Went for a walk...

[Reeves]

A couple days ago. Not far: no driving. Just walked from the house, along the field bush lines.
The wife had seen a Great Grey when headed out for work. So off I go for a closer look. I did get to see it, but not at close range. For some reason it did not want me too close. As I was "sneaking" along through some bush for a closer look, into the wind , I spooked up a hog of a White Tail buck , which in turn spooked me as it was 25-30' away ! Amazing how a buck this size can live so close....and never be seen till now ! (I know, they are moving around now...)
I also saw the Spruce Grouse that has been working it's way towards the house for the last three days. Maybe see it in the yard (visiting my birds?) , before the Great Grey eats it ? Also saw another much farther away.
Saw three Coyotes as well. Dawn now, maybe time to thin them out !

[Reeves]

Got up early so I could down a couple pots of coffee (I hear if you shiver you stay warm    ) with the hope I could sneak up on that buck, for a closer look.
Turned out so calm & quiet you could hear traffic 8-10 miles away, like it was only 1 mile away. Not good sneak'n weather.
However , the wife and I got to watch the local "herd" of Huns in the back yard for 30 minutes or so. Looks like they have lost two of their mates....used to be 12 of them.
Only thing seen all day.

Normally this time of year (notes on old calendars) we see the local herds of Mulies and Flag Tails in the yard. We have seen them only one night (Mule doe) one time in the last couple months. Wonder what has changed ?

[Dodgegal79]

Hi Reeves, I know your in Alberta, did they open up the hunting a little more this year beings there is a bumper crop of deer, moose, elk, etc. this year? I know the provincal government is giving money to farms to improve their feed storage to prevent the wild animals coming in a eating, try to reduce the amount of them. I know where I live in BC we have deer around town all the time but when hunting season comes around you don't see any.  Just a thought. 

[Reeves]

No bumper crop of Deer etc in AB this year ! Bad (much snow) last winter. Some areas had a huge winter kill. Wolves are at an all time high as well.
The southern parts have high pops, but getting permision to hunt is rare. Many areas down south have farmers whining about damage from Elk, but will not let hunters in to take any: must be getting paid well from the Gov for the damage.

B.C. IMHO , has much better hunting.

Which end of B.C. are you in ?

[Dodgegal79]

I'm near Vancouver, I have property in Princeton too, about 3 hours away from here, nearing Penticton. Don't get much snow here in vancouver, wish we did, I miss it. It rains all winter here, my poor birds are very, very wet. lol. The only ones that enjoy it are my ducks.

[Reeves]

I had some Valley Quail chicks given to me by a person in Princeton ! I was doing a water line for the local mill. When I found the people, some were hatching out the day before I was done there. Took six home with me.
Before that I had been working in (darn, forgot the name of the town) something Falls, on the south end of the lake , south of Penticton. Tons of wild Valley Quail there! Had a male on a power pole wake me two hours before my alarm each morning (Grrrrrrrrrrr!  )

Why on earth would you live in/near Vancouver, with land in a place like Princeton ?

[Dodgegal79]

Hi Reeves, you worked in OK Falls, thats the name of the place. There is no work for me in Princeton, I would love to be there, but money makes me stay in Vancouver right now. I started raising Muscovey ducks here this summer and with the large Asian population they are worth good money. I'm hoping to get that going as it is something I can do in the future in Princeton. I'm going to look up Valley Quail. I don't know what they are or look like. I know there are lots of Franklin Grouse, not sure if they are the same bird. They are very, very dumb birds. My husband says you can walk up to them with a stick and kill them and they wouldn't move. I've driven right over one on my road once. It seen me coming in the truck and just ducked his head and I went right over. Didn't harm him at all. I've had a flock fly into the from of my truck too once, there was a big ball of feathers left all over the road, but no bodies. Guess they made it.

[Reeves]

Saved you some searching for Valley Quail:
http://www.gbwf.org/quail/valley.html

I understand about no jobs in Princeton. Lot of people there didn't work. Nice town though.
OK Falls was a quiet town when I was working there. It was off season, so very little was going on there as well.