There is much to be said about the solitude of walking through the woods. The denseness of trees blocks the wind and fills the air with fresh smells of pine and moss. We have groomed trails that randomly flow though our thirty five acres of woods, our own little piece of heaven. As I wander through the woods it feels like nothing else exists, like you’re the only one on this earth. Then there’s this eerie feeling that you’re not alone, a feeling that your being watched, then there’s a whistling sound, another human being is up in a tree whistling, almost invisible, dressed completely in camouflage. Well welcome to hunting season, the bounds of privacy have been broken; my personal space has been invaded. Yes, a hunter has taken it upon himself to make his self welcome in the middle of my private oasis. Why he whistled is a puzzling question? I would never have spotted him up there armed with his bow and arrow. Maybe he thought I was aware of a trespasser and was out there scouting the woods for him? I don’t know, I guess I should have expected it though, this happens every year. You purchase land and pay taxes on it twice a year then have several people feel entitled to use it without permission.

 The fact is everyone in my family hunts and we invest a lot of time, money and energy preparing for the season. These intruders potentially ruin the hunting season for my family. Not to mention, that when we go out hunting we know where each other are sitting for safety reasons, the thought that I need to wear orange and carry a weapon just to walk through my own property is irritating. I guess we need to start are own border patrol to secure the success of the season.

In the past we have found tree stands erected on our land, bait piles that exceed legal quantity, and my favorite is what I like to call a condo constructed in a huge tree. Yes I said condo; it was a large wooden platform with two old lazy-boy chairs hoisted up upon them, all the comforts of home. Each year it’s an adventure seeking out what has been placed out there.

 Its only bow season and there has been a whistling hunter with a bow in a tree. To insure a more successful hunt, we have posted orange “no trespassing” signs and are vigilantly scouting the woods. With any luck there is a really big buck out there that the poachers haven’t bagged yet just waiting to cross my path.