Footprints

 When wandering, I'm always on the lookout for trail cameras. They are generally camouflaged and are tricky to find. Some individuals hang them about eight feet off the ground and point them on a forty five degree angle toward the trail. These are almost impossible to spot. 

Why do I look for these devices? It alerts me to the presence of potential hunting activities which in turn scares the wits out me if I am not in blaze orange. 

No, I'm not trespassing. I have found these cameras in Algonquin and surrounding Crown lands.

Private land owners are now resorting to using these cameras to inform them when a trespass occurs. I have talked to several land owners and the general consensus among them is that people are abusing the land. The destruction of living trees for Youtube shelters, tarps and garbage left to pollute once pristine woods and dangerous fire pits are high on the list of complaints. 

An elder, a long time ago, told me to "just leave footprints", it is a memory I carry with me into the woods every time I wander.

I just wanted to pass along this simple wisdom from a man who taught me how to "see" the forest. 

Happy Wandering.