The fall season is upon us again in Western Pennsylvania. The temperatures are cooler and more comfortable. the insectual torment is lessoned. (I just made up a new word and I like it!) Wildlife, also, feel the changes as the white-tail rut increases in earnest! This is obviously by the number of deer being hit along the roads. Please, watch the sides of the road for approaching deer.
Cherry Run
Earlier this week I elected to head for a section of Cherry Run to see what critters I could see and observe the colors. , also, wanted to check how big a new strip job was and the effects it may have on the hills and hollers.
Hickory in gold
This four or so mile hike produced five deer sightings. I saw squirrels and many species of bird life. I noticed the first junco of the season. This little “snowbird” is always a joy to watch in the forests and around my feeder over winter.
Sumac
After the walk, I stopped by unannounced to visit a friend, Randy Tost. We had a nice visit and a sad one. The doctors confirmed his illness. We had all hoped these results wouldn’t be reality, but it is what it is. I was very much surprised to hear Randy is now on Hospice. We had some laughs and shared some thoughts. My drive home was quiet.
Randy (left) and John Helinski from an earlier visit.
Early Friday morning, I traveled to an area near Pine Creek and a few miles from the Village of Echo. This morning was much cooler and 20 Mile per Hour gusts further cooled the air. I hiked primarily along old abandoned roads and gas well roads to avoid the chance for ticks. I will be hunting soon and I dread the constant search for those small critters. 
However, the morning did produce a number of close deer sightings. I had turned the camera to auto-focus for a certain photo. I turned to continue the hike and soon saw a very nice buck with an impressive rack, The seconds to realize my camera’s setting and change it back to manual caused a failure for a great photo. A saw 14 deer in total this day. I was blessed to see some beautiful landscapes and fall colors.
Two beech trees in love!
Larry A. Smail's Blog 
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