Easing Into Autumn
Fall Book Recommendations, Hunting, Trail Hikes, Bourbon, and Slowing Down
“The beauty that shimmers in the yellow afternoons of October, who ever could clutch it?”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
It is finally Autumn.
Leaves begin to fall, evenings are crisp, squirrels and chipmunks begin to feverishly stock up on acorns and food.
Autumn has become a time of year that is incredibly reflective for me, probably because life starts to slow down a bit. Darkness setting in earlier, chilly air, and fewer outdoor chores also help — tending the garden at sunrise at 5:45 am turns into sitting by the wood stove with a great book (ironically, about gardening).
Every Autumn I find myself turning away from my ever-present summer music; putting the Jimmy Buffett records back on the shelf, and approaching more Gordon Lightfoot, James Taylor, and John Denver. I also unconsciously adjust my book selection and tend to read more non-fiction nature-related books (e.g., Thoreau, hunting, etc.) and historical Maritime disasters that delve deep into the human psyche and are stories that show tests of endurance, courage, and strength.
I am currently reading American Buffalo: In Search of a Lost Icon by Steven Rinella, and I am obsessed. It follows Rinella from winning a buffalo hunting tag through a random-chance lottery in Alaska. I highly recommend you give it a shot; if you’re not a fan of American history and buffalo hunts, Rinella has many other books that I have already read, and highly recommend:
Steven Rinella Book Recommendations (host of the hit show Meat Eater)
Outdoor Kids in an Inside World
Wonderful book aimed to equip parents with the skills to do more outdoor adventures with their children in a time of record-setting time spent indoors on the ever-present screens, television, and video games
Meat Eater: Adventures From the Life of an American Hunter
Several stories from childhood to adulthood about hunting everything from squirrels to Dall sheep, and how it shaped Rinella’s life and created a deep bond and love for not only his brothers, but nature itself
The Meat Eater Guide to Wilderness Skills and Survival
Book on wilderness survival: basic knots, first-aid, foraging, hunting — all around great book on the outdoors from the novice to the expert
Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars: Fun Projects, Skills, and Adventures for Outdoor Kids
Projects for parents and young kids: everything from building a bug hotel to using a basic compass to identifying the constellations in the night sky
The Meat Eater Fish and Game Cookbook
Incredible cookbook that is not just for hunters - all of these recipes can be applied universally to any type of meat or situation
Musings on Duck Hunting
I am a novice hunter. I have been a competent fisherman since I was a young boy, but I hadn’t got into hunting until recently (a big thank you to Bertone and Herb).
There is something quite primal and instinctual when you awake at 3 am to go out into the cold on a raw, windy rainy morning. To sit in a trench in a marsh at low tide with a shotgun, trying to call ducks in with various calls, after spreading around plastic duck decoys for half an hour, trying so hard to place them perfectly so they look natural and real.
I had one good shot at a duck, but missed. Luckily, Bertone got a Black Duck and Canada Goose, and I was able to help in preparing them. Even though I was not the one to take the animal’s life, I still felt a deeper appreciation and understanding of where my food comes from, and a love of the animal.
It is an experience I have come to love; invigorating and wonderful, and hard to describe.
Don’t get me wrong — I am no expert and a self-admitted novice hunter, but have learned to accept that one of the greatest ways to learn is through experience, supplemented with books written by hunters who do it day-in and day-out.
Put simply, get up early and go outside.
Trail Hikes and Evening Strolls
If hunting isn’t your jam, going for hikes on local trails and preserves is a fall staple for me. Most of the bugs are gone, and depending how cold it is, ticks may be dormant too (still take all precautions necessary, just in case).
We always try to spot deer, wild turkeys, coyotes, chipmunks, Blue Jays, and different types of waterfowl.
Enjoy the Process of Slowing Down
If you have any questions, would like to collaborate, or have any general questions, please do not hesitate to reach out — for the next few months, I plan on spending time on the couch next to the wood stove, with my Goldendoodle Phoebe at my side, with a healthy pouring of Buffalo Trace and a great book, contemplating what the next couple of months have to offer.
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Until then, cheers.
Brendan M. Coyne, Modern Renaissance Man
Brendan Martin Coyne is an award-winning writer, avid outdoorsman, woodcarver, gardener and scratch cook. He is a novice hunter, mediocre fisherman, bourbon enthusiast, and loves anything to do with a beach or nature with his family.