Thursday, October 1, 2015
Fall Moments
Today we headed out for a couple hours in hopes of sight fishing to a few browns. If you've spent much time reading our blogs, you will understand that above all other styles of fishing, our major preference is to sight fish. The wind turned out to be relentless and fly fishing with a howling gale is really not much of an enjoyable experience for either Dave or I, not to mention it can make sight fishing next to impossible at times. But even when crappy conditions prevail, there is always something that happens on our fly fishing excursions that is noteworthy and today was no exception.Towards the end of our walk, we were joined on the river by a young male moose and an elk, both within about 5 minutes of each other. The elk put on quite a snorting performance to make her presence known. It was really neat to watch and though we didn't get any photos of it all, we did get some good video, so we were pleased about that. It's not every fishing trip you run into a moose and an elk. The other neat moment was when the Air Forces Hercules flew over head, just atop the trees.The fall colors were stunning, but fading fast and much of the water we fished was littered with leaves. Autumn is on its way out.
Quick Rivers Update
The snow in the high country that fell back in mid Sept continues to melt. Rivers attached to the rockies are up a bit and murky. Red Deer, Clearwater, S Ram. Others are in good - great shape. Lake fishing is "ON".
Monday, September 28, 2015
Equinox storm
Every year there's an equinox storm. No matter what the weather leading up to it, every year 2 or 3 days either side of the equinox, there's a good storm. All September at Fortress Lake, it was wet, cloudy, and cool. AJ asked me almost daily if this was the equinox storm. Nah. Just crappy weather, I'd retort. It wasn't a great Sept for weather. Every other year has been beautiful up there, this year an exception. But the fishing was simply stunning. Naturally, we planned to fly out on Sept 20, the day before the equinox. We got to bed about 2 am, having played cards with guests and having a nice send off. The weather had set in and wet snow was starting to hit the ground, the first time we'd seen snow hit the ground in 5 years of owning the retreat. We rose a little later that morning and hoped for the best. Clearly, our pilot wasn't going to be flying that day! So, AJ & I, along the with BC Park Rangers Ty & Jeff, made a quick decision to hike out. By the time we got to the east end of the lake, there was more than 4" of snow on the ground and dumping. The hike was a wee bit wet. No matter how good or bad the weather leading in to the fall equinox, it seems it can always get a couple of steps worse. And every year I make mention of it. Just a matter of fact, the fall equinox storm. 
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Sighted
We spend quite a bit of time on the water and this weekend was no different. The one thing AJ & I always wonder this time of the year - where is everybody? Stauffer's fishing well - there might have been some anglers there over the weekend but none Thurs or Fri. But we drive past Range Roads, bridges, etc and see no vehicles. No sightings, no footprints, nothing. Well, we do see a few things out there...
Firefly spotters wonder if the species is fading away
Andy Johnson, CTV.ca News
Date: Sunday Sep. 26, 2010 7:10 AM ET
There's something special about a warm summer night at dusk, around a campfire or under the stars in the backyard, when the darkness is suddenly illuminated by bright, fast flashes of light.
But are fireflies -- and the memories they inspire -- fading away forever?
The Museum of Science Boston wants to find out. Motivated by reports of fewer and fewer firefly sightings each summer, the museum has been recruiting backyard volunteers to study the luminescent flying beetle and report their sightings online.
The project, dubbed Firefly Watch, tracks and maps all the reports across the U.S. and Canada in an effort to determine the exact range of the firefly, their "flashing" season and whether they really are in decline
"It's funny, as ubiquitous as fireflies are, there isn't a lot of scientific study or information about them," Paul Fontaine, the museum's vice-president of education, tells CTV.ca.
"We thought it would be a great opportunity to get people outside, looking at nature, recording their observations using technology, and for us to collect a database that would allow scientists and researchers to answer questions like: What are the range of some of these species?"
The organizers of the study -- a joint project between the museum and two universities -- hope to learn more about how fireflies are reacting to factors such as urban sprawl and loss of habitat, drought, increased ambient light and the effect of pesticides and fertilizers.
There are dozens of species of fireflies across North America, and each have their own unique characteristics and behaviours, Fontaine said.
"There's one firefly that is active just at dusk and dawn, so it needs to have those twilight conditions," Fontaine said.
Fontaine added that the study organizers also want to know: "If there is a lot of ambient light in an environment, does that create permanent twilight conditions and is this firefly increasing its activity because it senses light in its environment?"
They also want to know whether artificial lights are interfering with the firefly's ability to attract a mate, Fontaine said.
Male fireflies typically fly around in open areas bordered by trees, flashing their lights, while the females perch in the trees and take in the show.
"When she sees a flash she likes she'll respond with a flash back and attract the male to her," Fontaine said.
If too many streetlights are nearby the females simply can't see the males, despite their best efforts to woo them.
And as urban sprawl and development swallows up those open areas interrupted by trees, there are fewer and fewer places for fireflies to perform their courting ritual, Fontaine said.
The project has just wrapped up its third year, with hundreds of volunteers reporting sightings, from Texas to Ontario and PEI, creating a detailed and interactive firefly map.
Volunteers are asked to spend 10 minutes, once a week, recording data such as the location, time and temperature of their observance, and the number of fireflies and the colour and pattern of their flash.
They are even asked to note when they don't spot fireflies -- information that is also considered vital to the study.
The last sighting of the summer in Canada was on Sept. 2 near Peterborough, Ont. Before that unusually late observance, fireflies were spotted and recorded on Aug. 21 near Wiarton, Ont. and in Nova Scotia near Red Point.
"I was very surprised to see this lone, flying firefly at this time of the year," wrote the volunteer in Wiarton. "Firefly activity stopped around here about a month ago. This is a new "latest sighting" record for me."
This summer fireflies were spotted as far south as the southern tip of Texas, and as far north as Ottawa.
In 2009, however, fireflies were spotted as far north as Sturgeon River, Ontario, in the bush northwest of Thunder Bay. And in 2008 they were seen in southern Manitoba -- a surprise to Fontaine and the scientists involved with the project.
There have been many such surprises along the way. For years, Fontaine said, conventional wisdom has been that fireflies don't inhabit areas west of the Rockies. But that has also now been put into question.
"We've had one or two stubborn observations of flashing fireflies west of the Rockies...so what does that mean? Is it something that requires further study? We're hoping folks are intrigued by that and get outside and look more closely."
One of the goals of the project -- which is set to run for 10 years -- is to enlist more volunteers who live at the fringes of the known habitat area. The goal is to establish more defined boundaries for the bioluminescent firefly's range, which is currently a roughly sketched rhombus encompassing the eastern U.S. and the southeastern half of Canada
A lot of other questions remain as well, but with only three years' worth of data it's too early to draw any definitive conclusions about the fascinating little lightning bugs.
However, one thing is certain, Fontaine said. Fireflies -- in declining numbers or not -- still possess the ability to intrigue and inspire those who witness their simple beauty.
"Nature retains the ability to awe people," he said.
"There's something about a tiny little flying fellow traveller on this planet who is beautiful and bioluminescent and glowing and flying -- it kind of stops you in your tracks."
Date: Sunday Sep. 26, 2010 7:10 AM ET
There's something special about a warm summer night at dusk, around a campfire or under the stars in the backyard, when the darkness is suddenly illuminated by bright, fast flashes of light.
But are fireflies -- and the memories they inspire -- fading away forever?
The Museum of Science Boston wants to find out. Motivated by reports of fewer and fewer firefly sightings each summer, the museum has been recruiting backyard volunteers to study the luminescent flying beetle and report their sightings online.
The project, dubbed Firefly Watch, tracks and maps all the reports across the U.S. and Canada in an effort to determine the exact range of the firefly, their "flashing" season and whether they really are in decline
"It's funny, as ubiquitous as fireflies are, there isn't a lot of scientific study or information about them," Paul Fontaine, the museum's vice-president of education, tells CTV.ca.
"We thought it would be a great opportunity to get people outside, looking at nature, recording their observations using technology, and for us to collect a database that would allow scientists and researchers to answer questions like: What are the range of some of these species?"
The organizers of the study -- a joint project between the museum and two universities -- hope to learn more about how fireflies are reacting to factors such as urban sprawl and loss of habitat, drought, increased ambient light and the effect of pesticides and fertilizers.
There are dozens of species of fireflies across North America, and each have their own unique characteristics and behaviours, Fontaine said.
"There's one firefly that is active just at dusk and dawn, so it needs to have those twilight conditions," Fontaine said.
Fontaine added that the study organizers also want to know: "If there is a lot of ambient light in an environment, does that create permanent twilight conditions and is this firefly increasing its activity because it senses light in its environment?"
They also want to know whether artificial lights are interfering with the firefly's ability to attract a mate, Fontaine said.
Male fireflies typically fly around in open areas bordered by trees, flashing their lights, while the females perch in the trees and take in the show.
"When she sees a flash she likes she'll respond with a flash back and attract the male to her," Fontaine said.
If too many streetlights are nearby the females simply can't see the males, despite their best efforts to woo them.
And as urban sprawl and development swallows up those open areas interrupted by trees, there are fewer and fewer places for fireflies to perform their courting ritual, Fontaine said.
The project has just wrapped up its third year, with hundreds of volunteers reporting sightings, from Texas to Ontario and PEI, creating a detailed and interactive firefly map.
Volunteers are asked to spend 10 minutes, once a week, recording data such as the location, time and temperature of their observance, and the number of fireflies and the colour and pattern of their flash.
They are even asked to note when they don't spot fireflies -- information that is also considered vital to the study.
The last sighting of the summer in Canada was on Sept. 2 near Peterborough, Ont. Before that unusually late observance, fireflies were spotted and recorded on Aug. 21 near Wiarton, Ont. and in Nova Scotia near Red Point.
"I was very surprised to see this lone, flying firefly at this time of the year," wrote the volunteer in Wiarton. "Firefly activity stopped around here about a month ago. This is a new "latest sighting" record for me."
This summer fireflies were spotted as far south as the southern tip of Texas, and as far north as Ottawa.
In 2009, however, fireflies were spotted as far north as Sturgeon River, Ontario, in the bush northwest of Thunder Bay. And in 2008 they were seen in southern Manitoba -- a surprise to Fontaine and the scientists involved with the project.
There have been many such surprises along the way. For years, Fontaine said, conventional wisdom has been that fireflies don't inhabit areas west of the Rockies. But that has also now been put into question.
"We've had one or two stubborn observations of flashing fireflies west of the Rockies...so what does that mean? Is it something that requires further study? We're hoping folks are intrigued by that and get outside and look more closely."
One of the goals of the project -- which is set to run for 10 years -- is to enlist more volunteers who live at the fringes of the known habitat area. The goal is to establish more defined boundaries for the bioluminescent firefly's range, which is currently a roughly sketched rhombus encompassing the eastern U.S. and the southeastern half of Canada
A lot of other questions remain as well, but with only three years' worth of data it's too early to draw any definitive conclusions about the fascinating little lightning bugs.
However, one thing is certain, Fontaine said. Fireflies -- in declining numbers or not -- still possess the ability to intrigue and inspire those who witness their simple beauty.
"Nature retains the ability to awe people," he said.
"There's something about a tiny little flying fellow traveller on this planet who is beautiful and bioluminescent and glowing and flying -- it kind of stops you in your tracks."
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Siding
A neat photo of the side of a small, 3 pound male brookie swirling in the deep blue water of Fortress Lake, as it's netted. Amelia landed this spectacularly coloured brookie last week. The brookies spawn later in October at Fortress, into November. The colors begin developing sometime early August and continue to develop and heighten through the spawn. Some wonderful colors are dsiplayed.
Alberta Hunter Education Instructors’ Association offers the Teacher’s Workshop July 22 to 24, 2011
As of April 1, 2010 it is a legal requirement for all first-time hunters in the province of Alberta to complete the Alberta Conservation and Hunter Education program or an equivalent hunter education course.
In 1964, the Alberta Government, together with Alberta Outdoorsmen, created a Hunter Safety program. This program later became the Alberta Conservation and Hunter Education program. Annually, approximately 15,000 students complete the Conservation Education course and 6,500 students complete the Fishing Education course. On October 15, 2006, the millionth student graduated from Alberta Hunter Education Instructors’ Association’s (AHEIA’s) Conservation and Hunter Education course.
Along with the Fishing Education course, the Conservation and Hunter Education course is also offered in Alberta schools through the Alberta Education curriculum, within the Careers and Technologies Studies option called the “Wildlife Strand.”
AHEIA has developed a workshop for teachers related to the Wildlife Strand. Part of the AHEIA Teacher’s Workshop will offer the certification that teachers require in order to teach Conservation and Hunter Education and Fishing Education courses. An additional session of the workshop will familiarize teachers with outdoor activities as related to Outdoor Experience I and II, including hands-on participation in the Survival and Camping Program, the Shooting Program (shotgun, small bore and large bore rifle), the Compass Program, the Fishing Program, and the Archery Program.
AHEIA is hosting the Teacher’s Workshop from July 22-24, 2011. The workshop takes place at the Alford Lake Conservation Education Centre for Excellence, which is located 24 kilometres west of Caroline, Alberta.
The workshop registration fee is $150.00 per person, plus GST. This fee includes all accommodation, meals, resources materials, instructor certificates, and a one-year membership to AHEIA.
Teachers interested in the workshop should contact AHEIA for more information; contact the Edmonton Conservation Education Centre for Excellence at edmontoninfo@aheia.com, 780-466-6682 or 1-866-282-4342, or Dave Paplawski at dave@aheia.com, 403-319-2277 or 1-866-852-4342. See www.aheia.com for the registration form. Registration is limited and must be submitted by July 8, 2011.
Kelly Semple, Executive Director
Hunting For Tomorrow
#87, 4003 – 98 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6E 6M8
Phone: 780.462.2444 Fax 780.431.2871
E-mail: ksemple@huntingfortomorrow.com
http://www.huntingfortomorrow.com/
In 1964, the Alberta Government, together with Alberta Outdoorsmen, created a Hunter Safety program. This program later became the Alberta Conservation and Hunter Education program. Annually, approximately 15,000 students complete the Conservation Education course and 6,500 students complete the Fishing Education course. On October 15, 2006, the millionth student graduated from Alberta Hunter Education Instructors’ Association’s (AHEIA’s) Conservation and Hunter Education course.
Along with the Fishing Education course, the Conservation and Hunter Education course is also offered in Alberta schools through the Alberta Education curriculum, within the Careers and Technologies Studies option called the “Wildlife Strand.”
AHEIA has developed a workshop for teachers related to the Wildlife Strand. Part of the AHEIA Teacher’s Workshop will offer the certification that teachers require in order to teach Conservation and Hunter Education and Fishing Education courses. An additional session of the workshop will familiarize teachers with outdoor activities as related to Outdoor Experience I and II, including hands-on participation in the Survival and Camping Program, the Shooting Program (shotgun, small bore and large bore rifle), the Compass Program, the Fishing Program, and the Archery Program.
AHEIA is hosting the Teacher’s Workshop from July 22-24, 2011. The workshop takes place at the Alford Lake Conservation Education Centre for Excellence, which is located 24 kilometres west of Caroline, Alberta.
The workshop registration fee is $150.00 per person, plus GST. This fee includes all accommodation, meals, resources materials, instructor certificates, and a one-year membership to AHEIA.
Teachers interested in the workshop should contact AHEIA for more information; contact the Edmonton Conservation Education Centre for Excellence at edmontoninfo@aheia.com, 780-466-6682 or 1-866-282-4342, or Dave Paplawski at dave@aheia.com, 403-319-2277 or 1-866-852-4342. See www.aheia.com for the registration form. Registration is limited and must be submitted by July 8, 2011.
Kelly Semple, Executive Director
Hunting For Tomorrow
#87, 4003 – 98 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T6E 6M8
Phone: 780.462.2444 Fax 780.431.2871
E-mail: ksemple@huntingfortomorrow.com
http://www.huntingfortomorrow.com/
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