New Brunswick Canada Trails

“I was wondering if anyone has hiked or knows the trails in New Brunswick, Canada. New Brunswick borders the state of Maine and like Maine is a hot spot for Bear and Moose.
I have just completed my first hike here -- my first backwoods hiking since 1993.
Back in the early 90's I used to hike in Banff, Alberta where the woods are full of Grizzlies. Now I am paranoid of hiking in Black Bear country and I heard a crack in the woods and took off (ha). After reading through the black bear encounters and how they are normally an animal that runs the other way and hearing the techniques that people used to scare them off I feel a lot more comfortable.
But what of the moose? People in this area are more concerned of a moose attacking them than a bear.
I would like to hear New Brunswick and Maine experiences here. My only hike was a 7 mile trek -- 3 1/2 in 3 1/2 back near McAdam, New Brunswick and no encounter with wildlife aside from the crack in the woods but a lot of moose signs -- the trail was off the 630 Highway between McAdam and St. Stephen.”

“In '93 I camped two or three nights at Mount Carleton Provincial Park when the boys were little.

I couldn't talk the kids into hiking up and over Mount Carleton, a bald top of about 2,600 feet.
We did go for a good long swim in the cool deep waters of the lake right by the mountain.
With them in life jackets we paddled, swam and treaded water quite a ways out and visited parts of the shore. It was a different kind of hike.
The guys spent hours catching and releasing red squirrels.
We used the stick-and-string method propping open the lid of our emptied out cooler and a handful of corn flakes in and leading to the cooler.
Squirrel inevitably goes into cooler......yank string and ya got him.
The best part of this game was releasing the feisty little rascals. Upon opening the cooler the squirrels would do the most amazing and hysterical leaps to freedom leaving the boys rolling on the ground shrieking............ROFLMAO!!
And of course the same squirrels would keep coming back for more.

That part of New Brunswick is pretty wild.

Four years ago we drove through Ste Quentin on our way to Gaspe.”

“I took a couple of day hikes in Fundy National Park.

No moose or bear sightings but two of us managed to step over a snake sunning himself on a rock. We didn't see him until he started moving. Both of us tried climbing into the air (didn't work).”

“Moose are generally rather big, dumb and docile. I lived in Northern Maine for a few years. They can be aggressive in the rut if they think they might be in competition for a little nookie. They will bust up a car pretty bad if the two collide. But in talking to the hunters up there, moose will just about stand still and let you shove the barrel of the firearm up their nose.

They can be somewhat awkward and clumsey so if you set up near a commuter trail they use they may trip on the guidelines and fall on your tent.

Of the two... I would be more concerned about the bears. But even then... with proper precautions... blacks don't pose the same kind of threat the griz does.”

“Thanks for the response guys - Mount Carleton and Fundy are two of the most popular hikes in NB that is for sure. There are so many lakes and rivers in this province and many of them you need a 4 wheeler to get to or else plan 2 and 3 day hikes.
I feel bear scare free again and am ready to discover -- if you hike in mid or northern NB in May, June, and July make sure you have your insect repellent as the mosquitoes and black flies are the worst I have ever seen.
I am going to do a lot of canoeing and hiking near Palffry Lake and the other lakes that are in that vicinity. Near Lambert Lake on the Maine side. There is an annual canoe run in the first weekend in August down the St. Croix river (international boundary between NB and Maine) -- you should be somewhat experienced as there are a lot of rapids and some small falls. I went last year and it was a great time as over 100 canoes do the trek -- starting at St. Croix, NB or Vanceboro Maine.
I guess with the moose / bear difference they mean that bear does not worry them at all -- I am referring to areas where there is little tourism and the trails are rarely used by hikers -- snowmobile and ATV trails primarily so the bears are not accustomed to people. The heavy population of moose and the more frequent encounters etc.. so it is more a math thing.”

“http://www.out-there.com/carleton.htm

That was Nictau Lake we were swimming in.”

“Sorry to have stepped on the branch and scared you. :o) Btw...parts of New Brunswick is under water.... :o(

Never hiked/backpacked there...so no knowledge about their trails....just bringing this thread back up to the top.”

“wow rev, you don't know much about moose do ya?!”

“Tell the man about the moose, Twigeater.”

“they are not dumb, awkward or clumsy - good thing he didn't say ugly!”

“They say there is nothing to worry about except in rutting season. I saw a thread on youtube where a man was attacked by a moose and after it knocked him down he kept walking back and forth over him and stamping and kicking at the poor guy.
I am prepared to stand behind a tree while I am photographing them just in case I get a "rogue" moose (ha).”

“They have pretty bad vision....so for them to run you down is "Just in case"....read that somewhere. But apparently they have excellent hearing because their rack catches all the sounds and concentrates them to their ears....”

“If you shoot a moose and don't bring it down, it WILL charge you! I'm sure you wont be hunting them, so nevermind. Scary experience though. PS. I am a Goofy Newfie, welcome to TT.”

“A Newfie?

Who knew?”