The Free Radical

“It doesn’t mean you should just because you can…”

(Facts of Life by King Crimson from their 2003 album The Power to Believe)

Well, it’s hunting season. I’ve seen quite a number of trucks in the area recently and even spoken to a few hunters seeking whitetail. It’s a bit of a dangerous time for me and the dogs with gunshots ringing through the forest almost daily. As long as the gun-wielding badasses are being responsible we should be fine though.

But that’s not always the case. Sitka was happy enough to find these remains, but they seem to speak to a certain mentality…

…especially when found in proximity with crushed Budweiser cans. I mean, does anyone cool drink Bud? I think not. (9 times out of 10, when you find a discarded beer can in the bush it’s a Bud. There’s just something about their main demographic which rubs me the wrong way. That, and their beer totally sucks!)

It might be a raven; it might be a grouse. The feathers all seemed to be the under-feathers, so lacked the distinctive colours and markings which would make identification possible.

The contents of its stomach were pretty interesting though. It’s mainly bearberries and grasshoppers. No shortage of either of those!

And then there’s what looked like the remains of a small snake. Do they swallow everything absolutely whole?

Anyway, heads up hunters. I’m counting your shots. Eight gunshots to bring down a whitetail is too many! That seriously undermines my confidence in your aim.

Please remember to drink deeply of the beauty surrounding you… and try not to shoot everything that moves!