Living
Al Brown | Tracking the Seasons
Sit back and relax - for now
Sitting in a deer stand trying to remain church-mouse still while the sun slips toward the western horizon is not easy. Especially when there is nothing happening and the temperature is slowly dipping toward the freezing mark.
Life seemed at a standstill. Nothing was stirring. Not even a chickadee.
It's times like that when the mind starts to wander. The alert senses go into sleep mode, and the body gets careless as the eyelids droop and the head nods.
Then it happens - without warning. There was no sound or movement to jar my senses, only the realization that I was looking at a deer.
As sometimes happens, it just quietly materialized in the brush about 30 yards to my front, oblivious to my presence.
Moments later, a second deer strolled into view: a mirror image of the first one with a white ring around its nose and two little buttons between its ears. I was watching a pair of buck fawns.
After a few minutes of munching on honeysuckle leaves, they moved closer and began to browse on some stinging nettle, a few young white oak leaves and some bright green grasses.
Never during the next 15 minutes were they more than 20 yards from where I was perched in my stand.
With a pair of Earn-a-Buck tags already in my pocket from last year and no signs of an adult doe around to sound the alarm about my presence, I sat back and enjoyed the show.
Since this was an antlerless deer hunt in the CWD Earn-a-Buck zone, and antlerless means no antler longer than 3 inches, both deer were legal.
Having spent a quarter of an hour enjoying their company, I had to give them a pass … at least for the present. A month from now when the regular gun deer season opens, things might be different.
So far this fall, many hunters that I've spoken with are of the opinion deer numbers are down, at least in unit 76A, where we do most of our hunting.
The consensus is we've taken too many does because of EAB, and now we are beginning to pay the price.
Many hunters are not happy with the current deer season structure, and in particular the EAB rule in the CWD and Herd Control units.
Public hearings on the DNR's proposed 2010 alternative to the EAB season framework will be held this month at 11 locations across the state. Each hearing will begin at 6:30 p.m.
The hearing for Southeastern Wisconsin will be held Oct. 28 in Pewaukee at Waukesha County Technical College, Room CO51/CO57, 800 Main St.
- A taste of hunting
- Observing the characteristics of a snowless winter
- Absent snowfall meant thin harvest in 2011
- Wolves getting expanded role in wildlife picture
- New rules allow opportunity to appreciate wild game
- How new concealed carry law affects hunters
- Now's the time to hone weapon of choice
- Overlapping seasons create color conundrum
- Hunting calendar is upon us
- Weary anglers getting their chance
- Passing down knowledge of the hunt
- Appreciating the gifts of Mother Nature
- Ticks replace mosquitoes as concern
- Tag, you're it: hunting seasons approaching
- Fundraiser gives bird hunters a taste of what's ahead
- Rock River's banks a hotbed for local fishermen
- Fishing a great Father's Day opportunity
- With the stroke of a pen
- Grape jelly fills the belly
- Getting out on the water pays off
E-mail Newsletter
Top stories from the Lake Country area. Tuesday afternoons and Thursday mornings.
Enter your e-mail address above and click "Sign Up Now!" to begin receiving your e-mail newsletter
Get the Newsletter!
1.jpg)
Lake Country residents share their views on news, happenings and current events.
LivingLakeCountry.com features more than a dozen community bloggers - a group of volunteer conversation leaders who are up on the latest topics and never short on an opinion. Just a few are pictured here. Check out the rest and see what they have to say!
View All Blogs
Discussion Guidelines
Do you want to become a Community Blogger? LivingLakeCountry.com welcomes your thoughts and opinions. Contact us for more information:
I want to blog
Posted Wednesday, Feb. 10 |
|
News or Feature Story of the Week by Jim Stevens: Where do Lake Country's richest live?
Sports Story of the Week by JR Radcliffe: Indians hit the stretch running |
MORE: See full gallery
SUBMIT: Post Your Photos now
Do you have news or an event that you would like to share with the community? Whether it's a community organization, a business, a local school, or a notable neighbor, we'd love to hear about it!!
- Relay For Life of Lake Country Kickoff-Monday, February 13th
- Oconomowoc Newcomers & Neighbors Monthly Mingle Tues Feb. 14
- UW-Waukesha Continuing Education Classes Offered the week of February 12-18, 2012
- The Rock River Patriots Welcome G. Edward Griffin To Wisconsin
- Master Composter Training Workshop Offiered
- Sussex-Menomonee Falls-Pewaukee Relay For Life Kickoff Event Sunday, February 19th 3:00 PM
- Open House at St. John's Lutheran Mukwonago
- Anti-Bullying assembly
- Summerstage "Break-A-Leg Gala"
- Pancakes at the House
MORE: See the rest of Your Stories
SUBMIT: Post Your Story now
