Some regrets about the end of summer, but looking forward to the fall deals

Deer hunters have been keeping an eye on their trail cameras, looking for deer activity and trying to figure out the pattern of their big bucks in preparation for the Sept. 24 opening of Ohio's archery season.

You would think that with almost 68 years of experience, I would no longer be surprised, or perhaps disappointed, is a better word, that the summer somehow passed and now I wonder where it went.

Not literally, but you know what I mean. All those plans you had for fishing trips, family reunions, hikes, camping, summer ball games, camping trips, bird watching, and just some good old-fashioned relaxing nights on the porch with a bowl of strawberry-topped ice cream , Where was it? they go?

Some of that happened, but not to the extent that I had imagined. And she never does. Plans change, bad weather strikes, and unexpected things come up. Lawnmowers break, AC units go off, paint peels, weeds grow (well, that’s not unexpected), and illnesses occur. You just didn’t do all the fun things you expected. But, there is hope. There is always next year.

And now, with the calendar moving into September, it’s fall, my favorite time of year. As a nature lover, the possibilities are endless.

Fall is the best time for bass fishing in Lake Erie, which is not yet back in full swing but appears to be picking up this year.

Autumn is coming, and good fishing, hunting await

And while fall lends itself to some of the best fishing of the year, it’s the time every hunter has been waiting for. Whether that means taking the grandson squirrel hunting in the woods, sitting in a duck shelter waiting for the fog to clear, or hunting deer early in the season, it’s time for camouflage and the smell of freshly fired shotgun shells. . It is to enjoy cool mornings and cool evenings enjoying nature, even if a deer does not pass by your post.

Early goose season opened on September 3 in parts of Ohio, along with teal season.

Fall is deer scouting and trail camera viewing. He’s hanging deer stalls and cutting down shooting lanes. It is practice with your bow and practice with your weapon. It’s deciding when to take a doe, or if you’ll let the 8 pointer walk. Do you wait for the monster or do you put meat on the table?

Autumn is your back against a row of corn, overlooking a field of pigeons, where you hope your shotgun practice will pay off in the harvest of some fast-flying birds.