Just wondering when the wildlife in the Park gets the most active? Are bears out and about now or is it still too early? I understand Moose come to the highway around April / May to lick the salt in the ditches, but are they any more active in general around this time of year?

Thanks!

1. You try and rush them off the trail or portage

2. You Make noises like a Moose Cow and the Bull spots you

3. Just before you are lauched into space


BTW: Those extra large (XXXXL) long johns are so you can leap
any 4 foot snow banks that may still exist without splitting any seams when you are running away.

And don't worry about thinking about not being able to leap that 4 foot snow banks..
I'm sure you could leap 8' snow banks if the bull moose was chasing you

P.S. Don't worry about medi-evac costs as any TV station will pick up such costs just to film the event

Rac n

Hi Steve,

I'd say the moose will be seen along the Hwy 60 corridor more around May/June (I personally counted 13 moose in different locations one May long weekend day a few years back). As for the black bears, I personally think they're a few weeks away from being on the move. I work at the Toronto Zoo and the Grizzlies are just starting to stir (we let them go into a hibernation state where they basically sleep and eat very little or nothing during the cold months). Projecting this to Algonquin with its slightly colder weather and deeper snows, I would think it be a while yet before they come out of their slumbering state. Should see red foxes, grouse, gray jays (I believe they take off once late spring arrives) and if you're lucky maybe the odd pine marten (we had put some garbage into the waste depot at Mew Lake a few winters ago and I spooked a marten.

Harry

April for Moose licking salt off the hwy, sometimes down on their knees licking it.
As for bears, I've never seen bear tracks in the spring snow. I expect they will come out as soon as the snow has left or during the last major meltdown. I've often seen them on the way in around opening weekend.

AM

Bears aren't true hibernators and can be out and about year 'round. Less likely in winter, but also more cranky when they do come out for a wander. That being said, I've never seen a wild bear.

Pretty much once the temperature is regularly above freezing animals start being more active.

Your best bet for moose in in August/September as they are eating plenty of green in the creeks on the hwy60 getting ready for mating season.

Col. HooT JVFS
www.jvfs.net

Moose, deer, wolf, fox, members of the weasel family, owls, grey jays, lots of little dicki birds,ravens and squirrels are active throughout the winter. Ocassionally beaver come out from under the ice to gather. Bears don't sleep to get out of the cold. It's the lack of available food they hide from. I came across bear tracks last spring when the snow was almost gone. Definetly the few warm sunny days of April get everyone going. The best time for moose right in the thick of black fly season when there is lots of salt to lick at the side of the road and the bugs are thick in the cover of the forest.

Cheers,
Ben from the Wolf Den