Outdoor living

While walking in the woods over the weekend, while the temperature hovered around 60, I heard and saw signs of spring, and it was a good feeling.

After looking for shed deer antlers, I heard peepers sounding off around my pond and even heard a big gobbler make several gobbles. I noticed some early flowers starting to pop up through the cold ground.

With the trout parks opening up next week, it makes spring seem closer and with the end of February in sight, I'm ready for spring and all the good things it brings.

February has a way of causing bad moods, depression, gloom and melancholy. It's the month of winter blahs.

"February is the worse month of the year," said Brent Frazee, outdoor editor of the Kansas City Star. "Around Groundhog Day, I notice I get in a down mood until the trout season opens on March 1."

I overheard Sam Dawson at the barber shop, say, "In February, my wife starts nagging me, I sometimes kick the dog and just can't seem to get going. After the Super Bowl things start going downhill until the month is over. You can only clean out your tackle box so many times."

Dawson isn't alone. I hear the same thing from many outdoor friends who are looking for cures to get past the winter blahs. Over the years I have found a few things that help, but it's still hard to overcome the February days.

February is a good month to get inside jobs at home taken care of before the fish start spawning, the turkeys start gobbling and the mushrooms start popping. Many wives know this month is the prime time to get painting and repair work done because once the fishing starts, it lasts for the rest of the year.

I know my wife starts making lists right after Christmas of the things she wants done around the house during February because the chance of getting them done is at its best at that time.

Bill Owen is another outdoorsman who used to let the winter blahs take over in February, but has found several ways to whip it.

"I save all my outdoor books, magazines and videos in a special place so that during February I can read and watch them again," he said. "I put all my lures I have recently purchased together and reload my tackle box. We even save a week of vacation to get away during the month so it helps make the opening day at the trout parks closer. Once the parks open the blahs start clearing up."

Other things people with a case of winter blahs might try include taking advantage of the leafless trees to shoot wildlife with a camera or doing some winter hiking.

Rick Davis told me he took his first winter weekend camping trip and had a good time.

Davis said, "I took my sons for a winter camping trip near Branson. We caught trout at Taneycomo and the boys are looking forward to next February. It sure helped bring spring closer."

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Don't let the winter blahs get you down. I could go on, but I have to get busy on painting the living room.

Happily, March is nearly here.