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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Unusual Photos:
ANTLER IN THE CACTUS
This was certainly a very unusual sight I saw on a recent desert outing. With some guides, we had wandered into a remote part of the desert..a place
we had never been before, when the oddest thing presented itself to me:
A desert muley buck’s antler stuck fast into the trunk of this cactus.
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(SORRY, LOST THE ORIGINAL ANTLER STUCK IN CACTUS PHOTO SOMEHOW)
replacement photo of muley buck an doe
Now, desert bucks do use their horns on cactus during rut and velvet-rubbing times, but it is extremely rare and irregular..dare I say ‘unique’?...to
find an embedded specimen like this..and one so old. It smacked of ‘strangeness’ to us right off, and was a little eerie. That
antler had to have been thrust with a very mighty force to impale the cactus trunk clear-through. Plus, it was so high off the ground? It had to
have been impaled in that cactus trunk for many, many years...perhaps since the dawn of time...or earlier. The sky seemed to darken slightly at this
point...with a faint rumble of 'thunder' in the distance.
From some far distant memory, a nagging thought came creeping into my mind....slowly taking shape...and hauntingly I realized the cactus-stuck antler
reminded me of the stone-stuck sword in King Arthur’s ‘Sword in the Stone’ saga. I remembered the ancient legend:
“Whoever shall pull this sword free from this stone shall be the rightful king.”
This premonition was instantly borne true when my companions/guides spied the antler and became quite agitated...looking around in all directions
before approaching the cactus.
Truly, the sight must have meant something quite special, because they set to pulling and grunting at that antler, sweating bullets to pull it loose.
Shouting curses didn’t seem to help, (except that I did learn a couple neat ones.) I would like to think that the local guides were pursuing a
legend of their own, much like King Arthur. Something like this perhaps:
.“Whoever shall pull this antler from this cactus shall be the rightful don.”
But it was no use, they failed...it was stuck too firmly into the cactus, for indeed the cactus had grown around it over the centuries, sealing it in
a vise-like grip. The knights/guides gave up and grudgingly toasted a Tecate to the antler.
Conversely, Olde King Arthur had fared better, as he HAD pulled his antler/sword loose and became ruler of all England.
Personally, I choose not to take a pull at that old antler. No need to. Felipa has told me repeatedly that I am already royalty....(her goofed-up
phrase is something like.. a royal pain in the burro..but forgive her, she mixes up her legends and metaphors a lot.)
note - edited because I lost or somehow deleted the dang antler in cactus photo..grrr
[Edited on 12-12-2008 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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zforbes
Nomad
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Location: Bahia Asuncion
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You are a story teller of the first degree! Thanks for the pics and the laughs. Zoe
\"You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent them from nesting in your hair.\"
Swedish proverb
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BMG
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Thanks for the great pics and story.
We may be related in a 'royal' sort of way, except my wife grew up speaking Spanish and already knows all the neat words.
I think the world is run by C- students.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
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Great story, Roger. "The sword and the succulent." Excalibur Baja style.
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debindesert
Nomad
Posts: 111
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Location: California High Desert
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It was a painstakingly and miserable day until now. I just realized that there are some things better left alone. Thanks for the lesson.
-Deb
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well
preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and
screaming, \'What a ride!\' - Author Unknown
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Steve&Debby
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Location: Colusa,California/ Percebu
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Nice horny cactus
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Sharksbaja
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Looks like it happened a while ago by the looks of that scarring. Thanx Rog nice post. Do you think it was done naturally?
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Gadget
Senior Nomad
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Location: Point Loma CA
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That's great! I got goose, no moose bumps
"Mankind will not be judged by their faults, but by the direction of their lives." Leo Giovinetti
See you in Baja
http://www.LocosMocos.com
Gadget |
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
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Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Thanks all for your nice words...and I am very glad you liked 'the antler in the cactus.' It was a fun event for us to see and yak about later.
I do think that this particular antler was not a 'shed' that some Baja walk-about picked up and jammed into that cactus, but a natural break-off from
a desert muley while it was vigorously engaged in cleaning velvet from it's horns and/or marking territory during rut. It had been there a
considerable length of time...and this is a very remote area where casual visitors just do not roam.
I wish everyone could see the many deer are living in the boondocks of Baja. Here's a small bunch from that outing. How many can you spot?
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Russ
Elite Nomad
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Location: Punta Chivato
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I tried to inhance the pic but still only see four. (spell check) enhance
[Edited on 2-27-2008 by Russ]
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lingililingili
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Location: La Paz, Bahia Asuncion
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Thank you, a great exercise with morning coffee!
•Life is just one damned thing after another
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BMG
Super Nomad
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| Quote: | | Originally posted by Pompano Here's a small bunch from that outing. How many can you spot? |
5
I think the world is run by C- students.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
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Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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More horns...
Russ, that's a nice job of enhancing the deer herd photo. Thanks and yes, there are 4 muleys total.
New photos....Baja's cattle - ganado
Want to know what kind of cows and roadkills you have been braking for all those trips down the Baja Road? What bovine breed is under that cloud of
buzzards and ravens? Bifstek rancheros or tacos de res, anyone?
Well, stockmen and steak chewers, wonder no more. Most of the 30,000 or so cattle scattered throughout Baja's small ranches are known locally as
'Chinampo.' Since the original cattle introduced in 1697, some varieties were notable in that once established, they were exposed to the dry
environment of Baja for many generations, and natural selection produced the creole cattle we typically see on the roadsides..a small, rustic
animal...Chinampo.
As we have all witnessed in our travels, Baja's Chinampo cattle are kept using a system of extensive pasturing in marginal areas that are less
appropriate for exploiting specialized breeds. In better pasturing areas in the north and fenced, well-watered ranges, you will see herefords, angus,
charlois, and many other breeds...including some really exotic types that are raised for certain characteristics suited for the bullring.
I stepped into a fenced area and waved my pancho at this guy..."Hah! Toro!"
His tail went straight up and an eager gleam came into his eyes as he lowered his head and threw dirt with his front hoof...."Hah! Fatso!"
..then 'he' charged.
Later when applying the ointment to my scratched body, Felipa said she was proud that I could leap straight into the air, spin 180-degrees, hit the
ground sprinting, and slide under a fence.
When driving away the next morning, the ranchos vaqueros waved to us....and Manuel, who was milking my 'Hah!Toro' antagonist. Hey, Felipa..I betcha
those milking bulls are the toughest!
[Edited on 2-28-2008 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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BMG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1776
Registered: 6-10-2007
Location: La Paz / Bahia Asunci�n / Away from home
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| Quote: | | Originally posted by Pompano Thanks and yes, there are 4 muleys total. |
I think the world is run by C- students.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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....acually, BMG...there are 9, but a few are out of sight. You have good eyes, though. Didn't mean to start a guessing contest...my bad.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Paulina
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That is one handsome Toro. It looks like he was inviting you back in for another round.
P<*)))><
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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BMG
Super Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
....acually, BMG...there are 9, but a few are out of sight. |
I circled those too, but they are off to the sides of the photo.
I think the world is run by C- students.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
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Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Paulina, thanks in part to better water and graze, there are some better-looking livestock this year. Including this multi-branded and handsome devil
that an amigo brought over from Sonora for his rancho. Let's hope this trend continues and Baja can reclaim economic importance in the cattle
business.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Flight
Nothing captures man's imagination, poetry, and pursuits so much as the aspect of ...Flight.
[Edited on 2-27-2008 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Gadget
Senior Nomad
Posts: 851
Registered: 9-10-2006
Location: Point Loma CA
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Flying dragon
I wonder what happened to this photo. I scrolled back through these today to look for new pictures and it was not displayed. I re-loaded it. Its
not a "hosted" file, so ?????
[Edited on 3-6-2008 by Gadget]
"Mankind will not be judged by their faults, but by the direction of their lives." Leo Giovinetti
See you in Baja
http://www.LocosMocos.com
Gadget |
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