Sunday, September 30, 2007
Hunting Outlook
Outlook is good for small-game hunters
The Neebish Island region has always been a popular hunting area. Looks like the upcoming season is promising.
The Neebish Island region has always been a popular hunting area. Looks like the upcoming season is promising.
Friday, September 28, 2007
The Mackinaw Boat
The Mackinaw Boat was the classic fur trading boat.
Functional and beautiful. It'd be a fun boat to build someday.
Functional and beautiful. It'd be a fun boat to build someday.
Labels: history
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Large Animals In The Area
Just south of Neebish Island, across Munuscong Bay, lies Gogomain Swamp. An area that harks back to how the eastern U.P. used to be.
Perfect cougar habitat.
View Larger Map
The Soo Evening News had the first report. Mystery cat prowls Gogomain Swamp
I e-mailed the editor asking to be sent the photographic evidence but never got a reply.
This is what a trail-cam picture might look like:
This is NOT the Gogomain Swamp cougar trail-cam photograph. Rather, this is a supposed trail cam picture from near Grand Rapids, MN However, in a forum posting here the directory the image was uploaded to is 2004-5; so this may be a hoax.
Getting back to our neck of the woods... Unfortunately, in the original Soo Evening News article Mr. Inglis, the gentleman who got the trail-cam picture, makes the uninformed comment that he'd rather see a cougar than a wolf "out there". This is an uninformed comment because a cougar is a much more dangerous animal than a wolf. Although some people are prone to repeating the myth that there's never been a case of a healthy wolf attacking a human in North America; it happens, although it is extremely rare - so rare in fact that it is big news when it occurs -Wolf attack a tragic, cautionary tale
On the other hand, cougars are known to attack, kill, and eat people.
For example, [in California since 1986] there has been an average of one attack on a hiker, jogger, or camper a year -- some fatal.
You're much safer if you run into a wolf in the Neebish Island woods rather than a cougar (or a mama bear or a moose with a calf). Out of those four animals your best chance of getting away uninjured is a wolf encounter.
Turns out however that the cat in Gogomain Swamp is just an odd looking bobcat - Mystery cat identified: Captured image is that of a bobcat, not a mountain lion
In other news, I can verify that there is a moose on Neebish Island. I've heard rumors like this before but in August was able to take pictures of Moose tracks (not the ice cream) on the beach.
Favorite foods of moose include birch, willow, and aspen trees. Ironically the low water levels mean more of these trees are sprouting up and this may be drawing moose.
Perfect cougar habitat.
View Larger Map
The Soo Evening News had the first report. Mystery cat prowls Gogomain Swamp
I e-mailed the editor asking to be sent the photographic evidence but never got a reply.
This is what a trail-cam picture might look like:
This is NOT the Gogomain Swamp cougar trail-cam photograph. Rather, this is a supposed trail cam picture from near Grand Rapids, MN However, in a forum posting here the directory the image was uploaded to is 2004-5; so this may be a hoax.
Getting back to our neck of the woods... Unfortunately, in the original Soo Evening News article Mr. Inglis, the gentleman who got the trail-cam picture, makes the uninformed comment that he'd rather see a cougar than a wolf "out there". This is an uninformed comment because a cougar is a much more dangerous animal than a wolf. Although some people are prone to repeating the myth that there's never been a case of a healthy wolf attacking a human in North America; it happens, although it is extremely rare - so rare in fact that it is big news when it occurs -Wolf attack a tragic, cautionary tale
On the other hand, cougars are known to attack, kill, and eat people.
For example, [in California since 1986] there has been an average of one attack on a hiker, jogger, or camper a year -- some fatal.
You're much safer if you run into a wolf in the Neebish Island woods rather than a cougar (or a mama bear or a moose with a calf). Out of those four animals your best chance of getting away uninjured is a wolf encounter.
Turns out however that the cat in Gogomain Swamp is just an odd looking bobcat - Mystery cat identified: Captured image is that of a bobcat, not a mountain lion
In other news, I can verify that there is a moose on Neebish Island. I've heard rumors like this before but in August was able to take pictures of Moose tracks (not the ice cream) on the beach.
Favorite foods of moose include birch, willow, and aspen trees. Ironically the low water levels mean more of these trees are sprouting up and this may be drawing moose.
Monday, September 24, 2007
St. Marys River Ferries Facing Decline In Passengers
The Soo Evening News reports on the new EUPTA budget - EUPTA approves tight budget, studies written policies
For every action there is a reaction - Temperatures go up, water levels go down; energy prices go up, and the number of people traveling by car goes down.
For every action there is a reaction - Temperatures go up, water levels go down; energy prices go up, and the number of people traveling by car goes down.
To emphasize continuing ferry solvency worries, [Finance Director] Gordon said through July the three island ferries were running some 18,000 vehicle crossings behind last year. She said the total ferry passenger count is likewise down from 2006.
Dour budgetary talk was not all on the down side at Monday's session. Gordon also reported that rural bus ridership actually increased by 11 percent in July.
Labels: ferry
Interesting E-Bay Item From Neebish's Past
1905 Neebish Michigan Cancel DPO UP Chipewa County
Ebay user adman881 is selling a postcard from 1905 that was apparently sent from the old Neebish Island post office by someone staying at Sailor's Encampment to Cardington, OH. An interesting tidbit is that the Neebish postmark is 1906 but the received postmark is September 5, 1905.
The auction ends September 27th.
Ebay user adman881 is selling a postcard from 1905 that was apparently sent from the old Neebish Island post office by someone staying at Sailor's Encampment to Cardington, OH. An interesting tidbit is that the Neebish postmark is 1906 but the received postmark is September 5, 1905.
The auction ends September 27th.
Labels: history
Friday, September 21, 2007
Have You Held Onto Your Loonies?
Ah yes, the Good times are here again - just like 1976 - record high oil prices and 1 US dollar is worth 1 Candian dollar. Maybe that jar of Canadian money that I keep for trips across the border from Neebish Island will be worth a lot more than I thought.
CNBC - US, Canada finance ministers dodge dollar parity question
CNBC - US, Canada finance ministers dodge dollar parity question
Thursday, September 20, 2007
The Chicago Canal And Other Things
A rambling article from the Leelanau Enterprise - Chicago canal's impact still felt
Touches on water diversion via the Chicago River, water levels in the Great Lakes, and old freighters.
Touches on water diversion via the Chicago River, water levels in the Great Lakes, and old freighters.
Labels: water levels
