I have no heavy training... Barely Elementary School. Preferred the wilderness, it became my university, but I got muddy boots and experience instead of School knowledge so my English was therefore quite inadequate. This blog is a project to improve my skills in English language.
We all have our own universe, welcome to visit mine.
It has been a wet and rainy work week, but I found a very good rain cover for the lunch yesterday, cozy but a little nervous, trembled at the possibility that the landlord would show up!
Some people in densely populated cities, where air pollution has long obscured the night sky, have now been able to enjoy the stars for a while. It is unbelievable that we have experienced such a brutal shutdown of our consumption-hungry civilization. Imagine if humanity would be wise enough to take the chance, when the pandemic allows, and start up our business again in a somewhat fairer and more ecologically sustainable way…
The thoughts wander in step with the paddle strokes. Rhythmic, thoughtful. Curious when rounding a headland, something new and exciting may be waiting or something bad, as rubbish from our way of life…
Bear hunting is going on in our area. They injured a male bear last Friday, shot in the jaw, teeth collected for DNA analysis … police urge caution, no one should use the hiking trail that runs through the area. The bear is injured, aggressive, dangerous. They tried to find it over the weekend but failed.
The bear hunt has continued today. The injured bear has not been found but another male bear has been killed. One bear remains to be slaughtered according to this year’s license for our county. I suppose … The injured bear is reasonably counted as one of three to whom the license applies. But I am not sure, just guessing, I have no knowledge of what applies.
Nature is already quieter; many bird species are already heading south. The nights get longer and the cold approaches. The calmness slowly descends over us when the season change is underway again. Lovely!
Midday thaw is strong now. The night’s ten minus degrees quickly turn into comfortable seven to eight plus degrees. The fresh wolverine tracks at Wednesday’s scouting site look much older already after a few hours. There will be no tracking this day, no time right now, work with the eagles must go first.
Also stumbled upon spring’s first bear track. Always nice but surprisingly early this year. It gives a little extra excitement to the working day to know that there is a grumpy friend in the neighborhood, who just woke up in a wet bed, pushed the plug out of the butt and is insanely hungry after a long winter sleep.
I think the most exciting tracking I’ve ever done is when I followed day-fresh bear tracks one spring night with the full moon as the only light source. Damn, then I probably had a maximum heart rate!
The work week ended with a practical collaboration with a wolf. On my way to the scouting site for working with the eagle, I encounter very fresh wolf tracks. Some wolf I do not see, and the tracks disappear into the hard crust. I’ll track down the wolf until it’s time for the eagle. What I do not know is that the wolf takes over the work of tracking and tracks me during the day.
When I am on my way home after the day, I again meet fresh wolf tracks but now in my own tracks from the morning. And I who thought I was ready for the day! Just to take the baton and begin to track the wolf again. It became a long working day.
Today Tiburtius day, according
to ancient folklore, the day when the bear leaves the den. I have not seen any
tracks yet but they tend to be awake this time of year. Soon, you can see the
impressive tracks on patches of snow and along muddy roads.
First time after they woke up,
they stay around the bear den. The body needs to get in shape after the long
sleep. The plug … need to be removed and bowel function get started. Tree
Bark can serve as food for some time, but as soon as they start wandering ants
stands for maximum protein intake and other goodies that they find, like rotten
moose carcass. Yummy!
It is exciting to study the area surrounding a used Bear’s Den, after the bear left it, of course. (okay, more exciting if the bear is still in the area but it could then become unhealthy excitement …)
At a Bear training camp I found
the bear had; Climbed into seven trees, sometimes up to 6 meters in height.
Knocked over and demolished seven rotten tree trunks. He had slaughtered six small spruces, fifteen
birch saplings and three smaller pines. He had also clawed, bitten and lopped
twenty pines, two birches and three firs. Spruce twigs were then braided into
thick and warm beds.
Seven meters pine bark had been
used to fill a hungry bear’s stomach. Eleven droppings confirmed that fiber is
good for the stomach. And some toothpicks were not needed …
It is dusk
and a bear is heading straight towards me. The wind is weak and in my direction
so I stand completely still and enjoy being invisible. It’s awesome! When I
think that the distance is close enough, I move the camera from side to side a
few times whereupon the bear stops immediately.
Since it is
not aware my scent it becomes insecure, what am I, friend or foe? It sweeps
back and forth with its nose but got no answer. The bear blowing the air out
through its nose with immense strength, as if trying to clear it and a loud
whistle arise. This is repeated a few times. I have often heard about the bear
whistling sound, but it’s the first time I experienced it.
It get for
me to pretend to be another larger bear so I imitates with all the power I can
muster its whistling by pressing the air stream between the teeth, and I
succeed! It gets really frightened, throwing aside and rushes then up a slope
where it stops for a moment and look at me. What an experience! It really
strengthened my male ego 🙂
Some dances
with wolves while others run with bears … I know it sounds crazy, but
sometimes you don’t have time to think. It was the first time I saw a wild
unmarked bear, it was dusk and it suddenly ran in front of the car along a
forest road. I panic braked, grabbed the camera, rushed out of the car and ran
after the bear into the woods.
It was
magical. I ran like a madman and found to my delight that I actually
approached. It was then that the bear stopped and looked at me. I don’t know
if it was my imagination or if the evening light played tricks on me, but I got
a very clear message.
– Read my
lips: what the hell are you doing? Have you really thought this through? And I
must admit that I had not … The bear went on the crust of snow while I sank
to the groin… my chances to run away from him if he would like to take a taste
of me, would be non-existent so I wished him a really nice blueberry season and
returned to the car, happy to be a bewildering experience richer.
