Maybe I will soon get to try out my snowshoes… There are ice anglers on the lake and the Christmas tree is up… it’s getting to be that time of year. Soon we should be heading out in search of rabbits. Winter brings so many options. What are you looking forward to?

Between buying the Christmas tree, getting some hunting done and generally keeping things moving along it seems I’ve lost track of time.

Well, now the snow is coming again and winter is officially in the air. It always seems to sneak up on me. But this year I have a new ergonomic shovel and a whole new attitude about shoveling.

Also, I’m gathering up some stuff for a winter camping trip… even if it just one night and even if I have to go alone, I’m sleeping in the woods once this winter to hear the coyotes and look at the stars.

I’ll take pictures.

It looks like it is just about time to start rabbit hunting. The cold and the snow make the event something no one should miss. Get yourself an old shotgun, find a friend who has a goof-for-nothing old beagle and head out to a treeline or a patch of brushy evergreens. You’ll find out that dog is certainly good for rousting rabbits. It’s more fun than you think.

Unique shapes dancing
Feathers, crystals in the night.
Can we see what’s more?

I’ve heard the Eskimos have hundreds of words for snow. That’s appropriate because snow is more than it appears. We hate it when we have to shovel it and drive through it. We love it when we build snowmen and make angels. We ski on it and ride snowmobiles. It replenishes our ground water or floods our basements. It is cold to the touch, but often holds beauty that can warm our hearts.

As I looked at the snow this morning I said, “Winter is coming.” To which an old man nearby replied, “Can’t have spring without winter.”

So it is.

It’s official now… snow and cold is on the way. But there is some fun to be had in the face of it all… I’m going to convince my kids that winter camping is an option. Give me a sled full of gear, some snowshoes and a couple of good attitudes and we should make it… time to pull out the sleeping bag liners and hot chocolate mix.

More bedding and food for the animals. Pull that hood a bit tighter, winter is on the way. The sky is gray and cold, but Thanksgiving is coming and everyone should be thinking about the good things. We can’t have it all. (Where would be put it?) But we can have enough to remind us that life is good. Enjoy your holiday.

The deer hunt lasted about five hours… a new record for my kids… It was in the low 20s so I’m saying they did great considering. Best of all, Adam passed up a shot he thought might have been unsafe. That is the moment you are most proud of as the parent of a young hunter.

Nothing beats the anticipation of a hunting trip. It builds and builds until the day finally arrives, dawning clear and cold. And as you sit there waiting for deer to move, the forest comes to life… birds start singing, squirrels scurry about and the red glow of the sunrise covers everything. I remember one morning, near Willow Dam north of Aberdeen. Just as the sun was rising, three deer came trotting up the ridge, clouds of steam bursting from their noses, hooves digging at the hillside, muscles rippling as the animals moved almost effortlessly up the steep ridge.

As the last and largest deer crested the ridge, I “hooted” like an owl and the deer stopped in its tracks looking my direction. The golden rays of the sun glinted in the animals deep brown eyes as it searched, however briefly, for the source of the sound. The deer snorted and steam from it’s hot breath circled the animal’s head like some sort of wild, natural halo. So I killed it and enjoyed the venison for the better part of a year… but the memory lasts forever.

I have been sadly lacking in the Haiku Department lately…
So I should get to work.

Wind, leaves and new snow
Chase each other in the night.
Who will win, and why?

That’s all I got.

This morning I was walking to Adam’s deer stand when a nice 8-point buck came bounding out of a thicket. Adam initially said he would take any deer that came his way, but now he is saying he would like something with antlers. He might get his wish…. I really hope so. He shot a doe last year and a buck would really make him smile.