Hunting on horseback

Three years ago at the same date, I was preparing my hunting trip in the Rockies for elk.  This elk hunting trip on horseback is without question the most beautiful trip that I had the chance to do.  If you’re up for adventure, I would suggest BigNine outfitter, which we chose.  In the hope that my next trip will be as successful.  You may find the DVD that was produced from this adventure in many hunting stores.  

 Have a good day. Louis 

Better than salt

Here is a small technique that is even better than salt.  To verify if your have local bucks in your area, make a false scrape late in the spring at trails intersection or in an area occupied by deers.  If there’s a buck that sees this naked area, he won’t resist at leaving his scent and his tracks in the scrape. A game camera will do the rest.  No lure or apple, only a small naked area under a branch.  You may repeat this strategy in all your sectors by leaving your game cameras in place for 2 weeks.   

Have a good day.  Louis 

The first fawn

Yesterday, while I was installing game cameras in the wood, I had the chance to observe my first fawn of the year.  The doe had cease to molt and had her red summer coat.  It is obviously not this Anticosti fawn on this picture that we see being photographed by my spouse.  Here, on the continent, with the number of predators, I try to stay away from the fawns so that I don’t leave any odors.  

 Have a good day.  Louis  

Here we lay

The current hot days that we actually have seems to have triggered the beginning of the annual laying period of the turtles.  Since the last few days, the painted turtle and the snapping turtles are getting out of surrounding ponds, creeks and lakes to dig on gravel roads so that they may lay their eggs.  Here is a snapping turtle of approximately 11 pounds which will lay around 20 eggs.  She will lay some more in another area since this is their strategic defense if they want to succeed in having some of the eggs hatched because foxes , coyotes and raccoons will feast upon this wealth which will last for almost 2 weeks.   

Have a good day.  Louis    

A new life

Finally, after more than a month of nesting, two chicks are born.  They will be nourished from two to four times a day by the two parents until the end of August, which by then, they will attempt their first flights.  The parents will be by their sides until the end of the year, and even later.  This picture got me a third place in a provincial photo contest held by the Union Québéçoise de la Conservation de la Nature.   

Good day.  Louis

The braggarts

Let me present the black guillemots.  This small alcid, of the same family as the puffin, nest in rock crevices on cliffs along the sea shore.  They are great fisherman of sandeel, a small and long fish which can be likened to a small eel and which are of a red wine color.  The guillemots get together in small groups and get excited by discussing of some hot topics. When they fly, you may notice the big white stain on their wings from many hundred yards from the coast… just like mirrors.  

 Good day. Louis      

Mother courage

Approximately the same date as usual… it seems that life continues.  Yesterday morning, I had the chance to observe a mother fox with a mouthful of small rodents.  I followed her for a few hundred yards in the forest and there she had a meeting with her litter of fox cubs.  I will try to do a follow-up on them later in the season.  Have a good day.  Louis