What did I see in our back yard? (Gray, Hope: campground, garden)

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by Newdaawn

Best you keep your trash barrels in the garage or somewhere where the skunks can't get at them or you will end up with a huge problem. We had a couple "mostly" white skunks pass through our back yard on a regular basis through the winter. It seems a couple neighbors keep overturned old canoes in their back yards and the skunks use them for shelter.

I thought skunks hibernated through the winter?

[retiredtinbender]

Originally Posted by bangorme

I thought skunks hibernated through the winter?

No one said they chose well insulated shelter to hibernate under. Not very green in that aspect. At least they don't use fossil fuel to heat.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by bangorme

I thought skunks hibernated through the winter?

Maine has only one true hibernator, the chipmunk. They're most active in winter from late January into March, their mating season.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

Maine has only one true hibernator, the chipmunk. They're most active in winter from late January into March, their mating season.

Maine bears don't hibernate?

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

Maine bears don't hibernate?

They wake up, move around and might leave the den briefly. They're most active starting in January when the sow goes into labor and gives birth. Boars wake but have little to do so they sleep more than the sows. Their metabolism and heart rate slow drastically and they live off their stored fat.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

They wake up, move around and might leave the den briefly. They're most active starting in January when the sow goes into labor and gives birth. Boars wake but have little to do so they sleep more than the sows. Their metabolism and heart rate slow drastically and they live off their stored fat.

Interesting. Thanks!

[cebdark]

Many, many, moons ago I used to hear *old timer* hunter/trappers talk about "fisher cats" (when I used to go visiting with my father who hunted almost yearly and had a large number of friends who hunted religiously). I think it is a very old and now obsolete term maybe?

I can recall 2 or 3 of our cats disappearing (within a span of around 3 years) right around the time I caught a brief glimpse of one in the woods. I believe that was one of only a handful of times I caught glimpses of them - they're extremely good at keeping out of sight. That was a timeframe when quite a few of our neighbors lost their housecats as well. Fishers can be vicious little buggers.

I also recall asking my father what kind of cat would eat its own kind, and that's when I was educated in the fact that it wasn't an actual cat - rather a fisher was a kind of weasel. Back then we didn't have google, so I had to look a picture of it up in the encyclopedia.

Oops. Just dated myself there.

We have skunks who like to hole up in our driveway culverts. One of them was pretty large. We also saw them frequently on the lawn during a January thaw one year.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

Maine has only one true hibernator, the chipmunk.

Do our bats hibernate or migrate?

We have lots of bats in the spring and summer, a few in early fall, then we don't see them again until at least March/April.

[Ellwood]

Our dog had a "meeting" with a skunk three weeks ago and even after several treatments still is referred to as "puppy la pew." Hopefully your dog won't decide to chase the black and white ***** cat.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

Do our bats hibernate or migrate?

We have lots of bats in the spring and summer, a few in early fall, then we don't see them again until at least March/April.

Both, kind of. Bats that don't migrate will slow respiration and the body temp drops. They can wake briefly and fly during the winter. A true hibernator doesn't wake. That leaves me wondering about those chipmunks - why are they storing so much food?

Skunk Off! works well on my dogs. You spray it on, rub it into hair and skin, and leave it. Don't wash off. On damp/wet days they'll smell a little so I spray them again. It also works on clothing, in the air, on floors and anywhere else the dog manages to get to before you realize what happened and get it out of the house. There's a recipe online for peroxide, baking soda and dish detergent that works well. It made my father's red dog a blond but at least he didn't smell bad.