On Nov 15, 1:14*pm, DaveS wrote:
Speaking of which. . . Ive been out fishing for steelhead, doing a
little doctoring of deer damage to my little ponderosas and
winterizing my outfit. Weather was nasty for three days (SOP for
steelhead fishing, actually tropical compared to what is on the way
this year). Then yesterday the weather broke and the colors were
magnificent. Fallow and no-till swaths the brightest white gold, early
fall planted swaths an emerald browned-green, and the background skies
either sunny blue and cumulus white clouds OR deep egg-sucking leach
purple grey.

Fishing was good but . . . closed for all but steelhead and the near
mythical Browns. I C&Red a number of Rainbows, 3 in the 15 plus range
and only one was arguably a steelhead. Every bow was a fighter. Not a
cutthroat to be seen, and no suckers. Two gear guys passed thru
claiming one steelhead definite and a couple of big rainbows.
Everything I caught on either a purple/pink egg sucking leach, or a
two fly set up of a nymph followed by a Freight Train. Sometimes a
split shot, sometimes not depending . . . .

Lots of geese high up, as well as egrets. (Do the egrets go south?
Never noticed before.) *Hawks galore. My dog chased a Martin (?) along
the river bank and we spooked some big assed deer. Coyotes much in
evidence, think once they may have been stalking my chubby dog. She
went deep into the van after one possible encounter. At home she barks
fiercely when the pack howls in the woods; Here she is more practical.
I know she is really ****scared of cougars so who knows and I have
never actually seen a cat out there. Heard, but never seen one.

Dave

Sounds like you live in.....or at least near.....a very nice place.

Yes, egrets go south.....well, in this hemisphere.....at this time of
year.

Any idea of what species of hawks? Various kinds migrate along
regular paths in the eastern U.S., some of them in huge numbers. It
can be an awesome sight in some of the better known hotspots. No idea
whether western birds do the same, or whether they are the same
species as we see around here.

I've never seen a live marten. The literature says they were
extirpated from Cheeselandia a long time ago. Recent attempts to
reintroduce them have met with some succes, from what I've read, but
they are still very scarce. Much more likely to see mink around
here. I've encountered many of the latter. A big mink would be about
the size of a small marten. The riparian habitat would pretty much
clinch the matter around here, given how rare the martens are.

Coyotes may not actually eat your dog.....but they will certainly kill
it, given the opportunity, if it isn't particularly large and/or
fierce. One of them gave Becky's 65 lb. Norwegian elkhound a nasty
gash a few years ago. Its partner was close at hand. I think that
only Becky's proximity and intervention saved poor Cullen.

Even the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has finally (after
lo these many years) been forced to confess that, yes, there ARE
cougars here. Never yet seen one myself, not has anyone I know and
trust, but it's just a matter of time, I suppose. Personally, I hope
it's someone I know and trust, rather than your humble
correspondent.

Wolfgang
who dislikes bitey things like mosquitoes......and even more dislikes
others correspondingly as they increase in size.