An Evening on a Bass River

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
. net...
wrote:
snip
...I think you'll find that, for most animals, it's a lot easier not to
kill than to kill, and under "normal" circumstances, it's only necessity
that causes them to do it...

I've seen adolescent wolves kill just for practice, they didn't
even eat the kill just left the elk calves laying there in the
Lamar Valley. The adult animals in the pack were all sleeping off
a big meal when the two juveniles went on their killing spree. I
suppose you could make the argument that practicing teamwork and
the kill is necessary but it sure makes a myth out of the old
tale about wolves killing only what they can eat.

I've seen post-adolescent (more or less) humans kill deer and not eat them.
It's true......I watched them for twenty minutes or more.

Wolfgang
who never ceases to be amazed by what can be learned from under a bar stool.

On Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:42:20 -0500, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:

wrote:
snip
...I think you'll find that, for most animals, it's a lot easier not to
kill than to kill, and under "normal" circumstances, it's only necessity
that causes them to do it...

I've seen adolescent wolves kill just for practice, they didn't
even eat the kill just left the elk calves laying there in the
Lamar Valley. The adult animals in the pack were all sleeping off
a big meal when the two juveniles went on their killing spree. I
suppose you could make the argument that practicing teamwork and
the kill is necessary but it sure makes a myth out of the old
tale about wolves killing only what they can eat.

I said nothing about wolves only killing what they can eat...

TC,
R
....but were these adolescent wolves called Mickey and Mallory...?

On Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:31:19 -0500, wrote:

On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:46:56 -0500, George Cleveland
wrote:

On Fri, 06 Jul 2007 20:54:16 -0500, Cyli wrote:

On Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:40:40 -0500, George Cleveland
wrote:

Did a little scouting today. I think I've found the next smallie Clave
campground. I just have to get a hold of the powers-that-be and see if
we can work something out.

Thanks, george. Must have been a great day for you.

BTW, there still isn't any record of a healthy wolf that wasn't being
fed by humans attacking any human being in the U.S. that I've heard
of. And I'm on some groups where the hysterical about wolves
sometimes post.


I wasn't really worried about being attacked per se. It was more of an
instincticve reaction (I think) to being so close to animals which are
much more physically powerful than I am. To carry the analogy to to an
absurd level, if you came upon a group of gods cavorting in a meadow
(And, no, I don't think of wolves as gods.), would your first response
be to yell "Heey Gods! Whats happenin'!!" or would it be to keep your
trap shut and slink away.

Are these alleged "gods" "cavorting" in _A_ meadow or _trespassing_ in
_MY_ meadow? And more importantly, are there nekkid gals with hot bods
involved?

The fact that wolves could easily kill any human if they so chose and
the fact that they don't is something I find intriguing about them.

Um, they could? But OK, assuming a wolf _could_ kill any human it
chose, why do you think _would_?

Easy protein?


Or do you find yourself intriguing for
not having run over myriad people in your automobile?

I find myself and wolves intriguing for a variety of reasons. But the
fact that wolves pass up an easy meal is an interesting part of their
behavior. After all, most large felines, some bears, crocodiles,
ticks, roundworms, some sharks, crabs (after you're dead of course)
and many other animals that I'm sure I've forgotten, seem to find
human flesh toothsome and nutritious. Wolves don't. Why? I also find
it somewhat interesting that you find the predator/prey relationship
in animals analogous to human beings killing each other at random.
Why?


g.c.

HTH,
R
...I think you'll find that, for most animals, it's a lot easier not to
kill than to kill, and under "normal" circumstances, it's only necessity
that causes them to do it...

g.c.

On Mon, 09 Jul 2007 16:47:55 -0500, George Cleveland
wrote:

On Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:31:19 -0500, wrote:

On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:46:56 -0500, George Cleveland
wrote:

On Fri, 06 Jul 2007 20:54:16 -0500, Cyli wrote:

On Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:40:40 -0500, George Cleveland
wrote:

Did a little scouting today. I think I've found the next smallie Clave
campground. I just have to get a hold of the powers-that-be and see if
we can work something out.

Thanks, george. Must have been a great day for you.

BTW, there still isn't any record of a healthy wolf that wasn't being
fed by humans attacking any human being in the U.S. that I've heard
of. And I'm on some groups where the hysterical about wolves
sometimes post.


I wasn't really worried about being attacked per se. It was more of an
instincticve reaction (I think) to being so close to animals which are
much more physically powerful than I am. To carry the analogy to to an
absurd level, if you came upon a group of gods cavorting in a meadow
(And, no, I don't think of wolves as gods.), would your first response
be to yell "Heey Gods! Whats happenin'!!" or would it be to keep your
trap shut and slink away.

Are these alleged "gods" "cavorting" in _A_ meadow or _trespassing_ in
_MY_ meadow? And more importantly, are there nekkid gals with hot bods
involved?

The fact that wolves could easily kill any human if they so chose and
the fact that they don't is something I find intriguing about them.

Um, they could? But OK, assuming a wolf _could_ kill any human it
chose, why do you think _would_?

Easy protein?


Or do you find yourself intriguing for
not having run over myriad people in your automobile?

I find myself and wolves intriguing for a variety of reasons. But the
fact that wolves pass up an easy meal is an interesting part of their
behavior.

And how many human beings have you killed with your bare hands? If
none, what makes you think it would be so easy? OTOH, how many
hamburgers have you ordered, received, subdued, and consumed? Which
would you guess would be easier?

After all, most large felines, some bears, crocodiles,
ticks, roundworms, some sharks, crabs (after you're dead of course)
and many other animals that I'm sure I've forgotten, seem to find
human flesh toothsome and nutritious.

They do? I think that will come as news to most large felines, some
bears, crocodiles, ticks, roundworms, some sharks, crabs (after you're
dead of course) and many other animals, forgotten or otherwise. I've
spent some time around large felines, some bears, and just about every
major species of shark, not to mention ticks, roundworms, and crabs, and
thus far, I'm uneaten by any of them. My experience with crocs is
admittedly limited (not non-existent), but my experience with gators is
pretty extensive, and as one might guess, I'm similarly uneaten by
either. OTOH, I don't do stupid **** that might make any on the above
list look upon me as a meal, easy or otherwise (and I'm not suggesting
that you do). Of course, it is my understanding that man-eating
roundworms are even rarer than the occasional man-eating
tick...wait...maybe that's the other way around...

Wolves don't. Why?

See above...OTOH, I'd not put a newborn human in a cage with a hungry
wolf on the basis of wolves' not eating humans because they don't find
them tasty...

I also find
it somewhat interesting that you find the predator/prey relationship
in animals analogous to human beings killing each other at random.
Why?

And from the above, I find that you somehow found the idea that I find
such analogous even though I can find nothing in what I wrote to support
such a finding...you'll find that I don't find _any_ of those findings
even somewhat interesting...

TC,
R

"George Cleveland" wrote in message
...
Did a little scouting today. I think I've found the next smallie Clave
campground. I just have to get a hold of the powers-that-be and see if
we can work something out.

The grounds are neat and trim. They're also situated on the banks of a
river we'll call Yiminy, for now. After doing a little tour of the
sites I climbed down the steep bank, tied on a Deerhair Diver and cast
out near a boulder, mid-river. The third cast, placed right against
the face of the rock, brought a small boil and then a hard fast run.
After a couple of minutes this fine lass lay in my hand.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._0046Small.jpg

I'm guessing two to three pounds.

I continued fishing downstream for about 45 minutes. It is a gorgeous
northern river that runs through heavily forested, lightly farmed
countryside.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._0043Small.jpg

I fished around the large rocks that studded a small rapids. Then I
turned and started back up.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._0049Small.jpg

I wanted to investigate the old dam site that the campground is named
after. I was catching fish on a regular basis. All on top. None as big
as the first although I did tie into a 15 incher that was a lot of
fun.

By the time I fished my way up to the pool below the old logging dam's
remains it was quite dark. I kept casting but the fish had shut down.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2..._0053Small.jpg

Crossing the river I followed the only fisherman's trail I came across
all day, back towards the parking lot. Probably walleye fishers
casting into the big pool had worn it down.

As I approached the side trail that went up towards the campground I
heard a high pitched sound a long way off. Kids? Dogs? Then the answer
came, maybe a hundred yards across the river from me.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...=jumpwolf2.flv

I listened until they quit. The microphone on the camera picked up the
middle registered howling best but there were also several higher
pitched howlers, probably pups, which didn't record at all, and a
lower pitched, softer howl that is only barely audible a few times.

If I had been with someone else I probably would have tried to howl
back after they finished. Supposedly you can get them to respond by
doing that. But as it was, I snapped on the LED headlamp and, looking
a bit more anxious I imagine than was justified, scuttled back to the
Subaru, jumped in, locked the doors and drove home.

I'm not a big fan of summer. But yesterday, with its fresh, north wind
and reasonable temps and humidity, was as good as it gets. And now
those wolves' howling will impress the day indelibly in my mind. I'll
carry the whole thing... bright summer day, big brassy fish, haunting
voices drifting through the dark trees... with me until the time
comes when I can remember nothing at all.

Experiences like this overwhelm me with a sense of gratitude.


g.c.

I remember going on a two hour search to find the pack of cub scouts that
was making all the noise...it was wolves.

anyhow George...I'm most definitely in for that trip. I would propose a
motion to make it in the fall when the days are warm and the nights are
cool....them smallies go on a feeding binge in preparation for winter..

Heck, I'll even do the t-shirts.... something like "Guys with Smallies"

john