East Side Trail, Wilderness Trail to Stillwater Junction

Camped out near Oliverian Brook. These two masked bandits were caught in the act of rumaging through my truck in the middle of the night...

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I got a nice early start. This big, healthy girl was grazing just after dawn...

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I noticed a branch wiggling around on the riverbank. Mama bear and cub were in a chokecherry tree fattening up for winter. I thought I got a nice shot of them, but instead it's just two blurry, black blobs behind the branch. I got within about 60' when mama smelled me, then saw me. She huffed at me and came down really fast, with cub right behind her, and they ran off. Here's a pic of their breakfast...

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I guess they had been there a while...

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The autumn colors are starting to come alive in the Pemigawasset...

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continiued...

Here's a look upstream near the wilderness border...

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Near Stillwater junction, this hawk was enjoying lunch. Yes, that is flesh in her left talon...

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...and in her mouth...

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Stillwater Junction area is really nice. I explored around hoping to see more moose, but saw only lots of fresh sign.

I saw another hawk on the way out...

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This is a great place for a flat, quiet hike.

This poor flicker got nailed on the Kanacamagus. I noticed him on the white line, inches from heavy, speeding traffic, so I stood next to him so he wouldn't get hit. I picked him up and moved him into the woods so he could recover. After a few minutes he started to loose the dazed look and then flew a few feet, so I knew I didn't have to bring him to rehab.

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Happy Trails

Nice pictorial, as usual!

FG- I have been out bushwhacking around pretty much every weekend since the early spring. While I used to see at least a couple moose every weekend, I haven't seen any for at least 6 weeks now. In your experience, do their territories and eating habits change much over the course of the summer and into autumn? It seems like they don't hang out where they used to...

Beautiful Photos doccumenting a full spectrum of events and sights!! I think that the moose shot with the foliage in the background will do very well for you...it has a very classic look to it.

albee said:

Nice pictorial, as usual!

FG- I have been out bushwhacking around pretty much every weekend since the early spring. While I used to see at least a couple moose every weekend, I haven't seen any for at least 6 weeks now. In your experience, do their territories and eating habits change much over the course of the summer and into autumn? It seems like they don't hang out where they used to...

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I believe the habits and movement do indeed change. I was in a zone from late February through late June, when I saw moose on almost every single hike. Then my sightings of both moose and fresh sign dropped off in the same areas. I've only seen about 6 after July 22, and I've been hiking each Saturday and Sunday.

Persistence will pay off. If you quietly visit same places where you see fresh sign, you'll see them eventually. Good luck, and remember that they're a bit rambunctious right now, due to the rutting season!

Jim, thanks very much! I'm really hoping to catch a rut or a nice bull in an autumn scene. I love bogs in autumn. Post your images.

Happy Trails

Great report and photography.

What, no peaks?

Seriously, nice report and beautiful photos as always. I finally got to see a moose (a cow on RT 16) while over there in August. Can't wait to get back over to New England.

Matt