Don't let the winter temperatures keep you indoors.  Get off the couch, lace up those boots and get outdoors.  I did and it felt great.

After walking uphill along a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers service road for 15 minutes, the nip in the air was gone, the gloves were off and I realized I had put on one layer too many.

I did not expect to see anyone so the hunter standing in the woodlot watching his beagle work a cold rabbit trail was a surprise.   That dog's wagging tail and body posture told the story - a rabbit was near.  After I passed him and got near the top of the ridge, I heard his dog begin to howl.  The dog must have jumped the rabbit and that cold trail got hot!

I grew up hunting rabbits so that sound was music to my ears and I enjoyed listening and wondering if a shot would ring out.  It didn't. 

I remember that when I was young [1950's] everyone in our neighborhood had beagles.  Most were mutts with good hunting instincts, but some people had registered dogs with a "pedigree" in rabbit hunting.

If like me you or someone in your family hunted rabbits then you surely can remember a meal of spaghetti with meat sauce that usually produced a few lead shot pellets in your mouth.  No one would even break stride during the meal or mention the lead surprise.  You would just spit the darn thing on your plate and keep going.

I can still hear the metallic clink of the shot pellet hitting my plate.

Back to the hike.  It sure is easy to get distracted when you are blogging.

As I got further into the woods, I noticed plenty of wild turkey sign.  The leaves were scratched back to expose the acorns, seeds or whatever lies beneath so at least the birds are getting access to their food sources.  The lack of a covering of deep snow makes sleeping in a tree in winter bearable for these tough birds.   The single digit temperatures this weekend will test the flock's health.

When I reached the ridge line overlooking the lake I took several photos and a quick video.  Give it a look and hike with me.

Sure it's cold, but once you get started you will not even notice the temperature.