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
April 17th, 2020 at 11:15 PM ^
About 50 miles north of Bay City.
Great question. This might put an end to my maybe wolverine story once and for all. Maybe there aren’t any in the lower P.
April 17th, 2020 at 10:42 PM ^
Thx for what you do XM.
April 17th, 2020 at 10:48 PM ^
i haven't done anything, but thank you anyway.
do you think those are wolverine tracks?
April 17th, 2020 at 10:51 PM ^
Those are yeti tracks. It would not surprise me if wolverines were in Michigan at all. My Dad has a great story about him and his fishing buddies knocking each other down to get back to their RV because a mountain lion screamed at them near Sault Ste Marie
In 2004, the first confirmed sighting of a wolverine in Michigan since the early 19th century took place, when a Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist photographed a wolverine in Ubly, Michigan.[52] The specimen was found dead at the Minden City State Game Area in Sanilac County, Michigan in 2010; no further wolverines have been spotted in Michigan.[53]
April 17th, 2020 at 10:55 PM ^
You mean the tracks of the global social distancing champion?
April 17th, 2020 at 11:03 PM ^
way too small for a yeti.
i really do think it is a wolverine. i won't set a trap line for it, but man, i'd like to have absolute confirmation.
one other thing, during rifle season one of the neighbors shot a deer next to the farm and lost it tracking that night. he called and asked for permission to track it in the morning which of course i said 'yes' to, he just wanted to make sure we weren't hunting that morning. well he found his deer - all torn up. that's a perfect carcass for a wolverine.
April 17th, 2020 at 11:14 PM ^
Bait and camera. You will get photos that will enhance your legend.
April 17th, 2020 at 11:19 PM ^
XM, Do you have a trail cam? I've used one in the woods behind my house. Very effective for nocturnal activities. Good luck ?
April 17th, 2020 at 11:35 PM ^
Tell you what, we've got a ton of deer that are in our fields. The DNR won't give me a crop protection permit this early in the year, but I'd like to drop a bunch of them and put a camera on them.
also saw a cool bunch of turkey vultures circling overhead yesterday in the breeze. They were fixing to set down on something but I didn't feel like going bush-wacking to find out.
XM send those pix into the DNR. I would bet they would like to see them and would offer an opinion and feedback.
April 18th, 2020 at 12:20 PM ^
in theory that sounds great, but remember this is the same agency that denied we had mountain lions for decades. i doubt they'd be in a big hurry to acknowledge the ferocity of wolverines here in our state.
EDIT: also bear tracks out there this morning. clear prints.
XM, I second that trail cam idea. I’ve recently switched to the SPYPOINT cell cameras and have been very pleased. Would love to see you confirm your wolverine.
April 17th, 2020 at 10:55 PM ^
Tonight was a delightful southern seafood boil with chardonnay. Preceded by a rusty nail, and post-ceded at an attempt to use up something laying around (see article). The latter didn't go so well.
https://www.eater.com/2020/4/14/21219660/quarantine-liquor-cabinet-drink-it-down
April 17th, 2020 at 11:49 PM ^
yeah, that article mentioned some stuff you wouldn't drink on a bet. if your cabinet looked like hers, no wonder it didn't work out so well.
April 17th, 2020 at 11:02 PM ^
1. I'm pretty sure there was one spotted a few years back. Either way, those are definitely Chupacabra tracks.
2. Bell's Two Hearted in my cup and I've been on the grill every few days since the shut down. This Sunday, I have wings and lamb chops to the menu.
April 17th, 2020 at 11:27 PM ^
I don't know nothing about no wolverines, but I know I'm enjoying a whistlepig 10 year store pick rye whiskey
April 17th, 2020 at 11:36 PM ^
You sure make up fancy names for your moonshine.
April 17th, 2020 at 11:49 PM ^
Gonna have to try this Whistlepig you speak of. Not really into rye but maybe a bourbon if they make one. Just picked up a half gallon of Eagle Rare. One of my favorites ?
April 18th, 2020 at 10:59 AM ^
Eagle rare is a great bourbon. I love ryes, but just keep in mind that ryes can vary a lot in profile. I'm definitely not a fan of ryes that have more of a liquorice taste.
April 18th, 2020 at 12:10 AM ^
No, 200 years ago there was a small population in the western UP and Isle Royal but they were killed off. A renegade female wolverine lived up in the Thumb region from 2002 to 2004. The DNR said it was probably released and lived for a few years but in 2004, she was found dead. They said mountain lions are migrating east. Usually these are bachelor males that roam from the foothills of the Rockies. We have several here in the eastern portion of KS.
April 18th, 2020 at 12:14 AM ^
check out the tracks uminks. what do you say now?
April 18th, 2020 at 12:22 AM ^
Looks like one to me. Maybe a neighbor had a pet wolverine and he let it go. I think the state should try to repopulate them. I'm sure they would thrive here.
the habitat there is pretty ideal for them, too. its swampy and that part of the farm kind of corners with a few neighbors' properties, and in general is what i call the 'wild side'. that's where we'll flush grouse this morning on our run, turkeys will call, we've seen bear back there from time to time and of course coyotes and deer.
1. Start blasting "The Victors" out of your stereo and get your camera ready. Any Wolverine within ear shot will show up .
2. Guinness and onion burgers which are quite popular here in central Oklahoma. During the Great Depression a cook at a greasy spoon nearby started using large quantities of thinly sliced onion pressed into the burger while grilling to help use less meat, and they've been popular ever since.
The wife and I had some Grotto’s pizza from Trenton MI.
1. The last wild wolverine was spotted in 2018 and was named Chase Winovich.
2. Had a few leftover New Holland Dragon’s milk.
I would have no idea on the tracks, but can see why you would think those belong to a wolverine.
Ate pizza from an overpriced local place (wife is getting bored of my cooking repertoire) and had a coke & bourbon to wash it down while streaming a great performance of Phantom (25th anniversary version).
saw phantom live years ago, like 30 yrs ago in LA. fell asleep during the middle of it.
April 18th, 2020 at 10:40 AM ^
“Boo! Boo!!” -the Princess Bride, and also the NYY bleachers
My wife falls asleep during Casablanca and The Godfather, so I suppose I get it. But AT the live performance XM? What a bummer!
April 18th, 2020 at 12:01 PM ^
i am worthy of the booing, and it was with the super-duper cast at the shubert theatre in century city/LA. but in my defense i had just finished about a 3 week murder trial and i was just plain tired. i woke up after a while.
April 18th, 2020 at 12:21 PM ^
Sounds legit. I’ve been there (though for far less important things).
I hope that 30 years later you aren’t still trying to live that down.
i did not know my wife at that time. i found out the gal i did go with, who was a wonderful person, passed away last year. we hadn't had contact in over a quarter century so no need to live it down. she was a very good egg, God rest her soul.
+1 for reminding me of that Olympia beer ad. A nice little blast from the pop culture past.