Tracking was a bust...

My great hopes for tracking yesterday fizzled out. Although the first location looked very promising, I got bogged down in snow laying the first leg, then out on hard surface was sliding all over. Back to a decent area, but then again into deep and crusted snow. So ended up doing one dog over the other, and although they did ok, it was all I could do to stay on my feet being pulled behind them. Will have to give up or look in another area this week. Disappointing for sure.

Down the driveway, Kira found great icy crusted snowballs along the sides from the snowplow scraping. I can't believe the size she can carry in her mouth....and running! They are quite heavy as well, as they are frozen solid.This gives a better idea of the size, although she has begun to bite chunks off it.

Soooooo Frustrating!

Feb. 2 and although we actually don't have the normal amount of snow or extreme cold temps. it is frustrating to continually hear that further south there is basically NO snow and my tracking friends are all out working. I'm dying to go tracking. Even our walks are completely curtailed right now. I just can't seem to give the dogs enough exercise in limited space either due to deep snow or ice.

We have two distinct snow layers. There is an icy crust on top and in this photo, Kira is standing down on the first layer. The depth out here is about 1 1/2 ft. but they break through the top and stand on the bottom...mostly...but occasionally go through. It's very difficult for them, they can't run through it.Blast is coming back the way he went in as it's easier. He leaps from hole to hole.You can clearly see this in this picture. If the top crust gets thicker and harder than it is now, they can be hurt going out on it. At times you would stay on top, and then suddenly break through. But the driveway is solid ice and very slippery.Blast has two balls in his mouth as Tank was out with us, and he wouldn't let Tank have one of the balls...stingy and possessive, Blast is.

After taking these pictures, we heard the wolves running behind the house, and I thought it best we head up the driveway and go inside....it was 3 p.m., very unusual for them to be out running deer in the middle of the day....a bit eerie.

I'm driving towards town tomorrow and looking for a couple of areas to try and track. There is less snow north of us. Keeping fingers crossed!