@HikerHaynes

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Wildlife Encounters

Nova Scotia's forests are home to a number of wild animals, I have had the opportunity to observe several of them this summer. Most wildlife encounters are benign, and a delight to have happen. Others, of course, potentially may not be as harmless.

Everyone worries about meeting a bear. And although it is true that a bear has more potential to injure a hiker than any other animal in the forest, attacks by bears in Nova Scotia are extremely rare. I have had two close encounters this summer, both in June, including being the closest I ever have to an uncaged bear: less than 30m. I am pleased to say that in both cases, the bear either ignored me completely, or dashed away down the path and into the deeper brush.

An animal that many hope to see, but fewer regard as dangerous, in the moose. Most people are aware of the hazard moose present on narrow roads late at night. In July, a resident of Inverness died as a result of hitting a moose on the main highway. However, fewer know that male moose can be aggressive, and there are some times of the year when they might even follow or harass a hiker. As summer gives way to fall, and moose go into rut, be aware that their temperaments change and give them a wide berth. I have seen only one moose so far this summer, deep in the Cape Breton Highlands on the Branch Pod Trail.

I have heard coyotes frequently this year, usually late at night when I am trying to sleep. One, near Kejimkujik National Park, insisted on howling and barking for hours within a hundred meters of my tent. Other than causing me to lose sleep, however, I have had no problem with coyotes once again this year. On just about every wilderness trail, of course, their scat and paw prints can be seen.

The winner, this year to date, for aggressive behaviour on the part of a wild animal goes to ... the ruffed grouse! Two times in one day on the North Granite Ridge Trail I came close to a mother grouse and her new chicks. The result, a chorus of tiny peeps and a scattering of tiny pale yellow chicks on the path, followed by an explosion of feathers and squawking as the mother dashed out to place herself between me and her brood. Both mother grouse puffed themselves up as large as possible, flaring their tails and spreading their wings, and alternately charged me then retreated in a direction away (more or less) from where their chicks ran.

So there it is, a bear that ran from me, a moose that stared at me, a coyote that spoiled my sleep, and a grouse that charged me. I think there are two lessons to learn. One is that the behaviour of wild animals is unpredictable; the bear, a large male, immediately ran, but the moose stood there and watched me intently. You never can be certain what will happen. The second is that you should be extremely cautious around a mother and her young. It may seem humorous that a small grouse attacked a large human, but imagine what might have happened, if, instead, I had surprised a mother coyote or bear. Maybe it also would have rushed, and I might have had a somewhat different experience.

Enjoy the woods; do not stop using them because you might meet wildlife. But be aware of the risks, and educate yourself on what is wise behaviour when you do sight an animal.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Fieldwork Progress Report - June 2011

When the weather was poor in May, rain and fog, I was not too concerned. Stretches of unsettled weather are common in Nova Scotia. So I grimaced, joked, and complained, like everyone else, but I did not worry. Then June arrived, and for the first three weeks the rainy and cold weather continued. In fact, if anything it seemed worse. By June 18, when I had to leave the province and return to Ottawa for a week, I had gone past worry and some days was approaching panic.

So instead of the 15 routes that I planned to review, I managed fewer. The complete list of trails I hiked in June is:
  1. Ghost Beach - new trail, Inverness County
  2. Lewis Mountain, Inverness County
  3. St. Peter's, Richmond County
  4. Whycocomagh Provincial Park, Inverness County - contains a new, challenging section, the "Scout Trail"
  5. Aspotogan Trail, Lunenburg County - might not use in the book
  6. BelleIsle Marsh, Annapolis County - had not intended to use, but might instead of what I had planned
  7. Chester Connector, Lunenburg County - may use instead of Aspotogan Trail
  8. Delaps Cove, Annapolis County
  9. Gaspereau River, Kings County
  10. Nictaux Lake, Annapolis County - called it Nictaux Falls in the previous book, but that is the name of the community, and since you actually do not go to the falls I think it better to give a less-misleading name.
  11. North Granite Ridge, HRM
  12. Roxbury, Annapolis County
  13. Sentier Piau, Digby County - may not use
I was also disappointed to discover that a number of existing trails are in very poor condition, usually in terms of infrastructure damage that has not been able to be repaired. Ghost Beach, Whycocomagh, Sentier Piau, Delaps Cove, and Roxbury have all suffered, and are in poorer shape now than they were in 2001 - and I was not even able to find the Acaciaville Trail near Digby. All in all, June was not a successful month for this project, either in terms of quantity or quality.

It was not all gloom and doom. Gaspereau River was a lovely walk, and the Nictaux Lake trail is in far better condition today than when I walked it a decade ago. The St. Peter's Trail is in great shape, and the Chester Connector is a new addition to the provincial network. So although some of the trails were a definite disappointment, others were a pleasure to visit.

Here's hoping July will have better weather!