Hunters and Hikers - enough room for both?

Small game hunting season is about to begin in Delaware County, New York and with early bear season already underway,  forested lands, public and private, are about to get very busy.

Hikers, who have been sporadically visiting the trails are finally gearing up for both leisurely and hardcore trekking now that the heat and humidity have left the air, taking all of those no-see-um and other pesky, biting bugs with them.
The two nature loving groups are about to converge. It can be a scary time for hikers, and hunters alike, with so many people in the woods, eager to harvest a trophy and some wild game.
New York forest rangers are also about to get busy making sure that everyone stays safe. They are also making certain that our public lands are protected.
Ranger Jason Seeley, assigned to Department of Environmental Conservation's Region 4, which includes Delaware County, reminds hunters and hikers alike that each has equal rights on public land during hunting season.

Sign in at all trail heads on public property. It will

help officials find you if you become lost or get hurt.

Some common sense ways to stay safe, he suggests, are to wear blaze orange when in the woods no matter which group you belong to.
If hiking - stick to the trail. If a hunter - positively identify your quarry before pulling the trigger or releasing an arrow.
Both groups of public land users should always sign in at trail heads which helps officials to determine how much public land is being used, which in turn dictates funding, and it also provides search and rescue teams a last known location, in the event you get lost or hurt while in the woods.
Seeley is stealthy. He knows the landscape of Bear Spring Mountain's 7,000 acres (where I bumped into him) like the back of his hand, and you will not see or hear him approach, unless he wants you to. So, if hunting, make certain you have your tags and your license on your person.
If you are traveling with your canine companion, they must be licensed.

Bird dogs and those on the scent of small game are permitted to be off-leash, but all dogs must be under control.

Ranger Seeley caught me with Charlie Browne

off-leash, however, when I demonstrated

the I had control, he opted not to write me

a violation ticket.

As an avid hiker, I take a short hiatus from hiking during the first two weeks big game season. Not only do I think it's fair to give hunters a wide berth - after all they only get a few weeks per year, I get the entire year - I'll be with the sportsmen and women in the woods curating photos and stories for writing assignments.

*Between hikes, Lillian Browne writes about the environment, politics and crime in Delaware County. She is exploring the world around her, one step at a time, with her dog - Charlie. Follow her on Instagram @lillian.browne, on Twitter @browneinwalton or on Facebook.