Sax-Zim Bog gathering

[jonny_redhorse]

XT....sounds like you were close to the "Dart Road" or "Racek Road"...thats the area that I found the sharptail grouse leks this past spring ...there's a flock of about a dozen or so sharpies that have been hanging around those fields right into this fall.... ...

[jonny_redhorse]

Lol! ...I can picture us sittin there eatin some half raw, rubbery, bacon and eggs swimmin in a quarter inch of grease served to us by a 50ish waitress with a fly swatter in one hand, while a guy with a patch over one eye and a scar on his cheek with 4 front teeth missing is drinking a warm glass of beer across the room smiling at us...named "Cletis" aka "one eyed Joe"....while a tune by Dwight Yokum serenades us in the back ground on the juke box(maybe we better bring a bottle of Kaopectate )......

[finnbay]

You've been there!!!! You forgot about all the yellow wallpaper and the 1950's booths and tile!

[MN Shutterbug]

That's right Jonny. It was along the Dart road. I remember, while down by the river, hearing the grouse drummin.

You guys are starting to make me think about skipping the "most important meal of the day".

[JayinMN]

I took a ride down to sax/zim today and saw a few different birds. They included sharp-tail grouse, a northern shrike and bald eagles, no owls though. Look in the trees for the grouse, they are busy feeding on the buds. I saw some sharptails along highway 7 in a birch tree. On the more forested roads the ruffed grouse were up in the trees too eating buds. As for the pictures, I am upgrading my lens soon, I have nothing worth sharing from todays trip. It always seem I am just out of reach with my 300mm.

[MN Shutterbug]

Thanks for the report, Jay. There are some days that even a 600mm probably wouldn't be enough.

[jonny_redhorse]

At least you saw some birds Jay!....there have been times I went the "circuit" down in the "Bog" and haven't seen much at all...some days are so productive....others are only good for a ride ....I hope we come across the "shrikes", very neat bird...and grouse feeding on the buds would also be neat...I gotta be pretty close for any decent shots myself..(28mm.x 300mm.)...not complaining though...I've got some pretty neat images out of that bog ....You guys with 600mm's would have picked the hairs out of the birds nostrils with the same pic!

from last late winter in the Sax-Zim Bog: pic taken on the South Admiral Road which is a pretty desolate ,long, stretch.....On the "bog run", we certainly will be going down this road..one of my favorites..

[Steve Foss]

OK, we're getting things ramped up.

Let's get a roll call. People who I know are planning on coming are myself, finnbay, Jonny Redhorse, MCary and X-Tackleman, with brassman a possibility. Did I miss anyone? Anyone else coming along?

Jonny's going to lay out some attractants in key spots to get birdies coming in, and all that's really left to do is figure out where and when to meet.

We should figure out if we want to meet for breakfast. There won't be shooting light until around 8 a.m., even on a sunny day, so there's no need to show up bright and early at the meeting place unless we want to meet for breakfast.

What say you, all? Breakfast meet or just pick a spot and all meet there?

[finnbay]

I'm up for breakfast, but I don't have far to go to get there.

[MN Shutterbug]

Doesn't make much difference to me. I believe the Super 8 in Virgina has a continental breakfast, and as long as I'll have basically paid for it, I might as well take advantage. However, if the rest of you want to meet for breakfast, I'm sure I could always use another cup of Joe.

[Steve Foss]

I like the breakfast idea because it gives us all a chance to get to know those we haven't met before we get into vehicles and head to the bog.

And as XT pointed out, those who want to eat can eat and those who want a caffeine pump-up can have that.

[finnbay]

Footware. I'm assuming we'll have at least as much, if not more, snow then we have now. How much through the snow walking will we be doing? Should I bring the packs and snowshoes? Or will the muks suffice? And, bring the tripod or monopod or both for safe measure?

[mcary]

Steve,

I'm in for breakfast. Good warm meal and some company seems like a nice way to get things started. Just pick a place and time. I'm not sure who is "officially" organizing this, but if someone has most of the guys emails I would think exchanging cell numbers would be a good idea in case on-the-fly coordination or directions are needed.

P.S. Brassman, If you didn't catch it at the end of the other thread, you can catch a ride with me.

[MN Shutterbug]

Packs, snowshoes, muks? Remember guys, I'm a southerner. I may not have the gear for this kind of adventure. If we're talking about trudging thru a couple feet of snow, all uphill, I may have to wait until spring to head north.

Do you actually have cell sevice up in the boondocks?

[Steve Foss]

I have Jonny and finnbay's and X-T's e-mail addresses, so please Michael and brassman just shoot me an e-mail so I have your addresses. My e-mail as always is in my signature below. And anyone else who wants to come, please post in here that you're coming and shoot me an e-mail so I can keep everyone in the loop.

Jonny's done so much legwork already and is our location guide, least I can do is take the organizing dump off his shoulders.

Ken, my guess is we won't be wading through 2 miles of heavy snow or anything, but we MAY be keeping vehicles pretty cold to make sure our gear doesn't fog up, and I'm of the old boy scout school. My tripod, monopod and all my gear are always in my backpack because life is, by definition, unable to be predicted. And, of course, it's easy enough to toss the extra boots into the back of the vehicle just in case.

I'm probably leaving the camo at home, however. I doubt we'll be in situations as a group where having camo will help. It's not like the darn birds and animals can miss a couple/three vehicles with a bunch of stooges with cameras, camo or not.

Ken, quit scaring X-Tackleman!

XT, what size foot you got? Cell phones work great up here, though not into the Bdub. It's a small world, after all.

[MN Shutterbug]

This may be a stupid question, but what good does it do to have an extra pair of boots in the back if we're going to keep the inside of the vehicle frosty? Wouldn't we just be putting on freezing boots?

[Steve Foss]

X-T, you're such a southern boy. Sigh.

Anyway, tell me your shoe size and I may have a great pair of REALLY warm boots for you to wear. I doubt very much we'll be doing any serious deep snow walking.

[finnbay]

Sorry, X! Just a fact of life up here! Steve, I usually have the car packed with everything including the kitchen sink, but wanted to make sure you didn't have to ride on the roof if there was too much gear!!!

[Steve Foss]

XT, I'm just joshin ya, man.

Warm feet won't be a problem. The vehicle will be right there, and it's a simple matter to have the floor heater on high to keep feet warm but leave the windows somewhat open to keep the gear cool.

Yeah, Ken, stfcatfish cruising along strapped to the roof at 60 mph. THERE'S a picture!

[MN Shutterbug]

Steve, what are you joshin me about, being a southern boy or providing some warm boots for me, while I'm at the arctic? Don't worry, I've been called much worse than that, even by my wife. Although, I will admit, I HATE cold weather. But, I need to do something to break up the long winter. Meeting up with people of like interests, couldn't be a better remedy.

[Steve Foss]

So, bubba XT, I'm still waiting for your shoe size.

[MN Shutterbug]

My Rockys are a snug size 10W.

[Steve Foss]

I wear a 10EE. These are 10EE. They are yours. Come get them. I have worn them with a light pair of liner socks and a medium pair of outer socks with plenty of room for my feet to move.

You'll see they go over the calf and have a drawstring to keep snow out. They have removable liners like pac boots, but are quite a bit lighter. They are designed to keep your feet warm FAR below zero. They have been taking up space in my closet for five years. They are yours for free if you come and get them. In fact, they'd be great boots for that early 2008 eagle shoot along the Minnesota River.

Want em?

[MN Shutterbug]

Do I want them? Of course I want them. I'd be thrilled to free up some of your closet space. Thank you so much for the kind and generous offer. I'm on my way.

[jonny_redhorse]

I just hope it isn't one of those "super " frigid days like 35 below the day we go... as far as walking down trails and things ,95% of the time, I just drive the smaller winding forest roads and get out only if I see a bird or whatever...the gray jays, owls, eagles are usually within 100 yards or less but many "jump up" just a few feet from your vehicle...I don't really know exactly which stretches of land along the various roads are state land ,county land or private but the private owners obviously post there land and will see that of course...lots of room to get out and stretch those legs ...guess we gotta just make sure the vehicles are in top running condition as we don't want to break down back on those roads ...not many gas stations in that bog....actually the bog kinda reminds me of the artic tundra....can't be a heck of a lot different!... maybe we'll get a chance at the shrikes,magpies, boreal chickadees,or run across a critter or 2...no doubt ravens as we all know ,the area is known for bird "exotics"...but the problem with me is I don't know the species that well to know if I have one in front of me! ...a good pair of binoculars would help(I'm bringing mine) and was even thinking someday of digiscoping but that's another story another day! ...as Steve stated,just gotta plan where to meet...would be nice to sit for awhile and "shoot the breeze" with everyone before hitting the trail!