-- [ From: John H. Rodgers * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --

Anthony In Alaska we have periodic explosions in the rabbit(actually arctic hares) populations...about every 7 years as I recall. Different areas at different times. One year on a stretch of isolated road between Glenallen and Delta Junction I ran into the biggest gaggle? herd? bunch? of hares I ever saw. They were all over the place. It was in June, I was traveling late a night-- -around midnight or a little after....and of course it was still daylight (midnight sun in Alaska you know) but more like twilight, and the hares were all over. They were on the sides of the road about every 8 to 10 feet. 1,2, or 3 in a bunch. They were in the middle of the road like that as well. It was like there were so many they couldn't get enough distance between them. It was like they would get two or three in a bunch and distance themselves from the next two or three in a bunch. Really weird. And you could not avoid squishing them no matter what, short of stopping the car. Just when you though you were clear, they would break and run, some invariably getting in the wrong place and getting hit. I saw one that had been struck earlier. Broken rear half. He was draggin around on front feet. Although I am a hunter, I don't ever want to see an animal suffer so I stopped to dispatch him. That critter let out a blood curdling scream like I never heard before. My hair stood on end and my heart beat paused for what seemd to be forever. My gosh that was a terrifying sound. Something like out of a Halloween horror flick. Anyway, it was over in a second and I went my way. As I drove away, I saw a fox cross the road behind me to where the dead rabbit was. I didn't feel bad, nothing is wasted in nature.

The density of the hares that year was incredible. With the onset of cold weather the hares put on winter white. Problem was the snows came late that year. All the leaves fell from the trees making a brown background, and with no snow the white hares stood out like sore thumbs. I did a lot of flying in Super Cubs and the like in those days. I could look down and see all the white spots on the ground through the leaf bare limbs of the brush and trees . Amazing. The meat hunters had a terrific season that year.

So at times there is lots of soft "bunting" available for Alaskan Vanagon drivers, if they are so minded.

John Rodgers '88 GL Driver from Alaska in Alabama -------- REPLY, Original message follows --------

Date: Friday, 30-Oct-98 06:04 PM

From: Anthony Kimmons \ Internet: (akimmons@pdq.net) To: Vanagon \ Internet: (vanagon@vanagon.com)

Subject: Re: POSSUM/COON/SKUNK/SQUIRREL SKIN REUPHOLSTERY KITS!/F!

OK...OK...as much as I object to this discussion of killing soft fuzzy lil animals for their skins....

I have to set ya'll straight now about the most grusome roadkill area on earth and that's right here in the great state of Texas, out west near Big Bend. Go out there in the fall and experience the great Tarantula migration. Great big fuzzy spiders everywhere you look. Thousands of them! Makes for great campin'! You can swerve all over the road, but you're still gonna squish em....

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