The Very Same Buck!

It was sometime in the mid 40's when an uncle of mine, an excitable sort, shot at and dropped an immense buck. Being a most law abiding type he immediately applied the metal locking tag required to be so affixed to the bucks antler. As he "whewed" and tried to stop his shaking (buckfever) all of a sudden the buck shot up and took off into the swamp. Apparently bucko had only been knocked out by the bullet. My uncle sat there dazed and dumbfounded! Vowing to get him he continued the hunt that year but the wiley buck eluded uncle's quest.
The following season uncle returned to the very spot of the previous years activity, found a cozy stump to sit near and settled down to wait. It wasn't much more than an hour when along came an immense form of the buck through the brush. Could it be the one he dealt with last year? Uncle took care to take good aim and fired. The buck dropped in its tracks! Uncle carefully approached ready to blast again if necessary and then dropped down to count the points on the rack! But what should he notice? The metal tag from last year was still affixed and proved to all that this big one got away once but not twice!

Dude with Rack

Look at the rack on this dude!


The Iron Mountain paper had this to say about "the dudes" one of which is pictured here in Theresa Peterson's photo in today's The Daily News


Older bucks will represent a larger proportion than normal of the buck segment of the Upper Peninsula deer herd in the upcoming firearm deer season, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. They should also show excellent antler development.
Theresa Peterson/Daily News Photo

Jim Anderson had this to say in the related article:

Bigger bucks
By JIM ANDERSON News EditorIRON MOUNTAIN — Hunters in Dickinson, Iron and Menominee counties might see fewer deer this year, but the bucks that hunters do spot should be bigger, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.The state’s 16-day firearm deer season opens Tuesday.Tuesday’s opening day forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies with a 50 percent chance of snow and a high near 31. It might also be breezy.Wednesday’s forecast is partly sunny with a high near 31.Winter deer herd losses in the southern Upper Peninsula were minimal, the DNR said. However, there will be fewer young bucks because of poor fawn production in 2004, wildlife biologists predict.
Hunters in Dickinson, Iron and Menominee counties might see fewer deer this year, but the bucks that hunters do spot should be bigger, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.The state’s 16-day firearm deer season opens Tuesday.Tuesday’s opening day forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies with a 50 percent chance of snow and a high near 31. It might also be breezy.Wednesday’s forecast is partly sunny with a high near 31.Winter deer herd losses in the southern Upper Peninsula were minimal, the DNR said. However, there will be fewer young bucks because of poor fawn production in 2004, wildlife biologists predict.

The Mourning Dove: To Hunt or Let Live

Should we or should we not hunt these little creatures?
This is a mourning dove apparently so named because of its making a "mourning" sound.
Many states allow hunting of the beast but Michigan is locked in controversy at this time. At first hunting was to be allowed in a few southern Michigan counties but a petition drive put the hunt on hold.
I am well aquainted with a family of these birds which live where I live. They frequently land on the roof of the stairwell just outside my big window. I've offered them food which they enjoy. Often as I descend the stairs to my car they scare the hell of of me by flying out and up from under the stairs where they apparently have gathered for a snack of gravel.
A dozen or so can be seen on most days on the electical wires or rooftops in the neighborhood.
What do you think? Should we let these tiny little beasts coo around and eat gravel or should we allow hunters in southern Michigan blast them out of the sky as they pass over! Or should we just sit and chuckle as the bird huggers and bird hunters argue their cases?

I Like NPR"S Science Friday

There is so much one can learn while driving around. Today on Science Friday I learned that when I go to sleep my brain doesn't. It stays awake to do some book keeping and house cleaning. I guess it sort of sorts things out and puts the newly sorted stuff on the proper shelves or in the right drawer or on the right hook. Also it doesn't deal with small stuff at this time. The brain takes care of the bigger more complicated stuff at night. Then it also throws a lot of junk out for the GAD man to pick up. This might be why I can't remember where I delivered yesterday! They also say that the brain slows down energy consumption by only about 10 to 20 percent while the rest of the body sleeps. Could that be cause our eyes are shut?

In another portion of the program I learned that a praying mantis as shown above is actually a cockroach and is so fast in its body movements that it can catch humming birds and mosquitoes and other insects. The beast also is one of a few insects which can rotate its head to see behind itself! This and other animals were discussed by a guest who has written about this smaller majority. He figures that upwards of 90 percent and maybe even 99 percent of the worlds animals are smaller than a human finger.