Another Beautiful Day

               Temperatures finally stayed below freezing for the first time this weekend but I could not let that stop me from getting outdoors. About 10 O'clock this morning I hit the road for a county park North of the Cities called Elm Creek Park. After driving around trying to find a place to park my car and stretch my legs for a couple hours I ran into a little dirt parking area. I pulled out my cold weather gear, got my camera ready and headed into the woods. As soon as I broke into the forest the consistent crunch of leaves underfoot sent two bedded does high-tailing it across a ridge top. I realized that there must be good reason for deer to be on high-ground (the ability to look for predators and the sun is best felt there) so I climbed the hill where I found a perfect path to walk on. The landscape consisted of all sorts of deciduous trees with their millions of dead leaves covering the forest floor and a bright blue sky which was nearly cloudless.

            As I continued my hike I realized that all around me were trails that seemed to snake back and forth nearly everywhere. There were no leaves on them and packed as hard as rock. They were for mountain biking but I could use them to my advantage. While staying on the trails I could move uninhibited and with making virtually no sound because of the lack of leaves. In places I found low points in the trail where water and mud collected. Here I could tell who had been the most recent visitors before me. Many places I saw deer tracks, some raccoon, or the occasional boot print or even the slightest sign of a previous bike rider from a week or so ago.

           At one point the trail suddenly veered left and I found myself standing in the sunshine surrounded by grasses waist high. As I moved on I found one pine tree standing all alone in the grass about 30 feet high. I stood there looking at it as chickadees flittered around and the sun filtered through the pine needles. I moved passed the tree and headed up the hill through the grass. As I reached the top I stood there admiring His creation. The sun reflected of the prairie grass in every direction in the golden hue that only late fall and early winter can give off. I heard dogs barking a mile away where I had seen a dog park. After walking through the "prairie" I started on my way back towards the forest and ultimately my car.

            On the way back I heard some movement not 20 yards from me, a doe was moving through the brush but I heard her stop. It was amazing how hard it was to spot her through the thick undergrowth even though she was close. I tried to get into a position that I could get a picture of her but she did not stay still and I flushed her out the woods and she shot up and over the hill. I kept moving along the trails hoping I knew where I was. I realized that the cold, yet sunny weather had the squirrels working in over time, they were everywhere! I finally found the original ridge where I saw the first two deer on and I headed back. I looked up and saw a doe (probably the same one) standing 30 yards away. I was amazed that I had time to get my camera out and get a couple pictures of it before she went the opposite direction. I was thrilled to finally get another decent picture of a deer as it had been a while since I've had time to really pursue the opportunity of seeing deer up close. I'm assuming next time I post on here you'll be seeing a lot more white in my pictures. Winter cannot be too far away at this point.

       Notice how the deer's ears are facing back towards me where the potential threat lies.

This picture gives an idea of what some of the landscape I walked through looked like.

Lake Land Exploration

            It has been far too long since I've had some time to myself in the woods so I decided today I would attempt to do that. I woke up this morning at 5:20, hurried some warm clothes on, got my coffee and went out the door. Today was the first time I can remember seeing frost on the ground and ice forming on standing water. Winter is almost here. After a 30 minute drive I made it to a preserve that had 5500 acres of public land and water access. There was a chain of lakes within the preserve which covered a large portion of the area.

           The first "parking lot" that I pulled into looked like a perfect area to go for a stroll in the woods until I saw a sign that said "archery deer management hunt in effect". I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to have someone spoil your hunt, so I decided to try to find another area to go to. I crossed the highway where there was a welcome center, a camping site, and a network of trails. I parked my car at an public access point where you can take your boat in and out of the water. It was still well before sunrise but I noticed that there were already vehicles here. Deer hunters obviously. I found a paved trail that I assumed the hunters would want to stay away from because of the foot and bike traffic on there.

I walked on.

            I slowly began to walk through the darkness, constantly on the look out for any sign of a bowhunter. I tried to look at every tree to see if I could pick up a man in a stand, and I told myself that I would leave if I saw anyone at all. Within the first few hundred yards I heard the sharp 'quack' of a duck pierce the still air. I instantly recognized the sound to be that of a mallard. I looked towards the whistling of wings and saw a flock of about a dozen birds rising from the swamp and circling into the air until they could clear the treetops.

I walked on.

            I continued my way to the East when I heard some rustling in the cattails. Quietly I walked towards the sound but could not make out the figure. By the amount of noise it was making and the marshy area it was in I assume it was a beaver or even more likely a muskrat.

I walked on.

           I began to notice more and more color coming from the Eastern horizon as time passed. Finally I could not help but notice a stand of coniferous trees that were silhouetted by a beautiful dark pink.

I walked on.

             At one point as my trail became adjacent to the lake that I parked by, I heard something that caught my attention. It didn't seem natural. Could it have been the sound of an arrow as it releases the string of a bow and the smack the arrow makes when it reaches its target? I could not be sure. I was hesitant to continue on, what if a hunter was just around the corner trying to finish off his kill? (I have found over the years that when I am unsure of my next move in the woods I just stand there. Its as if I believe that if I do not move the answer to my question will find me. Well in more cases than not, the woods provide the answer.) I stood there for a couple moments waiting for some sort of sign on what to do. Suddenly, a bird began to sing its warning song to the forest critters, I had been caught evidently. I listened to the bird and the sound it made as it moved through the trees. I realized he made the same sound as the one that made me stop in the first place.

Surely I was free to walk on.
         
               I took one step and stopped once more. Through the maze of tree trunks I made out the shape of a goose, and then a second, and a third near the lake shore. As I watched the geese I heard human voices. Right next to the geese were three hunters on the shore of the lake with their decoys out in front of them. I remained still, wishing that they would invite me to sit with them and watch them work the birds into their deadly setup. No such thing happened. I decided I did not want to spoil a duck hunter's morning either.

I turned around and I walked on.

             On my way back I could envision ducks answering the calls of the men, curling their wings and setting up to land with their fake brothers and sisters. Suddenly a shot rang out followed by a second of the same gun. I walked on. When I reached my car I realized that the other vehicles in the lot had boat trailers and that people were setup all around the lake trying to persuade a bird that their landing area was better than the others. I started the car to warm up my legs as all I was wearing were jeans. I looked out the window to see about a dozen mallards heading towards the lake. I instantly turned off the ignition opened the car door and listened.

               The birds were coming from directly behind the hunters, they had no clue they were coming. I could imagine the hunters in the grass continuing on their conversation and realizing a flock of ducks were 50 yards away. Just as I expected, a chorus of hurried, artificial quacks came from the hunters. The birds began to turn around! Would they fall into this deadly trap? No. They flew right past the hunters and dove out of the sky and into the swamp that I had initially spooked them from before the sun came up. Truly both mine and the duck's morning expedition had come full circle.