How about a deer leg for dinner?

I know that I've been MIA for a couple of days, but I have good reason. Tuesday night Jeff and I were searching for some missing items when there was a knock at the door. Yes, I said knock! Two people from the wolverine study showed up to put up the study sites. I knew that they were due in and would look for me, but the weather was miserable despite the warmth, and it was also an hour and a half past sunset. So, I didn't think they would be coming in that day. But, they made it! Leah and Eric accepted our invitation to stay here in the cabin with us, so Jeff and I have had a grand couple of days with great company. Yesterday, the three of us spent all day setting up three wolverine sites.

I'll take a timeout here for a brief explanation of the study. John Waller, a wildlife biologist in the park, runs the wolverine project. There no longer is the funding to trap the wolverines and put microchips in them for study, so John is conducting a non-invasive study of the wolverines in the park. There are several study sites all over the park. Leah and Eric came to set up the five sites here in the Many Glacier valley. So for example, there is a site on Swiftcurrent Lake. We attached an eight foot long wooden pole (sometimes a dead tree) to the end of the boat dock. On the very top of the pole, Eric attached a deer leg. Along the pole, in a spiral pattern, twelve gun brushes were attached. The clencher is the stank, otherwise known as the lure. The stank is skunk sent and beaver anal cavity juices. YUM! A few drops of the stank is placed on the pole to attract the wolverines. Trust me a few drops is all you need! So, the idea is that a wolverine will climb up the pole to get to the deer leg and will leave some of its hair on the gun brushes. Thus, we have DNA! Amazing, isn't it?

Time in! So, yesterday we set up the site at Swiftcurrent Lake and two on Josephine Lake. Jeff came with us to the first site then headed into work. The weather was quite enjoyable. There was minimum wind, and it was in the forties. The downside to all of this warm weather is that everything is melting, and we can no longer just ski across the lake. Not to mention, the impressive snow drifts that were building are no longer impressive. After we were all done, we enjoyed a wonderful evening playing cards and bullshitting. Eric taught us the game 500, and Jeff and I somehow managed to beat Leah and Eric one time!

Today, Leah, Eric, and I headed out to Cracker Flats to set up the fourth site. I will say the weather was quite unpleasant today. We were still warm (36 degrees) but the wind on the flats was icy and brutal. Long story short, it was a difficult site, and we spent two hours out in the horrible winds. We came back for lunch and a little R&R, then Leah and Eric headed to the fifth site at Fishercap Lake. My knee is crapping out on me, so I decided to stay behind. Jeff treked part way with them to check the shutters on Swiftcurrent Motel but came back quickly to get me. There was a pack of wolves up on the side of Mt. Altyn chasing some bighorn sheep. Thanks to Jeff, I got to see a couple of them before they moved to the other side of the ridge. It was awesome! Everyone went on their way, and I headed home. (This is where I would insert a frowny face if I knew how). Tonight is Leah and Eric's last night, so I'm sure we will have a good time!