Wrapping Up A Good Year !

 

It was a good week redeploying trail cameras and looking for bear sign. I was surprised to find recent bear scat. The scat had no evidence of sunflower seeds, and it looked like the bear was foraging on winterberries and acorns.

I have trail cameras watching three old fisher scent posts. One was found in 2022 and the other two in 2023. There have been trail cameras watching the 2023 scent posts since last December. The height of those two fisher scent posts activity was  January through early April, with forty-six camera traps triggers. May through December had only four fisher camera trap triggers. In the May – December months no female with kits ever passed by any of the scent posts.

I spent the week bushwhacking new and old areas looking for bear sign and new spots to set trail cameras in 2025. It was time well spent finding new prospects for next year.

I also met some interesting people last week and enjoyed talking with you all. It’s nice seeing folks enjoying MA nature

 

Well, another year is wrapping up and want to Thank You All for following my blog.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Jim

Wrapping Up The Year - Data Review

 

Bobcat pic from earlier this year.

 

It’s been an uneventful week spending little time in the woods. Shotgun season ended Dec 14^th , I can start setting trail cameras back out next week.

I’ve been reviewing my 2024 bear videos . Lots learned this year about bear behavior. I’m working on a few videos to highlight this behavior.

Annual Bear, Moose and Bobcat Trail Camera Triggers

           Moose     Bear     Bobcat    

2023     85           239       n/a

2024     83           619      193

 

The reason for the increase in bear triggers in 2024 was due to finding two new bear corridors earlier this year. Moose triggers stayed  about the same. The only notable difference was not videoing any moose calves in 2024. In 2023 three moose calves were captured on TC video. One single and one set of twins.

 This year I also kept track of bobcats. It will be interesting to compare numbers next year.

Gathering up my trail cameras does have a plus side. I clean up and relabel the cameras and locks Trail cameras are inspected to be sure they function properly. This year two went on the fritz, They were older Bushnell Aggressors. Santa came early and replaced them. I’m finding that my TC’s go about five years before having issues. I think that’s pretty good performance given most of my cameras are out in the elements for most of the year.

Looking forward to getting back in the woods next week

Jim