Odds and Ends

Al Hansen

Al Hansen

Well-known member




On Thursday, I took Chip with me when I drove over to the Rio Grande to check out the area. On the way there while driving on a gravel road, I felt like I had driven over a garden hose that is full of water. I stopped my Mule to look back and that is when I saw about a 3 1/2 foot western diamondback rattlesnake making tracks to dense cover. I had grabbed my camera but wasn't quick enough. I hated like heck to have run over him in the first place. What was so hard to believe was this. My diesel Mule weighs 1737 pounds. I'm sure there are enough internal injuries to end his life. I never saw him until just before I ran over him. He was stretched out soaking up heat from the road. Just think, it was November 3rd and I still have to watch where set up for duckhunting.

So after that little glitch in the day, I continued on to the Rio Grande. I got everything ready for this morning and left for home. About 200 feet from where I had driven over the rattlesnake, I saw this little snake out on the road soaking up some heat. This is a desert king snake and they are non-poisonous and prefer eating other snakes. I sent a picture of it to TMitch and he told me all about it. He also sent me a picture that his hunting buddy took at 25 yards. He talked about a kitty coming in for a drink.




desert king snake


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I was able to coax it back into the brush.


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TMitch and his hunting partner, Mike had a hunt for coues deer. The little guys are just 32 to 34 inches at the shoulder and most don't exceed 100 pounds of live weight. Anyway, this year they didn't see any but knew of several bucks in the area. On their last day of the hunt they had a kitty come in for a drink. Tim said, "No wonder we didn't see any deer if he was in this area. He told me that the cat had walked past him just 29 yards away.
What a magnificent animal.




View attachment New Mexico kitty.jpgView attachment IMG_6800.JPG

I had 3 Herter 72 black ducks in a small eddy that I have seen big ducks and woodies frequent the spot in the past. This morning was better than the opener when i saw not one duck. This morning, I saw one duck so things are definitely improving. It happened to be a ringneck. I usually never see divers. I also had a small flock of light geese fly northward but about 400 yards away. They all seem to know that flying the river is risky business.
Here are the other three decoys I had out which happened to be a pair of teal and another big duck.
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I got everything loaded into the mule and Chip and I headed for home. Bev promised me bacon, eggs, toast, orange juice and coffee.


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Coal is almost 13 weeks old now. On Monday when he got his 12 week shots, the vet told me that it was all right to take him out and about. He is doing well. I decided that this coming week I will go out to the ranch and see if any water is in the drain ditch I usually hunt. I know I might have to wait another month or so.
Allan


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Al Hansen said:
He also sent me a picture that his hunting buddy took at 25 yards. He talked about a kitty coming in for a drink.

He told me that the cat had walked past him just 29 yards away.
What a magnificent animal.


I got everything loaded into the mule and Chip and I headed for home. Bev promised me bacon, eggs, toast, orange juice and coffee.

Allan
Click to expand...

That "kitty" experience would definitely be a lifetime memory for almost anyone.

A breakfast like that is worth going home to. Me thinks you are spoiled. [whistle]
 
Snakes... why did it have to be snakes

Makes me thankful that the most wildlife I encounter while duck hunting is to occasional muskrat or beaver
 
Good morning, Dave. I will agree with being spoiled by Bev. All I can tell you is that she is the greatest. Yes, I am that lucky. That quickly made me think back when I had retired in June of 03 and how much I had looked forward to the upcoming duck seasons. Notice, that last word was plural in nature. Back then I took lots of notes and I can remember the year that I went duck hunting 89 days which was 05-06. Dave, every day that we sit down to eat, I always look out our livingroom window and in the distance is a mountain range (about 50 miles south/southeast) where I drove to every morning starting around 3:00-3:30AM, 5 days a week, Monday thru Friday. I did break a rule that year, however, and did hunt some weekend days. Yes, I had thought I had died and gone to duckhunting heaven on a daily basis for retired folks. Have yourself a great weekend.
Allan
 
Good morning, Mike. I totally agree with you but have to admit that ever since my very first classroom of 5th graders that I taught in St. Anthony Village, MN, back in 1963, I am finally starting to get used to them. One day during math class I was walking up and down the aisles seeing how the kids were doing when one of the boys raised his hand asking for some help. I leaned over him on his left hand side and was checking out his work when all of a sudden out of the front pocket of his shirt popped the head of a garter snake (his pet) checking me out. I even let out a yell and sure as heck got the attention of the entire classroom. Even garter snakes would make me jump. Saying all that, we moved to New Mexico in the fall of 1997 and now after 24 years of being a resident I am slowly getting used to seeing snakes, including the four foot western diamondback rattlesnake that was curled up just 12 inches from my left leg when I sat in some thick brush waiting for our early teal season to begin. Lots of memories with some not so pleasant.
Allan

I finally located the pictures. I do know that these shots were taken when we still could only shoot 4 teal during the early season. Here is Chili and that way too close healthy looking snake that was sharing this great spot I found to hunker down in while shooting my limit of cinnamon/bluewings that morning.



View attachment Chili 3.jpg



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We made sure that the snake lived and released it in a different spot.


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Great shots as usual Al,

That cougar reminded me of a story.

About 15 years ago I was hunting in the Wallowas for grouse mostly.

I had Alex my old black dog and ginger his companion. We were making our way around about a 2 acre pond that was nearby a logging road. There was big heavy metal gate near the pond where some guy in a pick up truck had stopped and was standing there with his rifle.

I can see him and it looked like he was scoping me. I wasn't very happy about the situation and was a little worried he might be up to no good. I had to go towards him to get back to my vehicle and the closer I got the more I could see that he really was scoping me.


As I approached within earshot I yelled to him, "what the hell are you pointing that rifle at me for?"

After I shouted he put his rifle down and motion me to come towards him.

It was then that he let me know that he wasn't scooping me, he been scoping the cougar that was stalking my dogs and was going to shoot it until I yelled and it took off.

Scared the daylights out of me. The wind is been blowing in a direction where the dogs never caught the scent of the cat, and I had absolutely no idea the cat was there.
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Thanks so much, Todd, for that post of yours. Like Carl already said, that was a for real stalk. I'm sure glad it worked out for all concerned. Your story made me think of two separate ocassions when cats were involved, here in Socorro county. The first one was in the LaJoya area which has some areas available to duck hunters. Anyway, two young employees at the Sevilletta NWR were out working on some cat related projects. While they were taking a break one day around noon, one of the ladies told her partner to look at the mountain lion she had just spotted. The other lady told her she saw it already. The first gal looked at her and noticed she was looking a total 180 in the other direction. Todd, the one mountain lion was checking out the two ladies while the other was just beginning to walk out the area.

Not too many years ago here at Bosque del Apache NWR, one of the assistant wildlife refuge employees happened to spot a cat checking out a group of tourists who were out taking pictures of geese, I believe. He did take note that the cat was not afraid and seemed much to comfortable with what was going on. They knew which cat it was because of some markings it had and were able to tranquilize and then collar it so that they could follow it if need be.

All of this is taking place just 8 miles south of our home where the refuge boundary is. This part of the refuge is roughly 60,000 acres. As for where I hunt ducks on the private ranch, it is a mere fence line that separates me from the refuge. And if you are wondering if I have seen any cat tracks in the sand where I hunt, I can tell you "Yes."
Allan
 
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