For William Miller, hunting, fishing and just about anything enjoyed in the outdoors has been a big part of his life for years. Michael will be sharing some of his outdoor stories with us from time to time and we are privaledged to have him as a part of The Blue Water Traveler.Com. 


                     Majesty of the Woods
     
     


     This is the season all avid outdoor men and women look forward to every year, the start of something that can only be explained as a “fever.” You plan for it you make preperations all summer and you spend endless hours and and a lot of money getting ready for this the start of Whitetail deer season.
     Everyone knows the date of October 1st the bow opener. Now the art of archery stretches back many centuries, in fact the oldest arrowheads were discovered by scientists in Africa and believed to be dated as far back as before 25,000 BC. 
    The archery equipment of past was essential to the existence of our species and not only was it a productive tool,but the hunters using this equipment were extremely accurate because their life depended it. The first archery season in the United States took place in 1934 and has steadily grown year after year. Well that’s enough history for now let’s talk about today’s archery.
     We have a variety of bows to choose from. Long bow, recurve bow, crossbow and compound bow all of which are effective ways to harvest a Deer. But the equipment used to take an animal is not what I would like to reflect on today. I would like to reflect on a part of archery season that is rarely even mentioned in articles written about hunting, bow hunting in particular. The subject I wish to reflect on is known to hunters as the (majesty of the woods) something you wouldn’t know if you’ve never experienced it. Something that is hard to explain and maybe this is why it’s rarely mentioned.
     More than just hunting: There’s something truly special and amazing about being in the woods on a quite, damp morning with the excitement of the chase in your heart. At the same time, the beauty of the woods is almost surreal.  The cascade of color in the trees, beauty in the swaying of the tall grass like a perfectly choreographed dance. If you are quiet enough you experience chickadee’s flying from tree to tree pecking and scratching to find tasty treats, field mice rambling through the leaves to steal the nuts stashed by the endless hard work performed by squirrels. There’s a timeless beauty in watching the leafs fall slowly from the trees each one landing softly on the ground as if perfectly placed in a sea of color. These are just a few of the events that take place on every visit to this wonderful place.
     This alone is enough to get the archer to return every chance we get. Then there’s the unusual events that take place that few people are lucky enough to experience. Like the owl that perched itself just a few feet away from me examing the landscape in a 360 degree radius looking for the slightest of movements. Then there was the coyote that silences the woods with its mere presence and the flocks of wild turkeys that passed by me one day as they ambled through like a flock of feathered Egyptians. The woods is a place where the archer goes to hunt the majestic Whitetail, but it’s also the place where you can lose yourself in the quite calm of a world that is truly one of the most serene and peaceful places on earth.
     If you’re really lucky you may have the opportunity to harvest a magnificent animal with a piece of equipment that has been used for many centuries. But if not at the very least, you have had the opportunity to experience the majesty of the woods. Good luck hunting this season and relish in the beauty that is the deep woods. 

To be continued.....