An overnight adventure

Every once in awhile I find myself in a bit of an adventuresome mood. Last week, I decided to take an overnight scouting excursion into the heart of the Elk State Forest.

The time I was spending in the woods on a tree stand while archery hunting was not cutting it. I had the desire to get out in the woods and cover some territory. I wanted to thoroughly check my favorite bear and deer hunting spots to see where food, sign, and activity were concentrated.

On the spur of the moment, I decided to throw some gear and a sleeping bag in my frame pack and set out around midday, knowing that I would be hard pressed to make it to my destination by nightfall. My destination was a place I liked to call the hemlock swamp.

It is located on top of the mountain and consists of a mature stand of hemlock, white pine, and pitch pine covering a three-acre area of a swale. The ground is mossy and wet. In the swale there is a tiny, slowmoving stream. Heading upland from the swale is about a 10-acre area of mature oak forest that has thick hemlock, white pine, and pitch pine saplings and pole timber growing in the understory.

As I began the 1,000-foot ascent to leave the Driftwood Branch Valley, I felt like I was heading toward the freedom that can only be offered by the forest. With my .22 in hand, I hoped to find supper along the way, but just in case, I had brought some back up.

I pushed myself. It was windy and I soon realized that I probably wouldn't be eating squirrel for dinner. Onward I went out the ridge. After about two and one-half hours of brisk hiking, I crossed the divide into the First Fork watershed. Still I pushed onward, up and down as I crossed the heads of numerous hollows.

The hike was starting to take its toll. The upward climbs were beginning to take more and more energy out of me.

My drinking water was gone. Soon, I would pass by one of my favorite springs, though. The sun had set as I reached the spring. To my dismay, the drought had taken its toll. It was completely dry.

With a dry mouth I set out again, putting one foot in front of the other in a race against the fading daylight. Forty-five minutes later, as darkness was beginning to veil the landscape, the dark forms of hemlocks and pines loomed in front of me. I had arrived.

I filled up my kettle with water from a stagnant pool and began searching for a suitable spot to lay my head.

It was clear and quite windy, but fortunately the thick understory of pines and hemlocks would provide a calm place to sleep. I soon found a suitable spot to camp for the night. Looking around though, I changed my mind. There were about a dozen pine and hemlock saplings in the vicinity that had been ravaged by bears. I decided to move 100 yards to another soft mossy area.

I set my gear down and in the darkness had the fortune to stumble across a yellow birch tree as I was gathering firewood. I soon was kneeling down, ready to light a match to birch bark and a crumpled bundle of fine dead hemlock branches.

About that same time I heard something large moving through the forest about 50 yards away. It soon started working over a tree. I could hear large limbs snapping and it sounded like the tree was being annihilated.

The only reasonable explanation for such a ruckus was a bear, or perhaps Sasquatch. Whatever it was, it was upset that someone else occupied its bedroom. It was apparently taking out all of its frustrations on some poor little hemlock.

I hurried my efforts and soon my nostrils were awarded with the sweet smell of burning birch bark. Before long the fire was crackling. I was surrounded by silence. The large beast had apparently left.

I finished collecting firewood, boiled the water, and finally ate some food. Soon I crawled into my sleeping bag and enjoyed the starry night, sheltered from the winds.

I awoke in the morning covered in frost. After rewarming the water, I lay in my sleeping bag, sipping on hot yerba mate until I had enough courage to leave my warm cocoon.

I spent five or six hours hiking and scouting. I was pleased by what I saw: lots of deer, tons of acorns, a phenomenal number of buck rubs, plenty of scrapes and other deer sign, and adequate bear sign.

Upon my return to my campsite, I heated up some more water. After lunch, I once again set out on foot, racing against time to make it home in six hours before darkness.

I arrived home exhausted. The following day, I could barely move, I was so sore. But the hike was well worth it.