Anticipation

It is a month until opening day. Four weeks from now, I will be knee-deep in the briars of the Adirondack forest, likely questioning every step I take.

The changing leaves and the sharp turn in the air always seem to kickstart the excitement and the nerves. Excitement for the pursuit, the agony, and the immense patience it takes to find the King of Uplands. It brings you to remote corners of the woods you would never think to step foot in if it were not for the dogs. Trusting their noses and their instincts is the most rewarding part of it all. When every piece finally comes together, the months of waiting and the long off-season make every agonizing thorn and briar worth it.

Soon I will not be surrounded by skyscrapers, telephone poles, and the constant noise of the city. Instead, it will be tall pines, golden aspens, and dense forest, where the only sound is the steady rattle of a dog bell cutting through the quiet woods.

The anticipation is real.