, grandchildren, siblings, parents and friends. It is important in times like this to feel that human connection that we might be missing on a daily basis.


Keep your mind sharp as well. Read, work a crossword, write in a journal, work with your hands. Do anything to keep yourself busy. Even if it’s cleaning out the garage or doing yard work. Keep busy.


The United States Congress just passed and President Trump will sign a two trillion-dollar relief bill, which will help out the American people and businesses. They are also working on free testing and no cost treatment plans for people infected with covid-19. Hopefully this will help relieve the fear and financial uncertainty that the American people are feeling. If your family is experiencing a financial hardship because of the pandemic, if you can’t make some of your bills, don’t just not pay them. There is help out there. The first thing you must do is call your creditor. Most creditors have adapted a plan for the financial fallout with the shut-down of so many businesses. Most will defer a payment for a few months and are willing to work with you. These businesses understand that you are their customers, but you must call them. If you simply don’t pay your bill, then it will be marked as a non-payment and will even affect your credit. MAKE THAT CALL!


With all the things the government is giving us to help, what freedoms are they taking away? The First Amendment guarantees us the freedom of religion. To worship how and when we please, but some want to stifle some of our beliefs. We also have the freedom of speech and the press. As a writer this is very important to me. As Americans we can say or write what we like as long as it doesn’t cause fear and panic (yelling fire in a movie). But some in the government and the media want to silence us, because we believe differently than they do. Some even try to suppress the Presidents speech. Freedom of assembly. Some states, New York, New Jersey and California to name a few have a shelter in place act. I understand this is for the greater good, but for how long? A week, a month or until the government tells you it’s okay to go outside? That’s not the freedom so many have fought for. If we are sequestered in our home how can we petition the government over our grievances?


The Second Amendment reads “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Yet the same three states above and some others are closing gun shops and some are releasing people from prisons. Doesn’t our personal protection fall under the Second Amendment? I’ve seen a man punch a woman over toilet paper on the news, what will happen if our food supply gets low?


What about the Fourth Amendment? “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” As a nation we have to be very careful of what the government might take away in the name of help. Rahm Emanuel’s famous quote: “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before.”   Unfortunately, this is how some of our elected leaders feel. And Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a crisis!


Instead of worrying why don’t we turn back to God? No matter what faith you may be, a person’s beliefs are an essential part of who they are. Most church services have been canceled, but many have an online services, or you can find a service on Youtube, Facebook or T.V. service to fit your needs. Find strength and comfort in God’s word and pray. My wife and I pray together every night. You can find peace in talking to God.


I think that in this crisis, we, as a nation are learning who and what is really important. We are finding out that the entertainers, the athletes and the talking heads are not as important as the farmers, the truckers or the average American blue-collar worker.


In troubled times like this, it may be better to rely on God, family and yourself than on the government. We are all in this together, if we can show personal responsibility and respect for our brothers and sisters, this pandemic may not be as bad as we are told.


We need to go back to being one nation. Back before there were hyphenated Americans. It didn’t matter where you were from, what you believed, what color your skin was, we were all Americans. 

Let’s be kind to each other, lend a helping hand and get through this pandemic as one people. As Americans.  


Stay safe. Stay healthy. God bless.

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Hunter Safety; not Just for the Young









            With the recent tragedy in South Carolina, where a nine-year-old girl and her dad were killed by some hunters driving deer, hunter safety is on my mind. If you were brought up hunting like I was then your dad or mentor should have taught you basic hunter safety. This tragedy shouldn’t have happened! How does someone mistake a man and a nine-year-old girl for a deer?

     
     My dad drove home the importance of hunter safety when I was about five. We were pheasant hunting in Connecticut, it was 1969 or 1970, we came across some black trash bags in the field. I asked my dad if I could shoot the trash. He said, “Let’s see what’s in those bags.” It was a good thing my dad was a mindful hunter, because wrapped up in those trash bags were sleeping bags with teenagers sleeping in them. If I had shot, I could have badly injured or killed someone. Throughout the rest of the hunt, my dad explained to me the importance of knowing what you are shooting at.


     Hunting is part of our heritage. Is there anything quite like watching a bird dog work, the sight of
a nice 8-point buck coming into range or the pure stillness of the forest as the sun breaks over the horizon? We as outdoorsmen need to make sure that we are the best stewards of our sport as possible. We need to show the anti-hunters, and the animal rights people that we are following the laws and acting responsibly.

     
Every state and many hunting organizations offer hunter safety courses. In over 35 states it’s the law that if you were born after June 1, 1975, you must pass a course and carry a hunter safety card with you when you hunt just like your license. Most courses are on-line and you will have to attend a field day to complete your certification. These field days consist of;



·         A classroom session

·         Outdoor shooting

·         Blood tacking

·         Tree stand skills

·         Survival skills


     The NRA’s Hunter safety course is free. In Florida the cost of the recognized hunter safety course is $28.95. The course includes videos, study guides and a host of other important information. Go to www.hunter-ed.com for hunter safety information in your state


     
     Sometimes safety in the field is just common sense. Never hunt under the influence! This may sound like a no brainer, but you might be surprised how many people think that drinking and hunting is okay, then again look at the number of drunk drivers every year. Always know what your target is. Know what or who is in your line of fire. Once you pull that trigger or let go of that arrow, you own it and the result. I’ve been peppered many times by bird shot, sometimes by the guys I was hunting with. Know your gun or bow inside out, know what to do if something goes wrong.

     
     The International Hunter Education Association’s records indicate that fewer than one thousand people are shot every year and about seventy-five end in death. Some of these fatalities are from self-inflected wounds. When people get excited, they get careless. Walking, trip and the gun fires. A hunter stops to rest and leans his gun against a tree and the gun falls. Think safety first.

     
     You have your license, a deer tag and a place to hunt, what’s next? You walk into the woods in the predawn hours and climb into your tree stand. Do you know how to properly set your stand? You think I read the directions and watched a video of course I do, but what happens when you are alone in your tree stand, it comes loose, and you hit the ground? Always know your equipment. Another important factor is how we as hunters dress. Camo is an important part of our sport, but it also makes it harder for other hunters to see. Most states have laws concerning how many inches of hunter orange you need to wear while you hunt. In Florida it’s 500 inches. Learn the laws concerning wearing blaze orange, blaze orange can save your or your dog’s life.

     
     Hunter safety isn’t just for kids, it’s for everyone who enters the woods, hunter or not. If hunters are safe, then the woods will be safer. I stopped hunting on the first day of the season many years ago, because more than once my truck or that of someone I know was shot at. Why on earth would someone shoot a shotgun at a truck on a back road?


     
     Remember, the sport of hunting is under attack from anti-hunting groups, homeowner associations, developers, the mainstream news, Washington and many other organizations. When hunting accidents happen its fodder for the antihunters. When you enter that field, swamp, woods or saltmarsh, remember someone nearby is just waiting to report a mistake or an accident to try to take our rights away. These people don’t understand that our license and tag fees pay for conservation, protection and habitat for the land and wildlife we love. Think safety first. Take you kids hunting with you, even before they are able to carry a gun. Introduce them to ethical hunting, the wonders of nature and the love of the outdoors.



Happy Hunting

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Don’t Make Resolutions, Set Goals


     The new year is here and with that, millions of people will make a New Years resolution. Why? Most resolutions will fail because, they are either unrealistic or the people never plan. My wife and I never make resolutions, we set goals. In 2019 we achieved 85% of our goals. That’s not too shabby. We set small goals and some not so small. Including buying a house. By September we closed on our beautiful home.

     
     Forget resolutions, they have no teeth. Set goals. Something that you can reach for.


     If you want to get in shape, don’t just join a gym, go see your Doctor and make a plan, find a workout buddy, join a class, make yourself accountable to someone. Set a realistic goal for your results. Nothing happens overnight.

     
If you want to try something new, take a weekend and go try it. You may find out that you enjoy it. Even if it’s something you never thought you would like, but your sufficient other says, “Hey Honey lets try this.”


     One of my small goals for 2020 is to try my hand at skeet shooting. Now I haven’t shot skeet in decades, so I want to see if I still enjoy it as much as I once did.  What my wife doesn’t know, (Until she reads this) is that this goal will require the purchase of a new Remington 1100 12 gage, but that’s just an extra bonus.

     
     If you want to do the things that you enjoy more often, then set a goal to do so. Trust me I know how life gets in the way. We need downtime for our physical and emotional well-being. Without goals, our lives just stand still. We just exist, not live. So set those goals for 2020 and live your life to its fullest.


Happy New Year!

Saturday, December 7, 2019

A Dog for Christmas?












     In 1952 Patti Page asked the question, “How Much is That Doggie in the Window?” The question is should you buy that doggie, kitty, chick or duckling for Christmas? Only you can answer that question. Remember that a pet is more than a one night obligation. A pet is a lifetime responsibility, their lifetime. How prepared you are for this pet, will determine how good his life will be. Or will it end up in a shelter. Because after all he’s not just a dog. You are bringing home a new member of the family.

     I don’t recommend buying a dog from a store. They are usually more expensive, and some stores will actually open up a credit account so you can buy a dog. Is it really wise to go into debt for a pet? We will discuss the long-term cost of adding a new family member later. There are much better places to buy your new pooch than a store. Animal shelters are a great place to start. The best dog I ever had was a shelter dog.  If you know that you want a certain breed of dog, then there are breed specific rescues for every breed under the sun. Then there are ethical breeders. Not all breeders are puppy mills. Ethical breeders plan out the litters and take very good care of their dogs. If you choose to go to a breeder, get references and ask questions.

Questions like:  

1.      How are the puppies socialized?

2.      Can I see the parent dogs?

3.      Have the puppies been to the vet?

4.      How many litters a year does the mother have?

The list goes on.

     Christmas morning and the kids find a black and white pointer puppy under the tree. Everyone fights over holding, petting and kissing it. The dog is in heaven everyone loves him. Over the next few days the kids love to feed him and walk him and even clean up after him. After the new year, school starts. The mornings are rushed. Kids running for the bus you and your wife grab coffee to go and head out the door to work. Then you hear a whine. You kiss your wife and let her leave for work, you let the dog out. Five minutes go by, he runs in and thanks you with a kiss on your nose. You rush to work and get there just in time.

     The puppy, we’ll call him Zeke. Zeke spends his first day all alone, what does he do? He gets into everything. The paper towels are ripped up all over the floor he finds a shoe under the couch your wife has been looking for and made a chew toy out of it. He’s only 14 weeks old he can’t hold it all day long so there is a landmine here and a puddle there. What do you do when you come home? If you blow up at the dog, each other or the kids, then a puppy is not for you.

     Zeke is a baby and needs the same kind of patience and attention you gave your childern at that age. It takes time to train a dog. It will be worth every minute you spend with Zeke. When you are out in the field and he points his first pheasant or quail you will get a feeling of pride, knowing that you trained him. In training him, you are creating a life long bond not just for you, but your entire family will benefit.

     Pets are costly. When you consider the money, you will spend for food, treats, toys, beds, the vet and any emergencies it can add up.  You will spend $175.00 a month or more on Zeke. Sometimes things may get tough, money is tight and it’s going to be a sacrifice to feed Zeke this week. What do you do? He is family. You have to feed him. Cut down on treats and buy less expensive food but you have to feed him. Taking him to the pound is not an option.

     Remember Zeke is only a part of your life, but you are all he has. You are his life.

    

Over the years you have spent countless hours hunting over Zeke, loving, playing with him and at times getting mad at him. The kids are older and involved in sports or dance, they have their own friends and do their own thing, Zeke is 12 years old. He still gets excited when you bring out your shotgun, but instead of an all day hunt Zeke can do a 30 minute hunt. He is giving you his all, but he is older. On the way back to the truck Zeke locks up on point like he in his prime. In the back of your mind you know this could be his last point. You walk in, a rooster jumps, you fire and he falls to the ground. Zeke runs and retrieves the bird. You have your phone out to capture this moment in time. He brings it to your hand just like you taught him. When you arrive back to the truck you lift Zeke into the bed of the truck, he sits, you put your hunting vest, the bird and shotgun down next to him for one last hero shot of Zeke.

     On the drive home, He puts his head on your lap, you stroke his ears with a lump in your throat knowing that the end is near. You remember that Christmas 12 years ago when you brought this little puppy home. You remember the chewed up shoe and how mad your wife was, you remember Zeke’s first point, first retrieve and that time he got lost in some unfamiliar field. You remember how you waited by the truck for over an hour, when suddenly he bounds over a downed pine tree and runs right towards you, you tried to be mad, but all you could do is hug him and call him a stupid dog for getting lost. Now that the end is near, you would give anything to live those times over again.

     The question is should you buy that doggie, kitty, chick or duckling for Christmas? If you are ready for the challenges, the expense the years of joy and some heartache, then yes by all means buy that pet for Christmas. All I ask is that you take into consideration not just your life and feelings but that of the dog.


Wednesday, July 10, 2019

The Legend, The Myth, The Monster


Bluff Creek Calf 1967.
 
 
 
 

It’s the late 1800’s, two men meet around a campfire. An older mountain man who spent his life hunting, trapping and exploring the vast wilderness of the west. His hair is unkept, his beard is long, his skin is weather worn, but his eyes are clear. His coat and pants are made of buckskin a beaver skin cap covers his head. he carries a nine-and-a-quarter-inch by one-and-a-half-inch razor sharp single edged knife and an old Hawkin Track of the Wolf rifle. His name? Bauman.

The younger man is in his late twenties, a man that knows the outdoors as well as any other. He wears a wide brim hat and glasses and buckskin shirt, pants and gloves. He carries a .450 double barrel rifle, a Colt .38 and goes by the name Ted.

The night is dark, the only light comes from the campfire, when Bauman says, “Many years ago, when I was a young man, something very strange happened.”

Taking a sip of his coffee Ted listens while Bauman begins to relate the story of those few horrible days long ago. Here is Bauman’s story.

“They struck out on foot through the vast, gloomy forest, and in about four hours reach a little open glade where they concluded to camp, as signs of game were plenty. There was still an hour or two of daylight left, and after building a brush lean-to and throwing down their packs, they started up stream.

They were surprised to find that during their absence something, apparently a bear, had visited camp, and rummaged about among their things, scattering the contents of their packs, and in sheer wantonness destroying their lean-to. The footprints of the beast were quite plane, but at first they paid no particular heed to them, busing themselves with rebuilding the lean-to laying out their beds and stores and lighting the fire.

While Bauman was making ready supper, it being already dark, his companion began to examine the tracks more closely…Coming back to the fire, he stood by it a minute or two, peering out into the darkness, and suddenly remarked, “Bauman that bear has been walking on two legs.” Bauman laughed at this.

After discussing whether the footprints could be possibly those of a human being, and coming to the conclusion that they could not be, the two men…went to sleep. At midnight Bauman was awakened by some noise…his nostrils were struck by a strong, wild-beast odor, and he caught the loom of a great body in the darkness of the lean-to.

In the morning they started out to look at a few traps they set…and put out some new ones. By unspoken agreement they kept together all day, and returned to camp towards evening. On nearing it they saw, hardly to their astonishment, that the lean-to again had been torn down. The ground was marked up by  its tracks, and on leaving camp it had gone along the soft earth by the brook, where the footprints were as plain as if on snow, and, after careful scrutiny of the trail, it certainly did seem as if, whatever the thing was, it had walked off on two legs.

They kept a roaring fire throughout the night, one or the other sitting on guard most of the time. About midnight the thing came down through the forest opposite, across the brook, and stayed on the hillside for nearly an hour…Several times it uttered a harsh, grating, long-drawn moan, a peculiarly sinister sound. Yet did not venture near the fire. In the morning the two trappers discussing the strange events of the last 36 hours, decided that they would shoulder their packs and leave the valley that afternoon.

On first leaving camp they had the disagreeable sensation of being followed. In the dense spruce thickets they occasionally heard brush snap after they had passed…At noon they were back within a couple miles of camp.

There were still three beaver traps to collect in a little pond in a wide ravine near by. Bauman volunteered to gather these and bring them in, while his companion went ahead to camp and made ready the packs. He took several hours in securing and preparing the beaver, and when he started homewards he marked, with some uneasiness, how low the sun was getting.

At last he came to the edge of the little glade where the camp lay, and he shouted as he approached it, but got no answer. The campfire had gone out, though the thin blue smoke was still curling upwards. Stepping forward he shouted again and as he did his eye fell on the body of his friend…Rushing towards it the horrified trapper found that the body was still warm, but the neck was broken, while there were four great fang marks in the throat.

The footprints of the unknown beast-creature, printed deep in the soft soil, told the whole story. The unfortunate man, having finished his packing, had sat down on the spruce log face to the fire, his back to the dense woods, to wait for his companion.

It had not eaten the body, but apparently had romped and gamboled around it in uncouth glee occasionally rolling it over and over.

Bauman, utterly unnerved, and believing that the creature with which he had to deal was something either half human or half devil…abandoned everything but his rifle and struck off at speed down the pass.”

Many years later, around the campfire Ted being a man of good judgement believed what the older Bauman had told him. To read the entire account of Bauman’s encounter, Ted included it in his 1892 book, Wilderness Hunter By Teddy Roosevelt.

Bigfoot, Sasquatch or Skunk Ape whatever you may call it, this is just one account in human history of a large bipedal creature in the woods, swamps and mountains of North America.

Do you believe in Sasquatch? Or is Bigfoot a centuries old hoax? If bigfoot is real, where is all the evidence? Where are the bodies of the dead? When was the last time you came across the carcass of a deer in the woods? Maybe like the elephant, the bigfoot community bury their dead. If they don’t, nature has a way of disposing of the body rather quickly. Without the help of scavengers that will scatter the bones and body parts, in as few as twenty days the body would be gone.  

Plaster Casts


What evidence do we have in favor of the existence of a large bipedal creature living in North America? First and foremost, we have the footprints. Some have been ruled out as hoaxes, while hundreds of others cannot be explained. We also have clear pictures and videos. The best being the 1967 Patterson-Gimlin film. We have sightings. How many sightings do we have? The Oregon Bigfoot Sighting Data Base has 2,535 registered sightings with Washington state leading the way with 522.

Josh Stephens compiled sightings over 92 years in North America. In the lower 48 states there were 3,313 from 1921-2012. People from all walks of life have reported seeing a large hairy bipedal creature roaming our woods. First responders, business owners, sportsman, politicians and the list goes on. How many people do not report a sighting out of fear of ridicule?

Just how long have bigfoot sightings been recorded? You might be surprised to know that the first recorded sighting was in 1792. On an expedition of the Pacific North West that was ordered by New Spain, was Joes Mariano Mozino, a naturalist from Mexico. In his journal, he describes a wood dwelling creature that the natives considered a demon. This creature was monstrous in size, covered in black bristled hair a large human shaped head with large fangs protruding from its mouth. The creature had long arms and commutated with laud howls.

Does all the evidence of Sasquatch come from the Pacific North West? No. Florida and the South East have a lot of sightings as well as the North East and Midwest.

On August 27, 1958 Jerry Crew found and cast large humanoid footprints. These prints were 16 inches long with a stride form 46-60 inches, depending on the terrain it was walking on. Mr. Crew was a Caterpillar operator on a construction crew in Bluff Creek California. When Jerry’s story and pictures hit the local papers, the creature was introduced to the world as Bigfoot.

Jerry Crew news paper article
Sasquatch comes from the Salish Indians of the Pacific North West. Their word Se’Sxac (sasquatch) means Wild Man.

The name Skunk Ape comes out of Florida. This cousin of the western bigfoot tends to spend most of his time in the swamps and emits a horrible odor. Sightings of the Skunk Ape have been reported for hundreds of years.

Every region in the country and around the world have a history of sightings. The only continent that hasn’t had a sighting is Antarctica. If Sasquatch doesn’t exist, are we experiencing world-wide mass hysteria?

Theories abound about what Bigfoot might be, from an alien transplant, shapeshifter, an undiscovered ape species or a distant cousin to an ancient humanoid. I personally don’t believe that Sasquatch is from outer space or that he might be a shapeshifter. If it were a shapeshifter, why would it take the from of a cryptid?

Could Bigfoot be an undiscovered species of ape? According to several government agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, there are 109,478,939 acres of wilderness land in the lower forty-eight states. That’s bigger than Florida, Michigan, Vermont and Connecticut combined. That’s a lot of land for North American ape to hide.

Another theory is that Sasquatch is a distant cousin of Gigantopithecus Blacki, Giganto for short. Many believe that Giganto may have migrated from China across the land bridge with the early humans and other animals. It is speculated that Gigantopithecus Blacki has evolved into today’s North American Bigfoot and the Yeti in Asia.

Most of the Indian tribes in North America have folklore of a strong, hairy, strange smelling wild man, who wanders the woods at night. Some of these creatures are of a supernatural origin and have various powers. Legends from other tribes are dangerous. These “Stick Indians” or “Bush Indians” live in villages and wage war on neighboring tribes. These Bush Indians also take childern and eat humans.

Other tribes see Sasquatch very differently. They see the Bigfoot community as shy helpers, who might take a few things from the tribe that they need, but they are considered guardians of the natural world. It is said that these guardians may also take a human bride.

We have discussed the facts and folklore of the elusive Sasquatch. Native people from all over the world have cave drawings, stories and folklore about a big hairy man living in the wilderness. Can all these tribes be mistaken? There is always truth behind the legend, the question lays in where does the truth end and the legend begin?
 
 
The next time you are out in the wonderful world of the outdoors and have a feeling that you are being watched, or smell a horrible scent, you might not be alone. Let’s not forget about their communication skills of wood knocking and vocalization. Earlier this year my wife and I were sunset fishing from our canoe on the Withlacoochee river in North Central Florida, when we heard four howls. After these howls the forest was quite for a few minutes. It wasn’t coyotes or anything like I ever heard before. I’m not saying that what we heard was the Skunk Ape, but there is some truth to every legend.

Monday, May 27, 2019

Your Own Backyard


 

 
Like so many outdoorsmen and women you work. Unfortunately, work eats into our time spent in the great outdoors. While most of us can’t fish our favorite trout stream, hunt quail behind the best pointer in the county or even take a long stroll down a tree shaded path with the one we love, daily. We can observe the wonders of nature in our own backyards.

Wildlife abounds in and around your backyard, all you have to do is take a fresh look. There are many things you may not even notice, those wildflowers growing in your lawn, attract all manner of pollinators. Butterflies flutter about and bees collect pollen to keep our tables full of fruits and vegetables.

Take a closer look at the trees and shrubs around your house. They are a habitat for birds, snakes, and all kinds of insects.

A honeybee hive
photo credit D.Carroll
Have you ever seen a bee collecting pollen? Take a few minutes and watch nature at work. You can get as close as you like, honeybees are very docile.

How about hummingbirds? Whether at a feeder or gathering nectar from flowers, hummingbirds are fun for the whole family to watch. Hummingbirds can fly up to 30 MPH and when your kids see one fly backwards for the first time, they will be hooked on the wonders of nature. With their long beaks and multi-color plumage hummingbirds make great subjects for the photographer of the family.

If you own a dog, then you know that as soon as he sees a squirrel it’s game on. Squirrels are everywhere, so why even bother to watch them? Because they are amazing acrobats. Watch and see the many way that squirrels will figure out to get into that bird feeder. If you ever have the opportunity to watch a squirrel bury his nuts, it’s quite a show. He will dig, look around, drop the nuts in the ground, look again and cover them up. This is all done very quickly. He wants to be sure that no one is going to steal his stash of nuts for the winter.
A baby dove less than 45 minutes old
photo credit D. Carroll
 

Do you like watching the military channel on tv? If you do you may want to take notice of one of the most effective armies the world has ever known. This army serves at the pleasure of their queen. She directs what food they need, when and where to go, who protects the kingdom and who the workers are. These many kingdoms outnumber humans one million to one! I’m talking about ants. While the workers are out gathering food for the colony, they march in a single line going both directions. If you watch each ant will “high five” each one it passes. They do this to pass on information to each other. If you live in the south and disturb a fire ant mound, then you will see the fierceness with which this army protects the nest. These colonies can have up to 500,000 ants. That’s one big army! Ants are fascinating creatures if you take the time to watch.

Sitting on you back porch as the sun sinks below the horizon, tree frogs begin to emerge from their daytime hiding places and start to sing their song of dusk. With the dusk, comes insects, if you watch the frogs, they will soon start to feed on the gnats, moths and other insects that gather at the light. The frog is an amazing marksman with his lightning fast tongue. If you are lucky enough, your frog will eat a firefly, then you can see its insides every time the firefly lights up.

Peacock spider
Along with frogs, the insects will also bring spiders. Spiders have an undeserved bad reputation. Very few are poisonous. They eat a lot the insects that bug us at night. Spiders can be as beautiful as any creature that inhabits the earth. If you have never watched a spider move in on its prey, it’s as fast, violent and daunting as a lion taking down a gazelle.

This is just the beginning of the wildlife you can find in your own backyard. Depending where you live, you could see moose, gators or bear just by looking out your window. I am lucky enough that at any given time, looking out my backdoor, I might see bobcats, coyotes, eagles, ospreys, iguanas and much more.

Our lives are busy, with work, coaching your children’s sports, and that never- ending honey do list. Most of us can’t get out on the water or into the woods as much as we’d like. Why not take the opportunity life gives us to slow down. Take notice of the life teeming in our own backyard. Afterall that’s where as kids we first discovered the wonders of nature.
Hummingbird at rest
Photo credit Jennifer Carroll