Tuesday Muses
In less than 72 hours the bloodwind will call again, as ratchild13 and I will head into the mountains of the Arapahoe National Forest in search of black bears.
The young woman pictured to the left has nothing to do with that trip, with the Arapahoe National Forest, the Arapahoe Indians, or black bears. Her appearance here is purely gratuitous.
Bears are reknowned for their sense of smell. There is an old Indian proverb: "A tree fell in the forest. The eagle saw it. The deer heard it. The bear smelled it." So we are laundering hunting clothes in special, odor-neutralizing soap, packing special, odor-neutral deodorants, and packing along a variety of cover scents. Scent control and paying mind to wind direction is important in all big-game hunting, but for bears it's downright essential.
Bear season is open until the end of September, although time afield will depend on work - my current gig in Colorado Springs may or may not run through the end of the month. If it doesn't, I may spend a few days in the area later this month looking for a bear, if we aren't successful this week. Later in the year - third week of October, in fact - we'll take to the field again, in pursuit of deer and elk. Watch this space for photos of both outings.
And, with all that said, it's bedtime. Long commutes make for early mornings, and Wednesday is gym day. Stay tuned, True Believers! There is always more to come.