Isle Royale Forums

Winter Study scheduled to begin Jan 13. Always interesting to follow the progress. Any thoughts on the new Paduka pack for this winter?

http://www.isleroyalewolf.org/wsjournal ... index.html

Mike,
Thanks for posting!!!

I heard they are on the Island today. It is sunny and they are already flying.
Hopefully, there will be updates soon.

Good, now I can finally have something actively going on on IR to look at. Every day I drive by the Wenonah docked in Superior and sigh a little, wishing I was back there on the island...

I agree with Mike W. It is interesting to follow the study as it progresses. I can't wait to start reading some of the posts as they go up on the website. This study has fascinated me ever since my first visit to the island.

I love reading the winter study report. I read it all last year as they were posting it. I was also able to hear Rolf speak about the winter study and the results following the winter study last year. Having followed the study by reading the report it made hearing Rolf speak all that much more enjoyable. My hope is that they will go around this year and talk about the study once again. To see the pictures and their first hand report in person is really cool. If you have the opportunity to hear them speak, take the time, it is well worth it.

I love reading this study, way too cool.

To top it all off I'm reading the "winter study" by Nevada Barr.
Only 7 more months till I'm back

Looks like the Winter Wolf Study is over for the season ( http://www.isleroyalewolf.org/wsjournal ... 8088A.html ) . I've been following it since the start of the season and it's hard to believe they are finished. Their final report is due out in a few weeks. It should be interesting to see what they learned.

Now, we watch the ice in hopes the first boat runs on May 9th. Right now, the Canadian ice survey shows Isle Royale surrounded by ice 3 feet thick and clear to the Canadian and US shore. Kind of looks like an oblong bulls eye in a sea of red. Or, the one profitable spot in a sea of red ink.

No need to fret just yet, we have lots of time for ice to melt. I question the Canadian ice service data. I fish on the lake almost weekly out of Grand Portage, this past Thursday I was 11 miles from the island with 14-15 inches of ice, even in Pigeon Bay, which has been iced over for 2 months, there is barely 2 feet of ice. One good blow from the right (or wrong) direction and the ice is broken up and gone. I hope the ice lasts into April, the fishing is just getting better all the time.

I hope the ice blows out next week! I don't care about your fishing! I've missed the Voyageur II twice now--one because of jury duty, the other because of ice and engine problems. I don't want to hit the Grand Portage trifecta this year! I'm pre-packed, have my food list, and am warming up the dehydrator for cooking!

Interesting posting from March 1 entry:

1 Mar – Ice fields covering hundreds of square miles, vast expanses where nothing is taller than ice ridges that run for miles, but rise only a few feet. Isle Royale is embedded in ice. Despite extensive searches for the collared wolves, they again went undetected. February 23rd is the last we saw either of them. We now suspect they left Isle Royale – perhaps for Canada.