Shopsmith Forums

It was a bright sun shiny day so I decided to go on a bit of hike. I wanted to check on some lumber jacks that I knew had been working in the area. I went to where I had last seen them, nope no sigh of them but it was also clear they had not been in that area for a while.

There were no signs as to where they might have gone but I know they had had some legal issues having to do with damming up a creek two summers ago, in fact they were forcefully removed from the area by government officials.

It is hard to keep good loggers from working the woods so I figured we would hike to the other side of the lake and look for signs of them there. Sure enough we found some fresh cuttings, some of them were obviously done this summer and maybe even some this fall. Checking the areas where the remains of our last snow were still visible I could not find any fresh cuts or evidence of the trees being hauled away. I sure hoped they had not gotten them selves in trouble again.

It is a family business and a lot of them are have a hard time of it but I was hoping that maybe some one would still be hanging around finishing up before winter. Nope, didn't see any of them, now I'm left wondering it they displaced by another crew, saw chain saw cuts and piles of wood chips so it was clear others had been working the area too. I know the crew I was looking for use the lake to move the logs and now that it was frozen over they would most likely wintering over. I figured too that they would have built some sort of home to stay the winter in so I went looking for that.

You know I really need to add a few pictures to the story so lets do that now. First we have some of the cuttings I found not far from the main trail.

[ATTACH]15207[/ATTACH]

Another spot along the way I found this, looks like they were interrupted before this tree could be fallen.

[ATTACH]15208[/ATTACH]

Found the homestead, I also noted they have a different way of drying the wood harvest. I do believe if anyone is at home they will be working on getting the bark off over the winter.

[ATTACH]15209[/ATTACH]

A bunch of Old Coots were watching from the lake ice, I guess they were making sure I didn't take any of the wood for a home project...

[ATTACH]15210[/ATTACH]

Anyway that is how the 3-1/2 mile hike went today.

Ed

Thanks for carrying your camera on your hike. Interesting pictures. Some times I wish I did not live within the city.

This month's National Geographic talks of some of the lumberjacks were tranferred from Canada to Patagonia with disastrous results (no natural enemies). They have been fruitful and multiplied.

BPR

dusty wrote:Thanks for carrying your camera on your hike. Interesting pictures. Some times I wish I did not live within the city.

I live in the second largest city in IL, 112 largest in the US, sometime hard to believe. The good news is that we have plenty of parks, forest preserves and people who care about those things to keep them going.

Ed

Thanks Ed I loved the story and pictures. We live in a highly developed portion of the Metro Denver area. Half a mile from our home is a natural lake that is intentionally maintained for benefit of natural habitat. We have pictures of mature bull Elk, deer, all manner of bird life, foxes, coyotes and Eagles. We walk the mile and a half almost daily with our small dog. The wildlife is a treat for us and the squirrels a treat for the pup. Thanks again for sharing. Fjimp

fjimp wrote:Thanks Ed I loved the story and pictures. We live in a highly developed portion of the Metro Denver area. Half a mile from our home is a natural lake that is intentionally maintained for benefit of natural habitat. We have pictures of mature bull Elk, deer, all manner of bird life, foxes, coyotes and Eagles. We walk the mile and a half almost daily with our small dog. The wildlife is a treat for us and the squirrels a treat for the pup. Thanks again for sharing. Fjimp

I hope the 'pup' does not become a 'treat' for the foxes, coyotes and eagles!:eek:

Decided to hike back to see if I could see any new action today. Did not spot any fresh cuttings so I still don't know if they there status. Maybe I'll check back in another two weeks. Still only thin ice on the lake and the little snow we have had didn't last long. Might see tracks later when we have some snow down again.

I did manage a couple of more close ups of the "mark of the beaver" for those who have never seen any chewing up close.

[ATTACH]15429[/ATTACH]

Ed

We took these at Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge....about 10 miles from where we live.
Here's one hard at work:
[ATTACH]15435[/ATTACH][ATTACH]15436[/ATTACH]
And here's one getting a radio tracking collar (a grad research project by the young lady, back right in the photo. Study of the territory range):
[ATTACH]15437[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]15438[/ATTACH]

JPG40504 wrote:I hope the 'pup' does not become a 'treat' for the foxes, coyotes and eagles!:eek:

Actually I had an opportunity to visit with a wildlife officer and posed that question. In reality our "Pup" is a five year old Hound, Golden Retriever mix that weighs in about 40 pounds. The officer I spoke with explained the coyote hasn't been born that is prepared to take on a dog the size of ours. Recently we saw what we thought was a fox head over the back fence with our dog fast approaching contact. Later a neighbor who had witnessed the "Coyote" clear the fence clarified what animal it was. I had in my mind Coyotes were larger than those we see around here. This past week we have witnessed two geese become breakfast for a pair of Coyotes. A gentleman who lives near the spot where they trapped the geese says he turned his dog loose the day afterward when the coyotes arrived for the next morning hunt and hasn't seen the coyotes since. Our dog is my constant companion and is never allowed to run free. Hopefully she is safe. I have had many dogs in my life, never one as intelligent or loving. I would be heartsick to lose this one. Thanks for your concern. Jim

Another visit and YES there must be a beaver living here. Noticed the hole in the ice that was without a doubt beaver made.

The ice has closed in again but it will do that with temperatures in the teens and twenty's overnight the last few days.

[ATTACH]15616[/ATTACH]

Ed