What I love most about this part of the country is the four seasons. From one season to the next, there’s always something new to look forward to. With that being said, I must say, fall is my favorite.

Steve Sherk Jr.

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We are less than a month away from the first day of fall. For me, I always considered fall to start around Labor Day. I can remember sitting outside with family and friends over the Labor Day weekend already starting to notice some of the leaves changing color. Even though most people know me as a hunter, the autumn months have given me much more than a lot of great days of hunting.

There’s a special feel in the air during the autumn season. The air is more crisp and after a long, hot summer, it’s enjoyable to wake up and step outside into a much cooler environment. The fall air also carries a variety of splendid aromas. Growing up in the country, one of my favorite smells is the scent of wood smoke. One of the most telling signs of fall can be the smell of smoke rising out of a chimney. That first fire in the fireplace each season is a moment I always look forward to.

I also love the smells of freshly fallen leaves, ripe apples as well as goldenrod, just to name a few. With just my nose, I can definitely tell if the fall season is upon us. The fall air is one of a kind, to say the least.

Fall is also the last period of the year for many outdoor sports. It’s about playing catch with the baseball one last time or just enjoying the feel of green grass as you run across the football field. You appreciate the outdoor sports a little more when you start to realize the end is near with wintertime approaching.

I deeply admire the fact that fall is also known as the harvest season. Not just for hunters, but for animals as well. I am fascinated how most wildlife prepares for winter throughout the autumn months. Mother Nature shows great love during the fall when you go for a hike and hear the sounds of acorns and hickory nuts raining from the trees and falling to the ground, just in time for animals to store away and get ready for winter. It’s a pleasure to watch small animals like squirrels and chipmunks gathering and storing acorns in the trees. All fish and game tend to put the feed bag on during the fall. Everything in the wild seems to partake in the autumn harvest. Fall is a time of abundance and blessings for all living creatures.

Last but not least, as you would expect, I must add that hunting season is my favorite part about fall. All of the signs of fall scream out to me to get in the woods and go hunting. Autumn is such a beautiful and breathtaking time of year. Being able to hunt in such a beautiful environment makes the experience quite special. In some kind of way, my soul feels at home during hunting season. Hunting and being in the woods during the fall is something of a heavenly experience to me. At times, it can almost feel like a dream — as if the experience is too good to be true.

I know a lot of hunters would agree that being a hunter is about being a part of nature. Killing a buck or shooting a grouse is just a fraction of joy that hunters find during the fall. The sights, the sounds and the smells in the woods give a constant sense of pleasure. There’s rarely a moment a hunter doesn’t feel good inside at that time of year.

To me, there’s just so much to look forward to in the fall. It’s a magical time of year that seems to pass by in the blink of an eye.