Published: September 04, 2009 12:01 am      

Signs for the hunter and the hunted

When the V's of wild geese and mallards stream overhead, their formations pointing to the south like the head of an arrow, we know that fall is nearing. It’s our welcome recurring sign. And we know the birds have raised their young and fattened themselves on the pothole prairies of the North only to be urged southward by a supernatural early warning system.

The colorful birds will drop into the waterways along their route to feed and rest. For the hunter, it is time to make ready for the harvest; a tiny quota from the flocks cherished for the beauty of each single bird and the delectable cuisine delivered to our table. We have seen the sign.

As springtime struggles to subdue the harsh days of late February, wild turkey gobblers spar with others in their bachelor groups, displaying disenchantment with their peers with whom they have spent the long winter months. Sparring gradually turns to outright fighting that finally leads to dispersal of the toms. Each bird establishes a territory for himself and defends it against weaker interlopers with powerful gobbles and sharp spurs. The hunter knows this is the time to hunt the fine bird. It has given us the signs.

           

Bream are bedding!

 

As spring matures, that faint, fishy aroma drifts in damp air above the pond to let us know the bluegills have established beds and gathered in large bunches to sweep out those perfect circles in the shallows. Egg laying time has come. We watch for the additional sign to signal their maximum bite; the next full moon.

When the monthly bluegill activity fades, we are signaled to cast bait and set trotlines for channel catfish. Their reproduction comes as the weather warms, changing spring to summer.

Squirrels, having struggled to find food in August, gnaw at the immature mast of September that will provide mature and tasty nourishment a month later. The bitter acorns will have to do until the crop matures and provides the bounty of autumn that will fatten them for the winter ahead. As acorn caps release their fruits to fall to the ground and hickory nut hulls darken and split, the hunter knows to stock up on number sixes and hollow points and break out the camouflage shirt. The signs are there.

Whitetail deer seem to vanish in summer. Does are raising their young in secluded thickets, hiding from predators. The deer feed without significant travel, greening sprouts being plentiful within mere feet of their lair. Bucks mostly eat and grow antlers.

           

Restless signs

 

As the plants toughen and dry in late summer, deer have to move farther each day to find food and water. Bucks become restless and their instincts precipitate fights with other bucks and eventually they establish exclusive territories and make welcome centers for does. These doe traps are scrapes that bucks make with their hooves where their scent is liberally applied. Rubs on small trees and sprouts are their visible signs made with antlers polished to impress the does.

The signs warn rivals, attract does and alert hunters that a buck is nearby. It is time to begin hunting him. The signs come early from the eager bucks, but they must wait until the does are ready for mating. The days drag by until the time gets right in late December. Big, smart bucks that were hard to find in November, crash out of the thickets in pursuit of willing does beginning around Christmas and lasting through January. Does that drifted around in loose family groups in the fall now each become buck magnets.

We, and especially the hunters and anglers among us, anticipate these many signs that guide our comings and goings. Everything in nature has its time. One day, often unexpectedly, a sign will appear and we will heed. It is the hunter’s time. It is the angler’s time. The signs tell us.