I was going to guess that it would re-open soon (it did as of mid January), but then I noticed that the Ranger Station was also missing or had been removed. That cast some doubt in my mind as to what plans the Core of Engineers have as we get closer to spring, and a time when fishermen traditionally flock here with their boats.

I’m not too worried as there’s still plenty of time to clean the place up and get it ready for the spring camping and fishing.

One question in my mind concerns some of the tress, mostly the sycamores, which appear to have died as evidenced the photo of one that toppled over. I would guess that any dead ones, especially close to campsites, will be cut down before the park reopens.

Today, I elected to pick a narrow hunting trail just off a main access highway that meanders from Forsyth to Proteim. It’s really not much of a trail. There’s a small spot to park just off the highway and then the path wanders in a more or less straight manner on about two miles into the wilderness area. At this time of year, the ground including the path is covered with leaves and since it hasn’t rained for over a week, they are dry and brittle. If you a hunter, this makes sneaking up on game like deer a challenge. Today, I’m not after deer even though the season is in full swing. No, I’m into walking this trip but I’ll be mindful to wear hunters orange just to be safe. I do have a firearm with me. It’s a Ruger .22 mag six shooter that is great for plinking or even maybe a squirrel or two.  My real objective is really not to kill anything; it’s too much like work. No, I just want to get out today and commune a little with nature. Maybe even spot a turkey or two.

After parking my Jeep and making sure it was locked (a hangover from my days living in Chicago), I grabbed my backpack and got it slung onto my back. Today, I have it loaded with some snacks and camera equipment. The snacks consist of a peanut butter sandwich and a salad while the camera is a Canon Rebel. Once I get a ways into the woods, I hope to find myself a good spot to rest and see if I can spot any game. I would really love to locate a flock of turkeys. They live in these parts in pretty good numbers. I’ve spotted them in the past but never had the chance to bag one. (The closest hunting season ends in October, I think. What with Thanksgiving happening in November, I would think they could move this season a little closer, but that’s just me).

One item that has not worked well for deer hunters but which is perfectly okey dokey with me has been the weather. Just too darn warm. Temperatures as warm as they are today make for a cool, but not cold outing.  I like this but deer hunters realize that any deer that get shot need to be dressed promptly. Yeah, this time of year can be problematic for many. The mornings can be in the low forties and then it will be 65F by midday. In order to deal with this, I always dress in layers that can be added or subtracted depending on how I feel at that moment. On this hike I have a t-shirt and an over shirt on. My boots are insulated and a hunters orange hat that keeps my head warm. The winds are pretty brisk out of the southwest, but here in the woods you don’t feel them very much. When I checked the radio, it was only 58F at 12:30 PM but that was plenty warm enough for me after hoofing it for a mile or so up the trail.

On this outing, I did not see any game, but that was not really surprising. The best times are either very early or very late in the day when many critters are on the move. At this time of day, most all animals are going to stick to wherever they’re at. I hope to get out earlier in the next day or so, but I will have to be careful if I do. The hunters are also active during those hours also. The weather service is calling for much colder weather starting tomorrow after a cold front makes it in to the area. By Thursday night the overnight temps are supposed to get down into the twenties and that is much better weather for the deer hunters to be out in.

Article by the Forsythkid

Earlier in August 2008, I wrote a blog on ‘Hiking Essentials’ or what equipment I think is important for day hikers to carry with them. The list concerned itself with core items that might come into play, especially if things don’t go as planned (rain, accident, prolonged stay, etc.). I also noted that there are a whole slew of items that can also be carried to make the trip more enjoyable such as binoculars or a portable radio. However, remember that everything you add comes with a price in the form of added weight to carry around. Some items, like a First Aid kit might weigh very little, say only 50 grams or so, while other items like the water bottle may weigh over a pound.

On flat, even ground the weight issue may be somewhat problematic as it is pretty easy to cart quite load of extra junk around. Going up hill, however, will prove to be more difficult, especially if you are a little out of shape like me. On a recent hiking trip to the base of a large hill, this issue came home to roost as I contemplated the trip back up. I had to navigate over a mile on a trail that angled over thirty degrees in some places. The extra weight translates into an increased cardiovascular load that had me pausing every fifty yards or so all the way back up!

This ordeal got me to thinking about just how much extra weight was I carrying? In order to find out, I took everything I had with me on recent hikes and weighed them on a scale. Then I took an average. The result was:

Clothing                      7.5 lbs          Included pants, shirt vest, belt, hat, etc.

Gear on belt               3.0 lbs          Included firearm, cell phone and extra cartridges

Backpack                 12.2 lbs          Included my ten essentials

Lunch                         3.0 lbs          Included a sandwich, salad and coolant cube

Total                        25.7 lbs

Now, twenty five pounds is a significant amount of weight, at least to me. (Try lifting a dumbbell that weighs this much for effect). I feel it pays, therefore, to pay attention to everything you decide to bring with you, especially if you will be trekking over hilly ground. I have begun to look for items that weigh a lot for items that don’t. One example is to take an object like an umbrella (for rainy days) and substitute a couple of large garbage bags. Another would be to sub track shoes for hiking boots and thereby saving a pound or so. My goal now is to shave five pounds of weight for my hikes that involve hills while not compromising safety issues. I’ll write about this effort in a later blog.

I have submitted a video of this event on Youtube at DanoManno.

Please pass this on to anyone who might have an interest. Thanks!