As the days grow longer, wildlife and humans alike emerge from their homes and dens to greet the warm weather. For many humans, we emerge with some extra “fluff”; we’ve exercised less, stayed inside more, eaten all the delicious desserts over the holidays, and gone through a long phase that I like to call “bulking season.” For our furry friends from bats to bears, winters can be more challenging; presenting little food, frigid temperatures, and the need for exceptional adaptations to ensure survival.

Paddling along Maine’s many water ways is a favorite pastime for anglers and anyone who enjoys the serenity of being on the water, turning around bends only to share the river with wildlife and the splash of a rising fish. Here are a few trip ideas throughout the state, with varying lengths and difficulty levels. Before you go, always do you research and plan ahead. You may need to consult a gazetteer and other resources before making the trip. And always tell someone where you are going, and when you plan to return.

The weather is hot and it feels like spring is far behind us. But the spring turkey hunt just wrapped up five days ago on June 5th. With an overall lift in outdoor recreation in Maine, we’re seeing more and more new hunters on the landscape. For many, this is just another opportunity to get outside and connect to nature, a key element to good mental health. New turkey hunters are seeing the benefits of spending time outside with friends and family, even if they don’t harvest a bird. A successful hunt doesn’t always end at a tagging station—but sometimes it does!

Maine has eight species of semi-aquatic turtles that inhabit a number of regions and ecosystems across the state. Turtles are a unique group of reptiles, with an anatomical design that ensures protection from a number of predators. A turtle’s shell, or carapace, is made of hard bony plates covered in scutes, which are the same material as our fingernails. Fused to the inside of their shell is their spinal column and the belly side of the turtle shell, the plastron, are the fused ribs and sternum. So, a turtle’s shell is a unique armor that a turtle physically cannot live without.