Wildlife Management Fail

In the mid 1980's I became interested in arranging a trip to hunt caribou in the Ungava Peninsula region of Quebec.  The George River caribou herd was growing rapidly, trips were affordable, and the success rate for hunters was nearly 100%.  I was fortunate to have been able to make three trips, one each in 1987, 1989, and 1991.  The above photo was of our party in 1991.

The herd which was estimated to number some 50,000 animals in the 1960's had grown to 800,000 animals by the early 1990's.  Sport hunters were allowed two animals of either sex and the killing of wolves was strictly forbidden.  The major management concern voiced by the managing ministry was of the herd eating itself out of house and home.

The early 1990's was the high water mark for the George River herd.  By 2001 the herd was down to 385,000 animals and dropping farther to 75,000 by 2010 when all sport hunting was banned.  The herd population has continued to fall with the 2018 estimate being only 5,500 animals.

According to government researchers wolf populations are considered low, habitat disturbance is low, calf birthrates are normal, and the animals tested are healthy with decreasing prevalence of parasites. However the herd continues to decrease.  Consideration was given to place this herd on the  Canadian endangered species list.

Caribou populations in many areas around the arctic are decreasing and may very well be tied to global climate change. 

New Baby, Stubborn Mother

A cow who's first two pregnancies resulted in stillbirths, went into labor yesterday morning.  A couple hours later her delivery was complete without assistance.  However she didn't seem to understand what she should do, walking off from her newborn bull calf.

As I dried the calf with old towels she became interested and soon was licking him enthusiastically however when he tried to nurse she nudged him away.  After giving him time to gain some strength I maneuvered his to her bag and she kicked him each time he nuzzled her teats.

Its imperative that a newborn have colostrum within a few hours of birth so the next step was to attempt to milk her but I soon found that what was gentle kicks when her calf nuzzled became roundhouse kicks that if landed soundly could break bones.  Borrowing a set of kickers from a neighbor I was finally able to milk her a little and feed the baby a mix of her colostrum and a bag of colostrum supplement.

Today the calf, while much stronger, showed no interest in attempting to nurse.  Again I struggled to milk the cow some and supplemented her milk with milk replacer.  I still have a couple tricks up my sleeve and remain optimistic that mother and son will soon bond in a nourishing relationship but only time will tell.

Such is life on the farm!

Whitetail Rut Wrap Up 2018

While my photographic success during this years rut didn't measure up to some ruts of the past it was more the fault of other obligations on my part rather than the lack of whitetails.

This buck was the nicest one that I encountered.  The photo opportunity was fleeting as he spotted me at the same time I spotted him. 

Other bucks were more accommodating

Some posed nicely

While others intent upon pursuing does seemed oblivious to the clicking of the shutter

 And some were at a distance where my presence was not as noticeable

Lip-Curl's are one of my favorite poses with this rut providing me a number of opportunities. 

I am most thankful to have once again had the opportunity to photograph another whitetail rut.  Whitetails have always held a special place in my heart. Whether it is a tiny spotted fawn, a soft coated brown doe, or a heavy antlered buck, they all are incredibly beautiful and graceful, deserving of out attention and support more so as other living beings who's presence enriches our lives rather than as mere targets to shoot at and antlers on the wall. 

The Get-a-Way

With rifle deer season only a day away, this buck appears well practiced in his survival skills.  Judging from his size he has lived through a number of deer seasons.  Beginning Monday morning his skill set will once again be tested.

Pretty as a Picture

For a Whitetail enthusiast such as myself, the rut is a like Easter, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all rolled into one.  Bucks are the main attraction however hunting the rut with cameras is much different than with weapons.  One of the most glaring differences is there are no bag limits for photographers and another is that rack size, while important, is not nearly as important to a successful shot as is lighting, background, and pose.  Since we seldom experience accumulating snow prior during the rut in my area capturing this nice buck, posing nicely, on the fresh fallen snow was special!

Its Been a Long Time

Today, with sleet and snow softly falling, I was spending time working on photos and occasionally surfing the web.  It was when I visited this blog that I realized that nearly eleven months had passed since my last post.  Much of what I said in the closing lines of the last post concerning my disillusionment with social media still stands and has made me more reluctant than ever to share my opinions on issues of the day. 

Here in south-central Pennsylvania the white-tailed deer run is in full swing.  Bucks, that for months were seldom spotted, are now pursuing does with wild abandonment.  I spotted a high six point buck tending a doe this morning as the winter storm was just beginning. 

A couple of days early I caught this little six posing nicely.

This buck, again from this morning, was watching a doe standing nearby.  As they so often do, he stood motionless for many minutes until she suddenly bounded off.  He was right on her heels as they rushed out of sight.

And during those times when no whitetail activity is occurring, photos ops still abound.  I suppose that this squirrel couldn't find room in the knot-hole for himself and his tail but it certainly made for a unique pose. 

Wrapping up 2017, Down on the Farm

As 2017 draws to a close new life arrived on the Hill Farm

This calving cycle began badly when the first calf died shortly after what seemed to be a perfectly normal delivery.  A week later, when doing the morning check of two cows that were due, I found the one to have gone into labor during the night with the calf turned backwards with one leg bent inside, a half breech.  With a little work I was able to clear the blockage and was able to pull the calf.  I thought I was working with a dead calf but was surprised when it was alive at delivery.   Apparently the delivery had been too difficult; for the calf was unable to stand and died during the following night.  So with that recent past and the very cold temperatures I was concerned with keeping close watch on Fairy who was running 11 days over due.

Fairy went into labor around noon yesterday.  As the afternoon wore on I became concerned that she wasn't progressing well and a check revealed that she was attempting to birth a very large calf.  Again it was time for the chains and after perhaps  half an hour of assisting her through her contractions Frosty arrived!

He was slow getting up and with the nasty cold I was concerned.  Fairy was diligently cleaning him and to help keep him warm I blow-dried him.  Still not able to stand I milked two quarts of colostrum from Fairy and tubed it into his stomach and left him on a pile of fresh dry bedding.  This morning he was bright-eyed and strong!  Mission accomplished!

Of course I cannot forget Heinz, the baby we reared on the bottle this past summer.  He still comes in each morning for his scoop of chop.

And Baby Jane is wintering well also.

During the past two years I have withdrawn considerably from posting my writing on social media.  It is not that I have lost interest in wildlife photography and the issues that surround it but rather that the poisoning of social media by the past election has left me disgusted.  I have watched as people have posted and shared obvious false hoods that undoubtedly came  from professional propaganda mills, fought with their "friends" labeling them as Libtards, Snowflakes, Conservaturds, etc etc etc.

As if politics isn't bad enough I have seen the social media fighting between the bird watchers, hunters, and wildlife photographers.  If a photographer get too close to an animal or bird that it moves the photographer is roundly condemned by all and even regulation may be proposed.  However, for an archer to get 7 yards from a "trophy" and dart it with an arrow; Oh that's something to brag about!  Even if the hit isn't quickly fatal and leaves the animal to suffer. Yes, to say it mildly, I'm disgusted.  While I will continue to share some of my photos both here and on Facebook I will try to keep away from controversy and try to enjoy my life in the wilds and down on the farm.

I sincerely hope that Social Media and our country can become a much friendlier environment in 2018.  Thank you for reading and a Happy New Year to All!

Assateague Birdlife

No visit to Chincoteague would be complete without spending some time observing the vast numbers of birds.  The following are some of the better photographs that I was able to capture during our short visit this year.

Double-crested Cormorant

 Great Egret

 Great Egret

 Great Egret

 Great Egret

 Blue Heron with Snowy Egrets

 Gull with Crab

 Blue Heron and Snowy Egret

 Sanderlings

 Sanderlings

Chincoteague, Dusk and Dawn

My wife and I just returned from spending a few days on Virginia's beautiful Chincoteague Island. 

Our short vacation was marred as news of Sunday night's massacre in Las Vegas rocked the nation.  However mass killings have become the norm here in the land of the free and the home of the brave while we as a nation struggle with balancing the Constitutional second amendment against the inalienable right of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness set forth in our Declaration of Independence.  

Deer Morning

What could possible be better than a cool summer morning spent photographing does and fawns?  Watching the interaction between animals reminds me of the similarities between the actions of animals and humans at times.