Upland Bird Hunting vs. Birding vs. Dragonflies!

This is really not a competition per se but a discussion/analysis of three great outdoor pastimes of mine that have been competing for my recreational hours over the past several years. The genesis of this blog is the recent realization that for the first fall since probably 1955, I have not yet been upland game bird hunting.

A little history first! I grew up in a family of upland game bird hunters where the opening day of the season was a highly anticipated event, one not to be missed. From the time I was of legal age to hunt, opening day was a really big deal. My years in college put a bit of a crimp on this but I still managed to do some bird hunting no matter which state I was attending in. As soon as I began my working career, opening day again became a much anticipated day. That is until this year - when I didn't even realize I had missed opening day until several weeks after it occurred. So what is going on?

From my days of youth, I have always had some interest in birds. This interest intensified a while during college days because of some of the courses I took toward my degrees. But in my working years, my efforts at birding could pretty much be described as casual - pretty good with the larger birds and waterfowl associated with work or hunting, but mostly bird feeder watching during other times of the year. It was not until I retired that I became a very active birder who spent much of my leisure time learning and pursuing all categories of birds. Interest in wildlife and outdoor photography was a peripheral spin off that accompanied birding.

I think it must have been the digital photography "bug" that lead to my interest in dragonflies. While pursuing birds, these intriguing insects caught my eye - and my camera interest. Of course, once you have a picture of something, you - or at least I - have to know what it is! So about July last year, my interest in dragonflies began and it intensified very quickly into a passion.

Now for some analysis and comparisons of these outdoor pursuits. Seasonality, physical exertion required, active vs. passive pursuit, and mental acuity/learning curve required are all aspects that seem germane to this comparison.

Of these 3 pursuits, birding is obviously the only one not limited to a specific season, although in Montana, the winter season is less productive. Dragonfly season runs from mid-May to early October, and upland bird hunting has the shortest season - from Early September to December. As for physical demands required, bird hunting is tops with dragonflies next and birding probably following. Of course, birding of some types can require considerable physical efforts, but it can also be mostly pursued from inside or near a vehicle. For dragonflies, one has to exit the vehicle, but walking distances vary with the species sought. Because some dragonflies species are only found at higher elevation mountain sites in Montana, considerable hiking can be required to locate them. As for the amount of study/learning that is necessary to become proficient in any of these endeavors, birding likely has the highest requirement followed by dragonflies and bird hunting. With more than 400 species of birds possible in Montana and their sex and seasonal differences in plumage, there is a lot to learn to become proficient with these beautiful creatures. With dragonflies and closely related dameslflies, there are only about 80 Montana species.

The final comparison I'd like to make here is whether there is "active" or "passive" pursuit associated with each pastime. Bird hunting requires the active employment of a shotgun to target the quarry. In contrast, birding is almost entirely a passive sport with quality optics and good field guides the only requirement for proficiency. During my first season of pursuing dragonflies, a partial one beginning in July2008, binoculars and camera were the only equipment items I used. So for the most part, I had to locate dragon/damselflies that were perched in order to attempt identification. Prior to the 2009 season that just concluded, I purchased a butterfly net that could be used to capture and identify dragonflies that were often seen flying, but very difficult to find perched. This added an entirely new dimension to my dragonfly hobby, and one that required some persistence and skill. Initially, it was very frustrating to try to capture some of the larger dragonfly species - whose speed and reflexes are almost beyond description. But through perseverance, my skills and knowledge for netting these amazing insects increased to the point that it was really enjoyable. Was I consistently successful in netting them? Certainly, that was not the case, but it sure was fun trying. My efforts frequently lead to very amusing and sometimes wet conclusions. However, in most instances, the results were rewarding and this new approach to dragonfly chasing added greatly to my enjoyment.

So as the years keep gaining on me, birding will likely remain a mostly year round interest of mine with dragonflies coming in second and bird hunting fading into the twilight. But I'll have to revisit this scenario occasionally in the future, for who could have guessed several years ago that dragonflies would now consume most of my discretionary time in the summer months.

For the present, my task at hand is to get more of you interested in the pursuit of dragonflies! I don't think you will regret joining me and a few others!!