SK Fishing Report.

[holdfast]

I took my first trip this year into a back lake and tried out some ice fishing. I discovered this place last winter and actually tried it out for ice fishing. Both tries would bring me no luck. In the summer this was actually a fun lake to canoe and fish in. I was actually catching pike, casting close to shore nailing the pike top water. Here are some sight pictures.

 

 

Now some really interesting pictures, this is what was seen sticking up about 20 meters from the shoreline

 

Tracks leading to me where the kill is

 

 

To me Im guessing a set of wolf tracks that had a look at the kill then went on its way. Close up of the tracks.

 

 

Ill start to uncover the carcass and here's whats left

 

 

Just a skull, antlers and a backbone picked off clean. There are no legs, and no ribs. Im assuming this was killed on the spot before the last snow fall or wind storm. Is it a wolf kill? no doubt birds got to it, but where are the ribs and legs. Any Ideas?

[carll2]

im thinking poachers...looks like a damn healthy buck! could be wolves too

Edited February 1, 2010 by carll2

[oxcowboy]

im gonna go with wolves, a poacher would have probably took such a nice rack with them as well.

 

jason

[irishfield]

Wolves... been doing it for centuries.. chase them out on glare ice 'till they break their legs falling.

[Greencoachdog]

I think Spike is a lot badder than you think!!!

[backbay]

Wow, nice rack indeed!

Edited February 1, 2010 by backbay

[pikeie]

wow i sure would of loved to find that! it would be a shed hunters holy grail!

[Leecher]

I bet if you look around in land, you would probably find the missing pieces. Definitely a wolf pack that got this big buck

 

Did ya try and get the antlers Holdie?? Would make for some excellent rattling equipment come deer hunting!!!

[Joey]

I'd say wolf aswell, probably dragged the legs/ribs off to chew on.

 

Did you take the rack?

 

Joey

[holdfast]

No I never took the rack all though I thought about it. Just a couple of weeks ago I got a rack given too me and was told to boil the skin and grey matter out. It stunk the kitchen to high heaven as I didnt want to go through that again. So now I have a rack hanging on a rope at my shop and Im waiting to make a mount. Any Ideas as I never made one before. I heard you can buy a mount kit, however there is non in this city unfortunately. Now you got me thinking that I should of grabbed the rack. I guess Id have to figure how to detach it. Humm, might be worth making another trip.

[Cookslav]

Don't rule out Coyotes.

 

Last weekend we had a bunch of them running around on the ice hooting and hollering away....next day My brother made the grizzly discovery of a deer leg knawed up pretty good right out on the ice with tracks everywere, but no sign of the initial kill.

Its Not uncommon for them to rip apart the kill and spread it around.

 

I also came across a Moose kill this spring in Algonquin with a few rib bones right on the campsite, bits of the legs back further in the bush while the skull and back bone was in the water(more then likely taken over the winter, and fell through when the Ice melted)

[ChrisK]

OK,here it is.....This is a little graffic.....

Make sure you scrape off all loose material and remove.This also means brain,eyes,nostril linings and anything else interior.The brain and eyes may be dried up by this point but still must be removed. Rehydrating may be the best way of loosening up these parts. Boil the scull in a combination of water and dish detergent for as long as it needs. Periodically removing it from the boiling water and scaping....be carefull not to immerse the antlers in the boiling water as it will fade them....

Access brain cavity by drilling a hole in the base of the scull and use a coat hanger or whatever you can fine that will work to pull out the material. When it is fresh you can use a drill with a bent coat hanger to mix the brain into a milkshake and simply rinse it out.

After this process is done,all material removed from the scull then you are ready for the next step. This involves bleaching and sterilizing whatever is left on or in the scull.....With a strong bleach solution soak the skull for a day or as long as you feel fit...Again do not immerse the antlers in the water/bleach mixture...Tape off the base of antlers to prorect them from discoloration.

Now set aside and allow to dry.

The next step is easy...Tape off the antlers and spray paint with a "appliance" white epoxy paint. This will keep the scull brilliant white all through its life without fading and it makes it easy to dust of as well......This is personal preference. Some like the natural fading bone look...

 

Hers a couple before and after pics of a black bear skull I prepared for a friend of mine....

before

after. The fangs still needed to be polished in this pick.

 

 

 

Cheers !!

[holdfast]

WOW thanks for the info, that's a good Idea, Reference taping the antlers. What I did was boiled and bleached the top of the skull just below the antlers. The paint for the skull is a good idea too. As a matter of fact, what I found and left had the spine and skull intact. What i have sitting in the shop are the antlers with the small portion of the skull. That one Im looking for Ideas how to mount, The Internet and Youtube does not help me