Northern Woodlands Magazine

the predation is not enough to affect the overall herd. Deer harvest data, which is available for everyone to see in the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s online library, clearly show that the herd is remarkably stable, and when it does swing, it correlates with harsh winters. I can’t imagine that this would be any different in the Adirondacks – especially in the snowbelt areas. Having said this, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to think that there could be microhabitats that are inordinately affected by coyote predation, which is why we’ll keep having this argument.

I’d like to introduce a theory of mine that puts a slightly different spin on things. I think that coyotes have made deer hunting in the Northeast much more difficult than it was in the good old days, not because they’re killing too many deer, but because their mere presence has forced deer to become a more elusive animal. In the hundred-year window between wolves and coyotes, deer had no natural predators for 49 weeks out of the year. Today, deer are hunted 52 weeks out of the year by coyotes, and have evolved hair-trigger nerves. I think this constant hunting pressure by coyotes has made deer more wary, and thus harder to find and shoot.

J;;;;; A;;;;, R;;;;;, V;;;;;;

Makes No Dam Sense

To the Editors: I saw the piece about dam removals in the Discoveries column [Winter 2016]. Growing up, I saw many shows and articles on the many benefits of beaver dams and ponds – retaining water, and creating wetlands and wildlife habitat. I have kayaked on both beaver ponds and behind manmade dams and have noticed that small and medium-sized manmade dams provide the same benefits as beaver dams. In addition, these dams provide or could provide locally generated renewable energy. A U.S. Department of Energy report identifies 4. 8 GW of growth potential on non-powered dams.

One has to wonder about the dam removal
craze when a beaver dam is a wonder of all that
is good in nature, but an identical hydro dam is
practically evil incarnate and must be removed
(even when mitigation measures, such as the
installation of fish ladders, could be taken). Is it to
help wildlife (by destroying wetlands and renew-
able energy sources) or is it an extreme attempt
to get rid of the working landscape (loggers and
hunters take note) and anything manmade?
As one book on renewable power has noted,
in the post-carbon world, we may come to regret
the current dam removal craze.
W;;;;; J;;;;;;, R;;;;;;; P;;;, N;; Y;;;

Splitting Headaches

To the Editors: I’d like to add my two cents to the excellent “Tricks of the Trade” article on wood-splitting in the Winter issue. I’m 84 and do up about 12 cords a year and have been doing it for a long, long time.

A few more tricks that I’ve found: Try to place your block on a solid surface, the harder the better. Most blocks will have cracks, strike for the biggest. A little chainsaw is handy to cut through knots prior to splitting. Also, you’ll find frozen wood to split much easier.

My weapon is a modified Chopper1 brand of axe. The Chopper1 worked fine but I found the flippers sent the wood to the neighbors and I’m too old to gather it up. I removed the flippers and installed a fiberglass handle out to 26 inches wrapped with rubber tape. I keep it semi-sharp, to cut stringers – it will rarely hang up. This is the best outfit I’ve ever used, I’ve had many.

J;;; D;;;;;, N;;;;;;;;, N;; Y;;;

Wide-spread Ice Storms

To the Editors:
I was surprised to read in your article about ice
storm research [Winter 2016] the statement that
ice storms in North America “typically wreak
havoc in a belt stretching from Texas to southern
New England.”
I live in the Province of Quebec, Canada,
some considerable distance north of the zone
delineated in the article. I can assure you that
ice storms are and have been for many years a
part of virtually every winter at this latitude. My
first memory of one was in 1960 when Bishop’s
University, situated in Lennoxville, just north of
the Vermont border, needed to be vacated for a
period of days until electricity could be restored.

Annually, we have ice storms that disrupt
electrical service and road travel for a matter of
hours, as well as some that disrupt any normal
pattern of life for days or even weeks. My most
recent experience was in February of 2016 when
my wife and I were marooned for a period of 10
days at our camp northeast of La Tuque, Quebec,
some 360 miles north of southern New England.
D;;;; M;;;;;, B;;;;, Q;;;;;

We love to hear from our readers. Letters intended for publication in the Summer 2017 issue should be sent in by April 1. Please limit letters to 400 words. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.