Years ago I wanted to park my truck along a tree-lined street in a small town that I was working in at the time.

I had to move my truck several times because of the huge acorns that kept clunking off roofs, cars and sidewalks everywhere in sight. A woman sitting on her porch saw my plight and invited me to park off the curb in a portion of her driveway that was free from the outstretched oak branches.

A couple kids came out and told me that the fox squirrels really liked the acorns and they had to push piles of them away from the sidewalk. I happened to have a couple of five gallon buckets and I offered the youth five bucks each if they both filled buckets with the new fallen acorns. I was gone for about an hour and when I returned the two buckets were full and two kids were waiting for their pay day.

A few days later, I was scattering acorns and some walnuts I had found in some areas near my home for future wildlife food and some prime timber growth. Recently, I have noticed some of the efforts made on behalf of wildlife as trees are now growing strongly and the leaf structure tells me that oaks, walnuts, hickory and butternut and apple trees are thriving.

It gives me satisfaction to know that some efforts can be rewarded, much like you expected. Each year the PA Game Commission solicits people to purchase seedlings and plants that benefit wildlife. Many of the conservation programs invite us to plant native species that provide food and cover for wildlife. These trees, shrubs and plants draw wildlife in like a magnet and provides them with a wonderful food source maturity.

In areas that have too much wildlife and not enough food cover, you see quite an open environment. Believe it or not, park-like woods are not the ideal habitat for most wildlife species. Deer need browse and new plant growth. Grouse feed exclusively on buds, insects that use the leaf cover and the small fruits of shrub species.

That is why you find grouse in the thickest cover areas; food and protection from predators. Clean farming practices and over browsing result in population shifts and eventual loss of species. Predators have a much easier time with rabbits, squirrels and young bird hatchlings when the environment is wide open spaces.

Try to do some Johnny Appleseed work with plantings and the spread of quality food trees for wildlife. You may or may not see the fruits of your labor, but we all can appreciate coming across a mature oak or apple tree loaded with fruit in the middle of our hunting range. You can’t help but to think of how it got there and who carried in the acorn or seed to this spot.

One month or so to the opening of archery season in Pennsylvania. I had a phone call the other day about the Mentored Youth Hunt Permit. This is a special hunting arrangement for youth between the ages of 7 and 11 and can be purchased for $2.90 that includes a buck tag and a spring gobbler tag.

They cannot purchase a doe tag, but their mentor can offer his own tag to the youth as a tag to fill the license requirements. There is also a Mentored Youth Tag and an adult mentored tag for older first time hunters.

Back to the archery season — we had a discussion about when was the best time to archery hunt. Most hunters agree whenever you can! However, the idea of hunting toward the end of October seemed to be the consensus.

As deer approach the rut, there is much more deer activity and all the bucks are trying to get the attention of the does. This is when the bachelor groups of bucks start to disband and go on search mode which makes them much more likely to run into the archery hunters.

The first gun shows are being advertised for the fall season. Scott Twp. VFC has one set up for Sept. 10-11, which means Rocky Grove can’t be far behind.

The selections of sporting arms have really diminished in the past few years and if you are looking to sell off some of your old rifles and shotguns, you may have some luck at these events.

Every time we have an election or a national event, sales appear to peak. I like to look for collectibles and items that reflect a different time in the big woods. Knives, tins, ammo boxes, vintage hunting gear and art work spark interest for the shows.

Most of the shows request a $5 cover charge for entry and you must be 18 or older.

Until we meet again take care of yourself and don’t park underneath the oaks and hickories!

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle