Mike Barton - 2016-08-29 23:22:39-0400 - Updated: 2016-08-29 23:23:04-0400
+Jeff Cave The 323 would be covering quite a large area so it doesn't seem like a normal lightening strike to me. Also there would be some singing on the bodies but that does not show in the photo. I have seen a tree split apart not much more than fifty yards from me and apart from the frightening racket I could have been even closer.
+Mike Barton I agree, it does seem dubious to me. I think the papers are intentionally misquoting one of the rangers. They have sent deer off for testing (to determine what happened), other than than I'm guessing rangers were throwing postulations around and that one sounded the most plausible.
If the caribou were pressed together, and the ground was insulated in some way, I can see how this could happen (without singe marks). But there's a lot of if coming off my explanation.
The 323 would be covering quite a large area so it doesn't seem like a normal lightening strike to me. Also there would be some singing on the bodies but that does not show in the photo.
I have seen a tree split apart not much more than fifty yards from me and apart from the frightening racket I could have been even closer.
If the caribou were pressed together, and the ground was insulated in some way, I can see how this could happen (without singe marks). But there's a lot of if coming off my explanation.