Are There Live Wolverines in Michigan + Friday Night Adult Beverage/BBQ Thread
Mates,
A little different tonight, hoping to get some help posting pictures of tracks from one of the other mgobloggerazzi who I have sent some pictures to since I can't get them to post. Here's the deal: Late l last year while in the woods near the farm I was about 85% sure I'd come upon a wolverine, moving away from me, as I was running in the pre-dawn morning. The body was uniquely shaped and colored, not a badger, not a fox or a pine martin, etc. But it was dark enough in the morning that I thought, 'Eh, maybe, probably, but not sure'. Fast forward to Feb and on a beautiful sunny, fresh snowy morning and I came across some tracks that were so clear that I once again thought, 'You know, it really could be'. I didn't have a phone though so I kept running. Those tracks were close by the original sighting place.
Yesterday morning while mountain biking in nearly the same place and bingo, another set of tracks that were put into fresh-fallen snow. The pads were way too thick to be a raccoon or a possum, too big to be a badger, and most definitely weren't a fox/coyote. So one of the other mgobloggers is going to post a couple pics for me (I hope) and you can compare for yourself. What do you think? For comparison's sake I input prints for a badger, similar but skinnier and smaller than what I found:
So tonight's questions are simply these:
1. Are there are or aren't there real live wild wolverines in Michigan? Reminiscent of the old Olympia beer ad, 'Are there or aren't there Artesians, do you think one will ever be found? Well let's pour us another cold Oly my friend, the question is worth one more round!'
2. What is in your cup and on your BBQ or dinner plate. Warmer temps are coming and at some point we will get to venture out more freely. So here's to a wise and liberating decision in that regard.
Take care and be safe,
XM
The photo in your OP. The 2 tracks on the far left look like Wolverine tracks. The 3 others are way too long.
Wolverines have short but wide tracks. Per the Cascade Wolverine Project:
- Overall size and shape: Front and hind tracks are similar in size and shape, with the front slightly wider than the hind
- Toe shape and arrangement: Front and hind feet have five toes which typically all register. Occasionally the smallest inside toe doesn’t register, especially on the hind track
- Metacarpal and metatarsal pad (palm): Relatively narrow and comprised of four distinct subpads, the largest of which, associated with toes 3 and 4, having a flat to bilobed leading edge.
- Claws: Typically register in tracks but not always. Similar in size and shape between front and hind with front claws slightly longer.
- Heel: A rounded cone shape. A single naked round carpal pad found on the front foot. The entire heel of the hind track is furred.
- Interdigital space: Toe pads do not connect to the palm pad and the space between these structures is relatively large, greater than in all other similar sized prints of carnivores except for occasionally lynx.
Drinking 3 Floyd’s Gumball Head, Oberon, PBR, and some screwdrivers because my wife said so.
Also, X, thanks for the heads up on the place in Baja. Looking hard at it. May take the wife there.
right, those are badger tracks in the OP. hoping one of the other mgobloggers will post the pics i sent them which i couldn't source to post here. you will see that they are indeed wider, as you would expect for a wolverine.
The three larger feet ... Bigfoot?
1: Yes, absolutely yes (I have no idea) ?
2: New England style roast beef sandwiches and Nathan’s onion rings for dinner. Trying to somehow feel like I’m at the beach. Heady Topper in the glass, well, can.
what makes a new england style roast beef sandwich different from a regular RB sandwich? got a # 12 and a patriots logo in the bread?
Not really sure XM. You can find ‘em along the North Shore of Massachusetts down to the Cape.
You take some rare roast beef, thinly sliced, warm it up in some au jus, then pile it high on a toasted bun. Add some melted cheese and bbq sauce and there you have it. Tastes like summer. ☀️
http://wolverinefoundation.org/wolverine-identification
Here is a link to photos of actual wolverine tracks in mud and snow. Scroll down about half way.
Citadelle Gin and tonic for me and Beefeater Gin and tonic for the wife. Bayern Dragon’s Breath dark Heff ale is next. Cheers
good link on the pics. compare with what scanner blue was able to post for me. what do you think? sure looks spot on to me.
I had my first Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf ice blended drink in 40 days. It was delicious. It’s been a month since my last Frappuccino. There’s half a dozen Starbucks within a mile of me but none of them have drive thrus. ☹️
There’s a critter banging around on my roof. I don’t think it’s a wolverine. More likely a crow. Those sonuvabitches don’t fear or respect anything.
so how did you crack the code to break the 40 day drought and get this coffee beverage?
if you live in a city with that many starbucks there have to be competitors around who have drive-thru's, yes?
The coffee bean has a drive thru, I just never think of going there because it’s on the opposite side of my path to work.
I got a blueberry pomegranate smoothie. It’s so delicious.
One was spotted in 2004 so sure.
Just enjoying a Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale over a little 2016 Michigan vs PSU beatdown.
I’m drinking H2O while trying to load your mustelidae tracks picture. I’m either exceeding file size or in the wrong format.
I took a picture of your text, sent it to my email, took a screenshot on my macpro, drug and dropped on source icon thingee ...any way quality is not very good but these are the tracks xm saw this morning. So to my eye those look like some Kenda factory issue tire tracks and if your riding in snow you might want to upgrade.
check your email.
and thank you for the effort. sorry its not sending as easily as i hoped.
EDIT: huzzah! thank you scanner for posting these.
okay folks, what do you think?
and SB, you are correct, those are kenda tires. great eye. they're fine for a ham-n-egger like me.
and for dinner mrs scanner and I got take out from the local diner. She had lemon rice soup and a greek salad while I had a bacon cheddar cheese burger and a mess of fries. First fried food iI've had in a month.
April 17th, 2020 at 10:19 PM ^
Good God do I ever miss lemon rice soup. No good greek restaurants since I moved away. Funny what you miss after it's gone, when you didn't so much care when it was there.
Hmm, slant six’s or small block 8’s? I’m liking my Maxxis Forkasters right now. And....back to the thread.
Greetings. Me and my gf just got done with cracker barrel takeout for dinner and are now just relaxing on the couch.
April 17th, 2020 at 10:00 PM ^
Your gf.
You thought you’d just slip that in there?
April 17th, 2020 at 10:04 PM ^
We've been together since monday.
Neigh!
April 17th, 2020 at 11:47 PM ^
Cracker Barrel is for closers.
Mazel tov.
Sorry ...
I hope it is. That would be great.
Remember when the DNR said there were no wolves in the Lower Peninsula? Then a coyote trapper got one “near” Alpena (I think). Definitive proof of wolves below the bridge.
my favorite is where the DNR tried denying there were mountain lions in michigan. a buddy of ours is/was a fishing guide on the manistee, and it had to be at least 10-12 yrs ago when we were fishing and he made the comment: 'i'm not saying there are mountain lions, i'm not saying there aren't mountain lions. i'm just saying i saw a deer carcass 20' up in a tree....'
April 17th, 2020 at 11:22 PM ^
Doesn't that just prove that deer are bad at climbing out of trees?
strong effort.
but do you have to take the beverages off the grill before you start cooking?
Like everything hot ..
I knew someone would point that oddity out. Wasn't this a beverage thread?
Good for this blog.
Missed the rum basted burger with jalapenos and the hazy IPA.
That's cool. No worries.
This guy has it figured out.
April 17th, 2020 at 11:06 PM ^
I have to ask after seeing that deliciousness. Whatever happened to the MGoBBQ guy? I've missed his recipes so I'm living off the recipes on Amazing Ribs.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iZUopM6xhMie-aPgWedpjZp_clm46x94/view?usp=drivesd
and
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1idm5kEj-6lZ5lYrm8rRzBT26P4dCavf3/view?usp=drivesdk
^^^Tracks in 2nd picture that prove XM's mountain bike does exist in northern Michigan.
;-)
April 17th, 2020 at 10:06 PM ^
Frozen pineapple sherbet, spiked with Knob Creek, and spices, next to my campfire. It's a good night.
April 17th, 2020 at 10:10 PM ^
a good night, indeed.
April 17th, 2020 at 10:06 PM ^
1) No idea. It sure would be cool to see one though.
2) Pizza and my last Hopslam of the year. My beer stash is almost depleted!
April 17th, 2020 at 10:10 PM ^
avatar pic not checking out.
Dude, he’s in Minnesota.
April 17th, 2020 at 10:10 PM ^
I'm working and it sucks. Don't get out until 3am tonight and with an hour drive home it looks like I won't get to bed until about 5....
Then I get to do it all over again
You cats better buy a ton of yogurt
April 17th, 2020 at 10:24 PM ^
I'll do it for you, my dude. Hope you have good music for your drive
April 17th, 2020 at 11:44 PM ^
Drive safe.
what brand/label are you making?
April 18th, 2020 at 12:25 AM ^
Yoplait light vanilla and Original Cherry
Standard 6oz yoplait cups (Vercon)
we go through a lot of plain yogurt around here.
does your plant make any private label stuff for anyone?
hope you got home alright and got good sleep. at least the driving was easy, crystal clear skies.
I thought we were only allowed to eat chobani? Where's Dave Brandon when you need him?
April 17th, 2020 at 10:15 PM ^
Burgers on the George, chips and Bush's beans. Eagle Rare, neat.
Cheers!! Stay safe.
Take care Blue!
I'm working. Our staff has a split 4 10s with an overlap on Wednesday.
I get to work 7 10s to supervise!
I'm driving home in a minute for leftovers. I'll probably crack a Sam Adams Kosmic Sour if we have one. Otherwise, it will be a Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale
I'm lucky here in Florida. Less than 400 cases in the county. 10% hospitalization rate and 3% death rate for cases.
Stay safe and Go Blue!
April 19th, 2020 at 11:42 AM ^
Glad to hear you are doing well Mr EQ!!
We are keeping to ourselves here in rural Kent County. Only go to the store when necessary, usually early am.
Stay safe and GO BLUE!!!
April 17th, 2020 at 10:20 PM ^
I’m not worthy!
Wife and I grilled some hotdogs and side dish of macaroni salad. Neighbor makes homemade potato chips. So simple dinner and diet 7up over ice. Tasted great but not worthy of other posts.
Postponed my intake of alcohol for a little bit. Losing weight is soooo much easier for me without those calories and how it can turn me into a couch potato in the evening. I’ll be ready for some ice cold drinks this summer.
I was hunting a corn field for pheasant and came across what I believe to be a wolverine. Startled me so obviously no pics. Plus this was 40 years ago so no iPhones.
April 17th, 2020 at 10:45 PM ^
where was this field? wolverines are northern creatures.
April 17th, 2020 at 10:53 PM ^
Don't buy cheap maps made in Ohio. Not only no "M" but also no "ichigan" on that map either.