Wildlife can easily be
spotted in our forests and around the lake. Different
species are more visible, of course, at different times of
the year - but, if you are patient, you will be richly
rewarded. A walk in the woods (or even a boat ride around
the shore) will produce an eyeful. Just remember that this
is their home, too, and some can be dangerous. Please don't
feed the wildlife - they need their natural foods to
survive.
There are plenty of black
bear, but they are usually shy. Don't get between a mother
and her cub or a bear and food. Whitetail deer are very
common - so common that care must be taken while driving a
car or snowmobile. We do have an occasional moose. Coyotes
and fisher require patience to see. Bobcats roam the forests
and hills. River otters frolic in the lake, but most often
can be seen near mouths of rivers and streams.
The gray wolves that
currently roam Michigan's Upper Peninsula number about 200.
According to Jim Hammill at the Crystal Falls Department of
Natural Resources, there is at least one wolf pack on the
west side of the lake that roams north across Highway M-28.
There is another pack southwest of the lake that roams south
across Highway US-2. There are also individual wolves,
referred to as "lone dispersed" wolves that roam
in the area east of Lake Gogebic. These lone wolves are
mostly of one or two years of age that have left the pack in
search of mates to form their own packs.
Lake Gogebic east shore is
the oldest nesting area for the bald eagle. Look high in the
trees or sky while boating and you'll likely spot several.
The adult eagles are easier to spot because of their white
heads.
Many migrating ducks use the lake as a stopping off spot. As
soon as the ice breaks up, rafts of Redheads, Scaups,
Goldeneyes, Buffleheads and some geese flock in. The
Mergansers, Wood Ducks and Mallards stay all summer.
Game birds have been
experiencing an upswing as Partridge and Woodcock are
plentiful.
More common birds are Finches, Grosbeaks, Chickadees, Red
Polls, Nuthatches, three kinds of Woodpeckers, and
Hummingbirds. A Hummingbird can find your feeder within
minutes of putting it out. It is a treat to see the Orioles
for the week or so they show up. The Blue Indigo appears
like a jewel and is gone in a flash. Many varieties of
Sparrows come and go. Brown Creepers, Jays, Doves, Warblers,
Vircos, Bluebirds and Crossbills will enjoy a birdfeeder.
Cardinals are being seen more frequently. Jerry Edde,
biologist for the Ottawa National Forest, conducts annual
Christmas bird counts for this area and can account for over
30 species.
Snowshoe and Cottontail Rabbits, Skunks, Beaver, Raccoons,
Weasels/Ermine, Pine Martens, Mink, Gray and Red Fox,
Peregrine Falcons, Kangaroo Mice, and many, many more
species of wildlife live here. Come and enjoy the
experience.
For information on birding
hotspots, wilderness or recreational opportunities, contact
any Ottawa National Forest district office or the
supervisor's office: 2100 E. Cloverland Drive, Ironwood, MI
49938 - phone 906-9632-1330. The Ottawa National Forest
Visitor Center at the corner of US-2 and M-45 in Watersmeet
offers programs throughout the year for wildlife
enthusiasts.
The
Wildlife of Lake Gogebic
