Jericho Wildlife

...or wild wife. I'm back in Vermont for a few days from Babylon on the Potomac, as Fr. Rick refers to DC. Back home, time to check my Bushnell® HD Trophy Cam game camera to see what exotic wildlife it captured.

The rarely seen Vermont wife

The camera took 22 photos since the second week of July. Twelve of the photos are of some nut dog named Cabot racing through the woods after, most likely, squirrels. Squirrels were the stars in 4 photos. One photo was of me setting the camera.

Karen beat out the squirrel photos with 5 featuring her going to and from the compost bin.

I have to admit that I was hoping for something a bit more, shall we say, exotic. I should put out a mineral block. My luck, Cabot will consume it and require a visit to the vet. Maybe I'll leave it be and just let the camera take photos of my country wife.

It could be worse. There could have been a picture of my wife walking in the woods with a new, secret, illicit...horse!

“Every dog must have his day”

(as published in the Mountain Gazette, July 18, 2013, p. 1)

(Quote by Jonathan Swift) Every once and a while a story comes along that just warms your heart. You see the good in the world and forget, at least for a time, all that is so troublesome. I heard such a story the other day from my wife, which led me to call the people involved, and to put “pen to paper” as it is.

Back in mid-June, Priscilla Emerling and John Hanf looked out their window in Waterville and saw a man walking down Route 109 carrying a fly rod in one hand and a deer fawn in the other. This seemed a bit curious, even for Vermont, so they went outside to investigate.

The man carrying the fawn was Dalton Harben, a co-owner of Vermont’s own Worth Skis (www.worthskis.com). Dalton and his dog, Bo, were fly fishing the north branch of the Lamoille River when Bo started running around in a circle and barking, like Dalton said he does when he’s playing with another dog. Bo found a fawn. The fawn wasn’t sure what was going on and jumped into the rain-swollen river at a section of water with some small rapids. Bo went in the water right after the fawn. Dog and fawn were swept a couple hundred feet down the river. Dalton said that Bo, who is a strong swimmer, caught up to the fawn and was pushing his shoulder into the fawn to steer it towards land. Dalton said you could tell the fawn was frightened and was trying to keep its head above water. Bo then started pulling the fawn from the nape of its neck towards shore. On shore, Bo sniffed the fawn, licked it a few times, best friends forever.

Even a little fawn can recognize a good dog! Bo, a Plott Hound, with fawn
(D. Harben photo)

After picking up the fawn, Dalton started to look around and found a doe, most likely the fawn’s mother, that had been hit and killed by a car.

While Priscilla stayed outside talking with Dalton about the rescue, John went inside to call the State Police to see what they should do with the fawn. The State Police contacted the game warden and the final verdict was – set the fawn somewhere outside and “let nature take its course.”  That sounds good and fine, except that nature’s course isn’t something you’d always like to think about when it comes to God’s youngest critters.

John decided to bring the fawn up to a field where he knew there to be a fair number of doe with the hope that the fawn would be adopted. So he, Dalton, and, of course, Bo drove the fawn up to the field. John and Dalton set the fawn in the field and walked away…followed by the fawn. John set the fawn down again, lightly touching its head. He said as soon as he pressed on the fawn’s head it lay down and stayed in place.

John came back the next day to check on the fawn. He located it about 40 yards away from where he first lay it down. He saw several does in the woods near the field and there were fresh deer paths through the meadow. When John tried to touch the fawn to check its health, it bleated and ran about 20 yards and lay down. The does watched from the woods.

The third day John went to check on the fawn it was not to be found in the field. There were lots of deer tracks and no signs of predation. So, since I am the storyteller, we will assume that the fawn was adopted and everyone lived happily ever after. In fact, several weeks after the fawn was released by John and Dalton, Priscilla saw a doe with two fawns that were clearly of a different age. Happy ending, I say yes.

Nature’s course isn’t always the straightest or most gentle path(D. Harben photo)

Special thanks to Dalton, John, and Priscilla for sharing this story with me. Unfortunately, Bo still has not returned my phone calls, so I’ll have to take Dalton’s word for his side of the story. I leave you with another quote; this one from Gene Hill – one of my favorite outdoor writers. “Whoever said you can’t buy happiness forgot about little puppies.” I’m not sure how it is relevant, but it makes me smile.

Send me your stories and I’m still hoping to receive some photos, game or regular camera. Send me your best photos with some background information – general area the picture taken (unless it is a trophy animal), time of year, etc. I’ll include the best ones in to the Mountain Gazette over the next several issues. E-mail me at kristopher@sportingafield.net.

Please visit www.sportingafield.blogspot.com for more news, musings, and interviews or to leave questions or comments.

Beer Tie Night in Arlington

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.  John 21:3

The fact is that sometime you go fishing and you catch nothing.  It happened to Peter and his friends and it happens to us as well.  So what is a guy, or gal, to do if Jesus doesn't come and help you out?  Well, if it is the second Monday of the month, you can always head to Whitlow's on Wilson Bar & Grill in the Clarendon Community in Arlington at 7 PM for the Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders' Beer Tie. (Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders' events)

Club officers, Dan Davala and Dalton Terrell, welcome tyers

The Beer Tie concept is simple.  Get together.  Drink beer and eat 1/2 priced burgers and tie some flies...or drink beer, eat a burger and watch other people tie flies.

Dan Davala started the Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders in 2009.  Dan is the fishing manager at Orvis's Clarendon Boulevard store and is a Federation of Fly Fishers Certified Master Casting Instructor.  The Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders is a charter club of the Federation of Fly Fishers.  The club started the Beer Tie in 2011 and they have already had to change locations once due to the large number of people who attend.

a large table was set up to provide tyers with some instruction

There was a good mix of people, from a 6 year old to seniors.  I was also pleased to see several women.  I spoke with one couple who was there with their two young sons - one 6 and the other 9.  The 9 year old loves to tie and his little brother is just starting.  I'm not sure I had that patience at that age.  In fact, I know I didn't.

Dan was joined at the Beer Tie with his very pregnant wife, Melody, who is also club treasurer.  (It looks like Melody will miss the next session.)  I also met Dalton Terrell, the club secretary and web master.  It is a very welcoming crowd.

Casey Peltier ties with a 9-year-old friend

Once her 9-year-old friend left her table, I sat down and had a nice visit with Casey Peltier.  Casey is a member of Casting for Recovery's Mid-Atlantic Program Planning and Outreach Committee (Casting for Recovery).  Her and her husband took up fly fishing later in life and along with that, fly tying.  Casey probably had the most elaborate fly tying set up and she was producing some very nice flies.  I know that I would certainly need supplemental lighting and magnification if start tying at Whitlow's.  Casey was very generous with her time and I noticed that the seat at her table was almost always occupied.

In short, the Beer Tie is a great idea and was a nice way to spend a Monday night, and I did win a book on kayak fishing in the raffle.  You can bring your own vise and materials or use one of the extra vices that Dan brings.  Even if you don't tie, the Beer Tie is a great venue to swap fishing stories with other fly fishermen and women.  The food and beer is a nice added extra.  Second Mondays of the month at Whitlow's, 7 PM until around 9 PM or so.  I know I'll be back in August.