It was 48 below this morning here in North Pole. When the wife told the dog it was time to go outside, he hid under the bed. I got up and called him out. I went and put his Sweater on, then his Parka. Put four booties on his feet, and snapped the leash to his coller. While I was putting on my gear he looked at me like, (Do we really have to do this). I headed down the drive, but he stopped and did his business half way to the street. At that point he wanted to come back to the house. I picked him up and carried him to the street to get the morning paper. I checked the temp before coming back in, 48 below. When I started undressing him he jumped out of my hands when I got down to his sweater, he wanted to keep that on.
I went and got more wood for the fireplace and opened the damper to let it come to life. Once it got going and the fan came on the little dog curled up in front of the air outlet, and refused to move.
Got a call to go recover a Moose this morning. Moose had been hit in the head by a pick-up. Trooper, and lots of people sitting around in their cars. I slipped the rope loops over the feet and attached the winch cable. Started winching and discovered the head was frozen to the pavement. Winch could not move the Big Cow. Got into the truck, locked it into 4-Wheel drive and hit the gas. Left a lot of skin frozen to the pavement, but moved the animal. That skin will be there till spring. Winched it on up onto the bed of the truck. Drove to the Charity that was to get the Animal. They were elated, only the head had suffered any damage, unlike most times when the body is hit by the vehicle. They asked me to just dump it in their drive, near the garage door. I loosened the straps and backed up fast. Hit the brakes and the Moose was on the ground. Saw a Calf hit on the way back. It was in the median of the highway. Called the Troopers, they said someone was already on the way. I was backing up to the animal so I would be ready when the Trooper arrived, when he pulled up. 10 minutes and it was aboard. Took it to the Soup Kitchen in town. When I pulled up they had about 10 men come out and they slid it off the truck and carried it inside the big work area.
I'm a volunteer with the Alaska Moose Federation. I was coerced into volunteering. (Why did I do this, Why did I do this) It's not hard, just time consuming. We go out and pick up the Moose, then take it to the Charity that is to get the meat. That way no one is sitting on the side of the road butchering it, while a State Trooper stands by with lights flashing. When the people doing the butchering are done they leave a gutpile on the side of the road, which again causes problems by drawing predators. Have seen Ravens on a gutpile beside the road, when a car comes along. The Ravens fly up, the driver swerves and goes into the snowbank, then rolls the car.
It's supposed to be 50 to 55 below by Monday.
