MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • January 14, 2024
Another Maine winter has settled in. Most hunting seasons are over. While we’re huddled in front of the wood stove, the game animals we pursue are still out there, surviving. Some, like bears have settled in for a long winter’s nap. Waterfowl migrate. Upland game birds like grouse and turkeys stay home for the winter, though they may shift their range slightly. Deer and moose are still out there, though they too may shift their range to find more favorable conditions. Snowshoe hare change color. For the furbearing predators that pursue them – like bobcats, lynx, coyotes and foxes – it’s pretty much business as usual. Some two-legged predators fly south where they can dip their toes into soft, sandy soil. Some enter their dens and a state of reduced activity and metabolism. Others brave the cold, donning a coat of white, brown, red or blue and venturing forth into the outdoors. ~ Bob Humphrey