When Judy Byykkonen heads out snowshoeing in the woods around her Keweenaw home, she usually has a couple of her four-legged family members along and they keep busy sniffing everything in sight, oftentimes discovering openings where other critters have made their winter homes. The first two pictures here today show one of those openings, which Judy spotted right away, too, seeing the muddy footprints heading in and out of the opening. Judy said the tracks were unclear as to what was leaving that muddy trail, so she couldn't determine who was living in that winter den.

In the third photo, Minnie is checking out a small pond, still frozen over for the most part, but beginning to thaw. This time of year, with the warming temps and then cooling off again, you see a number of wet spots like this when hiking through the woods.

Giselle and Mandy were on a sniffing mission in the bottom picture. They seem to have found another opening in the snow where something has taken up residence and they're busy checking things out, trying to determine who goes there. The winter woods often give up more clues as to what and who is living nearby, with the tracks and trails being more visible in the snow. There's something new to discover out there every day.

Dogs are quite the explorers.

Minnie the Scottie will lead as she knows she is
the brave one.

Dogs are so brave and their noses probably told them they weren't dealing with any critter TOO big. Tho something like a badger would be an unpleasant surprise! Always fun to explore and see what is out there.

The first photos look like the home of Punxutawney Phil. Or more likely Painesdale Phil in this instance. Looks like it was a great day for an adventure.

Probably Mr. Skunk..

That is actually another den in the last pic. The dogs
got all excited at smelling something-especially Mandy
-the doodle---and soon they left the trail and were
down the bank working their way to the den. I always
wonder what lives in these dens. The dogs discover
many of them as spring comes.( i always hope a bear
does not come out..lol)

Nice pictures, Judy. Love them all!