Well, Winter has certainly thrown a whirlwind of weather at us! From one day to the next one never quite knows what to expect! Just consider all that our animal friends must be doing to cope with the ever-changing temperatures and outside conditions! Yet, in spite of the weather, male foxes are courting the vixens and marking their territory (you may smell a musky, skunky odor wherever they are). Squirrels are out hunting for the nut, apple or mushroom they hid in some tree cavity last fall. Bear cubs are being born and weighing in at only 10-16 ounces (you could hold one in the palm of your hand!) and are staying snug in their dens until spring. Beavers have food stored away and find comfort in their lodges which can be 60 degrees warmer than the outside temperatures. Deer, like many of the active winter mammals, now begin to struggle as they search for food. They will have lost up to 25% of their weight, despite a big decrease in their activity and their efforts to conserve as much energy as possible. Their counterpart the moose are also struggling but with the added burden of winter ticks. See the attached article regarding the loss of moose in the state and what’s being done for their survival. This is the time of year for antler shed hunting. Both the bull moose and the whitetail buck have no need for their very heavy antlers and so off they come. Head on outside and explore, do some tracking, and hopefully you will be lucky enough to find an antler or two!

Moose Research NH Fish and Game

To read more about what’s going during this time of year check out https://northernwoodlands.org