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It's
a Wild, Wild World
This
summer, follow your animal instincts and take a vacation tracking
the call of the wild..
By Diane
Bair and Pamela Wright
There's
nothing that compares to the pleasure of exploring America's
scenic back roads, unless it's spotting spectacular wildlife
along the way. That's right: There's no need to trek off to
Africa when there are wild critters at great big-game-viewing
sites all across America. So grab your binoculars and hit
the road!
Rams
and Ewes
You're likely to hear them before you see them. Drive Highway
200 in the scenic northwest corner of Montana alongside the
Clark Fork River, and roll down your windows as you near Thompson
Falls. That jarring, crashing sound you hear? It's massive
bighorn sheep rams butting horns. October through December
is mating season, when bighorn sheep charge their rivals at
20 miles an hour and butt heads in a struggle for herd dominance.
The best place to catch the show is the Koo-Koo-Sint Bighorn
Sheep Viewing Site, a highway pull-off about 6 miles east
of Thompson Falls. Anywhere from 70 to 100 bighorn sheep may
be grazing in the meadow just off the highway. The area, part
of Lolo National Forest, has interpretive signs that describe
the natural history of the bighorn sheep, their habitat and
the geology of the valley.
Call
of the Wapiti
Rocky Mountain National Park has much to offer in the fall
-- gold-dappled aspen trees, mild temperatures, lighter-than-summer
crowds -- but the elk steal the show. As fall approaches,
North American elk (or wapiti as they're known to the Shawnee
Indians) descend from the high country to breed in the mountain
meadows below. The chance to see these majestic mammals in
the wild is a powerful lure for wildlife-watchers -- bull
elk can weigh up to 1,100 pounds and sport five-foot racks.
That makes them almost impossible to miss! If you explore
the park at dawn and from late afternoon until dusk, you're
certain to see gangs of elk, often very close to the road.
And once you've heard the haunting cry of a rutting elk, you'll
never forget it.
Black
Bears Abound
The Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary in the north woods of Minnesota
is arguably the best spot in North America to view black bears
in their natural habitat. Each summer, more than 80 wild black
bears visit the sanctuary. Bring your camera and binoculars
and arrive around 5 p.m., when the bears -- mama bears, papa
bears and baby bears -- begin to lumber out of the woods and
feed in the open meadow. A raised viewing platform gives you
an up-close look at charismatic bear behaviors such as scent
marking, mating, play, nursing and dominance struggles. The
sanctuary is located approximately two hours northwest of
Duluth.
All
Moosey in Maine
At 40 miles long and 20 miles wide, pristine Moosehead Lake
in northern Maine is the largest body of fresh water in the
Northeast. It's also one of the moosiest places in America,
home to 10,000 of the hulking half-ton creatures. The region
draws thousands of visitors each year, making it one of the
most popular destinations for moose-watching in North America.
You'll find plenty of ways to see them, too, including guided
safaris on foot as well as in vans, seaplanes, kayaks, canoes
and pontoon boats. But moose-watching in this neck of the
woods can be as simple as driving down the right road. Try
Moose Alley (Route 201 between Bingham and Jackman). Be forewarned,
though: There's a reason for all those Brake for Moose and
Moose Crossing signs you see!
Gentle
Giants of the Sea
Imagine floating along on a river and coming face-to-face
with a one-ton, whiskered West Indian manatee. If you're lucky,
this gentle giant may approach you and roll over, inviting
you to tickle its belly. It's a common occurrence on the swim-and-snorkel
trips offered by several companies in Crystal Springs, Florida.
The sea cows (actually distant relatives of the elephant)
love the year-round 72-degree waters of the Crystal River.
Viewing is best on the coldest days of the year, when hundreds
of manatees gather in the warm spring-fed waters. But a pod
of about 50 stick around for the summer, and you'll have plenty
of opportunities to get up close and personal with these lovable,
lumpy, putty-snout swimmers.
Get
The Advantage With Metlife Auto & Home
Are your belongings fully covered?
If you're like most vacationers, you pack more than just shorts
and T-shirts when you head out of town -- you also bring the
digital camera, a set of golf clubs, fishing gear and expensive
jewelry for special dinners out. But if thieves helped themselves
to your cool toys, would you be covered by your insurance?
- Perhaps,
but you may be subject to a dollar cap, such as $1,500 for
loss to jewelry by theft, or $2,500 for loss to guns. The
truth is that you may need a Scheduled Personal Property
(SPP) endorsement to your policy to increase these limits
and to extend coverage beyond named perils for added peace
of mind.
- You
can add an SPP endorsement to your policy to cover the full
value of these items. The premium will depend on how much
coverage you need, and some classes of property under SPP
do not have a deductible.*
Call your
agent or representative for more details or
click here.
*See endorsement
and policy for restrictions.
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