I felt melancholy when I set out today. Was it the Monday blues? A late-January funk? Then I remembered the gunfire I’d heard earlier. Still deer season, I missed the woods.
So I climbed into the fringe of the danger zone. I didn’t need to go far. Just a few yards in, I found reason to appreciate winter.
I cannot fake the joy of spring during the clouds of winter, but as long as I remain on the lookout, I’ll find cheer in the beauty of each day.
How about you?
The woods are not a danger zone during hunting season. Couldn’t be further from the truth. A ski resort is dangerous during ski season. I’ve never seen an ambulance waiting near a hunt zone “just in case”. Don an orange hat and walk without concern!
And dont drive a car! Or use stairs. Or take a bath. The real dangers are all around you.
Thanks for the comment, Bill. However much I agree with you, in this case, things are different. The “zone” through which I walk is posted recreation and is off limits to hunting. Meanwhile, it is a park that is not officially open to the public. No one uses it; no one patrols it. And it’s crawling with deer. It’s PERFECT for poaching. It’s a well known fact that much illegal hunting goes on right outside my back door. It’s rumored that I may even know a few of the people. Still, there’s one perpetrator who hunts from his car, highlighting the kind of people I’m dealing with. Not only do I wish to avoid being shot by such folks, I don’t even want to see them. Thus, I avoid the woods entirely until the season is over. Of course, they probably don’t respect the season, but their shots are far more obvious outside of it.
I do agree with you, though, and even if I didn’t, I’m glad you brought it up.