Opening adventures

Yesterday morning we arrived at one of my favorite hunting spots for the opening day of archery deer.  This spot is very active in the early morning and late evenings as it is between the wheat fields and their bedding area.  So we were hoping my dad could take a buck while I filmed, then I could fill the second deer tag (special permit, antlerless only) that I drew.  My hopes were high and I hardly slept a wink the night before in sheer anticipation of getting to notch a tag on opening day.

When we stepped out of the truck we were serenaded by a pack of coyotes just over the ridge from our stands.  Those sweet howlers sang as we marched to our trees and up until the sun rose.  I should have taken their howls as a sign that I was better off in bed, but I was determined to wait for the buck that we have been seeing on our trail cameras.

It was only 4:30 when I started attaching my tree stand to the tree and my little green headlamp was not quite cutting the mustard.  At one point I accidentally let go of the cable connected to my tree stand and turned to find it.  Well I found it all right...and in the process I managed to shove it clear up my left nostril, so far up in fact that I think it took a brain sample.  Needless to say, my nose started bleeding profusely.  Normally I have baby wipes in my hunting pack, but we traded those out for Clorox wipes (samples from hubby's flu shot packs).  I could not bring myself to use a disinfectant laced tissue on my already throbbing nose, so I did what any self respecting lady would do in this situation...I stuck my gloved finger clear up my nose and held it on the cut until the bleeding stopped.  After a twenty minute battle with the never ending bloody nose I finally made it up the tree right at the end of the aforementioned coyote serenade.

Just after sunrise a rafter of turkeys sauntered down the trail.  I was thoroughly enjoying watching the sunrise while listening to the turkeys and leaned back to take in the moment.

The next thing I knew I was snapped awake by the sound of a few deer on my right.  So, like any wise hunter I jumped up to see the deer.  Before I was awake enough to realize my mistake the two does took off running and wheezing.  Shortly thereafter I took the coyotes advice; climbed down and went home for a nap.

In spite of the amateur hour that I hosted in my stand yesterday morning the evening hunt was looking promising.  There are quite a few chipmunks that I call my reverse security alarm near my tree stand location.  From sun up to sun down they chirp rhythmically and constantly unless a larger animal is coming in.  This evening was no different.  As I sat there I began to notice that their chirps were slowing down and then stopping all together.  Sure enough within five minutes I heard a deer moving right behind me.  I stayed still, heart racing, barely breathing, camera ready to record my dad taking the beautiful buck.  Just as the deer passed my stand and neared range for my dad, two boys on their bikes rode by on the access road screaming;

"I love this bike!"
"Dude there's a truck over there!"
"AHHHHHHHH, RUN!"

 The deer froze as they rode by so I held my breath praying that the deer would continue on it's path once the kids were out of range.  As soon as the kids passed the deer jumped twenty yards backwards and started wheezing.  He so badly wanted to go through the trail that several times he tried coming back then would spook away again.  After several tense minutes he was very close to coming back and was just under my tree stand when I heard my doom returning;

"Dude there's a person in that tree!"
"CREEPY RUUUUNNNNNN!"

With that the deer gave one last wheeze then my chipmunks started chirping again signaling my failure (gotta love hunting well used state land).  The sun slowly set without any other visits to our tree stands, as the kids stayed in the general area having a grand ole' time on their bikes.  As I started climbing out of the tree my sweet coyote friends took to the stage and sang me back to my truck with a mournful tune that well represented my dashed hopes for a notched tag on opening day.  You would think this was my first time in a tree stand...but I've been doing this most of my life, so I'm going to blame it on opening day jitters and pray that I can get it together for the remainder of this season.

Today I'm getting my son all ready for the first day of school...but my dad, father-in-law and husband are all out on my father-in-laws hunting property.  I'm praying that they have better luck today than I had yesterday.