Site Discussions

Thanks for your stories and comments. We never use rodenticides for the reasons William described. Recent research in Vermont has indicated that rodenticides may be affecting fisher populations. Dogs will eat dead mice too.

Be careful what you wish for!  We had a dead end wall in our house- open on the top to the attic but sealed on the other sides. Occasionally, a mouse would get too curious and fall in. Inevitably, other mice would be drawn by the smell of carrion and follow it to their doom. Then the smell got really bad and I had to drill a hole in the wall to see what was happening. I found two weasels, in varying states of decay, along with dozens of mouse carcasses. It was a veritable necropolis in my walls.

Controlling mouse population is best done with snap traps, as you said. Rodenticides are a cruel way to die and dying. Animals are often picked up by predators like hawks or owl which are than poisoned. Or perhaps they bring the poison mouse back to their nest where chicks are killed.
Snap traps are the most humane.  For both the mice and mouse predators.

Hello Susan,  I loved your article, mainly because I have lived it.  An old farmhouse might as well hang out a sign that reads ‘Mouse B&B here’ I think that mice are some of the most beautiful creatures around. But not in my house. Like you, it took me time to get to the point of snap trapping them. But we had to. You have my sympathy. We have down sized to a smaller modular home in the past 2 years…It has no mice. I heave a sigh of relief every time I think about it.

I think of the leaflets as having a thumb and when I lead fern walks, I alway refer to the “thumb” as an identifying feature.

Great article! We have 3 breeding sets of loons on Suncook lakes! So interesting to watch them

Nice article. Of the more than 100 species of edible native (to the Northeast) plants in my nursery, I see the greatest quantity and variety of insects visiting the flowers of my Broad-leaved Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) plants.

As a former groomer and as a dog owner, I have dealt with many dog/skunk encounters. I use an all purpose grease cutting cleanser sprayed onto the dog. Having the dog in a wire crate facilitates this process. By spraying the cleanser onto the coat, you aren’t getting it down to the skin. I let it soak for at least 30 minutes and then shampoo as normally. Most of the time, the odor is gone and not detectable when it rains.

I’ve lived in Lancaster, New Hampshire, the past eleven years and have seen fisher’s on occasion. None in the past two years though, the past two years have seen the bobcat population growing. Very nice article, thank you!

Thank you for that. Great Article.

I liked the article very much. I’m a big animal person and it was interesting to read. Yet the hunting part I did not like that much, but other than that it was amazing!

Beautiful.

Interesting!  Nary an acorn to be seen in Newbury this year - and that’s after last year’s late spring freeze that caused a ‘no mast’ year in ‘23, as well.

I’ve seen chipmunks carry quite a big load, but a “dozen acorns”????

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Thanks for opening my eyes to the boxelder.

I enjoy these little pieces thoroughly; I cannot imagine why anyone would want to harass a writer!???? Thank you so much for making this time of year so interesting!

Thank you so much for this lovely article!  I learned a bit more about these wonderful little creatures. However, I have to say that I have really enjoyed seeing our skunks periodically on our property over the last 10 years. I don’t mind at all that they den under our house.  And forage near our ridiculous $600 specialty built compost bin, even digging a hole under it!  The several that have gone down to our campsite with our Airbnb Guests apparently have no problem visiting while they’re cooking dinner and they’ve never threatened to spray which is so charming! Just minding their own business going after grubs… I don’t consider them an annoyance at all and I am grateful that our property is a haven for skunks, porcupine, raccoon, mink, fisher cat, deer and bear. As well as the chipmunks, Barred Owls, squirrels and a host of incredibly wonderful songbirds!

I read this aloud to my husband. Beautiful writing, and we learned some good skunk facts to know!

Yikes, I just cut one of these junk trees down. Now that I know they are foods for birds I’ll think twice next time. Nice story!

My Dad raises Elk in South East Iowa (Wildlife Lakes Elk Farm). He has produced thousands of Elk in the past 20+ years and they have gone to places all over the US. They are beautiful animals and a very healthy, high protein, low fat meat. I can understand them being killed but never understood just killing for that point. Kill what you eat.