Sneaking In The Dark

There is a lot to be said about sneaking around just before sunrise.

I have been spending time harassing our local wildlife herds with the intent to keep them from damaging our soggy hay fields. It is a losing proposition in many cases, the three herds of visiting elk are increasing in population even though we have had several harvested out of the masses. It seems that they have been spending their COVID time enjoying nature by multiplication if you get my drift. Out of the three herds, the largest group over 60 strong, has been torturing our small trees on the hillside, the slopes coming down off the hill, the fences and the fields.

My goal is to deter the critters by being a nuisance to their high intensity grazing. Finding them is not always as easy as it sounds. I like to sneak across the river just before daybreak and check the big field by the barns, the small six acre field that is protected by the river on all sides by a natural u-shape curve of the flow of the river around it, and the far far field across the way.

Trying to remember my field binoculars is a challenge and more times than not I have to stand and squint around the pastures for movements. Many times the fog is rolling around in the fields and I have only limited views that disappear in ethereal shrouds one moment and be highlighted with bright sunlight the next. I have spotted the silhouettes of Bald Eagles sitting sentry in the tall trees along the river. I monitor the temperature closely so I am not surprised by slippery ice on the bridge. I have heard splashes from beaver as I cross overhead. And once and a while I get to see a glorious pre-sunrise that lights up the sky with brilliance. I have to admit that there are times that I get sidetracked from my goal of pestering the elk and decide that a simple walk is more appropriate, and have been known to spend a lot of my efforts just enjoying the night as it changes to day. But if anyone asks, I am doggedly monitoring the situation.

As we march toward the darker months of the year, I wanted to share this snippet of nature with you. It is not all work on the farm, and not all the work is physical. This is my impetus to take the time to immerse my body in those moments that I have a tendency to take for granted. To see beyond the same trails, the stoic structures, the daily grind, has become my goals rather than just chasing off wildlife, and these missions are my get-aways from the mundane.