Water And Woods Online Magazine November Issue

I’d be remiss if I did not speak to the feelings of fall in a sportsman or woman’s heart. The distinct smell of the fall air, the crisp coolness and the glow of the morning sky speak volumes to our soul. Fall mornings have a more distinct golden glow than any other time of year, maybe that is why we are so attracted to them. The warmth of the sun feels different on bare cheeks and hands. Put it all together and that internal force that drives us magnanimously into the heart of the special places we have grown to love as hunters erupts and breaths new energy into our bodies.

The feeling of being alive amid so many things that are dying as they become again dormant for the long winter months gives us a sense of immortality and awakens the hunter/gatherer of so many generations ago in lineage. The exercise of a morning hunt can be much less physical than that of our normal routine, but the voracious hunger we develop from our time afield exceeds that of any office lunch time.

Truly fall stirs us and invigorates us. The forecast for a hard winter is being spelled out in farmer’s almanacs, trick knee’s and the blackened wooly worm. All things being equal, wildlife too is acknowledging their sources of prediction and reacting as well to insulate their life the way we may add extra insulation to our homes. This is going to generate much greater activity and a heightened sense of urgency among wild animals to move and feed. This will bring extra success to the patient and methodical hunter who pays attention to things like a drop in barometric pressure and a forecast of impending bad weather. Being out there in all I have described above when Mother Nature is about to come unglued on you will indeed pay dividends especially if all of the indicators are correct. This really is a magical and prosperous time to be alive in the wild, pay attention and reap the rewards.

Welcome to the November issue of the online magazine. Just editing the material for this issue made me take more than one walk outside to re-center myself. We have it all this go round, with camping tips for kids, camping trailer maintenance suggestions, how not to get directions from a redneck, a cool bow review, a rant about the deterioration of the Bill of Rights, a great muskie hole suggestion for the trying and a look at a scope for the folks who’s eyes may not be all they used to be. Interesting reading, oh yea. Thank you to all of the Authors and contributors to this issue, as always it has been a treat to bring it this far and I hope the treat continues as it is delivered on to you feeding your appetite for all things outdoors.