By Robert Noles
Well, we just finished one of the hottest months of the year. It was too hot for me to get out and check out some of my hunting places, but with cooler weather on the way, it will be easier to make it to the woods.
First things first, as hunting season starts, do you have your hunting licenses and know Alabama hunting season laws? If not, go check out www.outdooralabama.com where you can find out all about the hunting and fishing seasons in Alabama.
Alabama’s bow hunting season opened Oct. 15, kicking off the 2019 deer hunting season. Gun season starts Nov. 23, but please check the zone where you are hunting as some hunting laws have changed this year. One such change is that Alabama hunters are allowed to hunt with bait, but they must be on privately owned or leased land and purchase a $15 license.
Back to “wabbit” hunting. I have done some poor man’s rabbit hunting. One time a friend and I when out rabbit hunting in west Lee County. I had a single-barrel 12-gauge shotgun and he had an old auto-load shotgun, but we did not have a hunting dog. As you walk along and find brush or fallen trees, one kicks around as the other watches for the rabbit to run out. We didn’t have any luck that late afternoon, and before we knew it, the sun was going down. As we walked back toward the vehicle, we were trying to find the road on the ridge. We crossed that ridge several times going back and forth but no road. We did not realize the road had curved off the ridge. We finally saw a light in the distance. As we walked toward the light, we realized the light was in a person’s yard. The nice lady knew where we had come from and was kind enough to tell us how to get back to our vehicle by road. We were about three blocks away according to her, but as we walked, it was more about 10 miles back going by road. Getting back to the vehicle, it was dark and cold. No rabbits but the enjoyment of walking, being in the woods, being with a friend and making memories. Most of all, it taught both of us to know the place we were hunting so we wouldn’t get lost again.
As hunting season approaches, make sure your gear is ready, hunting land is ready, that you’ve sighted your weapon and remember hunter safety.
P.S. Oh, by the way, I had problems with my “R’s” when I was young and called them wabbits.