Hammond Update
 

The uncharacteristic good weather in December allowed us to complete the winter preparations without frostbite or the need to fire up Lucifer. All of the vehicle shelters had their tarps replaced and the sea cans have been put to good use for vehicle or parts storage.

Bob took his truck out for a muddy run recently, and my HUP took a few turns around the buckwheat field. Other than that, the focus has been on sewing machines and fighting one of mother nature's most annoying pest, the North American beaver (genus Castor).

These rodents took advantage of the good weather and dammed up the creek at the back of Bob's property. Usually there is ice in the creek and that normally curtails the beaver activity. The warm weather had them destroying trees and building a number of dams. So, one warm day this past weekend, we decided to open the dams up a bit to lower the water level. We will see who wins the war of wills - a single minded group of determined workers, or the beavers.

Photos:
1 - Damned dam 1
2 - Water flowing again at dam 2
3 - Bob's new hobby - making Frankenstein sewing workstations

Visitation
 

This past week the Hammond Barn entertained the visit of Gord Yeo and his son Neil. Their visit was a pleasant surprise on a dreary and damp December day. The tour started in the barn where the Yeos and Bob compared notes on Cab 11/12 sheet metal puzzle solving. The entourage then slipped and slided their way into the back 40 to look over spare parts.

After the tour of the barnyard, we headed to Rockland for dinner. Various topics were discussed over an enjoyable meal. It was great seeing Gord again and especially nice meeting Neil again - I met him for the first time this summer at CFB Shilo in Manitoba during the great Swords and Ploughshares Honest John rocket acquisition trip.

The Yeos then made their way into Ottawa for a nights sleep to prepare for other visits in the Ottawa region. We hope we see them again soon.

Photos:

1 - Bob as tour guide in the back 40
2 - Bob giving Neil a "grilling" (sorry bout that one...)

My money is on the beavers!

Merry Christmas gentlemen.

Perry

Beavers are winning so far....
 

..... they can fix it overnight faster than we can take it apart furing the day.

My goal is to keep lowering the water level so that the vast majority of the food cache in the stream will freeze above water.... than let the watr flow on top and freeze again thereby starving the little SOB....

We had the beaver popupation in control but theyhave come back with a vengeance this year,,,,,some area have been mowed down like a bad 2 day growth of beard...... punji sticke everywhere......

Even tried to shoot them and sat there for over an hour at sunset after breaching the dam..... no show.

I am PO because they preventme from getting some good firewood out of the low areas.

Have not given up yet.... may not win the battle but at least can try to slow them down.

All the Best for the Xmas Season....

Words may have many meanings
 

There are a few provocative establishments in the Ottawa area that would love to hear that quote, Perry!


Have a great CMP Christmas.

Ooooh! Do tell.

Beavers
 

Bob,

Hire a professional trapper.

That is what we do around here.

It works. It keeps the populations under control.

Beavers can be a pest.

:devil:

Will trade 2 flying squirles for each beaver
 

Hi Bob

Will gladly trade flying squirles for beavers, at the current rate I'm trapping them can take 10 beavers. Have caught 4 already to night, make that 5 just heard the trap go again. Score right now is people 23 squirels 2.

Have been transporting them 2 miles from the house before releasing them, mark each one with a big RED S on their chest before releasing them, want to be sure I don't have homing squirels that are coming back.

I've got a use for beavers they are planning to build a 36" diameter gas pipeline near us figure that a couple of pair of beavers in each wetland along the 80 mile route should help contruction.

Wouldn't really mind the flying squirels accept they like the ceiling above our bedroom.

If you don't want flying squirels also willing to trade president canidates, how many would you like?

Telephone polling has gotten so bad we already started telling them that we have already voted for Prime Minister, they say what and we reply yes you've reached the Watermans in Toronto.

Cheers Phil

Wpuld a radar trailer and search lights help with the squirrels, Phil??? :)

David

At one time.....
 

The county would provide names of professional trappers and even pay a "pelt" fee to them..... both the fees and trappers have disappeared. No money for the pelts anymore..... most of the beaver in semi rural areas are infested with ticks and othe crawly bugs/parasite. Canadian tanneries are all shut down..... pelts are now frozen and shipped to China.

Bottom line it is hard work to set traps and do regular trips to check them out and very little money for it.

Last trapper I knew has now moved to New Brunswick..... where apparently you can still make a living.

Would simply like to reduce their numbers with some plinking but the little buggers only come out at night..... may have to do some jack lighting after all it is all on my property.

Cheers

PS.... all our squirrels are well grounded and under the control of 5 very healthy cats.......

I sent a message to a fellow I know in Ottawa who is an active trapper. He regularly posts Facebook pictures from his trapline in your neighourhood. When he responds, I will forward his contact info.

The last while has been unseasonably mild. The attached photo of Bob driving his truck a week ago would be unthinkable most years but I don't hear anyone around here complaining except perhaps merchants who think we aren't in the proper Christmas spirit (read buying) yet.

I told trapper friend of mine about Bob's mischievous neighbours, and connected the humans by email. I showed him the two pictures Bob had posted here. He replied, "Nice dam wink. Probably only a couple of beaver but you never know. I'll take care of them for him."

Strong winds today.....
 

Been in touch with the trapper...... sound good.

Wind is so strong today we lost 2 dead trees....... so far trees 1 Winter canvass shelter O ........ crushed half a shelter content OK.

wind almost as bad as Australia..... water in the beaver dam are now flowing upstream due to the wind....

On the bright side temp. is 16 C and very muddy.

Santee Clause better be holding on to his tuque to nite.

....and a Merry Xmas to All

Bob C

That will teach you to live in NH where the primary is so closely watched.

Bob thinks Beavers are pest
 

Hi Terry

Primary has gotten so bad you can't swing a beaver without hitting a presidential candidate. Now maybe if we can get couple of beavers to start daming up the streams on the mountain we could flood out the highway running through town one of the major east west roads in the state.

We're the polling services as bad for the Canadian elections, we can expect to have our dinner interrupted 2 to 3 times a week by election campaign or polling calls?

Cheers Phil

Bob, its time to bring the reinforcements. No more Mr. Nice Guy! :thup:

I am active in the local federal and provincial riding associations. One party has a very thorough voter tracking database. Essentially it has an understanding on a one to five scale of a voter's likelihood of supporting the party. The data is collected door to door and from previously stated intentions. The candidate uses that intelligence to run his local campaign. There isn't much telephoning except of the actual election day to make sure the known supporters get to their local polling stations. The opinion polls tend to be small samples of the population with wizard witch doctor nuance formulas to decide where the flavour of the day in headed.

The interesting wrinkle is on the election day, there will be a group of five or six polls at one polling location. As each voter steps forward to get their ballot, the poll clerk (a nonpartisan volunteer) crosses off their name on a long sheet. A scrutineer from the party is allowed to see who has voted, and reports which voters have come through. The database knows which voter is on which line of the registration form. The yes-no fact is keyed into the voter tracking database, and anyone known to be a supporter who hasn't voted by 6pm gets a personal call. It was quite an impressive get-out-the-vote machine.

Hi Terry

All I can say is, how civilized.

Cheers Phil

Perhaps it is civilized, but there are things done in Canada that would never fly in the US.

(BTW, what does this have to do with Bob's dam' beavers?)

Yes back to Bob's aquatic pets
 

Hi Terry

Yes, back to the beavers, my first response to beavers would be put out some speakers and a recording of sound of water running over the dam. Just to see how high a dam they would build trying to stop the noise.

Having been to Bob's place there are some spots where the beavers could be a major pain.

Cheers and Merry Christmas

Phil

Egads! Shades of 'Caddy Shack'!

David

Beavers
 

Hi Bob

Saw this and thought of you.
Attachment 78489

Cheers Phil

Good one Phil.....
 

...actually all the hard work done by Grant and Rob seems to have paid off. Another aspect is timing. They have demolished the dams at the right time....... no more rain to refill the stream means the water will remain low and the first real cold snap with a foot of snow has started to freeze the water level low and leaving their food cache of saplings imbedded in the muddy bottom fully exposed.

With no time left on the beaver clock to cut branches for the repair and no way of floating branches and logs into the breach means..... they will most likely move upstream to the neighbours property/swamp or we will have some very skinny beavers next Spring. No signs of life in the past few days.

Didn't win the war but won a small battle.

Cheers