Wildersmith on the Gunflint: November 21

Beginning this week’s Gunflint scoop finds the weather outside frightful. Howling northwest wind is driving snow horizontally, and temps are tumbling to what will most likely be their lowest of the season to date.  But the wood stove is so delightful!                                                                                                                                                      
Although our territory continues to miss the big snows plaguing places south, Old Man Winter looks to be gaining a better grip with each passing day. Ice thickness on some smaller lakes has increased to the safe walking point. This in mind, sportsmen might be trading their difficult venison quests for some hard-water angling. The big lakes remain rolling and cooling in anticipation of a night with serious calm and subzero temps.                                                                                                                                                                   

While I can’t speak for the masses of deer hunters stalking this area, a couple Gunflint/Loon Lake buddies have tagged their white tails, marking a successful 2014 hunt. Apparently, after a slow first week, bucks seem to be moving back into these parts. Hope we get through this closing firearms weekend with a safe and fruitful pursuit.                                                                                                      

This is such a wonderful time of year! The exploits of wilderness critters can easily be documented, compliments of our white landscape. Our “Biboon” (winter) carpet enables the observation of uncountable trails of animal activity.       

I can’t help but get a kick out of following the prints of a fox as it meanders down our Mile O Pine. In search of rodent munchies from a roadside snow bank, paw marks zig and zag from one side to another in uncanny pathways.  

On the other hand, wolf passage takes a considerably more defined direction. One can easily assume this canine kin is on a straight-line mission, seldom veering off course in doing white tail reconnaissance.                                                     

In spite of not seeing many deer tracks yet, their casual, browsing hoof prints find them often scuffing along dragging their feet as if they are exhausted. Then again, they might be in  energy-saving mode should an unexpected predator escape become necessary.           

Add in the footmarks of uncountable smaller creatures in our “Northern Wilds” and a land of mystery and enchantment is authored for us woodsy adventure seekers. One can only imagine what they might have been up to.                       

A fellow living on the north side of Loon Lake shares about coyotes making a recent visit to his yard. Guess they found bird-spilled sunflower seeds to their liking. It’s not unusual to find coyotes around the county, but this sighting is the first I’ve heard of out this way in some time. Perhaps the moccasin telegraph will alert local wolf packs in order that they might have an interest in these uninvited pests.                                                                                                                                    

And speaking of other less-than-welcome north woods nuisances, a raccoon has been hanging out at a place up the hill from Wildersmith. To my knowledge it has not made a visit to the Smith yard as yet. Nevertheless, I’m on the lookout for this masked bandit. A cozy north woods cell has the vacancy sign out, complete with a complimentary treat of bread and blueberry jam.  Those ring tails just love bread and jelly!                                                                                        

The Wildersmith two made a quick run to northwest Iowa last weekend. In so doing, I was amazed at the usual post Thanksgiving shopping madness having already commenced. It seems as though the vaunted Black Friday holiday shopping insanity has been scooched up to almost Halloween time. Will this American craziness ever end?                                                          
   
I hope everyone will at least take a moment to give thanks for our bounty this coming week with a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.    

Keep on hangin’ on, and savor a back country venture!

(Photo by Brad Carlson on Flickr)