Trails & Streams

By Dave Stebbins
Turley Publications Columnist

Now I don’t know entirely why, but they say February is, of all months of the year, the most boring for sportsmen and outdoorsy folks alike. I don’t know who “they” are, but I remember reading this information in nearly every February issue back in the days when I was a faithful subscriber to “Outdoor Life” and “Field and Stream” magazines.
One reason I stopped my subscription was this - why would I want to read about the elk hunting report in Wyoming when I live in central Massachusetts? What do I care about some hoity toity high-end English fisherman and his trip to Alaska? Who cares about Jim Zumbo and his fully sponsored paid for hunting trip to Africa? And they make it look like “everybody” can afford it.
I hate that. I would still read those magazines if they were more “regionalized.” Not necessarily a Massachusetts issue, but at least a New England issue.
Regardless of all that, they always mentioned the “February blues.” Maybe it’s because football is over, or that the holidays are long gone.
Perhaps it’s because there is not much hunting until spring and ice fishing is starting to quiet down (not for me). For some reason I am seeing less crowds on the ice now. That shouldn’t be, I ice-fish well into March (weather and safe conditions pending).
Some folks call it “cabin fever” month. There just isn’t a whole lot to do outdoors. Especially if there isn’t enough snow to even ski cross-country let alone snowshoe.
Is it the time of year when homeowners start doing indoor projects, I mean without football and the holidays to worry about? It makes sense. After all, who’s going to install new kitchen cabinets while preparing for Thanksgiving or Christmas? Maybe we just want it to be boring outside as an excuse to mope around the house and play video games, (not in my house).
Is it the sportsman’s month to relax and just burn time and daydream about that first spring trout-stream encounter, and in hopes for an early March thaw? Hey, I love that March thaw too, but one cannot waste 28 days just waking up, going to work, coming home, having dinner, and watching TV. Even though this is a Winter Olympics year, which I like to watch more than the summer events.
I admit, February is a weird month. It’s still sort of the “dead of winter” even though it’s the last month of winter (if you put three months to every season like me). February can still be nasty and cold, with the grasp of winter at it’s worst. I remember when I was a boy during the winter of 1978. I believe it was on Easter we had a two-foot blizzard.
Maybe someone should get out their .22 LR and take care of that “ground hog” once and for all. Why should we let that over-stuffed rodent tell us how long winter is going to last after Feb. 2?
So, to all the sportsman and outdoorsy folks, and to all who have no idea what to do this February and to those that have an itch to get some of that fresh, cool, crisp air into their lungs, here are some great “last month of winter” outdoor activates that will brighten your February.
If the snow does not reach the top of your boots, you can still go for a nice hike. Just as you would in the fall when the leaves are crisp in the morning and the mid-day sun warms up nice.
Not every day is ten degrees outside. As I said before, there are plenty of clear thirty-degree days. Who knows, maybe you’ll even build up a sweat. Get yourself an animal tracks card or guide and take out the little ones and identify local wildlife tracks.
This is simple “front country” walking. You don’t have to trek deep into the wilderness to see where the deer have been walking. You’ll most likely see signs of cotton tails, foxes, squirrels, coyote, and depending where you live or go, you may even encounter signs of moose or bobcat. I have never seen a kid not get exited over finding animal tracks in the snow, especially when they identify them. Ice-fishing. (period).
And of course there is cross-country skiing and snow shoeing when the snow is deep enough. You could even make a short trek to southern Vermont or New Hampshire and certainly find deep enough snow for this, not to mention some pretty nice views.
Downhill skiing. Blah! That’s for city-folk.
Outdoor target shooting is fun for the whole family all year long, even in February. If you’re interested, contact your local fish and game club or local police department on how to get started.
Don’t worry, the cost of ammo will go down Nov. 7, 2012. Until then, just keep using the .22.
Now that you have plenty to do until the March thaw, you don’t need to mope around the house looking for home repair projects.
Save those for the cold rainy days in April. If you do get out even once or twice this month, I promise you’ll have that feeling of accomplishment. Take some pictures while your at it. At the very least, shut off the electronics (including the cell phone) and try to find some “backyard wildlife” with the little ones. They’ll be surprised and exited at what’s lurking around back there at night.