The Change of Seasons

For some time, Labor Day has marked the change of seasons as it relates to hunting and fishing. My first trip has usually been to Owen County to catch big bluegill and hunt gray squirrels. However, things are shaking out a little different this year.

I had yesterday and today free, but needed to finish staining my deck and then mow my expansive yard. Add to that my lovely sister Lois is quite ill and my part-time job at Cabela’s has inched ever closer to full-time.

I did receive some good news this week. While the DNR computer generally hates me, turned down for seven hunts, I did get drawn to participate in Whitewater State Park’s deer reduction hunt.

I hunted this pristine property last year by myself with the challenge almost being too much to handle alone. These hunts allow you to take three deer in two days. One can hunt near the road but that action ends pretty fast. The best hunting requires quite a hike and if successful, much effort to get your animals out.

I signed and was drawn with two buddies this year, Larry Lawson and Steve Jett. Still, if we each harvest a couple of deer, getting them out will take a lot of time and effort.

Last year, a hunter handed me his phone and asked me to take a photo of him and his huge buck. I also snapped a shot with my phone.

We have a bulletin board in the fishing department at Cabela’s. The picture that I took with this fellow’s phone is pinned on the board. What a coincidence.

Maybe next week I will begin to get my act together.

I’ve tried and liked fishing from kayaks on White River, but don’t like them as much on lakes. For years, I have enjoyed fishing from a two-man pontoon-type bass boat. I run the trolling motor backward and steer a lot with my knees. This gives me perfect boat control and without having to use a paddle-a lot more cast.

For this reason, I am purchasing an Uncle Buck’s Pond Prowler II. It will be a great craft for ponds, pits and small reservoirs, like Westwood.

MUSHROOM HUNTING

If you like to hunt mushrooms the coming six weeks are prime for fall varieties. Those you can expect to find include oyster, golden oyster, black stain, Hieracium, lobster, lions main, chicken-of-the-woods, hen-of-the-woods, puffballs, chanterelle, black staining polypore, pheasant back, Trea ear and shrimp-of-the-woods.

These species can be identified online and are edible at certain stages. For instance, a puffball must still be white inside.

The renowned mushroom hunter of all time Chris Matherly of morelmushroomhunting.com. is offering 40 percent off his Fall Brown County Foray, October 18-20, Nashville, Indiana. Get the discount no later than September 8. Regular price is $250. Included are lunches and fixing a lot of delicious dishes with the mushrooms found along with fried chicken.