Winter is a waiting game
Winter is a waiting game
By Tyler Frantz
As I type these words, the windowsill thermometer reads 12-degrees, and a dreary, gray sky foretells the looming threat of snowfall still to come. Somewhere in the hustle and bustle of last week’s outdoor show, coupled with after school commitments and spending my workdays with 25 germ-laced fourth graders, I unknowingly allowed winter to wear down my immune system and get the best of me.
Grounded by the fireplace with a nagging cough and achy joints, I am forced to submit to my ailments, riding out the cold and biding my time until the sickness passes. As I ponder the situation, however, I can’t help but discern the obvious link between how I feel at present and the menacing weather that stifles outdoor adventure. In many ways, late winter is a waiting game, just like the common cold. It begins subtly at first, and then comes on strong as if to never fade. But it eventually relinquishes, giving way to better days full of rejuvenation.
The toughest part is waiting out the grind when the fury is at its peak. And if I know anything at all, it’s that we seem to be right in the middle of winter’s grind at this very moment. In times like these, many sportsmen are forced to tinker- keeping themselves busy in unconventional ways to ride out the last few woeful weeks of winter.
One way to help pass the time is to look back and reflect upon the hunting seasons that have just concluded. Think about the strategies or locations that worked and those that didn’t. How can a setup be improved? Review your field journal and make a special note of things that will need to be done before the seasons roll back around again.
If a buck was harvested, one can take great pleasure in building a do-it-yourself plaque for displaying the antlers. Last winter, in a stir-crazy moment such as this, I broke out my woodworking tools and built display pedestals for all my European-style skull mounts from scrap lumber. They turned out great.
Hunting gear can be cleaned, inventoried and reorganized, and pictures of successes afield can be printed to add to photo albums that preserve our outdoor memories.
Friends and family can also gather together to enjoy the fruits of the season’s harvest, chipping in to make sausage, scrapple, jerky and other great game products. Some churches and sportsmen’s clubs even host potluck-style wild game dinners to share a celebratory feast of the bounty.
Take, for instance, “A Sportsperson’s Family Evening” to be held at the Quittapahilla Rod and Gun Club on Saturday March 14th, where lovers of the great outdoors are invited to bring a favorite outdoor-themed covered dish and photos from hunting and fishing season to enjoy the company of others.
Trout Unlimited’s Paula Piatt will also be sharing a special presentation, adding even more flair to the event. It’s events such as these that honor the game animals providing us such great pleasure and nourishment.
But one need not solely rely on memories of the past to get through the bleak days of winter’s doldrums. It is sometimes even more helpful to look ahead to spring’s fresh beginnings when a much-needed “pick-me-up” is necessary.
New life is an annual rite of springtime, and we can enhance this gift by supplying and maintaining man-made nesting areas for wildlife. Wood duck boxes are easy to build and hang near water when pond ice offers sturdy access to overhanging trees. Just about the same time as ice melts away, nesting pairs are looking for comfortable locations to hatch their broods.
Likewise, hinge-cutting undesirable tree species in the woodlot provides fawning cover for deer and other ground nesters. By cutting small diameter trees halfway through and bending them over while still partially connected to the trunk, one can easily provide lush browse that will still green up while simultaneously serving as a mini sanctuary for bedded animals.
Late winter is also the perfect time to map out vegetable garden plots and purchase seeds that must be started in advance. Fresh, homegrown produce is one of the absolute best accompaniments to wild game and fish entrees, and by planning ahead, self-providers are certain to have a more productive growing season.
Speaking of fish- trout season is just around the corner. Spring stocking schedules are already posted on the PA Fish and Boat Commission’s website, It’s never too early to begin reorganizing lures or tying flies for those sunny days of wading the waters yet to come.
New turkey calls can be tested and mastered, while game plans are dreamt up and pieced together for springtime jaunts of pursuing strutting gobblers on green-speckled ridgelines. Now there’s a sight to ponder.
The more I think about it, the better I feel. Though I can admit this cold is kicking my butt, I find comfort in knowing the dreary days will pass in time. As with winter, I’m certain the situation will improve soon enough.
For more great writing and video work by outdoors freelancer, Tyler Frantz, visit www.naturalpursuitoutdoors.com. Also, please LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!
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