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In woods, on water, savoring joys of ‘nothing’ TOM VENESKY OUTDOORS

Sunday August 23, 2009 | 01:00 AM

When it comes to the outdoors, “nothing” is what compels me to spend time on the water or in the fields and woods.

And when you get to the heart of the matter, “nothing” is what motivates hunters, anglers, hikers and everyone else who likes the outdoors to head outside.

For me, I appreciate it every chance I get.

The opportunity to shoot a large buck or reel in a hefty bass is the reason I hunt and fish, but the chance to experience “nothing” is often an added side benefit.

Nothing as in the silence that can only be found on a remote hillside – far from the noise generated by roads, towns and other signs of civilization.

Nothing as in what can be seen from atop the tallest mountain overlooking a vast, untouched valley below.

And “nothing” as in what I have to do for the day while I’m floating in a jon boat on a forgotten bass pond (nothing but fish, that is).

The importance of “nothing” in the outdoors actually struck me last fall when I sat against a large oak tree to take a break while turkey hunting.

I sat at the base of the tree, doing nothing but soaking up the scenery around me.

There was no noise, no wind … nothing.

All was quiet and still and that’s when “nothing” turned into something.

A large black bear, probably weighing a little more than 300 pounds, silently appeared on the same level hilltop in the woods where I sat.

Because I was doing nothing, the bear didn’t notice me as it ambled within 20 yards.

The bruin stopped when it passed directly in front of me, raised its nose to sniff the air, and continued along the hilltop without a care or worry.

It was a fascinating sight to watch such a large bear unknowingly pass so close, and all I had to do to experience the encounter was nothing.

So why am I using an event from last year to write a column now?

Because the value of “nothing” hit me again the other week while fishing a bass pond near Lovelton in Wyoming County.

My fishing buddy Gary Gronkowski and I spent close to 10 hours on the pond, catching bass and large calico almost nonstop.

When the sun finally faded and darkness made it impossible to cast, we called it a day and headed to shore.

As we approached the shoreline, Gary shut off the trolling motor. All at once, silence engulfed us as we drifted on the calm surface of the pond.

A full moon had risen over the horizon and its image reflected on the still water.

Neither of us said a word. We were too busy listening to the silence of the calm night.

Listening to … you know, nothing.

It isn’t always easy to appreciate the simpleness of an outdoor experience. Sometimes the hectic pace of our daily lives follows us into the woods, and we overlook the beauty around us in our haste to fill a tag.

And that’s when the “nothings” that make being outdoors a memorable time go unnoticed.

The best way to experience the little things that add to a hunting or fishing trip is to simply slow down, look and appreciate.

If you do, you might see why “nothing” really does mean something in the outdoors.