Photo Phriday 155 - Shrews
#8250582
Yesterday at 08:04 AM
Yesterday at 08:04 AM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,889 Idaho, Lemhi County
Gulo
OP
"On The Other Hand"
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OP
"On The Other Hand"
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,889
Idaho, Lemhi County
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I once, many moons ago, had an old-timer Athabaskan native in the village of Chuathbaluk explaining to me about the fur damage he was seeing on his marten. He described the offending animal as "bullet-nosed bat larvae". I thought it was an excellent description of a shrew. I've chuckled about that description ever since. Indeed, they certainly can cause fur damage to marten. Traps should always be elevated off the ground (off the snow), and be set to suspend the trapped marten where shrews and voles can't get to it. Especially in the north, the little guys are everywhere. I had a friend living out of a wall tent one winter on his trapline, and he caught well over 100 shrews inside the tent. Another time, we set up in the dark one time, with some beer and some blow darts made out of bic pen barrrels, some toilet paper, and some sewing needles (in a trapping cabin again), and speared shrews to the floor all night long. Difficult (downright impossible to me) to correctly identify the species of shrew without looking at the teeth. This one was a cinereus shrew . Note the two ticks embedded on it's neck (North of 40?). This is a newly discovered species of shrew that my wife and I discovered near our homestead. Sorex centennialis. Turned out to be very common in sagebrush vole colonies. A couple of mountain shrews ( Sorex monticolus) fighting. This is a cinereus shrew taking a rare break on my bear gun. Got any shrew stories?
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Re: Photo Phriday 155 - Shrews
[Re: Gulo]
#8250641
Yesterday at 09:47 AM
Yesterday at 09:47 AM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,889 Idaho, Lemhi County
Gulo
OP
"On The Other Hand"
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OP
"On The Other Hand"
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,889
Idaho, Lemhi County
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I was thinkin' Northof 50, but mistyped and hit 40. Heck, I know you're north of me, and I'm north of 40.
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Re: Photo Phriday 155 - Shrews
[Re: Gulo]
#8250655
Yesterday at 10:14 AM
Yesterday at 10:14 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,837 La Crosse, WI
Macthediver
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,837
La Crosse, WI
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Man Gulo there should be a like button for your posts.. Always something cool.
Of course I do have shrew story.
Back when I was a young one still living at home. Where we lived there was always lots of mice in especially in fall. So us boys killed every one we could when we could. Anyways my younger brother was by the front door to the house. Sees what he thought was a small mouse scooting past, by instinct stomped it. No big deal until the smell came out. What the heck did you just do?? Smelled like just hit skunk with truck. Closer look it was not a mouse but a very small shrew. Ok we had whacked shrews before but not with the kinda stink. So off to Mom we go who at that time was our version of what is now Google. What she had and knew to use was books. Books to identify mostly birds her main thing but also some for critter. Looking threw the small mammal section of one book she found our little shrew. First time for all of us to see a Skunk Shrew. Who knew. There was such small critter could smell so loud. I have only seen one other since. So that's my shrew story. Thanks for reminding me..
Mac
"Never Forget Which Way Is Up!"
"Never Forget Which Way Is Up"
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Re: Photo Phriday 155 - Shrews
[Re: Gulo]
#8250733
Yesterday at 12:08 PM
Yesterday at 12:08 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 434 PENNSYLVANIA, USA
cpizzicharlie
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 434
PENNSYLVANIA, USA
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Could picture your story very well, have done similar. Wish I had been there. Look forward to you posts, thanks. Charlie
USAF VET 65-69 Life member Montana Trappers Association
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Re: Photo Phriday 155 - Shrews
[Re: Gulo]
#8250793
Yesterday at 01:24 PM
Yesterday at 01:24 PM
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,383 NWT
Ryan McLeod
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,383
NWT
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these little buggers will tunnel their way into snared or conibear caught wolverine and lynx. Ive picked up a few lynx over the years that were nearly hollowed out.
If you take care of the land the land will take care of you
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Re: Photo Phriday 155 - Shrews
[Re: Gulo]
#8250797
Yesterday at 01:27 PM
Yesterday at 01:27 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,576 McGrath, AK
white17
"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
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"General (Mr.Sunshine) Washington"
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 35,576
McGrath, AK
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Man I hate those things ! Couple stories. Gulo...you will remember my good buddy TC here in MCG. Late one fall he and I had pitched a wall tent far up my Risible River....hunting moose and caribou. TC was wearing a Refrigiwear suit over just long johns. The place was overrun with shrews. In the tent, one ran up the inside of the leg of his Refrigiwear pants and was running laps at the confluence of his anatomy. It looked as though TC was Break dancing trying to get that suit open and eject the invader. What a hoot that was ! The second story was in my cabin at the trapline. It's always easy to catch the random vole in a snap trap but shrews are a different story. They can silently clean the bait off the pan without firing the trap. I used to use the "walk the plank into the bucket of water technique but it didn't always work with shrews. ( have you ever noticed that a vole is pretty quiet getting around but a shrew sounds like a moose walking on crackers ? ) The noise is what really bothers me at night. So I took a Ziploc bag and put an empty tuna can and its lid in the Ziploc. Then I punched a hole about the size of a dime in the bag. The shrews would enter through the hole and start making a racket with the can. They had a hard time finding the hole to make a quick exit and that gave me time to get up and grab the 22. I shot many inside those bags. I had to keep moving the bag so as to avoid too many bullet holes in one spot on the floor. It was very satisfying !
Mean As Nails
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Re: Photo Phriday 155 - Shrews
[Re: white17]
#8250801
Yesterday at 01:31 PM
Yesterday at 01:31 PM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 11,183 MT
snowy
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 11,183
MT
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[quote=white17[Man I hate those things ! Couple stories. Gulo...you will remember my good buddy TC here in MCG. Late one fall he and I had pitched a wall tent far up my Risible River....hunting moose and caribou. TC was wearing a Refrigiwear suit over just long johns. The place was overrun with shrews. In the tent, one ran up the inside of the leg of his Refrigiwear pants and was running laps at the confluence of his anatomy. It looked as though TC was Break dancing trying to get that suit open and eject the invader. What a hoot that was ! The second story was in my cabin at the trapline. It's always easy to catch the random vole in a snap trap but shrews are a different story. They can silently clean the bait off the pan without firing the trap. I used to use the "walk the plank into the bucket of water technique but it didn't always work with shrews. ( have you ever noticed that a vole is pretty quiet getting around but a shrew sounds like a moose walking on crackers ? ) The noise is what really bothers me at night. So I took a Ziploc bag and put an empty tuna can and its lid in the Ziploc. Then I punched a hole about the size of a dime in the bag. The shrews would enter through the hole and start making a racket with the can. They had a hard time finding the hole to make a quick exit and that gave me time to get up and grab the 22. I shot many inside those bags. I had to keep moving the bag so as to avoid too many bullet holes in one spot on the floor. It was very satisfying ![/quote] Yep, I'm with ya.
Give me a fish, I will eat for a day. Teach me to fish, I will eat for a lifetime
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Re: Photo Phriday 155 - Shrews
[Re: Gulo]
#8250834
Yesterday at 02:24 PM
Yesterday at 02:24 PM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,958 Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
Sharon
"American Honey"
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"American Honey"
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 11,958
Montana ,Rocky Mtns.
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I do have somewhat of a story about shrews...
Years ago, I worked for a summer in a flower nursery. It was a nice large place, where all kinds of flowers were started from seed , many carts of them hauled to the local stores , every year.
There was a problem for a while , of what everyone called mice, getting into the pots, either chewing the young flowers to pieces, or digging them up as holes were dug in the potting soil, making messes. Along with that, traps were set, and a number of catches were chewed on or partially eaten.
No one could figure why mice chewed up flowers and dug big holes in pots. or why trapped ones would be partially eaten.
I noticed that the place had three characters doing their thing - mice, voles, and shrews.
The boss had a large note board used to write plans for each day ...so I thought I would have a bit of fun educating with illustrations. I drew each varmint , with ID names under them. Deer mice, house mice, voles, and shrews. Boss loved it, and left the drawing on the board for a long time. Now that the culprits were identified, they learned if the pots were off the ground on tables with metal legs, the voles stopped digging up the flowers and chewing on them , and the shrews were appreciated , as they often hunted the mice when they didn't find them in the traps.
When anyone would see a shrew, it became a big deal to announce , for some to hurry over to see it also.
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Re: Photo Phriday 155 - Shrews
[Re: Gulo]
#8250882
Yesterday at 03:58 PM
Yesterday at 03:58 PM
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,383 NWT
Ryan McLeod
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 3,383
NWT
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shrew shrink in winter as well. always thought that was interesting. Its common to find them dead on skidoo trails in cold winter weather.
If you take care of the land the land will take care of you
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Re: Photo Phriday 155 - Shrews
[Re: Gulo]
#8250888
Yesterday at 04:20 PM
Yesterday at 04:20 PM
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Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 5,017 Wisconsin
Guss
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 5,017
Wisconsin
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Re: Photo Phriday 155 - Shrews
[Re: Guss]
#8250912
Yesterday at 04:58 PM
Yesterday at 04:58 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,889 Idaho, Lemhi County
Gulo
OP
"On The Other Hand"
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OP
"On The Other Hand"
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,889
Idaho, Lemhi County
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Interesting that you say that, Guss. In boreal owl nest boxes, I snip off the feet of the prey. This is so I don't count it again next week. Often-times,a shrew will stay in the box for 3-4 weeks before being consumed. Voles usually last less than 3 days. Jumping mice (Zapus) are the same; 3-4 weeks. Also, I've followed marten tracks for several miles. After emerging from beneath the snow, I've seen many times where they've dropped a shrew, and left it lying dead on the snow.They smell bad? Jack
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Re: Photo Phriday 155 - Shrews
[Re: white17]
#8250919
Yesterday at 05:06 PM
Yesterday at 05:06 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 8,433 Manitoba
Northof50
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 8,433
Manitoba
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Not true. Marten eat them when they can't catch voles. When the snow freezes the whole layer the shrews can not get access to their food ie insects, they come on top and hunt spider and snow fleas. At this time the marten cash in. Some specimens have had 35 s Sorex cinerous in their guts.
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