Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-11-30
COLD WINTER UPON US
At east the Wild Animals
are Making Prepare
tons for il

Those who believe q close observa.
tion of the habits of wild birds and
animals will show whether the winter
will be long and cold or short and
mild, this fall have reason to feel safe
in predicting that severe winter,
covering an Unusually extended peri
cd, is at hand. says the Duluth Even.
ing Heral1.
The furred and feathered inhsbi-
tants Of Northern Minnesota cay such
will be the case, and they ght to
know. Some folks there are who will
sa7 that signs of this kind count for
nanght, but no prediction of any kind
vas ever made. that did not bring
doubters into evidence.
Not only do tho actions and condi.
tions of the birds and beast indicate q
long and cold winter, but the fish
have something to say in this connec-
tion, and what they say corroborates
the testimony Of their cousins of the
land and air.
North Shore fishermen assert that
the feb have sought out winter quar-.
tiers this fall fully two weeks earlier
than usual, and that this is q sure in
dicatiou of an early winter aud that
1t will likewise be long and cold
one. Just where tho winter quarters
of fish happen 20 be isn't known ex-
actly, but 1t 10 presumed that they are
In deep water. In any event, the fish
have stopped biting, and the fishing
tugs have been put out Of commission.
Every body must know bv this time,
or ut least must know that others be-
1ieve, that when the muskrats begin
early to build their winter homes, and
build them big and substantial, they
do 80 because they have reason to
think a very dlsagreeatle sort of win
ter in, point of c:ldness is fast ap-
preaching. The little water animals
have so builded this year. People
are left to draw their own conclusions.
Trsppers and woodsmen will say from
this that the winter will be long and
cold.
The government weather forecasters
will say the trappers aud wocdsmen
and their rnuskrat friends know moth
ing about 1t, and that the big houses
are merely signs of unusual industry,
big families, or both, but then. gov
eminent officials, no matter in what
department they may be. do not know
everything. 1t is a comforting and
not altogether unrsas enable belief
that creatures of the forest and
streams should have some means of
obtaining knowledge Of just what
degree of protection they are liable
to need during the cold months of
the year, and act accordingly.
But the musrat and fish are not
alone in their unconscious predictions
of bad winter. Woodsmen say the
fur of different kinds Of animals is
this fall of extraordinary fiueuess and
thickness, which ia given as another
never failing sign Of severe winter.
The fact that much Of the fur is al
ready in prime condition. where
not unfrequently it is not lit for trap
ping until we'll along in November, is
held up rs an additional proof of the
same thing.
Many people base their predictions
regarding winter on the flight OF
ducks and geese, but the average
woodsman does not place mu n con-
tdence in this method.
The squirrels should not BE- forgot
ten. Advices from the north country
are to the effect that these creatures
are laying in big supply Of winter
eatables in the way Of nuts aud pine
cones, still another j. dication of q
long, Id winter And then there
are the snowbl1ds, large tiocks of
which ars to be seen in the outskirts
of the city, another sign of the same
thinQ