Traveling to Maine

[L.M.]

I posted this in the Cottage Doodle group but I also figured I'd open this up to the main page as well.  My husband and I are traveling from New Jersey to Bar Harbor area in Maine next week with our 1 year old doodle.  We rented a house, which seems to be practically in Acadia National Park. I have been doing some reading and came across some articles about coyotes and bears in the area...of course I previously expected bears but neglected to consider coyotes.  What do I need to know about them and what should I avoid with my dog?  Are coyotes (and even bears for that matter) more active at certain times of day/night?  I've read horrible stories about attacks and now I'm driving my husband crazy with suggestions of walking around with air horns and bats as protection lol.  My biggest concern is when he needs to go out to do his business at night before he goes to bed...he will be leashed, but should I be concerned even with that?  Any advice/suggestions/experiences would be great, especially if you live in the Maine/New England area.

[Ginny Nightingale]

I have been to Acadia many times-- and LOVE,LOVE, LOVE it there--gorgeous and well-maintained. BUT, it's not exactly wild. There are people everywhere and I have yet to see any type of wildlife beyond birds, chipmunks and beavers. The park is amazing, but not very large--it is just the island of Mt. Desert, so there isn't a lot of forest area for large animals to roam. I am sure they are there, but I doubt you will have an issue. Where are you staying? Is it right in Bar Harbor? If so, you will definitely have no issue--this is a very populated area. It isn't like being in the deep woods of inland Maine.
On the other hand, I live in the rural area of upstate NY and we have lots of coyotes in our area. We have an invisible fence, so the coyotes could come in to the yard after my doods if they wanted to. It has never been a problem and I don't know of anyone else here who has had an issue either. I have heard that if you have a very small dog and live in the woods, the coyotes do attack--I have heard of this in more populated areas where the coyotes are getting more accustomed to people and are coming onto property for prey--but out in the rural areas, they are much more shy.
Enjoy your vacation! I will be going up in the fall, now that I am retired from teaching! Bring some warm clothes as it is often 10-20 degrees cooler there, especially when foggy. We were once there during a major heat wave (like the one we are having now) and the temps there were never above 75!

[L.M.]

Thank you so much for the reassurance! I get a bit paranoid about these things lol. We are staying 3 miles from downtown Bar Harbor...we rented a house that is practically in Acadia Park.

Congratulations on your retirement! My husband and I are teachers...but only for 5 years so far. =)

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Lucky you! This is my dream vacation and we plan on getting there next year!

[Amanda and Quinn]

You guys will love it up there! I'm from Maine originally and Quinn is in heaven when we go back to visit my parents. I can say that my family has been in rural Maine forever and none of us have ever seen a coyote or bear. And as Ginny said, you are not going to be in an especially rural area. If Seamus is on a leash you will be fine, I promise.

One thing you DO have to worry about is ticks. They are everywhere up there. I've never had one latch on because of the Frontline, but you'll want to check him carefully every night just in case.

Have so much fun and bring back pictures.

[F, Calla & Luca]

As I'm sure you know there have been bear and coyote attacks in northern NJ. Usually the bears have gone after small dogs let out alone. As to the recent coyote attacks on kids, it sounded like the coyotes may have been rabid. In general, if the dog is on a leash with you, you should be fine. Many years ago, my sister and I were in Glacier National Park. We were about to take a nature trail but there were no cars at all in the lot near it. I sang and yelled to let the bears know we were there. I was so embarrassed when a pickup of rangers arrived to see what the commotion was about!

[L.M.]

This is absolutely something I would do....I already told my husband we will be carrying an air horn around "just in case."

[Carol and Banjo]

We have bears and other wildlife here (in central NH) - rarely do we see evidence of them - and even more rare do we "see" them. BUT, when I take Banjo out at night...I always leave the house talking, singing or whistling....to "announce" our presence. If there's "anyone" out there....they''ll leave our area quickly!

[katherine willis]

I live in Machiasport, ME, about 40 miles northeast of Bar Harbor. Our home is on the coast surrounded by acres of forest so we have lots of opportunity to encounter our wildlife neighbors. You should have a wonderful, stress free time but here's a few ideas for you to consider:

As someone earlier mentioned, ticks are an issue so ideally your pup should be vaccinated for Lyme disease. I also have my doodle wearing a tick collar based on our vet's recommendation.

Coyotes are quite shy so unlikely to be an issue. Only twice in our 6 years have we seen one and in both cases it was during an early morning walk just before sunrise. The coyote fled away from us.

Similarly the bears here don't go near people with the exception being early spring when they are looking for food and the berry providing bushes and trees are not yet producing. I suspect there aren't any around Arcadia at this time of year--too many tourists--the bears prefer peace and quiet and have gone to visit relatives.

Moose wander around just about everywhere but likely trot off if they see you. They are fairly slow at this time of year and not aggressive. Breeding season is over.

Your BIG DANGER AT NIGHT is porcupine. They are around at anytime but especially in the evening (at dusk) and after dark. Their quills are especially dangerous for dogs.

At night I take my doodle to his spot not far from our back door. I use a bright flashlight to scan the bushes and trees in the area. (Porcupines go up trees).

We are having an absolutely delightful summer. Daytime temperatures range from 70-80 and night 55-65. It has been pretty dry. I hope you have a great vacation.

Hopefully you will have no need but there is a terrific 24/7 animal emergency hospital in Bangor about an hours drive from Bar Harbor. There are also super vets in Bar Harbor.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Your temperatures sound so wonderful!

[L.M.]

Thank you so much for your response! I didn't even consider porcupines, but I will definitely be on the look out for them. Will they actually be aggressive or, like most animals, do they basically have to be startled or feel threatened to cause any harm?
We are really looking forward to our Maine vacation. Hope the weather is nice...it has been unbearably hot here in NJ!

[L.M.]

So now I not only have to worry about the wild critters in Maine, but also the traffic and roadblocks that we will face this weekend, as President Obama and family will be visiting Bar Harbor and Acadia from Friday to Sunday...we arrive Saturday... and are staying about 3 miles from the hotel the First Family is visiting. lol this really is just my luck!