The day was expected to be damp and somewhat cloudy. Fortunately, the vagaries of weather passed through the area a little faster than predicted. So, when the sun rose over the hill behind me, the light was clear and the sky was mostly blue. But, of course, Opening Day begins well before dawn.
The state where I currently reside is divided into a northern and a southern zone for hunting. Each zone has separate, but sometimes overlapping, dates for hunting and the use of various hunting implements. The specific day that is marked on most hunter’s calendars in the first day of big game firearms season in each zone, known throughout the state as “Opening Day”.
Preparation starts months earlier with the purchase of a hunting license and ammunition, and perhaps some new clothing. The firearm needs to be checked for accuracy and a variety of clothing choices should be prepared for a wide possibility of weather. Unless a hunter hunts on the same ground year after year, maps need to be consulted and pre-season scouting trips need to occur. Much planning happens well before the season begins. My own preparation is somewhat simplified because I hunt the same locations year to year.
My personal Opening Day begins long before dawn so that I can walk to my stand slowly and quietly in almost total darkness. I believe that this allows me to pass without alarming the whole forest and to listen to the typical morning sounds proceed normally. Sitting quietly on watch gives me the opportunity to observe the forest coming alive with activity. Some things I can count on seeing or hearing, no matter the day or year. Flyovers by ravens, crowns, and geese are common. I am almost guaranteed to see chickadees, blue jays, and woodpeckers. On this particular day, my motionlessness brought close a curious red squirrel and a large fat grey squirrel in turn. The crowning glory of the day was the gift of observing a northern goshawk as she flew in, perched on a nearby branch, and then flew off in search of food. Unfortunately, no whitetail deer came into my view. But the day was still special.
Any day spent in the woods is a great day, no matter the activity. A quietness takes over the mind and body while the everyday stresses seem to disappear. A friend calls it “melting into the woods”. Clarity of thought, a slower rate of breathing, and a lowering of blood pressure are often benefits of sitting quietly in the woods. Many of us feel a physical need to spend time in nature, whether or not we are hunting. However, hunting can serve to sharpen our powers of observation and to give us a new perspective from which to move forward. Opening Day is a special day, but not the only day, to renew our connections with the natural world.