Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Listening Point - General Discussion :: Favorite canoe country critter?
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Whatsit |
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HighPlainsDrifter |
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shock |
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northallen |
quote muskiejerk: "Once I'm in my tent all ready to fall asleep the "critter" that is snapping twigs and branches somewhere behind camp. The critter that could weigh less than a pound but in my mind it is BIGFOOT and I stay up for hours wondering what it is." Hate those critters. Funny how the night magnifies. |
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Pinetree |
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Canoearoo |
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JJ47 |
Moose, Pine Martin, Franklins Ground Squirrel, Flying Squirrel, Otter and birds too numerous to name. |
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L.T.sully |
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Frenchy |
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arctic |
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nctry |
Wow - cannot believe your dog sat and watched a moose with you. Dogs or kids with me are a surefire way to miss all the large mammals on the trip and even some of the smaller ones! What a dog!!" You had to know Bernie (Bernice). She could walk up to a skunk and never got sprayed. She did tangle with a porcupine in the end. But she saw how I loved certain things and she kind of adopted that. I'm guessing she saw as many moose as any dog has. She loved fishing as much as anything too. She spent hours down at the lake at home. People come and fish from shore here and she'd go down and stand in the water and watch people's bobbers. They always laughed that they never had to watch their bobbers cause she'd let them know when something was hitting. She always chased deer out of my yard. But they always bedded within a few yards of my yard. They had this understanding I think. She never missed a fire call... pager went off and to the truck she'd go. While on the call she'd watch over the fire hall. She'd go to my locker and take one of my shoes and sit with it until I got back. I could go on and on, but she was a one of a kind in my book. |
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muskiejerk |
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deerfoot |
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blackswan adventures |
we love how u can feel them before u hear them |
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goatroti |
quote deerfoot: "Woodland Caribou - finally saw one in NW Ontario after 10 years and seventeen weeks of trips there. No photo as I couldn't get the camera out without spooking it." ...and I've been on 13 weeks of trips and saw one on my first day in Wabakimi back in 2007 and haven't seen one since. |
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Loony_canoe |
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BnD |
quote northallen: "Loon. Except when they are seemingly parked just outside the tent at 2am." +1 Exactly. |
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jtbwcaw |
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CrookedPaddler1 |
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Basspro69 |
quote ozarkpaddler: "I love the loons and the white throat sparrows, both for their music"+1 Exactly |
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nicek |
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airmorse |
quote QueticoMike: "Quetico Wild Nice |
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jtbwcaw |
Favorite??? Moose are always at or near the top, as are eagles, loons, and even bears; but my favorite that I've seen are probably otters and wolves. I haven't see a lynx yet but that too would be very cool! |
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Corsair |
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dentondoc |
However, I would also enjoy another close encounter with a wolf. It would be nice to also spot him/her before I'm spotted (as was the case previously). Makes that 40 foot distance almost feel like its within arms reach. dd |
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shock |
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LindenTree3 |
Have you ever seen one around your bird feeder? Rarely if ever, they prefer undisturbed habitats. Whiskeyjack All about Grey Jays |
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bapabear |
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missmolly |
quote northallen: "Loon. Except when they are seemingly parked just outside the tent at 2am." How about when they carry the melody and the tail-slapping beavers pound out the beat at the same time? |
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ozarkpaddler |
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CityFisher74 |
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PortageKeeper |
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missmolly |
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goatroti |
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Whatsit |
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missmolly |
Mine is the bald eagle. Here's why: They're part of every trip. I love when they sit atop a tree and watch me fish below a rapids. I'm sixty years old and have seen eagles beyond counting, but they still dazzle me when they take flight. |
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northallen |
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nakor |
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thebotanyguy |
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Alan Gage |
I like the song of the Pine Grosbeak. Not all that special but it's a cheery little ditty that makes me happy to hear along the portage trail. The Boreal Chickadees are always fun when an active flock comes through and one checks you out from arm's length away. Alan |
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inspector13 |
The gray wolf; because at one point they had been extirpated from all of the lower 48, and much of Canada, except for canoe country. The wolves’ recovery is sort of symbolic of the restorative state people say they experience from their visit. |
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maxxbhp |
I love these little devils. |
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Elydog |
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ParkerMag |
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AdamXChicago |
quote maxxbhp: " +1 when in camp. When on the water, love the otters - could watch them for hours. AdamX |
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mr.barley |
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1bogfrog |
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airmorse |
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awbrown |
But my favorite, for pure entertainment value is the little north woods red squirrel This fat little bugger was caught stealing popcorn out of our pot at Trails End Campground. Didn't take him long to figure out how to pop the lid off. |
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northallen |
quote maxxbhp: " When the kids were younger their job was to keep the chipmunks out of camp. Never kept the kids on high alert. |
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mjmkjun |
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LindenTree3 |
If you talk to the animals, they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them, you will not know them, and what you do not know you will fear. What one fears, one destroys.” ~ Chief Dan George |
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yogi59weedr |
Can't get enough of that sound. Followed closely by the wolf.boo coo trips and I've only seen 4..heard lots. Then there is the bear.always a treat.to many stories to tell about them "critters" So I'll only tell one. 4 of us on a trip. Went to tent for a tequila induced sleep. Minutes later I yelled bear . He was on his hind legs trying to swat our good pack. My buddy was laughing at me cause I had my filet knife. Then he steps into a fresh pile of bear scat barefoot. He spent the next 15 minutes down by the water washing his foot. We just died laughing. We went back to tents and it took half hour to stop laughing. It would get quite then one guy would snicker and we would start laughing again......PRICELESS. . |
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Savage Voyageur |
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missmolly |
quote maxxbhp: "quote Elydog: "Wolves. Mainly because of the huge black one that sauntered into my camp around dusk on Oyster Lake, stopped at the fire grate, lifted its leg on a log, and locked eyes with me for what seemed like 10 minutes (prob only 3 seconds). It was absolutely incredible. Chills just thinking about it." And undie changing too! |
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boonie |
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walleye_hunter |
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maxxbhp |
quote Elydog: "Wolves. Mainly because of the huge black one that sauntered into my camp around dusk on Oyster Lake, stopped at the fire grate, lifted its leg on a log, and locked eyes with me for what seemed like 10 minutes (prob only 3 seconds). It was absolutely incredible. Chills just thinking about it." That's life changing stuff right there |
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ozarkpaddler |
quote walleye_hunter: " Bull moose are the kings of canoe country and my favorite critter encounter. For birds it's a toss up between loons and white throated sparrows. When I was a kid we used to see ospreys once in a while, they are magnificent birds. When the eagle population increased the ospreys seemed to disappear, not sure if the eagles had anything to do with the ospreys disappearance or not. " You know, now that I think about it, I'm going to revise my answer. When we lived in Wisconsin, we went to Sylvania. Beautiful spot, with my loons and white throated sparrows. But there was always something missing. When I took my friends from TN to the BWCAW they first inquired about Sylvania. I told them it's a nice place, but if you want a chance at seeing a moose...... Yeah, gotta admit the moose are the "Kings" and "Queens" of the BWCAW. |
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BWPaddler |
Gotta go with OTTER. Makes for a really special trip and makes me SMILE. Catch my breath over the majestic loon and eagle, but smile a mile wide at the otters and they are just present enough and just rare enough to keep me hoping for one more glimpse. |
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Laketrout58 |
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bapabear |
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JackpineJim |
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DeanL |
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Frenchy19 |
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WHendrix |
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fishonfishoff |
FOFO |
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Alan Gage |
FROG! Alan |
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LindenTree3 |
quote blutofish1: " Is that a Fisher? |
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blutofish1 |
quote LindenTree3: "quote blutofish1: " Pine Marten |
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Minnesotian |
On one trip through Quetico I witnessed a bull moose, a blck bear, and a lynx. An amazing and memorable trip. I have seen plenty of excited pine martin, playful otters, and sneaky fishers. Love seeing turtles warming themselves on logs or snappers lurking just below the surface by my stringer of fish. Shining a flashlight into the dark water after sunset is great for seeing crayfish and frogs swimming about. And hearing the distant calling of loons and owls on a silent, starfilled night is haunting and introspective. Nothing like wolves though, being seen and heard, to make a chill run up the spine. But my favorite critters have to be the tiny ones: the black-capped chickadee, nuthatch, and downy woodpecker. Sure, they are in my backyard right now, but whenever I go camping up north, they are there too with me. When I am camping, its like having a bit of home with me. When I am home, its like having a bit of the northwoods with me. |
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blutofish1 |
It would have to be one of these little fellows. |
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yellowcanoe |
Followed by wolf.. Saw one on Sturgeon.. very quickly left after giving us a hard look over. Now I like to look for loon nests and watch from afar... But that is a hometown bird... As well as the eagle that has a nest on the island about 300 feet away.. The loon nest is too close to that but they survive somehow. They are at the southern part of their range and human boat wakes are a real threat. Some lake associations have started building loon nesting rafts that ride the waves and have a wire roof to protect from predation. What is fascinating is watching any animal interact with others even when the eagle stole a backriding loon chick and took it back to feed its babies. |
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yellowcanoe |
E9 growing.. a week old |
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johndku |
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QueticoMike |
Quetico park, Wildlife abounds Loons call, Eerie sounds Monster nest, Soaring regal Elongated wingspan, Bald eagle Moving indolent, No hurtle Pulverizing jaw, Snapping turtle Chocolate color, Comfortable den Rabbit chaser, Pine Marten Roaming scavenger, Hang pack Crunching limbs, Bear black Massive rack, No fear Grunting snort, White-tailed deer Head bob, Meandering water Playful attitude, River otter Timber wolves, hunting pack Diving birds, Merganser quack Tail slapper, Wood weaver Gnawing teeth, Engineering beaver Canadian honker, Aerial goose Twig devourer, Majestic moose Nature thrives, Nothing mild Dynamic woods, Quetico wild To answer the question on which one is my fav.....it's the ones that don't mess with my food pack :-) |
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SourisMan |
quote JackpineJim: " Winter Wren There is always one hanging out by my favorite Quetico campsite at ice out and when they sing they really go for it. Makes me happy!" +1! For some reason I don't feel a BW trip is official until I hear my first Winter Wren. I can't argue, though, with all the loon and moose folks. |
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scat |
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Spartan2 |
And when I get right down to it, the most memorable experiences, the most breath-taking--those are the moose. So I guess I have to finally say that the moose is my favorite. We have had wonderful times with hares, with red squirrels, chipmunks, and even a neat time or two enjoying otters. I remember one funny night when we had our teenagers along and they discovered the jumping mice with the big ears--that was fun! Turtles provide a diversion, and I love to photograph frogs when I get the chance. I am particularly enchanted with dragonflies. I have made entire calendars with my dragonfly photos, and have dragonfly photos hanging in my home. And the butterflies are exquisite. Heck, I even love to photograph spiders! The more I think about this, the more I wonder if it is even POSSIBLE to pick a favorite. Oh, that's right, I already did! It's the moose. It has been a long time since I have seen one, but when I did, it was the best of the best. That's it. The moose. :-) |
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nctry |
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QueticoMike |
quote airmorse: "quote QueticoMike: "Quetico Wild Thanks, glad someone liked it :) I had another poem published in the winter 2016 issue of the Boundary Waters Journal on page 98 - It's called " Spiritual Quetico " |
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mooseplums |
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muddyfeet |
Not a nuisance animal wanting to tear your food pack(bear) and not common enough to inhabit every lake in the state(loon). Closely related to- but so different from the beloved domestic dog; They are mysterious, almost invisible predators of a wildly different nature. But when the lake is quiet and you hear their cries amongst the trees and seemingly all around you- You can't help but pause and experience a moment of awe as the chills run down your spine. I love hearing wolves. |
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BWPaddler |
quote nctry: "I have to agree with Lynda... the moose makes it for me too. Although the loons, beaver, bear... everything else makes it too. But I see most everything else at home. And even so you still love to see loons, swans, and all out there. Bernice hardly ever took notice to beavers at home. But she'd sit and watch them for a long time on trips. Then she got a little more interested in them as time went. Same with loons... why do I take so many pictures of them in canoe country but rarely at home? At home we're at war it seems with rodents. But they are (cute?) Up in canoe country. On Disappointment one year we had a wood chuck that lived in the campsite. It would come out and eat pretty close to us. Glad Bernie wasn't there that trip. But the moose is by far the best. On my forty day trip in 2012 I was on Elton lake. About ten thirty or eleven Bernie woke me up. Something was waking up the shore. We go out and sat watching a big bull moose in the light of a full moon. He didn't seem to mind us and we enjoyed watching him. It was cool to have a dog that enjoyed wildlife as much as I do. I am glad skunks are not an issue out there." Wow - cannot believe your dog sat and watched a moose with you. Dogs or kids with me are a surefire way to miss all the large mammals on the trip and even some of the smaller ones! What a dog!! |
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BWPaddler |
quote yellowcanoe: "What is fascinating is watching any animal interact with others even when the eagle stole a backriding loon chick and took it back to feed its babies." Yup. Will never forget watching a loon plunge UP from the deep into a small group of merganser babies, trying to nab one. Loon lost on that one and mama duck got the ducklings to shore while being chased by the loon. Fascinating. |
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LindenTree3 |
Yes, this is the Dark Side of the Loon. They do not like sharing their Lakes and will come from underneath other ducks and spear them with their beaks. |
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andym |
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Unas10 |
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guest |
Reason: Doesn't bite, is not too numerous, makes good fish food, racing stripes, cool name (kinda like the Spartacus of mosquitoes) |
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scat |
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bottomtothetap |
The ones I bring with me provide for great entertainment in observing how they adapt to surroundings they are not accustomed to, seeing their wonder in discovery and enjoyment of new experiences, noting how each one has so many unique qualities setting them apart from other homo sapiens and appreciating the companionship and engaging conversations they share among themselves and with me. They are usually handy in easing my work load in the BWCA as they can easily be trained to help with camp and portaging chores. Homo sapiens are most often what make my trips special. I also enjoy the random encounters I have in the wilderness with homo sapiens I have never seen before. I usually come away feeling pleasant after having learned something and knowing that they are enjoying their temporary home as much as I am. |