Every time we go afield, or on a lake, we need to do everything we can to make sure that we do it safely. And keeping up with the weather is as important as anything else.

Deer season opens this Saturday for still hunting with rifles. At the same time we have the remnants of a Pacific hurricane, Paul, which is headed our way. So what you say? Ever try sitting in a tree stand when the wind is blowing 15 miles per hour? Not fun. Now try sitting in that stand when the wind is blowing 25 miles per hour, or more, and it is cool, and accompanied by heavy rain. That’s a day guaranteed to make everyone and everything except a duck miserable!

Drawing on my experience, I alway check the weather before heading out, just to make sure that I have the right gear with me. And to help me make a decision to go at all!!!

Years back, I headed off to go duck hunting. Weather was warm for that time of year, and after driving 120 miles to get where we were going to hunt, we found the conditions ideal. A bit of wind to make the decoys rock and move, overcast, and just a bit of drizzle.

About two hours into the hunt, the weather changed. Wind picked up and changed direction. It had been blowing from the southwest, but as it changed to out of the north, the temperature started to drop, dramatically. It went from 50 degrees down to almost freezing in less than an hour. The ducks that had been moving decided to hunker down in the weather, and as we decided to pick up our decoys, I tore a hole in my waders filling them with cold water. Finally got all the decoys picked up and wrapped, and after wading a 100 yds. or so to the bank, I was in the first stages of hypothermia. Uncontrollable shaking, both legs starting to get numb, the whole nine yards.

Fortunately, I had packed a change of clothes, trousers, shirt, and socks and they were in the truck. Sat there with the motor idling, heater on full blast, and peeled out of my soggy clothes and got dry and re-dressed. Finally learned the lesson about keeping an eye on the weather.

No matter how much we want to go hunting, or fishing, we know that we can’t control the weather. We can only adapt to it, and make smart decisions.