Who’s in “Season” Now?

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I just came in from a long walk with our dog. For the most part, it was completely quiet out there. Not a breath of wind today, only the sound of our footsteps and the dog’s hot breath as she dragged me from scent to scent. Just as I started to consciously appreciate how peaceful it all was, the silence was extinguished by some damn neighbor shooting his gun.

What the hell was he shooting at? Who’s in “season” now? Deer and elk “season” are over. There’s an ongoing open season on ducks and geese, but this was no “pop, pop” of a shotgun; it was the echoing report of a high-powered rifle.

Coyotes can be shot on sight year-round, but thanks to assholes like this guy, there’s not much chance of seeing them out this time of day.

No, whoever it was, they were probably just firing off their gun for the fun of it. All’s I know is, it was fuckin’ irritating—and I’m sure the local wildlife found it even more annoying than I did.

Text and Wildlife Photography ©Jim Robertson, 2012. All Rights Reserved

Text and Wildlife Photography ©Jim Robertson, 2012. All Rights Reserved

33 thoughts on “Who’s in “Season” Now?”

  2. I’m so tired of how common and accepted it is to hear (and use) guns everywhere and anything. I feel like we’ve lost not only what’s left of the wilderness to the gun crowd, but even quiet woods, farms and rural areas. It seems there is nowhere to live peacefully for those of us who hate guns, and certainly nowhere safe for the animals to be. Really discouraging.

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    • I agree with you completely. We went on a two-day eagle photography trip. Our first stop was met with sounds of nearby shotguns in the estuary. The sensations alone are jarring, but the violent associations are what stay with me. On a later stop, one of the eagle viewing areas was near a gun club where the gunfire was so loud it reverberated all day throughout the valley. Beyond the self-serving aspect killing for pleasure, hunters fail to take into account how their actions affect other humans, too.

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      • Noise pollution is an ever increasing problem. We can only imagine how it affects wildlife, who go through stress every time they hear a shot or a car go by. And in the oceans, whales and dolphins are going deaf from ship traffic and sonar.

  4. I know, every time I want to go hiking with my dogs, I have to get on the WI DNR site and look up want their killing this time. Now here, they can do it in state parks. Is nowhere left for me to enjoy nature, wild and untouched?

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  8. Hunting in National Parks – yes it will happen – I live right on a Wildlife Sanctuary – and there are hunting Seasons for Ducks and Deer – I was a Volunteer and my words when I went out the door forever were : How can you call a place like that a Sanctuary if people are allowed to kill?” That was my last day of being a Volunteer for Fish and Wildlife – yes it’s unbelievable – to me a Sanctuary is a place of Safety – but there is no such thing anymore –

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  10. The coyote photo is fantastic, Jim. They are so maligned. It astounds me that people know so little about them….and many do not care to. They are consumed with hate, as they are for wolves and all predators. I was doing some research today about “coyote contests” I came across this article regarding the PENNSYLVANIA 2013 COYOTE HUNT schedule. First there’s an article…then scroll down to see the schedule. Consider leaving a comment. One person says they plan to have 4,000 participants. This is surreal and I’m without words, more or less. Remember, this is *only one state*!!

    http://www.centredaily.com/2013/01/06/3455928/woods-waters-organized-coyote.html#disqus_thread

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  15. Good article, Danielle….and an even better comment if you scroll down by M. Alexander….i think it’s the first one you come to. I often learn more from comments than from articles!

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