Gary Sundin
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I fixed that with some kind of contact cement (DAP brand?). Clamped it between 2 boards with C-clamps. On the exact same type of Simms/Keen inset felt sole, I might add, twice, on different pairs. The repair hasn’t failed yet. The stuff I used was fairly thin; I applied 2 coats to the felt surface.
G
…It was initiated in 1937(?) where a 1/8 cent excise tax was imposed on all hunting and fishing equipment….
This sounds very much like so-called Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Acts. Through those acts, excise taxes from the sale of sporting equipment fills a general federal pot which is granted to states to fund (or match) projects in wildlife and fisheries. Funds are granted based on a formula that includes the number of license holders in a state. States have to be in compliance with some broad rules (all states are, I think).
The P-R Act was instrumental in restoring white-tailed deer, wild turkey, river otters, and other game/furbearing species in the southeast after they were nearly extinct following uncontrolled market hunting during the Great Depression. I couldn’t find a list of where GA spends these funds, but it looks like many states use them to fund hunter education programs, boat ramp maintanence, etc. My impression is that this money is highly reliable and can be counted on, basically, to fund line-item budget needs.
Good points Zach. It seems reasonable in theory that wolves are reducing the elk herd sufficiently to put some pressure on bears that share the same resource. I think the period of hurt for bears is still restricted to calving season which is primarily when bears are killing their own elk. I also think bears are being gifted throughout the year with wolf-killed elk.
….If wolf populations are now declining due to having overshot carrying capacity and killed down the prey species, what is that going to do to bear behavior, when they feed on the same prey?
I think the answer is pretty obvious.
Zach
Wolves may be contributing to bear maulings, but I doubt the simple resource limitation you describe is the mechanism. I don’t think bears are having a hard time because a new predator is horning in on their prey. Bears don’t kill a lot of adult elk. They have a short period where they can eat a lot of newly-dropped fawns (the same as black bears in GA), but that seems like the only time when direct resource competition from wolves might be important.
From what I’ve read and from what others posted here, I would argue that wolves are providing more opportunities for bears because bears are often able to supplant wolves from a kill. Bigger predators often make an important part of their living doing this in communies that have multiple predators (eg. eagles on ospreys, lions on cheetahs).
Some mechanisms might be, for eg: grizzlies are more often in “big fierce bear” mode as they frequently interact with wolves at kills, and so are more habituated to aggressive behavior. Or: bears are more “keyed” in on killed elk, now that killed elk are more available, and so are more responsive to killed elk (as lando described from hunting experience). Or: the greater opportunities provided by all the wolf kills is increasing bear numbers or individual fitness. These are all “just so stories” that anyone can come up with over morning coffee. I’m just pointing out my skepticism with the kind of simple resource competition described above.
I personally believe that bear maulings are most directly related to the level of bear/human encounters. As that increases, maulings will increase and the effects of other native predators will be very minor in comparison. Sheer opinion on my part, and I’m just an easterner after all.
G
We had a good early season trip. Mike gets a lot of credit for driving us out there ($3.75/gal, 250 miles round trip, Ford F150).
Yeah, I think it has a bit of potential, and can’t possibly turn out any worse than the River Why debacle.
I’ve fished a handful of those and a couple rank highly by my standards. I will say that three I know of have extremely steep and treacherous sections. I know opinions vary widely about so-called “hotspotting”, and I’m fairly moderate minded, I think. But I find myself fantasizing about finding the guy that posted those GPS coords and beating him vicously with an axe handle. Ha, ha, silly fantasies. If you care to shoot me a pm, I can offer a couple observations about a couple of those spots.
G
I can’t speak about that creek from experience, though it is well-known to be privately stocked by numerous landowners. I expect the experience there will depend on how much water you have access to, how your “beat” is managed, etc. I fish/have fished a couple places in the general vicinity (say 30-40 minute driving time) that have wild fish and are worth checking out by the standards of GA trout fishing (which standards aren’t particularly high). I’m no fount of information, but feel free to shoot me a PM and I’ll happily share what I know.
G
I also enjoy the shin ramyun. I like to toss in a few onions then drop an egg in as it boils, just as Zach describes. My favorite ramyun is the Cha Jang Myun (black bean). There are several good brands–some with a paste packet and some with a powder packet. I prefer the powdered Chapagetti brand. Toss in the vegie packet while boiling; drain, leaving a few spoonfuls of water; add the oil and mix; add the powder and mix. If you like miso, you’ll probably like this. For many years, this was a key camping food for me. It is a cheap restaurant staple too. You can get it at the Assi Plaza food court for $4.99 for a giant bowl.
G
I don’t think a short run of cooler temps will suddenly shift most of the fish back to the lake, though it may start things off. I’m not too familiar with that fishery, but fish migrating to spawn don’t respond that way. They filter in, then out, of the river over periods of weeks. I would think a super quick response in this type of situation would not be adaptive–the situation they are trying to avoid in the impoundment will persist for weeks.
I had an unremarkable river striper year, and summer was the unremarkablest portion of it. Here’s a bad self-portrait.
G
Other favorites of mine were Farley Mowat’s “The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be”, “Owls in the Family”, and “Never Cry Wolf”.
I read every Kjelgaard book I could find growing up. They were a staple of my early reading diet. I also read “My Side of the Mountain” which book had a great impact on me. Jack London and Robert Louis Stevenson were strong favorites. I had subscriptions to “Field and Stream” and “Outdoor Life” and developed a love of the last page humorists Ed Zern (RIP) and Pat McManus.
I was lucky to live within walking distance of quality fishing throughout all my school-age years, and we never owned a TV or a PC until I was much older (high school age). I understand that this situation was fairly rare, even in the 70’s and 80’s. I still find it sad that most modern kids may never aquire the kind of longing for adventure that’s instilled by reading substantive literature.
G
Good times. Interesting cover–I never paid much attention to the Black Keys. You can poke fun at buffs and I’ll be OK with it.
G
