Hot weather causes change in normal behavior

Baby, it's still hot outside. A check of future weather forecasts indicate we will experience above 90-degree temperatures through July 15, with five days above 100 and the rest 96 or above.

The lows for the next 15 days are even going to be above normal, with all of them 66 degrees or above. The average low for this time of year is 57 degrees. Good grief, what's an outdoor-minded person to do?

The first item of business is to realize it is best to stay inside during the hottest part of the day. Oh I know the lake is made for boating and waterskiing, even in hot weather or, perhaps I should say, especially in hot weather. Other outdoor activities will be more difficult.

Hiking

Hiking is no longer on my weekly activity list. Bill Witt and I were identifying an area to hike each week, but this has been deferred until cooler weather. Even if we left the house at 4 a.m. and traveled 30 to 60 minutes, the temperature of the hike would not be pleasant.

I'm anxious to continue the weekly hikes, but not until cooler weather.

Fishing

Fishing will also be difficult, but not impossible, in this heat. Most anglers will hit the lakes and streams in the early mornings and late evenings during hot spells. But again, fishing in hot weather is not pleasant. This isn't to say I have never enjoyed fishing in hot weather.

The most fun I had fishing during a hot spell was when Dad and I would fish between the two bridges on the San Poil River. We never fished the San Poil until after July 4th. This was after the spring runoff was complete and the river was low. We would spend several weekends during the summer camping along the river. Fishing was, of course, one of our primary activities.

Mom and my sister, Denise, would drop Dad and me off at the upper bridge and drive to the lower bridge. The river would make a large arc of maybe two miles between the two bridges and the two of us would fish each ripple, hole, log jam and calm water along the way.

We caught fish, too, using worms and eggs. Waders were too expensive for our budget, so we waded wet. When I was young, Dad would put me on his shoulders when he walked in the water. Later I was able to make it from shore to shore on my own.

If the water was going to be above waist high, Dad would put his wallet inside his hat and keep it there for the rest of the trip. The log jams were interesting affairs, looking like a large pile of Pick-Up-Sticks, stacked up in a helter skelter manner.

I was cautioned about being too anxious to climb on, beneath, over and across the logs before looking them over, as they might move and crush an un-expecting angler. When conveniently located, a log would act as a bridge. A crossing of this manner could be interesting and exciting depending upon the diameter of the log and the distance from the log to the water.

Although the summertime weather was hot, the temperature next to and in the river was cooler, providing an agreeable time. When we reached the lower bridge, two or three hours later, Mom and Denise would be relaxing by the San Poil with their feet in the water.

Hunting

I'm excited about the upcoming hunting seasons. However, there isn't much to do outside until the weather cools a bit. If my buddies and I had the reloading bench completed, we could reload rifle rounds.

Also, when the weather cools a bit, I want to make the annual visit our hunting areas and renew friendships with landowners. Two of us have drawn a permit for an area we have never hunted. I need to make initial visits to landowners in this permit area.

When doing so, I will have a hunter's resume in my hand. This will introduce me to the landowner and let them know a little about me. More about this approach to meeting new people while looking for hunting land in the near future.

General chores

There are a few other chores outdoor-minded people can accomplish during hot weather, such as tie more fishing flies, clean the rifles and shotguns again, clean the binocular, clean the spotting scope, go through the hunting pack again, read a book, watch a hunting or fishing video and polish fishing lures. Well, guess I'll spend the afternoon watching a video and then go through the hunting pack again.