A COUPLE OF DEER STORIES New Carlow – After watching his deer swim across the York River and die on the far shore a New Carlow hunter stripped to his birthday suit, clenched his knife in his teeth like some swashbuckling pirate and swam the frigid November waters to eviscerate his downed quarry. He then […]
FISHY FASHION During the 1980s Fred Johnston operated THE BAIT BOX which featured fishing equipment and Army Surplus. To-day it is a restaurant. It’s located across from the Brewers Retail store on Madawaska Street. Fred was always a good, knowledgeable source of fishing lore. Where were the fish biting; on what; what time of day? […]
HOW TO BUILD A QUINCY SNOW SHELTER During a winter survival weekend I learned how to make a Quincy snow hut which in fact resembles an igloo. Since that time I have made a few more for fun than survival with my family and some cub scouts. One winter my boys and I made a […]
CURRENT BEAR RESEARCH A recent study by Emily Puckett, an assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Memphis, concerning the colour of black bears researches why the various colours include brown, cinnamon, blond and chocolate. No mention of Canada’s west coast ghost bears. Published in Current Biology Puckett wondered if the brown colouration […]
WOMAN in the OUT of DOORS Kathryn Troubridge and her husband Bill own the Excalibur Crossbow Company. When I first tried to arrange an interview, Kath was “off to Wyoming for a pronghorn hunt.” The next time it was to La Belle Province for Moose. “You should have married her,” commented The Resident Wife. “How […]
OUT of DOORS with BARNEY MOORHOUSE For Reproduction Rights Call Access 1.800.893.5777 A TRAPPER’S TALE – From 1984 Four river otter from Ontario were released at Rebel’s Cove, Missouri on November 10, 1984. Two males and two females were released, an adult and juvenile of each. Karen Bellamy co-ordinates the live trapping program of otter […]
An Urban coyote story While out for his constitutional Mississauga resident Alex Biron saw what he took to be a coyote on the Port Credit Village Marina docks and it appeared to be ‘trapped’. Seeking some advice he called the Toronto Wildlife Centre. “They were concerned about how long it had been there, if it […]
OLE EVINRUDE (1877-1934) On a hot August day in the early 1900’s Ole Evinrude, Bessie Cary and friends were enjoying a picnic on Wisconsin’s Okauchee Lake, west of Milwaukee. Miss Cary craved some refreshing ice cream on such a hot day. Mr. Evinrude volunteered to row their boat to the ice cream store, “Schatz’s”. By […]
LIGHTNING SAFETY WEEK – June 21-27 St. Elmo’s fire was apparently named for St. Erasmus of Formia the patron saint of sailors. This phenomenon sometimes appeared on ships at sea during thunderstorms and was regarded by sailors with religious awe for its bright blue or violet glowing ball of light. Sailors may have considered St. […]
THE HAPPY CENTENARIAN Happy 100 to Bill O’Brien, no stranger to this column. Until the Covid-19 virus befell us Bill used to travel west to hunt with his sons. During the winter he and his trapping partner continued to collect pelts. We last talked in person at the Apsley Fur Harvesters’ Carnival where he was […]
