Deer Season

We've been hunting deer this week - my son and I -  joined today with his son, my fourteen-year-old Grandson. What that means is that we get up at 3:30 AM, hit the road around 4 AM, drive for one hour and fifteen minutes, and hike into the woods more than one hour before daylight. We climb into tree-stands and wait. And wait. And wait. Finally it is daylight.

Then the fun begins. Squirrels and chipmunks keep it interesting with their constant rustling in the leaves, making one think that a deer is directly behind you. You're afraid to move because it sounds close, and it might see you. So, ever-so-slowly, you turn your head like an owl. You really can turn your head farther than you thought, but it sorta hurts. Your eyes compensate for the lack of neck motion by turning far to the side, and 'til it is all said and done, you're seeing directly behind yourself. And there is a squirrel. All that for nothing.

That's just the beginning. This happens over and over. In the meantime, the crisp air is feeling crisper. After two or three hours in the tree, (or sooner), the shivering begins. Then the bladder begins to remind you that you drank too much coffee. At this point, the discomforts are trying to remind you of the warm bed you left several hours ago. No giving in, though.

So you wait some more. More squirrels. More chipmunks. Then, low-and-behold, a happy little bird lands on the business end of your boom-stick. It stares into your face and makes a cheerful chipping sound. It flitters a little and changes position. Than it flies away. What a treat! For a moment the shivers stop.

Moments later, a squirrel notices something strange in my tree, and decides to investigate. He hops along the ground and up another trunk of the the triple tree I'm sitting in. He gets within two feet of my face, and stares intently. Then he barks. Eyeball to eyeball with a squirrel, and I'm thinking that I could really spoil his day by making a fast move towards him. I don't do it though. Enjoying the moment is more fun than seeing a squirrel turn himself inside out. Finally he tires of looking at me, and scrambles down the tree. That was fun! Once again, the shivers begin, and the bladder complains. Still no giving in. This is serious business. :)

This morning, the final day of hunting for us, started out just like the other days. Up early, and into the tree long before daylight.  No deer in the freezer yet, but hoping to end the dry spell with a clean kill today. (A clean kill is defined as quick, with little or no suffering. We don't blast away at running deer. We wait for the perfect shot, so it ends quickly. I also want to mention that I don't enjoy the "kill." It is not fun to watch anything die. It is a necessary part of the process, though.)

May I say this for those who are not hunters, and for whom this story is distasteful: We eat meat. We enjoy the outdoors, and get a great sense of satisfaction in bringing home venison that we have hunted and worked for. We know where it comes from. We know it is a healthy form of meat. Where we hunt, there are enough deer that we are not hurting the population. In fact, insurance companies are quite grateful to  the hunters who keep the population in control.

Anyway, my son and I both scored today. We are grateful. Nothing is wasted. Our time in the woods has been - for many years now - a great father-son experience each year. Now it includes a Grandson who, by-the-way, harvested a deer during bow season. These are the days and moments we cherish. These are the times of our lives.

We're headed down the stretch to Christmas now. Doesn't seem like another year has passed already. Enjoy the season, and remember; Wise Men still seek Him.

From Kidron, Ohio, so long.