Monday, September 20, 2010

WHO IS WINNING THE MOUSE WAR? STILL IN GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK

Forces of Nature The current body count of mice: seven!  I don’t think they all rode along with us from Baker’s Hole – at least a few of the locals have tried to join our household.  Odel keeps the traps set, and snap, snap, snap…! 

I really hate killing them – they are so cute, and I know they are simply looking for a warm home as the weather cools – but they cause too much damage to co-exist peacefully. Thanks to the many of you who have sent suggestions on how to get rid of them!

When we aren’t busy trapping mice, we are out and about, enjoying our fabulous fall weather here in Grand Teton National Park.  The area near the Gros Ventre Campground (click here to read our review and see photos) is a favorite pasture for herds of bison, and we often see them close beside or on the road.  The scene above appealed to me on our way home recently – two Forces of Nature, bison and fire (a USFS prescribed burn, several miles to the east of our campground).

Yesterday we hiked 6+ miles on the Leigh Lake Trail, near the popular area of Jenny Lake, right up against the Tetons.  Though the Jenny and String Lake trails looked quite busy, our trail – an out-and-back, rather than a loop – had few hikers.  Instead, look who we found along the trail!  She was very interested in her forage, and quite unafraid… finally bounced off a couple yards so we could pass by.

Along the Leigh Lake Trail Clear Leigh Lake

Close encounter on the Leigh Lake Trail

Transparent Leigh Lake

Even though both of us prefer at least an electric hookup to camping with no hookups, we are enjoying our time here so much that we extended it yet again, eking out our water supply a bit longer so we don’t have to move.  Rain is in the forecast for Wednesday, so we decided that is the day we’ll move on. 

As for me, it’s time to take my book out into the sunshine.  My lounger is calling my name.

7 comments:

  1. Dennis and I haven't "dry camped" yet..We have a generator though..Maybe this year we'll give it a try. I don't think I would like it more than 5-7 days...I am a bit of a TV news freak!...Great photos!!

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  2. Get a few more and you will be able to make a fur coat for the winter.

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  3. That is a very interesting picture of the smoke and the bison.

    We don't like killing the mice either. Last year we trapped a few in a live trap. Al would take them for a long walk and release them far, far away!

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  4. Ok, you can only come see us for Christmas if you are mice free!

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  5. Glad you're having such a good time, and I hope your mouse battle comes to a victorious close soon!

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  6. For me it's always a tough call when it comes to dispatching critters of any kind. I've had Guinea Pigs & Hampsters as pets in the past so killing even a mouse for me causes great heartache. I do understand the damage they cause but I also understand their reasons for just trying to survive like the rest of us critters. So far we've been lucky & I haven't had to face the decision of whether to trap them.......or make pets out of them:))

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  7. I hate having to kill critters, but it's a necessary evil sometimes. Beats living with them, ick.

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