Try and get outdoors to ease your mind

Whether you just started practicing social distancing or had unknowingly been doing so to a degree for years — I fall under the second category — there’s something about being told to stay at home that makes all of us immediately want to go somewhere other than home.

I’m trying to be as positive as I can about the coronavirus and its effects despite the fact that sports — which normally occupy a big chunk of my life — are on hold and chances of having a spring sports season seeming to decrease by the day.

Another meaningful pastime of mine is hunting, scouting and being outdoors in general, and luckily, the weather has allowed me to stay active and also put some of the stresses of every day life behind me for a few hours.

After a 3½-hour, 4.4-mile adventure on Friday, I bet I’ve covered over 20 miles in the past couple of weeks.

I’ve been walking around public land hunting areas in Shawano County, but simply taking a walk or jog around your neighborhood could be just what you need for a little pick-me-up.

With the snow melting away and turkey season approaching, my adventures were beneficial on many fronts. Not only was I getting in some much-needed exercise with my gym shut down, but I also was checking for turkey sign and deer shed antlers and trails that might help me out for the hunting seasons coming later in the year.

I found that giving myself some objectives (finding sign or sheds) I stayed outside longer and got to see some pretty neat things.

On Friday, I got up early to get to a public land spot and try to hear some turkeys gobbling. I was still getting my boots laced up in the parking area when I heard my first gobbles of the spring, which had me grinning from ear to ear (something I haven’t done a bunch over the past couple weeks).

I then began my trek through a fog-filled woods, stopping every so often to let out my version of an owl call to try and induce a few more gobbles — those weren’t successful, but I did get a few mourning doves to answer, so I guess I don’t sound like an owl.

After covering probably close to a mile, I decided to try my turkey mouth call just for kicks and giggles. Sure enough, I got a turkey to gobble right over the little hill in front of me.

I decided to move a little closer and try and find the turkey in the fog. No jake or tom, but a hen appeared in the field about 100 yards away. She started to scurry away when I crested the hill, but I threw a couple soft clucks at her to pique her interest.

I’ve since determined that this hen had been practicing social distancing for too long, because she immediately started talking back at me before heading right to me. She ended up walking about 10 steps in front of me, clucking, purring and putting the whole time before hanging out behind where I had sat down for another 15 or so minutes.

After she finally moved off, I continued on my journey around this piece of land, finding plenty of sign from deer and turkeys that make me that much more confident for my future hunts.

The highlight of my day came near the end of my walk, as I picked up my first deer shed of the year in an area I hunted often this past year. It was likely off a buck from two winters ago as a good portion of a tine had been chewed up and it had plenty of other wear and tear on it, but I was still thrilled.

The adventure was a great escape from everything that’s happened over the past couple of weeks and it certainly falls under the new order as I was the only person in about a mile radius. I already have plans to do something similar in the coming days.

Even if you aren’t an avid outdoorsman, try and get outside as often as you can. It will help you pass some time and could also serve for some great entertainment and excitement.

Morgan Rode is the sports editor for the Shawano Leader. Readers can contact him at sports@newmedia-wi.com.