Abigail, Luke, and Coleman on Skype from Maine on Friday morning.

October 6, 2012

33 degrees

Pentoga Road

I hope this morning’s not a preview of the weekend to come. After sleeping in, I came downstairs, did my usual morning duties, then sat down and promptly spilled an entire cup of hot coffee.

I’d love to know who snuck in here during the night and moved the end table further away from my chair. The insensitive butthead! I was reading the news online, and, never taking my eyes off the computer screen, went to set the cup down and missed the table causing it to spill over the chair and me.

Thankfully, the recliner is brownish/tan in color and shouldn’t show the stain. I'm grateful the liquid missed the computer and most of me. The only thing hurt is my ego and I’m fairly certain that though I'm delicate, I will recover.

Remember all those nice fall pictures of leaves posted up until a day or two ago? I think I’m fairly safe in saying there won’t be many more. As quick as the colors came, most departed with yesterday’s bout of heavy winds, rain, and snow showers. Mark keeps saying it will warm up again before winter, but I’m not as confident. As strange as this year’s weather has been, (84 degrees the third week of March last year) I wouldn’t be surprised at anything Mother Nature throws our way.

That's a fine skim of snow covering the garden and yard.

Friday was a mixed day that revolved around trapping. Luke called using Skype and initially, Abigail, Coleman, their daddy, and I, gabbed for quite a while. When the kiddies grew tired of talking with Grandpa, they skeedaddled and daddy gave me a couple of trapping lessons concerning newer types of trap stabilizers. As usual, I learned a great deal from my second son about the sport we both love.

Luke can really wind me up when it comes to trapping. My enthusiasm about to boil over, I armed myself with a compass and GPS and set out to explore possible trapping sites. There were four distinct, active, coyote dens, several raccoon haunts, and all sorts of places where ermine (weasels) are active. The most exciting discovery was a small stream with mink and muskrat sign up and down the banks. The stream dumps into a small pond before continuing onto the Mighty Brule River. As the kids say, I’m pumped!

A very LARGE coyote den

X marks the spot. Or in this case, where two wildlife trails cross. I'll place a deer-proof raccoon trap here at the intersection.

Mink and muskrat anyone?

I finished building the fleshing beam and stand and only have to apply a coat of poly to harden the surface. 

After finishing the beam, I began sorting out the traps, counting stabilizers, making cable ties, etc. Weather permitting, I’ll begin boiling the traps on Monday, waxing them shortly after. I also want to make some mink cubby boxes and a couple of ermine sets from rattraps.

My young buddy, Jerad, stopped by on Friday. I showed him another deer spot back in the spruce trees and soon after, he had his deer stand anchored to a maple tree and hunted for a bit. The wind was blowing so hard that it would have been almost impossible to hit a deer with an arrow. No doubt, he’ll be back out once the weather begins to clear.

Sargie, Mark, Sheri, and I, went out to the Snipe Lake Pub last night for all the fried fish one can eat for $8.95 and as Sargie replied coming home, it was better this time than the last and we thought it was unbeatable then. The folks know how to put on a good fish feed.

We’re heading to Sargie’s old house today to finish up, clean, and do whatever is done when one moves from one home to another. As far as the actual moving is concerned, I think we’re almost finished. Now it’s the touch-up process of leaving the house in great shape. It’s certainly a beautiful home.

I’m not sure what else this weekend might bring. Sargie’s off both days, so there’s little doubt we’ll take a drive or two, do some window shopping, and of course, there’s the Packer’s game on Sunday.

I just thought… Mom lives in Indiana and I think she may have crossed over to the dark side. The woman who gave me life is a Colt’s fan.  Now I know how Luke Skywalker felt when he discovered Darth Vader was his father. I wonder if she wants to go to the mat on this one? Better not, Mom has a way of always coming out on top!

Its curious how this old Buick made it so far out into the middle of the woods. It's completely surrounded by mature forest and swamp.

And so are the tales from Pentoga Road…

Friday's route. This section of my trapline covers almost three miles, all but a small portion by foot as the woods and swamp are too thick for even a four-wheeler. The rest of the trapline will be further to the north (the next farm and woods towards the top) from yesterday and on the other side of Pentoga Road behind the house. (The red circle.) There are still over 600 acres that I've not yet explored.