Summer is busy time in forest
It’s the season that most of us would rather do just about anything than kick around in the woods. Snakes provide more than enough of a deterrent to spending time outside, not to mention the threat of ticks or chiggers.
One might also stumble upon a yellow jacket’s nest or stirring up a wasp or hornet.
Then there are those infamous plants that are natural irritants to human skin. Though fortunate that poison ivy and poison oak cause me few problems, I’m mindful of the unlucky souls allergic to these plants, some to a point that they must avoid them.
I have drawn a terrible picture of what lurks in the forest during the summer months, giving folks enough reason to avoid our forests until the return of cooler weather.
In fairness, I must share some of the perks awaiting in the woods during some of the longest, hottest days of the year. Some things, I think, personally outweigh the negative aspects of kicking around amidst Mother Nature during the summer.
Much of our native wildlife is replenishing the earth, baby animals reaching a size that become adventurous and sometimes even explore. Time away from their dens is short, so it’s essential to be in the woods at the optimal time.
Despite the outdoors appearing desolate during the hottest part of the day, life often abounds when the sun hangs low in the sky.
The key to seeing these critters is locating an area with an abundance of food, water and prospective shelter. It takes a little practice, but one you think like a critter, it’s simply a matter of kicking back and enjoying your surroundings.
On several instances, I got lost in watching wildlife go about their summertime patterns. I recall watching three young raccoons follow their mom alongside the river’s edge. She would occasionally stop and browse the water’s edge for their next potential meal.
Her young would follow suit, though soon growing bored and resorting to horseplay. What seemed nothing more than entertainment in their young eyes represented an audition for adulthood.
Another time, a family of river otters frolicked in the tall grass and played “follow the leader.” I grew amazed at their agility in rushing down a slide and into the water in single file.
I recall unsuspectingly walking up on a young fawn taking shelter in a thick stand of honeysuckles. Hoping to go unnoticed, the juvenile remained motionless, not twitching an ear. Fighting the urge to reach down and pet the beautiful specimen, I quietly walked off, aware the mother had purposely hid the offspring in the thicket and would return to feed it soon.
My fondest memory has to be of a sow black bear patiently waiting while her two cubs decided to climb a tree. Though antsy that I would be detected, the rewards of watching them going about everyday rituals was well worth the chance of being smelled or seen.
Despite all of the inconveniences awaiting in the forest during the summer months, I still find myself gravitating toward the woods at times. I don’t go often, and every trip is not considered a success. But many have been the times when my choice to fight the elements have led to memories that I will cherish forever.