There are tons of deer and other animals in these woods today and i imagine it has always been that way.
Not always. We have no way of knowing what the deer population was before the Europeans got here and began recording history, but from the writings of early explorers there was most likely a lot. But here in Alabama, at the turn of the last century there was only an estimated 10,000 whitetail deer in the entire state. The current whitetail population is about 2 MILLION - there are only 4 1/2 million people living in Alabama. As recently as 20 years ago, deer sightings were something to talk about. Now if you're in the woods, you're more likely to spot deer, as not. Probably one reason why hardly anybody squirrel hunts anymore - deer are so easy.... Wild turkeys were almost extinct by the 1930's - now there are over a 1/2 million in Alabama alone. I NEVER saw them when I was growing up, now I see them all the time.
About finding stuff in the woods where it doesn't belong: I find coins all the time. But last week I found one on top of another, which was kinda odd. Then I found another, and another. Eventually I picked up over 400 pennies, a nickle, two quarters, and two marlboro cigarrette tokens. My best guess is that somebody got their cash box ripped off and whoever did it didn't want to mess with the pennies. The animals aren't what I worry about in the woods - maybe the two legged sort.
Your 100% correct. The dynamic has changed throughout history and continues to do so, one way or the other. The written history of the area where I live and hunt for arrowheads tells the story of this particular site as having been used as a summer fishing camp. It also tells of ample hunting, in terms of deer, turkey and other game. One of the fish that the Indians would target here were huge Gar. They would fish at night in canoes. There would be one person on each end with spears at the ready and one person in the middle tending a fire. the firelight would draw the Gar to the surface and the spearmen would strike. very interesting stuff. Now, artifacts found in this area date to long before that era and so, the range of points is rather broad.
As for the fear of animals. yea man.... i never go unarmed (anywhere) and it most certainally is not out of fear of anything on four legs hahaha. The few people that I have run into in the woods around here have been good people though. Dog walkers, hikers and runners.
thanks for the post brother. Stay safe!
(on my best behaviour, lol )
