Bow Hunter Safety Class

The only way you can bow hunt is either having the bow hunting license from eons ago.  Or if it's your first license,  you have to attend a bow hunter safety course.  So that's what I did yesterday.

It was a cold, raw, and rainy day.  Even as we were all sitting in Hodgkin's garage, everyone kept their jackets on.  I've already done the hunter safety course for firearms, so I knew this course would be similar in concept.  We went through the book, which covers equipment, kill zones, and ethics of deer hunting.  As you can see we had inspiring props.  The instructors brought their own equipment which was probably crazy expensive.  One of them had all the bells and whistle's; a really snazzy sight with 3-4 pins which denote different distances.  Then there's the stabilizers, and things to keep the bow more silent when the arrow flies.  We learned about all the various kinds of arrows and points.  I had no idea there were special points for shooting fish!  I think shooting a fish would be quite a feat.  Then of course we discussed many kinds of stands, and how to properly attach them to trees.  

The new hunting digest for this year is big!  I mean not easy to carry in your fanny pack really. It's the size of a magazine, not like the pocket size of the past.  Still I think it's easier to read, and look for info.  The digest and other resources to identify local creatures, surviving in the outdoors, and first aid were all part of the packets we got.  We had an exercise outdoors in the rain.  We had to follow a prepared blood trail, to a deer decoy planted out in the woods.  Then we had to estimate the distances and coordinates of several decoys.  While we were out there we got to see several kinds of deer stands, and I'm thinking I like the climbing stand.  It's much less cumbersome, easy to use, and when you're done you climb back down, no one knows you were there.

We all took a test at the end, followed by receiving our cards, and a patch for completing the course.  

Today I was not especially inspired to do much.  I've been cleaning out my basement for the last couple weeks.  The dismal weather has made motivation a problem.  Nevertheless I made a promise to myself and Evvy that I would take her out for at least one good long walk every weekend.  So we headed up to the High Blue, in one of the forest society's conservation lands.  I ventured on to trails less travelled, covering a large area along the ridge.  Evvy was ecstatic, running full tilt through the trees, and stopping to wallow in vernal pools and mud.  She discovered a delicacy for dogs; Moose skat.   Later, she happened upon a porcupine, a very big one!  I saw the porky head up an hemlock tree, I was so relieved when Evvy was not able to catch it.  I know what happens to pups when they get a face full of quills.  Not fun, and agony for the pup.

When we got home, I gave Evvy the requisite cold shower to rid her of all the mud.