My friend Rae McFarland coined the term mouth breathers, the inference was that they are purposely ignorant people. She’s a dental hygienist, so she and those in her profession have seen dental patients with this trait. Last night, I was reading Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, by James Nestor, and became aware of the term “mouth breathing.”

And so those who are mouth breathing are mouth breathers. The distorted facial features, the dull look in their eyes, the slumped posture – it’s all because these individuals are taking a respiratory shortcut.

Area trail

And who are these people? The one’s I have had the most contact with lately are hunters. Most are driving ATVs. They’re out there, tearing up the trails and not giving a damn about other user groups. Their vehicles are loud, and they are coarse. Their vehicles also emit a noxious odor. Do they really think that given the loud sound and distinct odor of their vehicles that they are going to bag a moose? No, they don’t think this because they don’t think at all.

I, who am routinely out there on horseback or with the dogs, sometimes hear gun shots. Mouth breathers tend to shoot in an indiscriminate fashion. If it moves, they’ll take a chance on it. Kill but don’t be killed.

Their belief is that it’s all about freedom to do as they choose. That’s why they live here in Alaska and hunt on state land. And sad to say, poach more than just eggs.

Today I again saw the orange vehicle that last week I saw heading up trail. It was out on the road, and a tow truck was following behind it. Why I wonder, are such individuals allowed to continue to waste good oxygen that the rest of us might put to better use?

I don’t know if mouth breathers are more susceptible to COVID-19 than are nose breathers – I haven’t seen any at all wearing masks.

I mean, imagine it, a September in which the Alaska Department of Fish and Game decides that, for one year, that there is to be no hunting of any kind on state land.

The trails would then have the time to regenerate. And bicyclists, hikers, and horseback riders (the nose breathers) would then be able to take to the trails and not have to worry about their physical safety. How wonderful this might be. I wish it was an instance of imagine it and it will come to be, but unfortunately the mouth breathers have, and will continue to have, the upper edge.

At this point in time I am lumping all who hunt into the category of mouth breathers. None are taking any responsibility for trail wear and tear, and yet they are all responsible.

Next: 254. 9/14/20: When the Smoke Gets in Your Eye