I like autumn. The smell of dried leaves, the cool weather, fewer snakes, and NO BUGS! And I don’t mean that silly rabbit, I mean things like mosquitoes, flies, and things that bite. Why do I care? Because with autumn comes hunting season! No, this isn’t one of those blood thirsty columns that will upset your tummy. I simply like being in the woods. I’d like to go to the woods in the summer, too, but the aforementioned snakes and bugs inhabit the woods during the summer months, so I confine my forays into the woods to hunting season.

Walking in the woods during hunting season brings its own special problems. See, I used to hunt. I have nothing against hunting now, but I just don’t. My wife, bless her heart, will not eat anything that was once “cute and fluffy”, like squirrels and rabbits. Deer are NOT cute and fluffy on her scale, nor are cows, for that matter. Just wanted to throw that in. But I’m content to just go sit in the woods and watch the animals. I once saw a turkey run around in circles for several minutes, no doubt looking for his car keys. I’ve seen squirrels play tag, and I watched a bobcat quietly sneak up on a chipmunk. There’s a problem with this, however, and it is immediately obvious to a hunter. Ever been in the woods during hunting season and met another person? Sure, happens all the time. But was the other person carrying a weapon? Of course he was! Had he not been armed, one would think he’s some sort of … of … pervert! BING BING BING! And there you have it. If you’re in the woods during hunting season, you have to be armed, or you will be thought of as weird. Hunting or not, I’ll carry my lightweight shotgun, along with a couple of shells to rattle around in my pocket, just in case I meet someone else out there. Maybe us nature lovers need a secret handshake or sign or something.

I just love being out with nature, experiencing the beauty of life. It’s October now, and time to get out my Elmer Fudd clothes. Now be vewwy vewwy quiet!

–Mike–