Winter Hiking on the Ice Age Trail

Today as I was attempting to hike on the ice age trail in Southern Kettle Moraine - I once again came across hunters on the trail. What is scary is that this time I had the hunter look in my diretion with his rifle. Needless to say - that was the end of our hike on the ice age trail today.

Today's hike was to start at the Forest Headquarters in S. KM and head west on the Ice Age Trail toward the Emma Carlin trail. After my experience last weekend with again - hearing gun shots on the Ice Age trail just north of here and then hearing a bunch of men yelling "Did you get it", I checked out the hunting schedule for this area. Unfortunately for those of us who want to enjoy the state forests - hunting season runs from September to May in this area. The brochure mentioned it is discouraged for hunters to hunt near trails where other individuals (hikers, bikers, cross country skiers, etc) may be. Given that - you would think hunters would realize that on a nice day - many people would be out using the trails. Guess Not.

I also looked at the map of S. KM - it shows on the map the trails in and around S KM and the Ice Age trail - the hunting areas and the non-hunting areas. All trails in S KM are IN the hunting areas. SO - if I was a hunter, guess I'd be happy - I would have 9 months out of the year to hunt on the state park land. While I'm not a hunter and would like to feel safe out hiking on the trails in the State parks, I only get 3 months out of the year to do it without hunters on the land. Wouldn't it make sense that with all the land in and around the state park in S KM that a portion could be set aside as a No Hunting area year round so that all hikers, bikers, etc could enjoy the land without the thought of "will I get shot?"

This wasn't the first time I've had this happen, previously I was mountain biking on the John Muir trail in S KM and biked right up to a hunter standing with his rifle on the bike trail. I've also had a relative walking on the Nordic Trail and had a bullet fly by his head. I'm actually surprised no one has been shot out there yet.

I guess until May I will need to go out and buy blaze orange to wear for both myself and my dogs if we want to hike. After my experiences I don't feel safe walking the woods from Sept to May in S KM.