October is when the Northwoods fully embraces autumn. The last of the leaves turn, the first hard frosts arrive, and by month's end, winter will be creeping in. The air smells of damp earth and woodsmoke, and the lakes, now too cold for swimming, mirror the shifting skies above.

Deer are restless as the rut approaches, with bucks leaving signposts in the form of rubs and scrapes. Squirrels and chipmunks are busy caching acorns, and black bears are making their final push for food before settling into winter dens. By late October, loons and other migratory birds will have departed, leaving the lakes strangely quiet.

For many, this is the best time of year. Hunting season begins, woodstoves fire up for the first time, and the rhythm of life slows just enough to take in the colors before the snow flies.