Think it’s all over and still can’t believe how quickly the deer season came and went? Well, for the determined, the show still goes on in a few select places and while it may be too late to cash in on a road trip to one of these late spots this season, it’s never too late to begin planning an extended deer season for next year.
At 7am my shift ended and a long weekend began. With a can of red bull in my hand, I hit the road and drove back home to pick up my roommate, Ryan, for his first ever deer hunt. Needless to say he was very excited. Ryan is an avid bird hunter and I often join him on his family farm during goose season in Northern Colorado but nothing can compare to your first big game hunt. I finished packing my odds and ends, loaded up the truck, topped off the tank, and headed up towards Sheridan, Wyoming
Over the years I have started to get a little bored with deer hunting. It really comes as no surprise, yet I hated to admit that, even to myself… Why? Because I consider myself a deer hunter, and a deer hunter should not be bored with deer hunting right? Wrong! Of course a deer hunter can get bored with deer hunting. If you sit in the same stands, on the same property every single year for 16 years of course hunting can become monotonous. You have to get out and try new things, see new places, and have new struggles. That’s how you grow and evolve as a hunter. This is the story of a new beginning, and rekindling the excitement I had as a 12 year old boy going out with my dad on my first hunt with bow in hand!
The old green Mansfield canoe glides silently through the bay its bow pointing toward the narrow ribbon of moonlight reflecting on the water. Reeds brush gently by the gunwales as we maneuver our way down the murky channel and into the cattails.
We can hear the raucous laughter of mallards from a pool deep in the swale grass behind the trees.
We whisper to one another “That’s Right!” at the same time. Whistling wings whiz by our heads as we turn into the small slot in the puckerbrush. The sides of the canoe squeak uncomfortably loudly against the ragged edges of the woody branches, like nails on a chalkboard.
Fort Riley’s whitetail season going into full swing soon, starting with a youth and disabled veteran hunt on Sept. 3 and regular archery starting on Sept. 12 as well as muzzleloader season. Through the years, the natural resources staff at the base have built one of the premier hunting and fishing programs in the Midwest and serves as a prime example of how excellent habitat and wildlife populations can co-exist with demanding military operations.
While for most big game hunters focused on deer opening day is marked on the calendar for September, October or even not until November, there are a lucky number of hunters who live in areas where August means it’s time to hit the stands, fields and trails. Fort Huachuca in southern Arizona is one of those areas, with both black bear and deer archery seasons beginning in August.
Being outdoors isn’t always about the hunt or the harvest. Sometimes it's nice to just enjoy the natural splendor around you. Butterflies are commonly admired for their grace-like beauty, and these two military installations are home to rare species you might be able to catch a glimpse of this summer as both bases put significant effort into ensuring the protection of these butterfly species.
The first time I hunted in central Massachusetts, I was shocked at the proximity of houses interwoven in the woodlots we were hunting. One minute I was walking down a logging path that seemed to be as remote as anything you’d find in the Adirondacks, the next I was treading by a dude mowing his lawn with his kid swinging a few feet away. Mind you this was simply traveling into the spot where I was actually going to hunt, I wasn’t eyeballing the guy’s yard from my stand, but it still served as a bold reminder that not too far through the woods, there were folks in their homes and yards who may or may not get hunting. Safety, and respect for other’s concerns, are paramount in such an environment.
Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. has decided to move its headquarters.
