Not quite

Black bear opened in SW AB 2 weeks ago.  I think we're still a few weeks out.

Yikes!

I feel kind of sorry for all the grizzly bears that came a few weeks ago.  But that's tempered by my fear of going outside now.

Northern Treasures

Oh, hello SSS.  It’s been a long time.

This post is short but sweet.

I didn’t do much field work this winter, but when I was up north I purchased some northern treasures.  Behold.

 

 

 

When homeless people first move indoors, they move into white trash houses.  This is a muskox hide, by the way.

 

 

And this is a wolverine.  Pretty spectacular throat markings.

Wolverine paws are really big.

 

Wolverines are really big.

Look away!  I’m hideous!

 

I was hoping to get the wolverine mounted, but he’s pretty old and slightly balding.  It was really hard to see this when the wolverine was a frozen block still in the trap, but pretty clear once skinned out.  You can see this a bit in the second pic with Otis.  I was told this would look ridiculous when mounted so he's now a wall hanging.  Maybe next year for the mount (I keep reminding Andrea that one can never have too many wolverines).

We’re thinking of what to do with the muskox - perhaps round off the hide and put a backing on to make a couch blanket.  The problem is that while the qiviut is insanely soft, the guard hair is pretty long and flowy and makes it feel like you’re snuggling up to a full head of someone else’s hair.  Which is weird and not particularly cozy.