hunting experience day 1

Over the next few days I'm hunting and taking a notebook along.  In the evenings I'll post how my day went.

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It's opening morning of the gun deer season.  I'm joining the ranks of thousands and I'm sitting here in my blind, as I write.  Waiting.

My blind is a building constructed of 2x2's and 2x4's with chip board walls and ceiling.  It's about 4 feet wide and 8 feet long.  Just big enough for a chair, a little woodstove and a small woodpile in the corner.  It has two sliding windows ~ homemade out of acrylic plastic with small bolts attached in the corners to use as handles for opening.

This little shack was built by my Dad years ago for use by my Mom for deer hunting purposes.  It has served her well, as she has several nice bucks under her belt.  One of them was even a 16 pointer!  Now that Dad has gone to his eternal hunting grounds in the sky, Mom is using his stand ~ thus giving me the privilege of using hers.  I hope that I too can have a productive hunt from this stand as she has.  I also hope Mom has a successful hunt this year off of Daddy's old stand.

Mom is 80 years old and still hunting.  I figured it was time to carry one more family tradition this year and try to put some meat on the table myself.  I've gone hunting in the past; but I never shot a deer.  Hopefully, this will be my year!
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Several hours have passed ~ still no deer.

I was hoping I could tough it out this morning and not have to make a fire in the wood stove.  It isn't that cold out ~ only 30 degrees ~ but my toes are cold.
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Well ~ at least half an hour has passed at my futile attempt of making a fire that will keep burning.  I brought along a magazine that I figured on reading this afternoon; but I already burned half of it up starting the fire.  I forgot to bring newspaper and kindling. Note - if I have to be here tomorrow bring paper & kindling & WD40 for the squeaky wood stove door.
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another note to self - Bring a watch! I forgot that too.  I must have been in too big of a rush this morning to get in the woods.
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I heard several rifle shots in the distance, someone must be seeing deer.  The only wildlife around me are mosquitoes.  Now that I have the fire going and it's starting to warm up in here they are waking up out of the wood pile.  There were two red squirrels chattering back and forth and a nuthatch and a chickadee fluttering around in the trees; but even they are gone now.

The woods is quiet ... except for the occasional buzz of a mosquito.
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Another shot ~ this one sounded closer; but still too far off to be Mom.  Although, I could be wrong.  Wouldn't it be nice if she and I could bag our deer on opening day?  I wish I knew what time it was.
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It's noon.  Sam just came out by my stand with the 4-Wheeler and a bucket of corn.  Hopefully, this little tactic will serve as a dinner bell to all the hungry deer in the area.  The deer are so used to the 4-Wheeler running through these woods and I think they are starting to associate it with the feeding of corn.

Come on Big Boy ~ lunch is served.  Come and eat so I can eat.

So far ... at least through this year yet ~ hunting over bait in Wisconsin is legal in some of the northern counties.  It is regulated though by the Department of Natural Resources; you can only use 2 gallons per 40 acres of land.
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It's mid afternoon ~ still no deer.
The wind is starting to pick up and the temperature outside is cooling down.  I sure am thankful to be sitting in a blind..
Just a few moments ago a hawk came flying down the trail right past me.  It wasn't more than four feet off the ground.  when it flew past my window it was almost as if I could reach out and touch it.  What a pretty sight.
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I don't know what time it is; but I'm guessing it must be getting close to 4:00 p.m.  The woods are starting to look darker and shadowy.  I have about half an hour then it's time to head out for home.  I don't have far to walk and I do have a flashlight along; and even though I'm carrying a rifle there's too many wolves in these woods and they give me the willies.  Call me a sissy if you want ~ I don't care ~ they freak me out.
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I had every intention of heading out the door when a deer walks in.  It was a small bodied deer with fork horns... should  I shoot or let him grow?  I watched him for about 10 minutes and opted to let him grow.  When I got home and told the guys that I passed one up .... they said I should have shot ... no one was given an opportunity today to get a buck.    But I don't feel bad about letting it go.  I may not see another deer the rest of the season; but I still feel good about how the day went.   Just because it's brown does not mean it's down in my book.

I've waited this long ... whats another day?
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Until next time...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel