Fish don’t care who the human is at the other end of the lure or bait they are thinking about biting. They’ll bite (or not) whether the angler is young or old, male or female, white, Asian, Black or any other race. So why doesn’t the demographics of people who go fishing in the United States match the demographics of our country?
One of the sure signs of springtime is the sight of the red admiral butterfly. Every year around this time our yards and gardens are invaded by colorful and fast-flying butterflies, and one of the most acrobatic is the red admiral.
Getting out of Austin was crazy. Morning traffic, a near-wreck (we got a bird flipped our way), a stop at Starbucks, and stop-and-go for most of an hour- the joy of back roads was not with us early on. But we then cleared the Austin city limits, and we started to roll.
I was sitting with my back to a tree in the remote reaches of British Columbia's East Kootenay Mountains. I was with my friend, Bob Fontana, and we were watching a couple of three‑year‑old grizzly cubs in a large opening on the sunny, south‑facing hillside across the canyon from us. They were feeding on the remains of a mountain goat killed in an avalanche the previous winter.
A common visitor to back yard bird feeders is the brightly-colored American goldfinch. These small finches are easy to identify by their coloration. Adult males are bright yellow with black wings and a black cap on their head.
"Keep Austin Weird." Susan and I saw the sign in several places in the city. Austin wears its quirkiness well, and did not close to experiencing all of it. Any city that celebrates a nightly flight of bats, well, you have admire its eccentricity.
In the heart of Acadiana, just about 35 minutes from the Louisiana city of Lafayette, sits a retreat where you can catch, cook, and sleep like a true Cajun. Welcome to Crawfish Haven/ Mrs. Rose’s Bed and Breakfast where owner & proprietor Barry Toups finds joy in introducing guests from around the world to authentic Cajun living.
Ken and Cindy waved at us from the far end of a long driveway. We opened the gate and drove through, into pastures with goats and grazing horses. The driveway led us to our friends, and we jumped out of the van into laughter and embraces. It had been a long time, and we loved seeing them again!
A natural resource stop or inspection can be stressful for both the person being checked and the Wildlife Officer. Here are several “Do’s” and “Don’ts” that can make your next encounter with a Wildlife Officer pain-free and sometimes even pleasurable!
Owls are creatures of the night. In the Midwestern United States, the largest and perhaps most well-known owl is the Great Horned Owl. These big birds can have wingspans of four to five feet, and they hunt everything from mice and rats to rabbits, snakes, frogs and even other birds like ducks and hawks.
We rolled westward along Louisiana Route 82. Low overcast, driven northward by a wind that carried a fresh odor of the Gulf of Mexico, scudded overhead. The fisherman in me was going crazy- I hadn't touched a rod since I packed them into the car before we left Florida, and the miles of salt marsh we passed provided a lifetime of shallow-water fishing opportunities.
