I went on a series of short Pennsylvania Walkabouts in the past 2 weeks. Not really as part of the traditional rite of passage young, male Australian Aboriginals do, but more so in search of trying to put some venison in the freezer this season. My walks may not have been life-changing spiritual journeys, however, they were still my walks, and still very enjoyable treks”wandering about the bush!” Any time spent outdoors drifting through the forests and fields of my home state, is time well spent. It doesn’t matter if I’m hunting, birding, hiking or just simply taking my camera out for a walk, an excursion through the woods, even for just a few hours, can lift one’s spirit!

Don’t get me wrong, my goal during deer hunting season is to hunt deer, and hopefully harvest one for some delicious meat, but it’s not just a matter of finding something to shoot and kill. It has to be a bit more, since, like this season, two of my days afield, I never even set eyes on a single deer. For me, there is a difference between deer hunting, and simply deer shooting.  A part of Webster’s definition of hunting is “searching for something.” I may not always find deer, but I usually find something interesting or noteworthy on my hunts.

I only hunt deer during PA’s regular firearms season-traditionally starting with buck, the 1st Monday after Thanksgiving. I’ve wanted to get into archery hunting for many years, since the weather is usually pretty nice, and it would be fun to hunt in the fall colors of late September and October. But, I’ve accepted the fact that I just do not have the patience to sit in a tree stand, hour after hour, waiting for a deer to walk by. I admire those hunters that can dedicate themselves to do that, but I’m not one of them. Most of my time is spent walking, and I realize I probably scare more deer away by walking, but I’ll keep “searching” this way.

I don’t just march around looking for deer, I walk, trying to observe the landscape around me and looking for deer and other critters that might catch my eye. I may stop once in a while to check out at a funky-looking fungus, pile of feathers or just to remove a few of the 9,000 burdocks that have attached themselves all over my clothing.  My gait is short and slow, just a bit quicker than a sloth. I like to believe my walk is “carefully methodical,” but I’ve been reminded that it’s probably due to my body type! I compare it to being sent to the principal’s office in 7th grade, when, what should have been a 5-minute walk, turned into a 20-minute wonder tour of Millville High School’s hallways, inspecting the many lockers, making sure none of the fire alarms had been pulled and peering through the doors of several classrooms. The point being that the leisurely journey was more important than the required destination! Along the way, you’ll always find something that will make your walkabout memorable.  One of this season’s “moments” included a sly Red Fox.

As I rested on a mossy log, watching a Grey squirrel gnaw on a hickory nut, I noticed the fox trotting on one of the many deer trails, heading straight in my direction. As I sat perfectly still, I watched it carefully pause in a small clearing between some briars, pointing its nose up in the air, seeking any unfamiliar scents that may signal danger, then cautiously proceed forward. As it turned its head the other way, I slowly reached for my camera preparing for what could have been a fantastic photo opp. But, without notice, I suddenly let out a blood-curling sneeze that not only sent the Red Fox running into the next county, but silenced the entire forest, as if a T Rex was approaching from where I was sitting! Even the chickadees froze motionless on the branches above me! All signs of wildlife disappeared for the next 30 minutes. Although the entire encounter only lasted less than five minutes, it was still pretty cool! My wildlife observation list this deer season included my Red Fox meeting, dozens of Grey Squirrels, a sleek-looking Mink, two bunnies, a confused Woodchuck (possibly due to the very warm temperatures), 24 species of birds, including 4 Pileated Woodpeckers that were playing tag in a large oak tree above my head, and a Ruffed Grouse that I nearly stepped on and scared the bejeebers out of me, and finally, one angry Eastern Mole that would not accept the fact that it couldn’t burrow through my large rubber boot!

……………oh, and no, unfortunately I was not able to put any venison in the freezer, but I enjoyed spending a little quality time with brother James and nephew Richard, and most importantly, completed another successful walkabout!