Realizing the Total Outdoor Experience

The images above captured by my camera are representative of the by-product of observations while deer hunting. We often get locked in to the single goal at hand, which may be deer hunting or any number of other pursuits.

These photos are opportunities that were observed while in pursuit of other game, but became the focus of attention due to their unique beauty. Just yesterday, Sept. 7, I sat in a tree stand, bowhunting a funnel between a pond and a river, and although I didn't take a deer, wood ducks entertained me as they frolicked on the pond.

A couple of Blue Jays sounded an alarm when they spotted me about 20 feet above the ground. If deer had been near, I'm sure it would have spooked them.

Northern Cardinals flitted through the underbrush and Titmice lit on the limbs near my stand. A Brown Thrasher's raspy calls sounded frequently, and once he lit on a bush beneath my stand.

Gray Squirrels were abundant, and one kept crossing a log over an outlet stream from the pond, diverting my attention from the trails the deer frequent.

We often overlook the natural beauty around us in our pursuit of a single goal. We cheat ourselves of a wonderful experience of nature's constantly changing panorama.

On your next trip afield, stay alert for these abundant opportunities and soak in the total outdoor experience. You'll be a richer person for it, and you will learn much about the symbiotic relationships of nature.