Polar Bear Alley

11/13/2024

In case you somehow missed it last week, Alberta took another giant step backward away from using science, respect or ethics in wildlife management with the Alberta Trappers Association and the Alberta Professional Outfitters Society announcement of a province-wide wolf killing 'contest'. It started October 1st and is intended 100% to encourage the killing of as many wolves as possible this winter. Every single wolf pelt submitted gets $250, while the 'best' one wins $5K. It's every bit as perverse as you can imagine and once again shows just how little respect these associations have for our big predators that are such a key to our province's biodiversity. Why are they doing it? So they can kill more moose, elk and deer. It's as simple as that. Is it misguided? F*** yes, there's not a scientific paper on the planet that backs up this assertion that random killing of wolves will increase predator populations.

Does this p**s you off as much as it p**ses me off? Then please consider helping us out so we can fight this. Here's our press release: https://www.exposedwildlifeconservancy.org/news/tip-press-release-2024 and to be honest, the best way you can help is by donating $250 per wolf to help us SAVE wolves, not kill them: https://www.exposedwildlifeconservancy.org/donate (and for the few haters out there, I will once again mention that I don't make a cent from Exposed Wildlife Conservancy).

Thanks everyone, please help us get the word out.

- John

11/11/2024

Epic bears this season... more sparring buddies arrived yesterday - lots of bears moving through

11/10/2024

Tour dates confirmed for 2025 - gonna be a good one... nine clients maximum - 3:1 guide ratio
October 20-October 27
October 26-November 2 (limited space)
November 1-November 8 (limited space)
November 7-November 14
November 13-November 20

11/09/2024

11/07/2024

Bear season is rollin rollin rollin

11/07/2024

Better clear up!!

Strong Solar Flare Erupts From Sun The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 8:40 a.m. ET on Nov. 6, 2024. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare — seen a...

11/04/2024

Jasper was pretty surreal at the end of October this year. Vast swatches of scorched earth along many of the major roadways, with thin ribbons of bright green regrowth happening along the edges. It was strange to see so much green at the end of October, but I think it's a harbinger of what's to come as the park renews and regrows and creates some wonderful wildlife habitat in the decades to come.

I also feel very fortunate that my workshops and tours this year were even able to run. I got the word from the hotel on October 5th that they would be open in time for my reservations. It's been sombre, yet also incredibly invigorating to see the community in the aftermath of this natural disaster. The people are so grateful to have us there supporting local businesses and I feel just as grateful in return that everyone is so welcoming. I encourage all of you to consider a vacation there this fall, winter or spring to help the town and residents recover as they rebuild.

11/01/2024

Friday feels.

11/01/2024

Forecast looking good for a mid november freeze... right on time

Churchill, MB temperature trend for the next 14 Days. Find daytime highs and nighttime lows from TheWeatherNetwork.com.

10/31/2024

10/30/2024

Need one.

12 November 1939. Admiral Richard Byrd’s snow cruiser is pictured passing through traffic and onlookers before halting for the night in Framingham, Massachusetts,.
Admiral Byrd's Antarctic Snow Cruiser was built in 1939 to support his third Antarctic expedition. It was a huge, one-of-a-kind invention designed to house scientists while they traveled to the South Pole and back over a 12-month period. It sported four, independently-steered, pneumatic tires 10 feet tall, and carried an airplane on its roof in support of the expedition. This Jules Verne-like vehicle also slept four comfortably, boasted a galley, machine shop, darkroom, and radio room, and carried a year's supply of food.
Byrd's Snow Cruiser was designed by Dr. Thomas C. Poulter, Director of the Armour Institute in Chicago, and built by the Pullman Company of sleeping car fame at a cost of $150,000. The vehicle was so large the only way to get it from Chicago to Boston, its port of departure, was to drive it across country very, very slowly. The trip attracted huge crowds and newspaper headlines along the way especially when a series of mishaps (including a slip off a too-narrow bridge) spurred speculation that Byrd's Snow Cruiser was a white elephant in disguise.
Unfortunately, the Snow Cruiser proved much slower in the field then her specified cruising speed of 10-13 miles per hour. Though she may have been adept at fording crevasses, she was unable to climb the 35 percent grade she was designed for, a serious problem given her 30-ton weight caused her to sink in the snow more times than anyone cared to remember.
Byrd's Snow Cruiser proved so problematic that it only managed to cover 96 miles in 12 months of activity and much of that in reverse! As a result, when the expedition ended the vehicle was abandoned. She was rediscovered sometime in the 1950’s only to float away on an ice shelf and sink to the bottom of the sea. Nevertheless, the Institute has a warm place in its heart for Byrd's impractical Snow Cruiser even though sled dogs would have performed better.

10/29/2024

This is a pretty sweet deal...