Photo Phriday 68
#7720830
11/18/22 11:56 AM
11/18/22 11:56 AM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,696 Idaho, Lemhi County
Gulo
OP
"On The Other Hand"
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OP
"On The Other Hand"
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,696
Idaho, Lemhi County
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To really understand the predators, whether they are furbearers, big game, or raptors, one must understand their prey. Through the years, I've done a lot of work on marten, mink, and owls, thus, to understand their prey base, I've done thousands of trapnights for small mammals, along with lots of work on marmots, squirrels and rabbits. Even to this day, I still do lots of small mammal trapping to keep my finger on the pulse of food availability for coyotes, foxes, and marten. All those hundreds of samples go to a museum. The northern red-backed vole is the "meat-and-potatoes" for marten and boreal owls in Alaska. Shrews (this one a vagrant shrew) are common in the diet, but don't add up in terms of percentage of the diet. One hoary marmot is several meals for the smaller predators. (Come on Sharon; Can't wait to see your selection of artwork.) Jack
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Re: Photo Phriday 68
[Re: Gulo]
#7720842
11/18/22 12:15 PM
11/18/22 12:15 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,305 Wisconsin
RdFx
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,305
Wisconsin
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The red back vole is meat tators for Wis Marten also. I was involved in box trapping marten fm Mn to add to Wi Marten genes. We have some cross over of Mi. marten to Wi and vice versa for gene sharing. Trapped a all orange marten in Mn. but left in Mn.
RdFx
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Re: Photo Phriday 68
[Re: Gulo]
#7720845
11/18/22 12:21 PM
11/18/22 12:21 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,212 Oregon
beaverpeeler
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,212
Oregon
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Red back voles are also instrumental to forest health as they feed on and spread truffle spores throughout the coniferous zone. Truffles have a symbiotic relationship to trees.
My fear of moving stairs is escalating!
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Re: Photo Phriday 68
[Re: beaverpeeler]
#7720854
11/18/22 12:38 PM
11/18/22 12:38 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,696 Idaho, Lemhi County
Gulo
OP
"On The Other Hand"
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OP
"On The Other Hand"
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,696
Idaho, Lemhi County
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Red back voles are also instrumental to forest health as they feed on and spread truffle spores throughout the coniferous zone. Truffles have a symbiotic relationship to trees. I wasn't aware of that, peeler. Very interesting. Thanks for the education today! Jack
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Re: Photo Phriday 68
[Re: Gulo]
#7720860
11/18/22 12:48 PM
11/18/22 12:48 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,696 Idaho, Lemhi County
Gulo
OP
"On The Other Hand"
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OP
"On The Other Hand"
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,696
Idaho, Lemhi County
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BP - Thanks, man! That sure seems to be a light-colored Boomer. Thanks for adding the photo. Those fleas are impressive; I have a vial of 'em around here somewhere.
Jack
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Re: Photo Phriday 68
[Re: Gulo]
#7720864
11/18/22 12:57 PM
11/18/22 12:57 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 9,691 ND
MJM
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 9,691
ND
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There were voles on Rootok Island. I have never been anywhere that they were that thick. They had trails you could see for quite a distance. We never had a problem with them getting into our food. We put different types of food out and saw never saw a sign of them eating any of it. I was scared it would be a problem, when we first got there and I saw all the vole trails. Avatanak island was less than two miles from Rootok and there were no voles on it.
"Not Really, Not Really" Mark J Monti "MJM you're a jerk."
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Re: Photo Phriday 68
[Re: Gulo]
#7720880
11/18/22 01:20 PM
11/18/22 01:20 PM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,500 Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Sharon
"American Honey"
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"American Honey"
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,500
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
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Jack, sure wish I had some voles and shrew images. I like the looks of voles, and have you seen shrews wiggle that snout ? I think they're funny in their super hyped attention span. On the other hand I do have some prey images in the varmint rodent realm , on occasion asked for from editors. Some aren't exactly mice, but I figure they're in the family, so I included those. The packrat with his stolen ladle was a real character that I played an experimental "game" with for some months. He would steal my gardening tools and stash them in his hut, and I would dig in there and take them back. He would wait a couple days, then steal them out of my shed again. I would dig into his house and take them back. Once in a while I'd see him on my woodpile staring at me with a rather disgusted expression We played this game until he thought he would chew on my cabin to gain access inside. I guess since he saw me tearing into his hut to retrieve my stolen stuff, he thought the rules were fair for himself to do the same. I ended up having to end the game with use of a rat trap. Once he began chewing , he wouldn't quit. Thank you, sir Jack, for your share of everything. Every detail studied, large or small, is a fascinating education in appreciation of the natural world. EXCEPT fleas , lice, ticks, or scorpions. Grasshopper mouse howling Deer mouse
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Re: Photo Phriday 68
[Re: Gulo]
#7720897
11/18/22 01:52 PM
11/18/22 01:52 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,516 Moved to Fbks, Ak.
martentrapper
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,516
Moved to Fbks, Ak.
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What about yellow cheek voles, gulo? Hear about those after a fire. Do you have specific areas you trap for microtines and has that trapping proved to forecast high or low fur catches? White, how many times have you had a little guy run over your face in the middle of the night?
Last edited by martentrapper; 11/18/22 01:53 PM.
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Re: Photo Phriday 68
[Re: martentrapper]
#7720901
11/18/22 01:59 PM
11/18/22 01:59 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,175 McGrath, AK
white17
"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
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"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,175
McGrath, AK
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What about yellow cheek voles, gulo? Hear about those after a fire. Do you have specific areas you trap for microtines and has that trapping proved to forecast high or low fur catches? White, how many times have you had a little guy run over your face in the middle of the night? LOL That really ticks me off ! In a wall tent one year my buddy was skinning a marten and a vole ran up the leg of his Carhartt bibs. On the inside. He dropped the knife and was grabbing every where in those overalls !! What a hoot !!
Mean As Nails
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Re: Photo Phriday 68
[Re: white17]
#7721032
11/18/22 05:51 PM
11/18/22 05:51 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,696 Idaho, Lemhi County
Gulo
OP
"On The Other Hand"
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OP
"On The Other Hand"
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,696
Idaho, Lemhi County
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The first year on my trapline the voles were so thick that their noises kept me awake at night. All that squeaking...............you would think that remaining quiet would be a better form of defense white17 - Were they singing voles ( Microtus miurus)??
Last edited by Gulo; 11/18/22 09:01 PM.
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Re: Photo Phriday 68
[Re: Gulo]
#7721057
11/18/22 06:21 PM
11/18/22 06:21 PM
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,655 Central Texas
Chancey
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,655
Central Texas
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Wow! Awesome pics....., and drawing Ms. Sharon. So cool to see a mountain beaver. I've only read about them!
Resident Conspiracy Theorist Accused Moron, Nazi, Low IQ, and Putin Fan Boy
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Re: Photo Phriday 68
[Re: Gulo]
#7721156
11/18/22 08:09 PM
11/18/22 08:09 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,212 Oregon
beaverpeeler
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,212
Oregon
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That's great shot Chancey!
BTW, I had agouti for thanksgiving of 1984 while living the Ecuadorian amazon. I'm with the queen, I always wanted seconds too. Tastes like a cross between turkey and pork.
My fear of moving stairs is escalating!
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