When a thermometer sensor touches 90 degrees, even for a day, it is time to evaluate what is done outdoors, how it is done, and its impact on others involved.
Now, when it’s that warm, is not a good time to transplant a tree, for the tree’s livelihood. Even catching and releasing a trout should be questioned.
There may be ways to avoid heat’s impacts, humidity discomforts, and losses of body water. Sometimes it’s just best to sit under an old swamp white oak tree and read Jerry App’s new book, “Meet me on the Midway: A History of Wisconsin Fairs,” Wisconsin Historical Society Press. There is a lot of outdoors going on at county fairs, too.
“When the water temperature gets above 65 degrees, it’s time to leave the trout alone,” says Bret Schultz, of Black Earth. “Get fishing by 9 or 10:00 a.m. and fish ‘til one or 2 p.m. and avoid putting stress on the trout. Or go home and come back out after 7 p.m. and fish ‘til dark.”
During prolonged stretches above 90 degrees, it may be best just to put the fly rod away for a spell, he says.
Even anglers just wanting to catch three trout to eat should pick your steams, Schultz advises. “Select a stream with a broad size limit so you’re not catching and releasing a lot of fish but are more likely to get the three fish and go home.”
Schultz says it’s nearing the time when hoppers and beetles should be good. “It’s sort of like streamer fishing earlier. Present the fly with a splat to get their attention. I’ve seen trout come out from under a bank five feet away. All the action is so visible, too.”
Other fish, including bass, panfish and catfish are more tolerant of warmer water, but still generally fished early and late in the day, but more for the anglers comfort.
“A lot of anglers are staying home in hot weather, but I’m still selling bait. Some are complaining of weeds growing in the water. In my day, I’d river fish, find a shady spot under a tree and fish there,” Don Martin, of Martin’s in Monroe, said.
Early mornings, starting at 6 a.m., is one of Wayne Smith’s methods of cutting firewood now so he doesn’t have to take time away from other autumn activities in October. “I’ll cut until 9 or 10; I’ll do the same with exercising dogs. You can get in the mood, drink plenty of water, and use some mechanical equipment to move logs into some shade and even hold them up off the ground so you don’t have to bend over.”
Watch out for ground nesting wasps, commonly called yellowjackets, Smith warns. But the first hint they’re nearby is often being stung, which can be quite painful for a time.
Heat and ample rain at times seem to have suited the hard mast nut crops, according to Doug Williams, at D W Sports Center in Portage.
“There are a lot of shagbark hickory nuts and some wild apples, too, if you know where to look.”
It doesn’t take long to check the trees for nuts, and then get back in the truck’s air conditioned cab. Or just use binoculars from the truck.
Ticks don’t seem to mind summer heat.
The first of several goldenrod blooms have appeared. This plant is not a pollen problem for most and neither is corn pollen, being produced in abundance by the pollen flowers in the tassel.
A common corner bar discussion these days relates to the number of corn silks growing out of the flowers in an ear and the number of kernels forming inside the husk. They’re a perfect match say those who have won this bet.
Those noticing have reported ginseng fruits beginning to form but still shiny green; Michigan lily blooms along moist roadsides, visited by monarchs and hummingbirds; more rabbits than usual; fawns still uniformly spotted; and antlers still growing.
Autumn, by the calendar, is still eight weeks off. A few autumn-like allusions are cropping up, including emerging ghost plants (pure white), more red woodbine leaflets dropping; and black, and white, walnut fruits nearly fully formed.
Blackberries are a week or more away from turning purple. Enough rain has occurred in many places, suggesting a good crop if that continues; others suffered.
Field corn is tasseling and earing, drawing deer away from the soybeans and alfalfa. Problem raccoon calls are becoming more common, according to Smith. Turkey poults, various sizes, suggest early and late hatches.
Garden beans, tomatoes, potatoes and cooking onions are beginning to be picked, signaling squirrels are about to dismantle the hazelnut fruits and early acorns. Mushrooms of various sorts, mostly not edible, are showing up in forested areas.
Birds of many makes are using bird baths and lawn fountains to clean feathers, preen, and drink. Dry seeds in feeders continue to attract many more and ruby-throated hummingbirds continue to visit sugar water feeders, leaving yellow-bellied sapsuckers to have full run of their sap wells.
— Jerry Davis is an Argyle native and a freelance writer who lives in Barneveld. He can be reached at sivadjam@mhtc.net or at 608-924-1112.
