Hunter orange, land use and snakes
What glorious weather! Blue sky, warm sunny days and cool nights. I don’t know how it could be better. Perfect fall pictures with larch, aspen and others showing their contrast with the pine and spruce. Perfect football weather, in fact perfect for all outdoor activity except game hunting.
The big game general season is only a week or so away and bow hunters in camouflage will be replaced with rifle carrying folks wearing bright orange. (And nonhunters in the woods should wear hunters orange too.) These folks, the hunters, will all be praying for tracking snow to quiet their movements and help them sneak up on their prey.
Recent mild winters have caused nice increases in deer numbers, especially whitetailed deer so there is a good chance for a season of high hunter success – providing we get snow. I was surprised to hear that the latest date for the first snow was December 24th one year. Much later than usual with early November being normal.
As I get deeper into my eighties I am more inclined to hunt with a camera instead of a rifle. I can still shoot well enough but find I need more and more physical help caring for a dead game animal. To me the important thing is to get out and see the beautiful country and while I have always knocked road hunters, I prefer grizzly bear pictures taken from the safety of a vehicle.
The Land Use Advisory Committee is asking for folks to write letters to the County Commissioners in support of the text amendment that they have been working on for the last year or more.
The document is designed to protect private property rights, allow all activities with consideration for neighbors and protect the quality of life for all residents.
The real value of the North Fork is our ability to enjoy our special area by having dispersed recreation for residents and visitors.
That is what the text amendment will help to accomplish. I hope the Commissioners realize the value of that – especially the Commissioner that could face a tight election in November.
Finally, I guess we need to think about the midterm elections. Until the last few years I have voted almost entirely Republican. Now with the Federal Government controlled by Democrats and the State Government by Republicans, I believe the danger is total control by either party. Thus I am voting mostly Democrat in state races and Republican in federal races.
I also despise the ads which depict opponents as snakes or crooks and fail to say what they will do.
What do you think?