Stonewalled in the Catskills

Stonewall (definition): to engage in obstructive debate or delaying tactics : to be uncooperative, obstructive, or evasive

Late November is a strange time in the western Catskills. Big game hunters take to the woods hoping to capitalize on the foolishness brought on by the seasonal "rut" - the breeding season for deer where in a story as old as time, males mark their territory in a testosterone-fueled fury as they attempt to breed a many females as possible.

Trees are "rubbed", "scrapes,"  and "runs" become evident and the roadsides are marked with surveyors tape, lest an earlier scoped likely-successful-hunting spot is forgotten.

Amateurs.

The hills are now polka-dotted blaze orange and Charlie Browne and I contribute to it. 

We've given city-slickers and once-a-year forest-visitors a wide berth for the past week and a half, but have returned to the mountain - with caution. We will also be donned in blaze-orange through the end of December, will not venture off-trail and stay away from areas frequented by traditionalists - who out of habit rather than observation - hunt in the same place year after year.

 No doubt about it, hikers, this time of year, engage in self-imposed stonewalling ... where we go against our nature in deference to (safely) sharing the landscape.

Some are better at it than others.

*Between hikes, Lillian Browne writes about the environment, politics, crime and business in Delaware County. She is a NYS licensed outdoor adventure guide exploring the world around her, one step at a time, with her dog - Charlie.