This year’s Tier II Subsistence Moose Hunt ended Tuesday at midnight, after 25 bulls had been harvested. For us, it has been an unusual season, because so many moose have stayed in our neighborhood.
My main informant of All Things Moose has been Michelle. Her early trips to town at the end of September put her in the position to encounter both moose and hunters on Mud Bay. She learned that this year, at least three bull moose, all “sub-legal,” (antlers outside the configurations we’re allowed to harvest) have frequented the bay during daylight hours. This includes the big fellow who made her morning commute so exciting. A couple of his love interests visited our door yard (see Be Careful What You Wish For!).

The moose guarding the trailhead. Michelle snapped this with her phone in a rainstorm. A lousy snapshot, but a gallery-worthy impressionist painting! (Photo: Michelle L. Zeiger).
Continue reading 'Many Moose'»
Today is the local Autumnal Equinox on the Zeiger Family Homestead. At our latitude, the balance between darkness and light falls two days later than the official Autumnal Equinox, September 22nd this year. After today, the balance between darkness and light tips, accelerating toward the Winter Solstice.
Autumn came on strong this last week in a variety of ways. Our favorite mushroom, the king bolete, has finally appeared in force. Despite eager attacks from all interested parties, who have impatiently awaited their arrival—humans, squirrels, millipedes and mushroom flies—we’re getting some nice ones. So many, in fact, that we’re drying boletes for the first time in years. We even had a warm, sunny day that encouraged us to move the dryer from over the wood stove to outdoors, where the sun and breeze could dry them faster.

Boletes drying in the sun and breeze (Photo: Mark A. Zeiger).
Continue reading 'Crossing the Autumnal Equinox—Both of Them'»