Yes we have had more snow than usual. But only 2nd highest in the list of all time records. Across the US most people have had a hard winter but the winter is not only hard for people. Animals are coming in closer sooner than usual. Of course we hear the animals but think they are further back in the mountains.(Wishful thinking ?)
We had our first bear of the winter in October? First saw when when I came in one evening. The dogs were barking but I paid no heed to it. When I walked from the car to the front porch, something caught my eye. The bear was coming out of the woods in front of the house He was looking at me and I was looking at him.(My husband was on the porch waiting for me )
That bear was big. Usually we have short and skinny bears but this one was tall and rather plump. He has been eating well.
The next morn we went checking things out. The bear had moved in to the woods where the deer have been hunkering down at night.Looked like for a few days too( the brush had been the bear's bed and showed his imprint.)
We kept an eye open when we were outside since the bear's bed was about 30 yards from our front porch and every time we walked to the pens, we had to pass the wildlife hotel.
A month or so later, We were sad to hear that a car accident had taken the life of a large male bear right down the road from us. Male Bears are very territorial so we knew it was our neighbor the bear. My husband and I were sad to hear the news. We must share the land with the wildlife.People complain about the bears getting to close but we must remember they were here first.
Not long after that, My husband asked me to come and listen. We could hear the coyotes quite often but this was the babies crying out too. And they were very close. Our neighbors on the bottom of the mountain had to take their dog to the vet. It had been ripped open by an animal. The coyotes strike again. The dog and coyote survived. We haven't hear from The coyote family for a good month now.
The snow is usually a good tracker of the wildlife. Because of the continuous snows, often we have to hike down the mountain to the bottom and leave one of our cars or trucks down there. One morning we were heading down by foot and saw that we had company. Bear tracks clear as day down the mountain. Thankfully he strolls in the evening more so and we the daylight time. And yes he is staying in our wildlife hotel in the woods in front of the house!
We have almost daily contact with wildlife. But usually deer, wild hogs, turkeys, rabbits, raccoon, and lots of crows,bats, hawks etc. Boy Can I tell you some funny tales! Like the morning my husband's lunch ended up in the treetops! haha I will save that funny tale for another blog. (I am setting here laughing out loud just thinking about that one haha)
Remember to use caution when sharing the beautiful earth with wild animals. Caution to protect the humans and to protect the wild animals.
