I left Yellowstone that day. That chapter concluded somewhere on the long drive between Gardiner and Bozeman. I escaped the snow by losing elevation. The road through Paradise Valley was only wet and the drive was not difficult. As I pushed towards my new destination, the moody sky would open and reveal snowy mountaintops. The view was spectacular. At that moment, I realized what I was leaving behind. Change may be bittersweet but I had great joy in my heart knowing that I would soon see Jill and begin our western adventure. Continue reading “Our Western Adventure”
Tag: Pennsylvania
Watching the Floodplain Work
Friday, January 6, 2017
Congaree National Park – Kingsnake
I get a rainy day. Lately, the floodplain is inundated with water. This condition is making work more difficult yet exciting. For the first time, I could not survey certain cavity roost because the openings were nearly submerged. I had to reorganize the gear on my body so it would not get wet. Nothing is hanging from by waist anymore. Instead, everything is attached to my back and shoulders. With my 5’6” stature, I have to be cautious that my gear is not getting wet inside my pack, not because of the rain but because of the rising water that I’m wading through.
I am amazed with how much water the floodplain holds. I am seeing how the landscape buffers the river during a storm event. This is elementary knowledge but to observe the process is exciting. I love to watch it work in Congaree. Continue reading “Watching the Floodplain Work”
First Hunt of the Fall
Today was my first day hunting this fall and my first duck hunt in a long time. Nothing serious, I grabbed my shotgun and shells and decided to go for a swampy trek where I harvested my last mallard.
Upon arrival, I suited up and headed toward some marshy habitat. Hoping to puddle jump some ducks, I stealthily sloshed towards some open water. What suspense as I crept to the edge and slowly stood tall to survey the surroundings. To my dismay, nothing was paddling about.
After flooding my muck boots, I got out of the swamp and traversed the edge for a while. I found the small outlet and decided to follow it back into the swamp. Previous years, there was much beaver activity that resulted in many small ponds and good habitat. I had hoped to find some dabbling ducks on my second attempt but I found only blue sky and brightly colored leaves. 
I decided to sit by a tree at the breast of a dam. Maybe a duck would come by. But, today was too nice for duck hunting. They were off doing ducky things elsewhere. And maybe, I wasn’t hunting at all. Maybe, I was just going for a walk with shotgun in hand on this beautiful autumn day.