Amazing Opportunity

You may know that Maine’s bear biologists track bears using radio collars as part of their study of the population and as part of that they need to visit the dens of collared bears every winter. To get samples examine cubs and maintain the collars. Sometimes they take along members of the public as part of an ongoing education effort about that program and this year Argy and I were invited something that she has wanted to do for a number of years.

Of course the first trick is to clear calendars and we planned to make a round trip to northern Maine in one day so an early start was part of the plan. We left the house at 4 AM on a clear cold morning meeting the rest of our party in Bangor. Together we headed to the Ashland headquarters of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife where we met the bear den crew. After a brief talk about what would happen next we headed into the North Maine Woods driving about 25 miles in. Interesting that we were in an area I frequent when guiding upland bird hunters for Libby Camps every October.

Parking at a familiar spot along the road we doubled up on snowmobiles and headed off into the woods. After some searching the den was located and we all got onto snowshoes for the last couple hundred yards. It is amazing to watch the young biologists open the entrance to the den and then go in headfirst to sedate the mother bear something that I think takes more courage than I have.

After the sedative takes effect the cubs are brought out weighed, measured and given ear tags for identification in the future. After the data is collected the visitors are allowed to hold the cubs while the mother is brought out weighed and evaluated while getting a new battery in her location collar. Of course there are lots of cute little cub pictures taken we also had this one taken with the mother bear before she and the cubs were returned to the den and the entrance covered again with snow.

As you can see a great adventure under perfect winter skies! It was a chance to learn that I am getting older. Watching those younger than me get around on snowshoes much more gracefully than I could even after a winter with considerable snowshoeing. We were home safe and sound by dark after having a great outdoor adventure! Thank you to everyone who made this possible an outstanding experience.