Beautiful wood there Sharon! That also looks like great marten country. I live in a pretty nice place in NW Colorado but have been to involved in the political scene here and the changing demographic of the state to enjoy it. Time to move back to Wyoming and take a rest, away from politics of my rural state being turned into a Blue state with all the accompanying authoritarian laws. Enjoy Montana! And MT traps has a good suggestion about wood curing to fast.

Did you mean Blue State..

Mtraps, thank you for your thoughtful reminder. Yes I did do that as soon as I layered the lumber, complete with stickers for circulation. I appreciate your good advice. Walnut is amazing wood grain too. I think of shotgun stocks.

Wy.wolfer, this is good marten country,also wolverine. The wilderness area that encompasses the big mountains here sees little human traffic. Since some big wind storms the past several months, and numerous washouts from streams , and tree blowdowns, it sees even less . The few folks who do hike on trails report impassable areas that will take time until they can be cleared and repaired. Meantime, all kinds of fur bearers inhabit the whole area. Including bighorn and mtn. goats.

There are also plenty of turkeys , groups of them routinely travel through my place. They have their little ones now.

Boco, Nessy, yes a sauna would be perfect. I do have a nice cedar chest but I wouldn't mind another one !

And yes Nessy, pahfect for sourdough bread and any other cooking ! Its cool and rainy now so cooking is my fun time . Along with wintah.

FVWC, you nailed it ! One of the best movies ever made, to me.

Great place and view, thanks for sharing with us.

Flipper, The artist ! I fit these things in between some other neat travels and weekly routines. Thanks for enjoying my small but living life to the full adventures.

Love the moose pictures and the beautiful cedar wood as well. Your moose is cool and seems docile enough.
Trapstickman has a moose adventure in his past:

It seems Trapstickman was upset over something the moose must have done.

You have a beautiful place to live out there and I really enjoy your pictures.

That is some beautiful country. Thank you for sharing what you get to enjoy every day.

Trapstickman is after a really big moose ! He's run a ways , he's panting ! Always love your art ! Thank you !

K snow, thank you, and we all appreciate your adventures in beautiful WI and your Monday shares.

My oldest male rabbit still wants to chase my little black one. Obviously a growing male too. I see a rabbit dinner sooner than later-out of the older one . I don't want him chasing my black one off. It's been a good run without loosing any of them , so I see a little bit of culling in the future.

I always told myself I will do this, and so finally the time is arriving. Starting with that big male. There are several other young males growing up that will take over just fine. My blackie included.

Raining very hard now, and everyone is on the porch wanting a treat.

Have a great week and weekend, trappers.

Great post and we all are jealous of you both.......jk

Thanks JK.

A friend who used to live in the area , now in WI, summed it up nicely... there are all the advantages of remote living, and all the advantages of town living.

Mr moose and I agree .

Tatiana, I've always wanted to see Siberia, and other parts of the country.. I've read how amazing and vast a place it is, and the unique wildlife there.

Your description of the personal amenities sounds good, despite the powers that be. I'm glad you and the people have this.

My friend Jack Whitman loved working in Russia , with his fellow biologists and friends he made while living there. He loved the Russian people , but not the regime that ruled. Among his most beloved studies was the Amur tigers...or Siberian .

He wanted me to read a new book that was published shortly after his death . He knew of its writing beforehand , from some of his friends there that are in this new book. He specifically requested that I make sure to enjoy it, along with the first book Tiger, by John V. I am presently reading the new publication.

Enjoy your following of wildlife you're seeing, Tatiana. Perhaps they want you to make some wonderful carvings of them . They must know the talented artist that you are.

There is a thing a saying about eating rabbit in June and July. But I don't remember what it is. I don't think you're supposed to eat them in june and july

Thanks, Scott, for the thought. I looked into this and it seems I'm ok in this area. It's good to make sure anyway.

Well today I had enough of the oldest buck rabbit, I called him Knothead ...sometimes other names...he has progressively become worse in chasing my young black male in earnest. Today was bad. At one point I thought blackie had left for good. Blackie had to leap three feet straight up and zag off the opposite direction in order to escape the big bully. Knothead also was hounding the girls , who tried everything to run and hide from him.

I was planning on doing this tomorrow but he was driving everyone crazy and making me irritated , so today my 22 Marlin rifle hit the spot. He never knew what hit him . This rifle is decent in shooting squirrels, so this was easy.

Jack's handmade skinning knife, worked like a dream.

I'm impressed at the good meat on him, for a semi wild one, he had fat on him that I took off. Since I feed them all good things , its similar to captive fed ones, at least close. Nice back straps and even the heart. The bones I use with other bones to make collagen. Nothing is wasted.

The crew is relaxed now , lounging around like swimmers on the beach. Blackie and the girls are happy.

I will prepare Knothead on a special day of celebration . The fourth of July sounds perfect.

This is my first rabbit I have taken out . It went well. The fur was soft, healthy, no bugs. I have attained my goal of taking some for my freezer , as I told myself several years ago when the first rabbit wandered onto my place and stayed.

Here's to you, Jack. My first skinning use of your lovely knife.



A few of Knothead facing off with a snowshoe hare that came to visit.

Mmmmmm, I can smell it from here!
Not the rabbits, the wood!

How was the liver? If I remeber the saying about the summer months is more chance for tumerlaria which shows as spots on the liver is one I know maybe other . And something about waing till after the frost in fall before hunting them to lessen the risk

Mtraps, the liver looked pristine. Every part of him was impressive, clean fur and skin, no bugs at all , insides clean and healthy. He had a nice layer of fat in places that I took out . Even though they’re not confined, I feed them just as folks who raise rabbits for show or meat do . Knothead had a decent amount of meat on him for a free roam semi wild one .

Thank you for your help and concern, it’s good education for me.

Rabbit is some of the best eating there is, I think.
Was always told don't eat them in months without an R in the name. But also to check the liver for spots.
That meat looks great.

K Snow, I heard that too ! I read up on that a bit .

On one hand, as to weather and temps, I see the seasonal fluctuations in this reasoning, especially with wild rabbits.

On the other hand, temps vary much , according to location, so to my mind, early spring conditions can continue way longer than in other locations. It was 20 degrees, overnight , just three days ago here. The whole spring has been very cool and rainy. Maybe the R months can extend a wee bit at times ? I don't know, either way, I'm learning all these things .

The surprising lack of any bugs on his skin gives me encouragement , and the liver and innards were pristine in health.

Maybe the flea collars they all wear works after all !

I do appreciate input with kind intent , Snow. I want to educate myself on all these things as much as possible in my new venture , and I do appreciate advice .

Almost forgot-Tatiana, I didn't give the title of the new book that Jack wanted me to read. " Tigers Between Empires ", by Jonathan Slaght .

I can feel the relaxed countenance in the air , with the group. No chasing, squabbles, just feeding , wandering around and chillin' . Three turkey hens are visiting with their fluffy young ones. I'll see how the dynamics grow amongst the group in time.

Tatiana, Just read your latest post ! Thank you for that !

Leave it to those women with their "fur babies" ...UGH.....to cause such mayhem on that forum. I'm sure glad that diseased mindset isn't on this trapper forum.

I'm sure the same reception would be for any other animals that a society would view as pets.

How fun it would have been if you and I could have been sitting together reading those comments and causing our own input of mayhem

At very least, exchanging some good laughs and jokes ! I bet they'd change their minds if they ever came into hard times and needed to feed themselves or their kids....

It's all in the mindset in preparing meat. As artists, you and I can find the beauty of the workings and anatomy of the animal fascinating in education.

Sharon,
Out of curiosity - what's with the the chainsaw lines on the stump ?
Regards, Vic