Under partly cloudy skies and a temperature in the mid 20’s, Larry Keeler, a Lumberjack Park associate, is taking me on a nature hike through part of his 120-acre hunting property, located in eastern Montcalm County. Following a leaf-littered trail through a dense hardwood forest, we pause to notice a recent deer scrape next to a small White Oak tree. After rubbing and licking the overhanging branches, a buck will scrape the ground below and urinate there to mark his scent and claim his territory. Just ahead we watch a sure sign of the season as leaves drop from colorful Beech trees in the understory. Exploring the leaf litter, I find some Club moss, a 1-inch diameter Milk cap Mushroom and a 1-inch diameter brown ball. This sphere, caused by an egg laid by a Cynips wasp, is called an Oak Cherry Gall and contains the grub of the wasp. In late winter the grub will change into a tiny adult wasp (stock photo) and fly off. Continuing our peaceful saunter through his woods, I notice the canopy overhead is wide open in places where maple and aspen have already dropped their leaves compared to the canopy where oaks still hold on to theirs. Veering onto a another trail, we come upon the fresh carcass of a doe. Not seeing any signs of disease or flesh wounds, we cannot determine a cause of death. Just ahead, we pause on the bank of the North Branch of the Pine River as the gentle current transports fallen leaves. Starting about 4 miles northwest of here in Isabella County, this branch of the Pine flows another mile to the southeast where it empties into the main branch, just west of Lumberjack Rd in Gratiot County. After Larry leads me through a Red Pine plantation that he planted many years ago, we stop by one of several flooded vernal ponds where I notice a thin layer of ice covering the surface. Nearby, we pause as snowflakes begin to fall. While circling back toward the truck, I point out to Larry the dainty yellow blossoms emerging from the bare branches of a Witch Hazel tree. After passing his deer blind, we find our way back to his pickup truck and head out.
Predator of night
Dark becomes day
The hunt was hard
Your hunger obey
Picked up a scent
Options to weigh
The kill was quick
Devoured your prey
Found your den
Moon on high
Coyote of the wild
Your time to lie
D. DeGraaf
Loved learning at the end of the poem that you were writing about the coyote!
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