Enjoy the outdoors and play by the rules

I have been enjoying the fall-like weather that we have been experiencing these past few days. We have started to swing back into warmer days, but the nights are still cooling down nicely. This is typical for late summer and early fall. When I was at the cabin a couple of weeks ago, I noticed some of the softwoods had started turning colors. And it seems a little early, but, by the time I get back up to the cabin, the colors should be pretty spectacular. I will say it again, “Fall is my favorite time of the year.”

 

When I am at the cabin in the fall, I like to take a drive on some of the scenic roads that are in the area. It is like having your own personal tour of fall. Being on a lake this time of year is always an adventure in color. Fishing is fun, but the experience of enjoying being one with nature is even better. Never thought that I would say that there is anything better than catching fish, but, as I have grown older, I have learned that there is more to nature than fishing. Don’t get me wrong, the kid in me always feels that excitement whenever I drive past a lake, but the overall picture has become more important.

 

In my love for savoring the beauty of fall, I have realized that being up north is only the first part of enjoying the fall colors. After spending time at the cabin and closing it up for the year, I can go home and enjoy the second phase in our area. We are blessed to have an abundance of public land right here in Freeborn County and in the surrounding area. Taking some time to go for a leisurely drive in the country can be rewarding. You can go on the DNR website to find public lands to investigate. We have 11 Wildlife Management Areas in our county alone. Deer are plentiful this year, so spotting one can be a bonus.

 

As we progress into fall, I hope to take a trip to the Waterville area to see the colors and visit some of the lakes that I have fished over the years. I will have to stop in at Best Point and visit the place that I had my camper for eight years. It was a great place to have a camper and I enjoyed many fun times there. The owners, Jerry and Linda, always made a person feel more like family than a customer. There are parts of those times which I still miss, but having a cabin was always my dream, and I have been enjoying that dream to the fullest.

 

There many benefits to public land

Many publicly owned lands are open to hunting, as are private lands enrolled in the state’s Walk-in-Access program. Go to mndnr.gov/wmas and mndnr.gov/maps/compass.html to locate both state hunting grounds and private lands enrolled in the Walk-In Access program, including updates on the condition of specific properties.

 

Conservation Reserve Program acres play a large role in providing high-quality habitat for pheasants in Minnesota. The program, authorized under the federal Farm Bill pays farmers to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and restore vegetation that will reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, and provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators.

 

Please show your support for our troops who are now deployed. These service men and women are making that sacrifice, so that we may have the many freedoms that we enjoy today.