animals preparing for winter

[johnincolorado]

Let's start a new subject, and this one should be interesting to all. As you trek through the woods on the way to your favorite fishing hole, does anyone notice the forest critters preparing for an early winter? Are the fish stocking up on calories before ice-over? Even looking out your windows at home, what are the animals doing?

I may be a watcher-of-people but I also watch animals doing what they do best -- survive. There's no better way to learn the basics than watching the experts. In another post, I mentioned watching a Ma bear and her cubs filling up on groceries, picking the berry vines clean and rooting around for grubs. Not their normal grazing either but actually fishing in the stream for fresh meat, something they don't do until it's getting close to hibernation time. Sure wish I'd had my camera with me, the one with a long, long telescopic lense. Even Forest Rangers have reported early kills of deer and elk in the higher elevations by bear and mountain lions (Yes, Colorado does have those big kitty cats also). And insects are building their winter nests earlier than usual. If a trout could grow a fur coat, I do believe that this would be the year for it.

There's been times when the fishing has been slow, everybody has those times, so you just lean back against a tree and watch the surroundings. Blank everything from your mind and just listen, eyes closed. That's when the outdoors really comes to life. I do that frequently. How did I know there was something big coming? A Bluejay told me. They are the best alarm there is, and cheap. That Bluejay told me that bear was coming long before I spotted her, I just didn't know it would be a Black Bear with two cubs. Even a .357 Magnum won't discourage a mad momma bear protecting her young.

Squirrels are another good indication of impending weather. I've been watching several squirrels around my place scampering about looking for food, and even burying it under the tree in my front yard. They have already started to grow their winter coats, it's bulkier than their summer coats.

Now please don't tell me that I'm the only one who watches the animals out in the wild. It should be second nature to anyone who is outdoors, whether hunter or fisherman. I'd be very interested in hearing how the animals in your neck of the woods are reacting to the changing weather. It could benefit all of us.
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[BEARCLAW]

A few weeks back, I saw a television program associated with this very topic. A fella had been doing detailed research on the habits of animals (on his farm) in late summer and early fall in an attempt to predict the severity of the upcoming winter. Interestingly enough, his research was primarily focused on the tortoise (turtle like reptile). He's been doing this for several years with a surprisingly accurate prediction based on feeding and general behavioral habits. This old boy says he has never seen such strange behavior in his tortoises before. He is predicting an early and severe winter. I know this may seem like hocus pocus to some of you but I found it rather interesting. By the way, great topic...
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[fishfather]

[size 2]Don't see alot of that in California[] Most of our fishing holes are easy access and open year round. Not alot of critters around unless you count seagulls[cool][/size]
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[JapanRon]

Hey there johnincolorado,

Living here in Southern California and doing a good deal of shore and tube saltwater fishing, I have noticed a number of species wallowing around at the beaches obviously fattening up for the winter. Their hides are either white with red areas/spots or a tan color with a shiny oily coat.

They often hide under these ugly, umbrellas and large straw hats, lay out blankets to stake out their territory, make funny loud grunting noises, and even pose as humans with sunglasses, just to try to blend into the crowd.

I too have noticed that the water does not seem as cool as it did a few months ago, even though the water temp has not warmed to that degree. Saw something on the Discovery channel about seals and walrus having a layer of fat to keep themselves insulated.

Yes, even in large cities such as LA, squirrels scampering around looking for nuts are a sure sign that the season is changing.

When it comes to bears, our freeways are inhabited by a creature what gets as mad as a bear but is the one carrying the 357 mag.

Winter in Southern Cal burrrrrrrrrr

JapanRon
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[johnincolorado]

Animals can teach us a great many things about the outdoors, Chad. Afterall, they live, and survive, there while we have to contend with a heating bill and power outages. I've only been really, really watching animals for a few years so I'm still fairly new to this, but learning quick and what I've learned has totally blown me away.

For example. Ants are extremely busy right now, stocking up on food for the winter, several months early. The grasshoppers have disappeared, winter birds are starting to appear and summer birds are flying south. Here in Brighton (northeast of Denver), we have nesting bald eagles at Barr Lake State Wildlife Area and they are extremely busy. The deer herd is bulking up, the foxes and coyotes are busy and every furry critter is getting their winter coats on. Now, ask the weatherman to predict his version of a winter, and he'll be wrong. Even the few beaver ponds we have at higher elevations are showing increased winter activity as they too prepare months early for something we only take for granted, a secure winter home.

I can't explain it, and I doubt any scientist can either (except with ego). It just happens. I've read the supposed "expert" reasons for the change in weather; El-Nino, shift of the magnetic North Pole, debris in the air from burning, solar flares, etc, etc, etc. And I consider all of it horse pucky (a lot of horse pucky). They are good at telling us when a new full moon will be, when Mars will be closest to earth and marginally accurate at fishing tables but ask them for a firm prediction for a week from now, and they start guessing. My predictions, on the other hand, are 100%, right-on-the-money, every time. When my feet hit the floor in the morning and it's cold, it was cold the night before. Period.

I don't want to make light of this subject, but this winter will have a tremendous impact on a lot of people less fortunate than us. And our duly elected officials will only cluck their s and say "I'll look into it in the Spring." All the time while they're snug as a bug in a rug on taxpayer dollars. But that is another subject best left to another board.
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[johnincolorado]

Good morning, Ron. You make a valid point about the two-legged walruses fattening up for the winter, and Spring, and Summer and Fall before the cold sets in and they have to put on a long-sleeved shirt and long pants.

I read in the local paper recently where yet another bear had been caught in the 'burbs, chowing down on dog food (they must love the stuff) in a backyard. If the same bear is caught three times, then it is put down. So far, only smaller bears have invaded the 'burbs and haven't harmed anyone, yet. I predict that someone is going to open their garage one day and find a 400 lb Black Bear hibernating in their $60,00 Hummer for the winter. Now that will be an interesting situation. Who's going to wake that bear up? Don't look at me, it's not my Hummer. I drive a Chevy.

Personally, I'm always prepared for winter driving (of course my Silverado is 4x4), Colorado weather can change faster than a woman shopping for shoes. We already have snow in the high country and the foilage is changing colors. The elk rut has started early and snow birds are flocking in to watch and listen. I do believe that they are waiting to see a bull elk slip his "hum-dinger" into a receptive cow. Perverts. Anyway, the only thing I need to add to my "driving" box is chains and a shovel, both essential to winter driving. Of course the real excitement is watching all those new SUVs stuck alongside the road (4-wheel drive doesn't mean 4-wheel stop) with only a few inches of snow on the ground. Gimme me a break here. It ain't snowing until it reaches the bumper, and then I should be inside sipping on a hot Rum toddy with my arm snaked around my favorite cuddling partner, resting on her melons (strickly to keep my hand warm).

Because I'm 1300 miles from the closest salt water, I haven't been keeping up with the ocean conditions but the water temperature is a good indication of future things to come. Warm water usually means more intense cold and all that comes with it. How are you are at driving on ice, Ron?
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[lou]

hey john, i love watchin my squirells, stock up, gittin fat. i like huntin my squirells when there,s gittin too many in an area,let the little ones grow. but i also go by the canadian geese that come to our pond here, where they go summer and then the fall when they,re herdin up to go south. they switch area,s when it gits time to go. and boy do they say good bye,and i love listenin to em. watchin them old wings just a flappin so hard and fast can,t wait to git away from what is comin here.they fly over the house headin towards my mountain turn left a bit, and their gone till next spring. i feel some bit of ness.to see them go. the wood ducks that show up spring in my brook when i,m fishin, goin up and down, lookin fer their new home,they got an attitude cause i,m there,see the new babies, grow, and watchin as they end up goin, i know somethin,s up here, haha! the kingfisher,that hollars at me cause i,m in his hole,as he did last night,, and he knows theirs fish there fer him and he sits on the branch over the hole squakin, watchin me, catchin em. haha i told him you need to share, i,m only takin 2. they are all fat and sassy, lookin good.this fall, and the leaves are startin to change here.now. tomorrow, he might be gone. gittin close. i feel it. i remember watchin bucky, Bombfire, Patches james, and little red, sheddin their summer haire and replacin it with their fluffy soft thick coat growin in,givin em a bath to help git the spring hair off easier and smellin their pony smells,smelled so good, then watchin as the white hair i just washed turn to mud again from rollin.haha i can still see em smell em , even if it,s only in my mind, heart soul. to watch a pony rollis one of the funniest things there is. haha they go from side to side legs in the air, fat bellies gittin in the way, 1200 lb, patches just swingin back and forth,haha i still see him, git up and shake like a big old long haired dog, look at me, sayin, i just screwed up the bath you just gave me,ma, haha.he says,but i feel so good, their hair would git so thick it,d be hard to git a brush through it.and i,d wrap my arms round that big old qurter horse-pinto neck strainin to do it casue his neck was so big,and i,d touch his soul with mine.i guess i,m just missin em. and as fer spring, it reminds me of the same difference, when the kids start playin marbles you know it,s spring. haha,it all boils down to instincts of the wildlife, and just life as they know it, young learnin from old and pass it on, and what they have to to survive, with and use, to survive, cause some years there,s plenty one one thing, and not so many of the other, and by listenin to them, hear see smell when the air starts changin, and watchin, them change, we change,then, we,ll survive too..later
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[BEARCLAW]

I think you hit the nail on the head. The scientific community is great at telling us the obvious when it comes to weather yet nothing can compare to the powers of mother nature.. I have learned a great deal from your posts here, john. I'll certainly pay more attention to the real weathermen, the critters. Thanks again...
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[shark_hunter]

I ALSO HAVE NOTICED THE SQUIRRELS IN MY AREA STACKING UP FOR THE WINTER. I ALOS HAVE SEEN THE BEES GETTING READY THEY ARE IN FULL SWING. IT IS INTERESTING TO TALK AND READ ABOUT STUFF LIKE THIS THANKS JOHN.
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[johnincolorado]

Glad I could put a on your face, Joe. I guess the older I get, the more I notice the little things.

Recently, down in Aurora (Denver Suburb), there was a rash of cat killings (somewhere around 40 or so), and at first it was attributed to a deranged person getting their kicks from killing cats. The cats were mutalated, innurds ripped out, heads cut off, etc. Turned out, it was female foxes training her kits to survive. The cats were just training tools. Come winter, cats will be their food source. Normally, foxes stay far, far, far away from civilization and hunt mice, rats, rabbits and other small animals for food. This year, they've moved into the city. Why? I won't even begin to rationalize how the critters are thinking but can summize that they are preparing for a hard winter, and know the woods won't support them.

In one aspect, they are fun to watch when they play and hunt but on the other hand, they can another good indicator of what's to come. Scientists often ponder the question as to "how" many animals survive a disaster that humans can't. The answer is simple, they somehow know what is coming and prepare for it. We ignore the signs. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think I am.
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[johnincolorado]

I forgot to ask you, Joe. What state do you call home?
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[shark_hunter]

I LIVE JUST NORTH OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
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[johnincolorado]

I've driven through there many times. Did they ever finally finished the detour south on I-15 from I-80?

Another note that I forgot to mention before, skunks. Yes, those fragrant kittys that can ruin a day with a few drops of defense fluid. I've noticed an over-abundance of these critters alongside the roads and an inordinate number of calls to the Animal Control asking for help (this from my local AC Officer) in ridding them from under houses, sheds, etc. Normally, skunks avoid human contact, unless there is a good reason to do otherwise; i.e, food, shelter, adverse weather, etc. Now, the skunks must have been having orgies out in the woods; there are a whole slew, herd, group, flock, school, fraternity of them around. Like the old joke goes: Where does a 600 pound gorilla sleep? Answer - Anywhere he wants. The same holds true with these black and white marauders. Unfortunately, they have decided that staking out a claim under a mobile home is the ideal place (I live in a trailer park and I've heard all the jokes, thank you). Just last month, on the other side of the community, a homeowner discovered a family of skunks had set up residence under his double-wide, new manufactured home. (I bet you can see where this is going, can't you?). Thinking he could rid himself of these unwanted guests by himself, he set off a couple of bug bombs, hoping to drive them out. All he managed to do was piss them off and open the defense ducts. He and his family were driven out by the smell and are now living in an isolated room in a motel. He is also fighting with his insurance company over replacement costs to home and contents.

The more I research weather patterns, the more I discover that animals have the most advance weather prediction system on the planet, and know how to use it to their advantage.
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[Teroy]

I too live North of Salt Lake. I saw on the news a couple weeks ago that horses in the area are getting their winter coat much earlier this year.
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[shark_hunter]

first off I don't know what they've done with the freeway it seems everytime I get on it to go somewhere another road is closed but, I also have noticed a large amount of skunks coming down from the hills. my parents house is right up on the mountain and they had me come kill one the other day because it had made camp in their shed. they were also telling me that they have allready seen dear coming into their yard. It will be interesting to see what happens this winter.
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[johnincolorado]

Hi, Troy. That little bit of information just adds to the clear indications that winter is coming early, and will be harsh. The only problem is, 99.9% of the people aren't listening to what Mother Nature is telling them. The only ones who will be prepared are those of us knowledgable in the ways of the outdoors. In Colorado, another sign is that the local gas company increased the price of natural gas by 83%, in anticipation of a long, cold winter. Now where did they get their information and predictions, or are they reading all these posts?
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[johnincolorado]

If I remember right, Colorado used Salt Lake as an example of the good to be achieved with a five year construction project. Southbound I-25 and I-225 are fine examples of how to drive people away, while maximizing the minimum benfit of taxpayer dollars and encouraging road rage. I see no advantage to the project, except to spend $7 Billion.

While driving by my once-favorite lake near me, Barr Lake, I couldn't help but notice that the geese have returned in force, two months early, i.e. all the droppings on my truck. (A side question - do geese need crap bomb aiming lessons?) The number of flocks are mind boggling and goose season is still months away.

I have to agree with you on animal winter coats. Our small fox population at Barr Lake has also taken on their winter coats, something I never noticed before. From what I've read so far, the entire animal world nationwide is preparing for winter.
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[davetclown]

you are right about this going to be a rough winter, with the havy acorn production the squirls gathering nuts befor they hit the ground, the wild life attempting to move in to shelters whether they are ocupied by humans or not. the moles have been looking for places to hybernate already, we are already expeanceing dead fall leaves. the trees have not started changing colors yet, around here in southern michigan we normaly see the change around the 15th of october, I expect to see it about a week early this year.

I have an animal digging a hole through my flore trying to get in.

lonehunter has just reported snow in Tawas Michigan this week end. I have seen snow up there this time of year, not that it stays, but is a sure sign that we have at best 45 days before we see it down here. and gaylord michigan gets a few inches by mid october if not a blizard by the 20th.

as far as the gas company's price hikes, it is just a scam to get back monies it paid out in dividends to stock holders in the prior Bush days.

the utilities are gaurenteered an anual revenue weather or not they sell the product. to prove my point, here in michigan the oil companies lost 3 days of sales of gasoline, to accomidate thier losses of sales they were allowed to raise the cost of galloline 60 cents per gallon for a period of 2 months. this aint no big fish tail neither.[mad]
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[DrownedDesertRat]

Interesting that you mention the bees being in full swing. Just before the weather here shifted from normal to below normal temps, the wasps and hornets were everywhere! It was as if you couldn't get away from them. They'd even come around the fish you caught as soon as you got it out of the water to see if they could take a bite.

And now I'm seeing squirrels more often. Yet, I can't help but wonder what's going to happen with that excessive heat in the southwest states. Will that decide to head northeast and give us one last taste of warmth before hell freezes over?
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[lou]

hey there i feel soryy fer ya! hahahaha i like your fish! haha what,s his name?? later
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