Site Discussions

I always enjoy reading your magazine and online stories, and I found the article about bears fattening up for the winter very informative.  I found the delay of embryo development amazing. However, remembering back to my Wildlife Ecology class, I learned that bears do not actually hibernate, they enter into a state of torpor.  We learned that only smaller animals are capable of true hibernation.  As an example, frogs burrow down into the mud for winter and actually do hibernate, their bodies produce a natural “antifreeze” that keeps their bodies from freezing solid and therefore preventing cellular damage. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable than myself could write an article on the differences between hibernation and torpor. 

Thanks, Dave.

My significant other and I have hiked the old logging roads and woodlands of Antrim NH, and over to Windsor via woods roads, and bushwhacking..overland; we have seen many claw scratched trees…but have not found a makings of a den yet. I had recalled finding a den in a bush pile in the woodlands I had cleared that was covered with snow, but had steam coming out the top, and what looked like a dug out spot on the side…needless to say I was never brave enough to look inside. My question to you is would a bear make its winter home in a old foundation covered with old logs next to a logging road, that is traversed by man?...Any Comments welcome.

Carol

If good manners and common sense are to triumph, it seems to me that they should start with the surveyor. What he considers “just brush”, may have far greater value in the eyes of the landowner. This summer, the power company probably thought that they were doing me a favor by spraying the “brush” at one corner of my yard which was under their line. Now, I have no elderberry bushes. Similarly, an over-zealous highway worker got completely off the right-of-way at the same corner of my yard and mowed off the walnut sapling that I was going to transplant. The walnut will probably resprout; the elderberries are gone forever.

Some pathogenic organism are acting non pathogenic. How it is possible…?

I think Rock has is right. The hunt adds its own unique flavor, but the “getting away” part is probably universal, and is just as he describes.

Have yet to open a hunting camp, but think the experience is rather universal, and perhaps does not require hunting.  Have opened canoe camp, vacation camp, ski camp (cross country) and just plain get back to the woods camp.  Hunt camp has some other aspects - tends to be men only, so may be a time to bond with more than woods and wildlife.  But I’m sitting here thinking what might the essentials of the “right” experience be:  distance from ‘civilization’, real change in scenery, no interruptions (phone calls, newspaper, TV, neighbors, etc.), a self directed flexible schedule subject to being disregarded at a moments notice ... all things that speak of being driven by whim instead of responsibility.  Any thoughts?

What a wonderfully written detail of the Friday before opening day! Dave, you have an incredible talent.

Thanks for the tip about the toxin. I had no idea, and neither does anyone I know, including my good friend who loves to lift up rocks and poke at things under them. I’ll pass the word!

Nice essay . . . I’ve always wondered about the deer camp ritual. But—hey—what’s with the sexism?

““Why do you leave so early if all you’re going to do is sit around all day?” their wives or significant other might ask, to which the hunter will reply: “there’s a lot of work to do at camp.” He’s not lying, but he may be exaggerating slightly. What it boils down to is that the concept of mental decompression is just too hard to explain.”

Gents, don’t forget that we gals know all about mental decompression! And most of us have our equivalent retreats. (In fact, we just might be waiting eagerly for you to go off into the woods for a while!  <grin> Or be heading off in the opposite direction for some deer camp of our own.)

Whatever form your deer camp takes, happy hunting to all this season!

Dave, The effect to which you refer, and which has been “around ... for centuries”, is NOT what we experience today. Simple.

Hi,

I am looking to have around 13 HUGE pine trees cut down in my yard.  I have heard that some mills will come to your house to take your trees.  If this is true, does anyone have any information for me about this process or know of a mill around here that would be interested.

Thanks so much!!

I see that Vermont Wood Pellet has a website, Kevin, but I don’t know anything beyond that. I’ll look forward to learning more.

As for the white birch pellet blend, Dennis, in theory, species isn’t supposed to matter in a pellet like it does in a stick of firewood. I’m told that dry wood fiber contains 8,000 btu per pound, which is why hardwood and softwood pellets are interchangeable. It does seem like there’s a quality difference in the amount of wood vs. the amount of bark/dirt/etc. In a pellet, though, I guess that’s what separates the “premium” pellets from the others, which can be a hodgepodge of material (I’ve heard reports of people finding full kernels of corn in cheap “hardwood” pellets).

Recently I read your column on the yellow jackets. A few months ago, I had an interesting event with them. On my porch, there was an old rug on a bench, too heavy for me to move. It had been there for a long time. I noticed one day that the yellow jackets had made a nest in one end of the package,(it was wrapped in paper). I decided to ignore them and let them stay until they left for the season. We don’t use the front door much,anyway. One night, I had a visitor on my porch: a bear. He had pulled the rug off the bench and eaten the entire nest, pulled out of the rug. I stared at the mess for a while, and noticed that the yellow jackets were in a frenzy, as one could imagine. But I decided to leave them alone for now. Over the next few days, I watched them daily and was amazed at what I was seeing. There were many dead jackets, scattered over the floor. Those who had survived were diligently taking away their dead. They would take hold of one, push it over to the edge of the step, and then take off to who knows where. They continued this for about three days. The porch floor was cleared. Then they started making a new nest in the same end of the rug. Now I had another problem. I couldn’t move the rug, and it was summer; they would be there for several months more. My daughter lives with me and is violently allergic to them and all sting insects. If she got stung…off to the hospital.so, even though I had, by this time, a great affection for these hard-working fellows, I could not leave them there. So I got a foam that was just for Yellow Jackets, and when they went to sleep, I foamed them. In the morning, they lay there, foam gone, and they just looked as if they were asleep. All I could do was cry a bit, and get rid of the rug. Sorry. I am not a child. I am 84 years old and love every living creature.

I’ve a few comments on the article.

“A premium pellet should produce 20 pounds or less of ash per ton.”

Not bad! As an old railroader I used to burn coal. (Not that I would today)! A ton of coal routinely produces 1.5 tons of ash. Don’t ask me how, just ask anyone who has ever burned coal.

“It will use leftover hardwood – mostly white birch – in its pellet blend.” I consider white birch a fall/spring fuel. How does it become a toasty choice when pelletized if its 30 below outside?

I may be old school but I’ll still put my faith in a strong steel or cast iron wood stove that needs no external power or battery backup to function. There is nothing like a well stacked, two year woodpile in October to put your mind at ease, no what Mother Nature throws at you for the next six months! 

Does anyone have info on the Vermont Wood Pellet Plant?

Are they making a premium pellet?

Thanks for starting a dialog on wood pellets.

Great article!!

As a High School history teacher and amateur weekend archeologist I compliment you on your fine website. One Captain John Rollins from New Sharon Maine built a sawmill (with a granite stone boiler house) on the Minneapolis riverfront in 1871. I have inherited some of the bread-loaf sized stones and wanted to ask what resources on historic granite restoration you may know of in your part of New England? I was inspired by your photo of the granite foundation with fitted smaller stones and no mortar visible.

Thank you.

I don’t know of a site off hand, Rachel. Maybe a reader can help? Otherwise, be in touch with me if you’d like to learn more about our Northern Woodlands Goes to School program. In the program we develop place-based curriculum activities related to stories in our magazine. I can be reached at 1-802-439-6292

My students are studying the regions of the U.S.A.  They need to create “flowcharts” that show a resource going from its natural state to a finished state.  Any suggestions for a site that can visually show how a tree becomes boards or paper?  The students are in 5th & 6th grade.
Thanks,
Rachel

Nice.