Page 28 - NLL - OCT2026

Page 28 NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM October 2026
Community
By Jeff BeaCh
Woods Waters and Wildlife: Cover-Up
“I’m looking, I’m looking,” his young child replied to the question, ‘Do you see that deer over there?’ Thereafter, after a few more scanning glances, he picked up the two ears through the underbrush. Then he dis- cerned the rest of the animal as his eyes focused in. Well covered and well camouflaged are the woodland critters hiding in plain sight. A myriad of senses pro- tect them from predation. They are susceptible to harm if they are found out. We, on the other hand, need to cover up so that we are hidden from the critters we are seeking. Whether we are hunting, hiking, birdwatching, or photographing, we need to be invisible if we want to see wild- life. We need to blend in with our chosen habitats. Bears have a keen sense of smell. They are seven times more receptive than a bloodhound's nose. Bears are easily seen in the wild, as there is nothing as black as their hide in the habitats they frequent. The challenge is getting close enough to get a chance to see them. Some techniques folks use are to wear a camo design of the woods you are visiting and cover
natural in the woodland environ- ment. Following these cover-up skills will increase the likelihood of us being unnoticed in their woodland environment.
Waterfowlers are at a disad- vantage to their flighted quarry. The ducks and geese of our NH waterways have a bird's-eye view of their surroundings as they
their waterways. Staying invis- ible to them is challenging. We have to take the cover-up skills up a notch to keep them from scattering. Even to the point of constructing a duck blind and staying silent inside. Camouflage would need to be of the riparian vegetation designs in the area you choose to occupy.
As we look at ways to cover up in the woods, I am re- minded of the spir- itual world and that in our stumbles in the walk of life we have remedy. Jesus covers our trans- gressions. Faith, trust, and belief in Him are a plan for our lives’ best path. An encouraging verse from Ephe- sians chap 1, verse 7 reads, ‘In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accor-
dance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us’. Faith in Him is all the cover we need to give us hope in a better course in life. We read in Colos- sians 1:13, ‘For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.’ That is the reality of the power of Jesus in our life to cover the transgressions and allow us, with repentance, to be free, to start over.
Contemplate that encourage- ment in our woods walks and outdoor adventures. Observing wildlife in the natural realm re- quires us to get in tune with our surroundings. To be aware of the critters' natural defenses from being noticed and how we can cover ourselves so that we are in- visible in the woodland habitats. These cover-up skills should be perfected over seasons, and we should take note of how we can improve our woods walk and be able to see more of the wildlife in their natural environments. We’ll see you in the woods.
Mike Ethier Excavating
42 years of service throughout the lakes region and the entire state of NH, also including the Connecticut River Valley of Vermont.
your scent with cover scents. Most sightings happen when you're stationary in a tree stand or covered in a blind. No sound no scent.
The Whitetail Deer have many keen senses that one would want to cover up against. Keen eyesight, big ears, and a receptive nose are defenses we would need to overcome to get close enough to see them. We would do well to pick camouflage that blends with the forested habitats deer favor and de-scent our clothes and
bodies to counter
their keen noses.
I will often store
my clothes in
hemlock boughs
to give them a
forest scent, and
others use cedar
oil. To counter
their hearing, we
have to pick our
path through the woods to keep from crunching noises underfoot and keep clinking metal noises to a minimum. Noises that are un-
come in to alight on the pond, river, or lake. In addition to their bird's-eye view, they seem- ingly have eyes on the back of their heads when foraging on
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