As I was driving around for work today I started to notice all of the changes taking place in the weather. The days are starting to get shorter, the weather is starting to get cooler and the leaves are starting to turn the brilliant colors of fall. Summers and winters are great, but the fall is just so peaceful, the colors on the trees are spectacular and it also  makes for the best weather for trail riding. Mountain Biking in the fall is fantastic, however, as much fun as mountain biking and trail riding is in the fall, it is also a time to be very cautious.  Although we love to be in the woods in the early fall, so does another less likely, unsuspecting killer.

Some of the nicest days of the year come in autumn and I, for one, think it’s by far my favorite season. The trails seem more open, the tourists are mostly gone, the weather is cooling off and the chances of getting caught out in the dark increases. Like I said in my previous post “You Light Up My Life”, getting caught in the dark isn’t much fun without lights, but if you have the proper equipment, it can be very fun. Be that as it may, the early to mid fall is also the perfect season for these above mentioned fierce killers to emerge out of the darkness and into the hallowed ground of the mountain biker.  A ground we have been treading on for months. This time of year we are on their turf. This time of year we are tracking on their domain.  This is the season they have been waiting for all year. Preparing, harvesting, honing their skills, stalking the land.  This is their season to kill. This is “DEER SEASON”.

Some of my best friends in the world are hunters. “Killers” as they would rather be called. Hunting season for them is like no other time of year. They live for it, and who can blame them? The gear, the excitement, the tradition,the friendships, the thrill of the hunt, and of course the rewards of the kill.  Don’t get me wrong, I use the term killer as a tribute to hunters, not as a slander. Like I said my best friends are all hunters and I get out with them every chance I get. I don’t necessarily hunt, I mainly go out for the bonding and of course the great food and the beer.  Hunters definitely enjoy this time of year as much as we do, so we have to, not only be respectful of what they are doing and vice versa, but we also have to be extremely cautious.

Hunters are all trained in hunter safety as a mandatory precaution before given the right to hunt, at least in my area, so they obviously understand the dangers and responsibilities associated with hunting.  We as mountain bikers, however, are not.  My hunter friends are extremely cautious about their hunting and mostly opt to hunt on private land, which decreases the chances of accidents and of trail users coming across their path.  Mountain bikers have to understand that if there are trees on the land, chances are some one is hunting there, especially during deer season.

Now, I am in no way telling you to stay off the trails, that would be blasphemy, all I am saying is that if we have to share the trails, there are some precautions we should take. Below is a list of safety tips you should consider if you are going to trail ride during deer season. These tips apply to bikers, runners, horse back riders and hikers, and anyone else tromping around in the woods.

First of all, as funny as you think this might be, don’t wear antlers or anything that will stick above your helmet that could be mistaken for antlers. I’m just saying. I like to start with the obvious.
Secondly, if at all possible try to avoid hunting areas. You may have to check with your local state parks and recreation, and forestry departments to make sure that you know which areas are for hunting and which are not. This, however, does not guarantee that some mo mo is still not hunting there. So please consider reading on.
Our third hunters safety tip is to wear bright colors. I’m sure you have all heard of hunter orange. Wear something that is extremely visible to anybody within sight. Whether it’s a jacket or an orange hat, wear something. All hunters wear this color for one reason. It means “Don’t shoot, I’m not a deer”. Get it? Got it? Good. Moving on.
Our next little survival tip is to make some sort of noise. I don’t want you to grunt like a buck, because that would be curtains for you, hunters love to hear buck grunts. I’m talking about making noises that only a human would make like a bell or a whistle every couple of minutes.  This may tick a hunter off, but for now, I’m just trying not to be mistaken for dinner.
Another good tip is that if you are going to ride on a trail, make sure you stick to the trail. Most hunters know that a deer will most likely not follow a trail. Deer like to make their own trails and hunters are fully aware of this. Also if you are on the trail, make your rides in the middle of the day. Most hunters will hunt day break and right before sunset. Middle of the day, most hunters are back at the cabin resting up for the night hunt and talking about the deer they saw during the morning hunt.

Again, I am not trying to discourage anyone from riding during the hunters season, I am just making sure that we can safely share the trails and no one gets hurt. Follow these safety tips and you will find that hunters will be more responsive to you when they see you and not give you a hard time for treading on their sacred ground. Be safe, good luck and happy hunting.  Kill one for me. I like my venison medium to medium well.

T.Stone