Submitted by Vikki Rawe, KNOW Area Coordinator
I was out scouting in the woods awhile back with a friend, looking for squirrel, turkey and/or deer sign. We sat on a log for a rest after climbing the long hill. We sat for a short time in the quiet of the woods. It didn't take long before we heard the outdoors come alive. It quieted because of our presence. But after sitting still we were forgotten and unnoticed.
The birds were first as always, then the squirrels. I enjoy watching squirrels, sometimes searching for food, other times playing with their buddies running round and round and up and down the trees. Still other times they can be found stretched out on a high limb sunning themselves.
We heard another noise but couldn't quite tell where it was coming from. We listened, turned to listen in the other direction and we finally saw them. A family of coons were slowly making their way up an old tree. A fallen tree was leaning up against the old tree at an angle. They used it to get up high into the branches. They took their time as they moseyed up higher. At first we only saw one. The mama I guess. Then following were three smaller. They would stop and look around, dig at the tree a bit and continue. Higher into the branches until most of them were out of sight. They each picked a branch and found a spot to hang out for the day.
I'm around raccoons pretty much as I check my trapline, but to see them in this setting was almost as awesome as when I'm out trapping.
It's not just the hunting or the trapping that gets me excited. I don't always have to harvest game to take something home with me. The memories are just as important.
