Hi from Montana!

[sissy]

here the vet gives you a warning on deer poop and rabbit poop because of worms and lots of other bad things .That is why hunters don't hunt in the warmer months or at least that is what I was told by hunters

 

[CountryEscape]

I think hunters don't hunt in the warmer months for other reasons, nothing having to do with worms. If an animal has worms, they have them year round, not just in the summer. Or maybe that's not what you meant. They hunt in the winter for thicker fur (if they are going to keep the hide), babies are grown up and no longer dependant on mamas, bucks have antlers, bucks are in rut because does are in heat, thus moving far more than any other time of the year, and animals have fattened up for the winter. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :razz:

 

[callingcolleen1]

I have heard that too Sissy, that hunting for certain animals not recommended during warm months, like don't eat rabbit in summer and I know you don't want to eat Whitefish in summer cause they are yuky but good in winter,

 

[mtpond]

Added water to my pond even tho the temp outside wasn't that warm, bottom of pond was 34.2 but pond was a little low and I was hoping that it would warm the bottom of the pond a bit since right now our well water is warmer then the bottom of the pond. Pond was iced over about 70 percent and the warmer water ended up melting some of the ice and bottom of pond temp dropped tp 34. I decided I was going to turn off my bubbler to see if more of the pond would freeze over. After a couple hrs the part of the pond that wasn't frozen became slushy so I pulled my diffuser up more and tuned my bubbler on. It did melt some of the ice but bottom continued to warm up. Tonight 90 percent of the pond is frozen over, temp outside is 16 degrees and bottom of pond is 38.2. I would put a smilely face here but my iPad won't let me. LOL

 

[CountryEscape]

I need to get a bottom thermometer for my pond. All my thermometers are the floating kind. My water bubbler on the goldfish pond quit, the dogs knocked the cord out of the socket, so actually all 3 pumps in the goldfish pond had stopped running. Koi pond air bubbler was still going strong, and keeping about 1/4 of that pond open. Used heater to open a hole, as the goldfish pond ice that had been open was already 1" thick, then turned everything back on and voila, all is working fine again! I'm leaving on vacation on Sat., and sure hope all the "bleeps" have happened already and won't happen while I'm gone! At least I know what to tell them to watch for, or more things to watch for that is.
Temps here I think were at about 15 earlier, now it looks like 18 with the bright sunshine!

 

[mtpond]

Pond about 95 percent iced over. Bottom of pond temp since I changed water has been averaging 38.4 to 38.9 even tho we have been having colder temps. I think that's because the pond is iced over more and holding in the heat. Not liking not seeing my fish but hoping all of them will make it over the winter.

 

[addy1]

Mine are swimming around like it is spring, darn warm here, but cold front coming

 

[sissy]

bottom of pond here at 65 and top one reads 60 and outdoor temp at 9 am is is 59 degrees so still warm but misty out and no sun .

 

[mtpond]

Yesterday it was about 6:00 pm before it got dark here. Loving it, that means summer is getting closer.

 

[j.w]

Notice that here too MT and can't wait for the longer and longer days even if we still do get the dreary rain.

 

[Big Lou]

Sorry MT, seems I failed to say hello and welcome you. Are you a native to Montana and do you live in the country? Seems it would be a great place to live.

 

[CountryEscape]

My goldfish pond got completely iced over 3 days ago, bubbler pump quit, so the neighbor kids taking care of ponds unplugged everything, which is what I told them to do. Good thing is that I thawed out the area in front of skimmer and then got it and the bog pump going again, including the stream which runs off of skimmer. Today there was enough open water to pull the bubbler pump, and found that it was covered with mossy algae stuff. That pump has a filter sponge at the intake, in the "cage". Thought about taking the sponge out, but left it in to save the pump. While everything was thawed out (both ponds are 90% open at this point) I cleaned off the sponge filters on both skimmers, and got the waterfall running again.
I'm sooo ready for spring, too! Was 56 today, but tomorrow only getting up to 30's and then lower on Monday. This see-saw temp stuff is hard on everything, including animals with fur, and vegetation, and us! Teasing us thinking spring is around the corner and then BAM, winter is back. But, as you said, at least the days are getting longer again.

 

[addy1]

We still need a good cold smack, kill some of the bugs off. Then it can get warm.

 

[CountryEscape]

Yep, you're so right, Addy. Nothing worse than starting out spring with mosquitos and ants and other pest bugs that never completely died off the winter before.

 

[addy1]

We had gnats flying in those clouds last week..........darn things.