While You Were Sleeping

Rebecca MorganBucks n Bears, Hunting & Outdoor Lifestyle

Did you ever stop to think about what goes on in the great outdoors at night? Thanks to trail cams, we have at least a hint of a notion. This is especially true of nocturnal creatures, or as the 1972 debut record album by the rock band,  Edgar Winter Group title says… They Only Come Out At Night!

An incognito (bob)cat pauses for a piece of meat

So fine dining is definitely a moonlight activity for these creatures. My dad had plenty of stories to share about his efforts to protect his garden during the night hours.  Living on the edge of the woods presents such challenges.  In more recent times, we often hear about these same opportunists migrating to the city!  (Let’s not  forget that we’re the ones who invaded their territory in the first place, right?)  My dad’s deterrent methods, mostly aimed at deer and the infamous raccoons, were interesting, to say the least.  Some were legal, and some… well let’s just say, not so much. Perhaps he held his own Night Court serving as both judge and jury.   My favorite memory is my parents rigging up a boom box inside a barrel and disco lights to deter the uninvited guests, who likely seized this opportunity to have a disco party of sorts. How could we prove otherwise? That was well before the obsession of trail cams. 

The procurement of food is essential to survival, though very energy consuming, especially during summer months and lean years when food is more scarce. The nightly temperature drops likely make hunting more comfortable with less caloric burn, hence the grave yard shift.  

I wonder how human beings becoming consistent night owls in the great outdoors would impact the timing of the now nocturnal animals’ activities?  Would they move to the day shift? It would certainly be more difficult to be obscure.  Would we more likely become their prey?  Would our senses heighten functioning in the veil of night?

A passerby leaves a sign for the hunter to examine

I marvel at the incredible night vision of some species.  The exceptional hearing of deer allows them to detect a wide range of frequencies, including ultrasonic sounds to better monitor their surroundings and navigate with grace and ease.  

Many of us would admit to feeling a bit too old to embrace much of a night life these days.  Aren’t we blessed to know that God has it all figured out? And on occasion, we may even enjoy a sneak peak through the lens of a trail cam. 

Rebecca Morgan
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