Alone but never bored while hunting and fishing

As a surf fisherman and a deer hunter, I have spent a good amount of time by myself staring at barren ground and empty seas. I guess non-hunters and non-fishermen would consider this a waste of time, but I don’t look at it that way. For me, it is a time to enjoy all the things the outdoors have to offer, and by doing so I am never bored. Sleepy, yes; bored, never.

Back in the 1950s when I began my deer-hunting career, I thought I was Daniel Boone or some other great tracker and would spend my time on the ground looking for deer sign and following their trails. I now believe the deer I was tracking through the Sussex County woods were watching me and laughing.

When I finally swallowed my pride and went up in a deer stand, I began to actually see deer and even shot a few. The view from the stand was also a welcome change from looking down at the ground for various deer sign. I now used my knowledge of where deer were moving to select the location of my stand. I also began to notice there were other things in the woods beside me and the deer.

Squirrels are by far the most numerous animal in the woods. As soon as the sun begins to rise, they come out in force looking for food and then chasing each other away from anything they find.

As any hunter will tell you, the sound of a squirrel coming from behind your position will cause the hair on the back of your neck to stand on end. In your heart of hearts you know it’s just a squirrel, but it does sound exactly like a deer. Then on those rare occasions when the sound is made by a deer, the adrenalin flows like a river, and you are afraid to move for fear the animal will see you before you can make a shot.

There is normally quite a bit of time between shots, so your attention drifts to other sights and sounds of the woods. I am constantly amazed by the number of birds in Sussex County. Not being a birder I don’t know all of their names, but I sure do enjoy watching them flit and fly around. On occasion they will land on my stand or on a branch nearby and study me very closely trying to discern if I am safe or pose a danger.

I have also had raccoons, mice, possums and, of course, the always wandering hunter pass under my stand. I used to hunt with a good friend who could not stay put for more than five minutes. He drove several deer to me, and I could hear him thrashing around long before I saw or heard the deer.

Surf fishing is another lonely pastime. It is even more so at this time of year as I wait for the ever-elusive rockfish to find my chunk of bunker.

I normally don’t fish alone, but when the weather turns cold and the fish become few and far between, most of my warm-weather companions find something to do that does not require wearing six layers of clothes, a pair of waders and a Grunden pullover jacket.

I find very few other anglers on the beach unless the latest reports indicate a recent blitz. One thing about a blitz; if one happens on Tuesday, you can bet the ranch it won’t reoccur at the same location on Wednesday.

On my most recent trip to Herring Point last Sunday, the air and water were both cold; clouds blocked the sun and as evening drew near it got even colder. All I could do was hunker down in my beach chair, change the bait every 15 minutes and hope for just one wayward rockfish. It didn’t happen.

At least in warm weather I am entertained by the passing parade that sometimes includes lovely young ladies in very small bathing suits who take pity on an old man and walk by on their way to nowhere. Now I don’t even have dolphins to watch.

What I do watch are the waves. How they break, how many in a set, the way they run up the beach, then fall back to the sea. I also enjoy watching the ships that come and go in and out of Delaware Bay.

OK, so maybe I am easily entertained, but I don’t ever remember spending time in a deer stand or on a beach worrying about personal problems. I don’t think about the condition of the world at large or the things going on here in Sussex County. I am relaxed, calm and centered only on the task at hand, and that’s all right with me.