ASTRO: Widefield fun between airplanes and clouds

George Normandin wrote:

"Rick Johnson" wrote


........ Then there was this herd of sheep that came through led by a
donkey. Rude awakening department.......


Now it's stuff like this that makes amateur astronomy so much fun!

I'll trade you a few of my bears for your donkey.

George N


I've got plenty of bears in my back yard as it is. I don't need any
more. North woods of Minnesota are full of those guys. Last year had
an elk foot print in the yard. Haven't seen it this year just tons of
deer. At 45 per square mile we have a ton of them. Least the bears are
napping this time of year. In the summer you do have to watch where you
step and I don't have a dog.

Rick
--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

"Rick Johnson" wrote

I'll trade you a few of my bears for your donkey.

I've got plenty of bears in my back yard as it is. I don't need any more.
North woods of Minnesota are full of those guys.......


Ah come'on Rick, take just two or three.........

Actually, it's the skunks that bother me more than the bears. Ya can't see
that white stripe too well with a red flashlight. I've also gained greater
respect for our "eastern coyotes", which according to some NYS DEC folks
(with too much time on their hands), have about 70% wolf DNA. Last year
they killed a neighbor's horse!! At my place in the Adirondacks we also have
Lynx. One killed a deer so close to me one night that I decided it was time
to end my observing session.

an elk foot print in the yard. Haven't seen it this year just tons of
deer. At 45 per square mile we have a ton of them. Least the bears are
napping this time of year. In the summer you do have to watch where you
step and I don't have a dog.

No elk left in the East except in PA. There is some deer disease that kills
them right away. In the Adirondacks we are getting a big increase in moose.
They are actually more dangerous than black bear. I was surprised to learn
that they cause more injuries in Alaska than any other wildlife. In Indian
Lake "Louie" the bull moose (named for nearby Louie Lake) has a bad habit of
lying down on the highway during the winter to lick up the road salt. You
come around a corner or over a hill and there's 1,200 lb Louie lying right
in the middle of the road.

Of course as an obstacle to astronomy wildlife beats motorcycle gangs or
meth-lab owners........

George N

George Normandin wrote:

Actually, it's the skunks that bother me more than the bears. Ya can't see
that white stripe too well with a red flashlight.
You haven't lived until you've stepped on the head of one heading back
to your map table! Does wake you up! I did get away without it
spraying but I think I set an Olympic record for the 100 yard dash.
Then one night one fell off the roof of a nearby cabin (that was when I
had the cabin on a different part of the lake (far more inhabited than
where I now live). It fell onto the regulator for the 100 lb propane
cylinders. It has a small 6" pipe sticking straight up as an air vent
to the regulator. It fell right on that pipe spearing it right though
the middle. It put up quite a fight before it died. No way you could
view with that stench in the air. It was a good 100 yards from where I
was viewing. It was a warm night and the tanks were right by that
cabin's bedroom window which was open. They really got it. They used
the smaller bedroom for two years before the smell went away.

I've also gained greater
respect for our "eastern coyotes", which according to some NYS DEC folks
(with too much time on their hands), have about 70% wolf DNA. Last year
they killed a neighbor's horse!!
Nebraska Coyotes are not a problem. They may come near you, find you
there, howl a complaint and move on. I've had them within 30 yards many
times without a problem. Very few up here and they all have the mange
or look like they do. Motley bunch when you see them. Wolves are
common and are very beautiful animals with perfect coats. Found a pack
laying in wait at a large raspberry patch waiting for whoever came to
eat the berries. I didn't pick any that day! They pretended not to see
me. I did the same (saw three but heard several more) and backed out
very slowly for two hundred yards. Ever try to ease backwards through
thick woods?

At my place in the Adirondacks we also have
Lynx. One killed a deer so close to me one night that I decided it was time
to end my observing session.
We have bobcat but they only seem to go after snowshoe hare. Their
screech is the scream Hitchcock wanted from a female victim but they
never could quite achieve. It will stop your heart dead for a few
seconds. One severely injured my cat trying to mate with it however.
It lived only 6 months before the injuries did it in after major vet
bills of course.


No elk left in the East except in PA. There is some deer disease that kills
them right away. In the Adirondacks we are getting a big increase in moose.
They are actually more dangerous than black bear. I was surprised to learn
that they cause more injuries in Alaska than any other wildlife. In Indian
Lake "Louie" the bull moose (named for nearby Louie Lake) has a bad habit of
lying down on the highway during the winter to lick up the road salt. You
come around a corner or over a hill and there's 1,200 lb Louie lying right
in the middle of the road.
In the fall you'll see large black bear laying on an asphalt road that
faces the setting sun. It is very warm compared to the air. They are
warming up. You drive the shoulder and go around. And hope you don't
get claw marks on the car as you go by. The boars hate being disturbed.
This right in the middle of bear season too.

Only moose we get are love sick ones from the northeast part of the
state thinking a dairy farmer's cow is its mate. They can't understand
why the cow isn't interested and often do a lot of damage to the cow
trying. If caught in the act the farmer will do a lot more damage to
the moose and eat well for a while.


Of course as an obstacle to astronomy wildlife beats motorcycle gangs or
meth-lab owners........

Most Meth is imported from Mexico the sheriff says so few labs. Lack of
farmers using anhydrous ammonia makes it difficult on the labs. Even
fewer motorcycle gangs. You can keep both thank you.

Rick
--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

Yes, but what if the 'biker' has a telescope?

Although I must say, I've never tried to carry my scope on the
back of my Harley.

Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism
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