Grouse Hollow Journal for January 26, 2017 by Greg Koelker

Grouse Hollow Journal for January 26, 2017 by Greg Koelker

Ellen and Scout and Jax - Eli’s dog and our house guest this last weekend, went for a walk up the ridge on Sunday morning.  El told me later that as she and the dogs slogged through the field and into the Oak Stand gate she had a memory of a bitter cold January late afternoon a few winters ago when Scout got a less than pleasant welcome from a skunk out walking around.  Readers may recall that Scout got a near lethal (for us, that is) dose of uber odiferous mephitidae musk.  After being turned down by several dog groomers, Scout and we got introduced to a dogwash in Onalaska.  Let’s just say that while it was sort of funny, Scout was not a happy camper.    We can laugh about it today because there were no polecats on this walk.  Taking two dogs to a dog wash would have made it doubly interesting or doubly disturbing for sure.

Speaking of disturbing, It is my opinion that breaking up of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is a step backwards on a pothole filled road leading to a time when water and air pollution and private plundering of public resources was the norm in our state.  Unbelievably, some in the DNR and legislature advocate allowing businesses to hire private consultants to do environmental impact reports.  Let’s see, when a company pays consultant to do a study of where said company wants to put down a high volumn well or sink a mine or any number of other projects that might need some guidance when it comes to the environment, who is consultant working for?  To whom do the paid consultant answer to?  How objective and complete will that report be?  This policy opens the door to eventual disasters for our natural resources - in my opinion.  There’s more.  DNR employees are worried about a department with loosened environmental regulations and budget cuts that targets scientists because they researched climate change, mine pollution and deer herd management measures.  Those same experienced and educated employees are leaving in big numbers, creating a brain drain and shortage of experts in the department - at the expense of all of our natural resources, maybe by managerial design - again, in my opinion.  Folks, in my experience, DNR employees are professionals with the best interest of our environment and natural resources in their collective hearts.  They are about more than just re-stocking walleye fry and issuing hunting licenses.  Regardless of what those in power say, the DNR is not a customer service agency; it should be the legal guardian of our natural resources.

Jax has proven to be the perfect house guest, resting most of the day on his pad in the kitchen.  Jax let us know it was time to go out by whining quietly outside of our bedroom door around 5 AM.  

I got a shot of springtime this last week when I got my spring turkey season permit in the mail.  Mountain man Ben says he is coming to turkey hunt again this spring, so I am doubly pumped for the hunt.  I am so ready for the sound of gobbling toms and spring song birds.  Also, I hear they are catching fish through the ice and all over the open water of the Mississippi, so if you haven’t been out, remember, you can’t catch ‘em if you don’t go.

Until next time, get out - the green and gold walking wounded ward that is our Green Bay Packers, beat up and left for dead back in November, made football fun again for the last two months, getting closer to the Superbowl than the Lions, Giants, and the much vaunted Cowboys.  Who would have bet on that?  Go Pack!  Enjoy.