My Office Today

Hawk

North Central Texas
They have reintroduced Black Bear back into southeast Texas. I don't know why, but they are radio tagged and if you kill one, you will probably never get to legally hunt in Texas again. The Game Wardens have warned us, they look like big Hogs at dawn and dusk.
Our joke in deer camp is, if you accidently shoot one, you better rake yourself good with its claws!
 
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Rally

NC Minnesota
Many animals will kill multiple prey species, at one location, if the opportunity arises. Wolves often kill multiple deer in winter yards, when the snow gets deep and the deer are already stressed. I've witnessed a Bauld Eagle nest with four muskrat tails hanging over the edge, a mink that killed 6 geese in one pen in a single night, same for a raccoon except 9 ducks, a weasel that killed 5 chickens (tore the throat out of all five) and crippled another. Coyotes are notorious for their efforts killing multiple sheep. I trapped a Fisher that killed 17 chickens in one night, when a young kid was watching them for a vacationing neighbor, and left an entry ramp to the coop open. A guy called me a couple years ago, wanting me to trap a Bobcat that had killed a doe and fawn deer, and covered them up right in front of his trail cam! Their deer party had watched the doe and fawn all season and gave her a pass. She was a runt doe they called shorty, and only had the one fawn. Lots of stories about Otter families, eating whole populations of pen raised catfish in rearing ponds. I believe most animals are opportunistic and eat whatever they can, in whatever quantity they can get. Might be a long time before their next meal.

Paul,
Did you go to the Ia convention? I caught the Facebook link on Tman where Groenwauld gave the fur forecast. Sounded pretty bleak, unless you have a good coyote. Fur Harvesters sale fox sold at $4, most beaver withdrawn. Tanneries are still about six months backlog.
 
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Rally

NC Minnesota
Long day today. Caught three beaver, tore out nine dams, and drove 174.6 miles.
63A80E55-1664-480F-ADE6-1F5CF5A14768.jpegthis is where I started today, after already removing 4 dams below this one two days ago. The picture is looking downstream at how much the water had dropped in two days.
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After I opened the dam. Upstream to the next one.
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This is what I refer to as a “flow through” type dam. This type dam is deceiving in it’s depth, because it had been blown out by the land dept three years ago. That leaves a deep hole in the bottom, that fills full of wet wood chunks and Loon poop, and never easy to stand in or around to clean it out. There is no mud in a dam like this, just remnants of whatever is floating in the waterway, and works like a filter. I just pull or rake out the sticks and the water takes the small stuff downstream. It’s about 7 feet deep there.
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After cleaning it out. On to the next.
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Typical dam during construction. You can see the remnants of the flow through below.
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I have lost track of which dams are which in my phone, so I’ll just put the pictures up in the order they are in. Lol I need a secretary!
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Rally

NC Minnesota
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The beaver caught, typical two year old beaver that were kicked out of their home lodge so mom could have her new litter. They pair up and establish new colonies, mate in lodge in January, then normally have 4-5 pups the first litter. Pup survival rates are pretty high here, about 75% on average make it to breading age.
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These are the culverts at the road. Note the high water marks on the pipes, which is where the water was at when I launched there today. Should drop another 18” or so in a couple days. I’ve removed the obstructions downstream for about 1.5 miles, and the county hoe is going to remove two more dams upstream adjacent to the road on Monday.
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Tough keeping a truck clean running wet gravel roads!
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Time for some new gloves too!
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This is what that road looked like two years ago in the spring, which is when I first went in and cleaned it out.
 
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Rally

NC Minnesota
Jim,
Now your just trying to get me in trouble! My wife wanted a wall like that in her shop (along with twenty other things). She already has the scale, vase, clamp, horseshoe, and whiskey barrel. They just tore down a local Icon restaurant in Grand Rapids, Mn. last fall. It was called the Saw Mill Inn. Most of the ground floor was furnished in hand shaped beams. The new owner wouldn't let the contractor salvage the timbers. What a shame.
Your office is very well done. Did you salvage the beams and posts?
What is that "Take Notice" picture entail?
 
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JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Man some of You guys are rough!
When we were thinking about building our "last studio" back in 1990 My Boss had a beautiful barn from 1830 on his property.
We wanted to put the studio in it, however It was way too expensive to bring it up to modern specs for the public.
We took the barn down and saved all the wood and used it in the new modern studio building!
My office I hand picked the wood as it was on the side of the barn and marked & numbered it to re-create what I saw on the barn Including a mouse hole which is just to the left of my desk! I put a rabbit fur Cat toy mouse in it and it entertained the children that the portrait photographers had waiting for their family's appointments!
Nothing in the big jug but what was once in it now smells bad...so I usually stuffed it with dry grasses and flowers
The take notice poster is a facsimile of The Continental Congress 1776 broadside for the call to arms! It depicts a Soldier performing the motions of Loading and Firing a Brown Bess musket!

My Studio Office -1.jpg
 
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JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Early 19th century top hat ( Beaver!) Incredible piece of work!
Now I see why Hatters went Mad!
Bought it as a prop back in 1974 for a shoot! Lots it a few times , disappeared from the prop room,
People borrowing it! Once i finally got it back it never went in the prop room again!
Fantastic piece of our history!
The NOTICE broadside is another facsimile This one from 1783: It depicts the broadsides that were put up after Cornwallis' surrender!
It states that the public were allowed to "illuminate" (light candles) to celebrate! But the must be promptly put out by 9 PM!
By Order of Gen. Tillman, Ade-de Camp
 

Rally

NC Minnesota
Are there any stampings in the band of your top hat? Like 2X 3X etc. I'm not sure when they started stamping felt weight in beaver felt hats, but it was fairly early.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Yes It is The 1780 Edition! We do not use words like that today! Too Bad!
That book has helped me with reading period texts....Words had a different meaning back then!

Rally yes but I do not remember I think even the Mfg. When I go in next time I will get that info... Now I'm re-interested in that Hat!
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
These threads often coddiwomple .

.....I don't know if that's 1790 but it ain't 2020 .
To move deliberately with purpose in no particular direction without a particular reason or destination ......or something awfully close .
 
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