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| Lost Creek Trail, Chatfield MN |
The colorful leaf party that the trees get together and
throw for us is a welcome farewell to summer's green lushness.
The dying back of brush in trails makes hiking easier as
well. And as the leaves fall, geological formations, interesting rocks and
caves are easily seen.
The views at overlooks towards bluffs and rivers also are less obstructed and more expansive. I save my most challenging, steep hikes to tops of bluffs with great rocks and views especially for these cooler months in late Sept through November.
But fall is also the time when hunting seasons open up in
MN, WI and IA, the main areas I use.
There are some easy precautions to take when you are out on
the trails to stay safe:
Wear blaze orange or pink - hats, light vests
and jackets in this color help hunters spot you. Neon yellow and neon green
vests/shirts can also be helpful in small game and game bird seasons.
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| Iowisota Education and Retreat Center bluff hike Image - a hiking companion |
Pick destinations where hunting isn't allowed -
make sure the park, conservancy land, state forest, SNA or area you are hiking
in isn't posted as a hunting area.
Be aware of private lands bordering your hiking area -
while the park or area you are in may be posted "no hunting,"
bordering private lands might support hunters. Many public lands close trails
nearby to protect you.
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| Coulee State Experimental Forest |
If you do decide to hike in an area where there is small game hunting, then...
...Stay on trails - during hunting seasons, many hunters who are
off-trail in the woods are aware of where trails are. This isn't the time to go
bushwhacking.
Know your state's hunting seasons - be aware of
what seasons are open as well as where areas are that support different game
animals and birds that are hunted near you.
Don't hike during firearm deer seasons - the
pressure from "weekend warrior" hunters in those weeks is intense.
Some of these hunters use extremely high powered rifles whose bullets can
travel quite far. I take my safety seriously and let the deer hunters have the
woods for their very short firearm seasons.
Since my tri-state area has very few overlapping deer gun
season weeks, one strategy I use is to head to a neighboring state when my
state's deer gun season is on. It has worked well and lets me explore trails
outside my state. While this might not work for everyone, for those along their
state's borders, it's a great option.
With care, you can stay safe on your fall hikes by doing a
bit of preparation. Those fall woods are worth the effort!
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