1998
by Jim Blake
It was 12/16/97. The temperature was 24 degrees without a breath of wind, and I was heading to the Yellow River in Wisconsin. The time was 5 a.m. I like to get out early so if the sunrise is nice I can get some pictures; if not I have a little more time to check out the area rivers and the area I'm going into for the day. Being this late in the season you can't count on a particular river being open. Yellow, however, seems to have consistently fast enough current to keep the ice clear. My plan on this day was to hit an area of the Yellow River just North of Highway 8 along Highway T in Wisconsin. The hope was that the water would be open in not just the Yellow but also the Vermillion and the Sweeny Pond Rivers. These three rivers all connect and I had hoped to start in the Vermillion and paddle over to the Sweeny Pond River paddling up-river for a while then paddle to the Yellow River. Unfortunately, only the Yellow was open so I put in off Highway T and paddled downstream to Highway 25.
I kayak alone mostly so I drop my kayak off at the start point and drive my car and trailer to the other end of the trip. Then I pedal my bike back to my kayak, lock up the bike and head down the river to my vehicle. This day was to be the best for wildlife viewing I've ever had. The kayak hadn't even made the second bend when two deer broke from cover so close to me I'm not sure who got the worst scare. Slightly downstream a flock of about 30 Golden-eye ducks took off with their whistling wings right over me. The wind never did pick up and the reflection pictures I was able to take really came out great. Especially one huge White Pine surrounded by Oaks. Many of the White Pine in this area are 100 years to 200 years old. They definitely make the trip more memorable. A large Pileated woodpecker flew across the river squawking all the way. This set a flock of mallards into the air and down the river.
The water level was quite shallow, in most places 6 -12 inches deep. This was not a problem for my kayak but a canoe may find it border line. The width, though narrow, is plenty wide for canoe or kayak. The amount of beaver damage throughout the river was unbelievable. The beaver build their homes up in the banks and their brush piles stick out into the river. I actually saw my first beaver just past an old bridge. It came out of the bank and was swimming away. He turned and immediately slapped his tail and was gone. Aways up the river, another bridge crossed over the river. As I entered the pool behind it, a large flock of Canada geese jumped and blackened the sky. I would guess there were 50-75 geese that were resting on an ice flow. As they flew away I noticed 2 geese struggling to join them but they obviously were injured. I paddled toward them and they half flew and half paddled. Then I saw movement high in a tree. It was a pair of eagles working down opposite sides of the bank. Every time the geese moved so did the eagles. I'm sure the geese would suffer more if left to die slowly. Just a bit further from the pool I came to where the Vermillion River enters on the right. It was frozen solid but would be fun to try paddle up in the summer.
As I moved on I was surprised as I came around a bend in the river, and there were two otters bobbing up and down like a couple of periscopes. I hadn't seen an otter for quite a while and really enjoyed their antics. Sadly, they never let me get close enough for a picture. At last they tired of my following them around and disappeared. Almost anywhere you look up on shore you could see gray squirrels bouncing back and forth. They use the deadfalls over the river like their own personal bridges. I was fortunate today that the red squirrels were not out, with their annoying chatter that warns every animal within ear-shot something is wrong. I'm quite sure I never would have spooked the deer around the next bend if those noiseboxes would have been there. But back to the deer. As I came around the corner the bow wave off the kayak was pushing up and under the ice breaking it off or at least cracking the ice loudly. The problem is that it sounds a lot like deer taking off so you never are sure. Well, all of a sudden, I had no doubt as ten deer broke from cover and headed straight across the river. They actually were heading somewhat toward me as they hit the water with their graceful bounds. I'm sure they didn't know exactly were the noise was coming from; just that they didnít wish to stay and find out. This was the most deer I've ever seen together while kayaking. It was beautiful to watch them bound through the river kicking up a spray with the sun behind them. I will not soon forget that site.
I've had some fairly memorable trips this late fall but nothing compared to this when it comes to the amount of wildlife seen. I would advise if you go with someone else try to keep talking and noise to a minimum. It's much easier to do that when you're alone. That is, as long as you don't talk to yourself. There are many miles of the Yellow I've not seen; however every section I've been on has been beautiful and I would highly recommend it for a late season river run.
