DO Duty

Every month or so I have to work Duty Officer at the Regional Office, which entails helping field calls from the front desk. The first time I worked DO, I had to go out and put a deer with two broken legs down because she was hit by a car in a subdivision. As soon as I got back, at 4:30 mind you, I'm asked "where was that deer at? Oh, well you have anther one that needs to be put down." So I then had to shoot a fawn with a broken back, again in a new subdivision.

So Friday I had to work DO again. As the DO, the ladies up front love to pass on the dirty work to you:) One of the girls gets a phone call and says, can you hold for a moment please,.....oh DO, you have a call. I pick up the phone to "I want to report a moose attack". So these two young guys from Pennsylvania were hunting elk and a cow and a bull moose charged them... so they shot them. Really. Apparently they feared for their life. And why did they charge you? So two dead moose without moose tags. But ok, I get a Conservation Officer on the case who can determine if the story is true based on the distance of fire, location of the bullet wound, etc. An hour later I pick up the phone and this guy is all excited and out of breath..... "I just shot a moose...it was chasing my wife....I had to." They were just hiking down a trail with their dog, and out of nowhere a cow moose comes charging down the trail at them, and fearing for their life, he pulls out his pistol and drops the moose on the trail. Another dead moose with no tag. I'm sure a charging moose is a very scary thing, yes, they could do alot of bodily damage. But just doesn't seem right that people can't go into the woods without freaking out and shooting any wildlife they see. You live in the woods, learn to deal with it. Another call the same day...yeah, no killing otters because they're pooping on your nice boat dock. Cause I also got a call from an otter that was complaining about a family that built their house on his lake and wanted me to put the family down. And from personal experience, I'm scared of otters, they're as vindictive as the mob, so I'm taking the otters side.

Awesome photos (not mine)

So check out all these awesome photos! My technician took them -he has an awesome camera and knows how to use it. All of these photos were taken at the two Wildlife Management Areas I manage. I saw a black bear, could be the same one, when I was there this morning. It was right in the middle of the road in front of me so I got an awesome (do I use that word alot?) upclose view. Yeah, most days I love my job. But then again, some people really know how to throw a wrench in it! Community management. Some people need a job, or grandkids. That's all I'm gonna say. Just enjoy the photos.
Great horned owl.

Cinnamon teal.

Cedar waxwing.

Mallard chicks with a merganser chick thrown in there....can you find the one without the stripped face. Hmmm?

Red-tailed hawk.

Northern shovelor.

Greater yellowlegs.