OT: Yesterdays hunt

[bigbore442001]

This past Saturday my father and I went out for deer in Connecticut. The season had opened on Monday but it was very hot and humid on that day and then I had to have much needed repairs made on my pick up truck. So in a nutshell, Saturday was the only day we could go out. Unfortunately I have contracted some sort of illness. My head aches, my ear hurts, my sinuses are stuffy and I have a lot of post nasal drip. Something you don't want to ponder while having a meal.Anyway, we awoke early and headed out to the woodlot that we have permission on. I have been practicing almost every night in the back yard on a foam target and developing my skills. My father recently purchased a new crossbow, a Parker cyclone.

I dropped him off at the peak of the hill so he could have an easier walk into the woods while I drove down to the base where my treestand is located. I was hoping that there would be a repeat of last year when I shot a nice four point buck at 7:15 AM but such was not the case. I stood in my stand for more than three hours while my dad did the same about two hundred fifty yards away or so. We have a system of contact using FRS radios. We click twice if all is OK. Three times to talk. Four times indicates a deer down and five means to come over here.

Each half hour passed without any sort of special event until mid morning when we quit that area. We have noted over the years that this spot is pretty much a morning only area and if you don't see anything by 9:00 AM you won't see anything at all. We then met at my stand and then headed to the truck. At the truck we drove down the road and had a nice coffee at a local shop. After that we headed to the other property where we planned to set up two deer stands. One ladder stand for dad and a regular lock on for myself. My Dad quipped" At 71 and I still can climb a tree." He felt happy that at his age he was able to do those things that he enjoyed. He commented about losing weight and I agreed. We have many more years of hunting together.

We headed to the other property and set up the stands. One overlooks a junction of an overgrown orchard and two fields while mine is set in the woods along a stone wall bordering an overgrown pasture.

It was hot that afternoon for hunting but we stuck it out. I bought a Thermacell insect repeller after hearing a lot of good about the product. I knew that my stand being next to a small swamp and in a low spot would soon have a mosquit problem. Sure enough the little buggers came out. Lit up the Thermacell and sat. The thing works very well. Not one bite in over three hours of sitting next to a swamp.

Had we have been hunting squirrels, we could have filled grocery bags with them. But deer were scarce. It was just too warm for them to move except at dusk. I sat and coughed and withstood the ear and cheek pain until legal shooting light ended. By the way, the best thing in my bag of goodies is a device called the Cough Muffler. It looks like an animal call on steriods but it works. I can get a dry, hacking cough due to allergies and other respiratory ailments. So this thing never leaves my hunting pack. I must have used it at least ten times per hour. I did have some cough drops. All of two and one I swallowed when I attempted to put it in my mouth at the moment of a coughing spell.

When I stepped out I decided to walk across the large pasture to see what was over the hill. Sure enough I could see in the dim light a tan blob in the field. I slowly walked back apparently not spooking the deer who came to the field via another route. I may have to change that stand. Dad reported seeing three deer cross from one field to the one we have permission on but they were seventy five yards out. He suspects that they will come into that intersection but when is a real question.

On the way home we stopped off at a Dunkin Donuts for a hot coffee. It felt good on the throat. As we stepped in there was a group of older people holding court, so to speak. We were in camoflage and they all seemed to look at us with an odd look. After we obtained our coffees we headed to the truck. I told my dad, " Did you see the look they gave us? " Dad replied in the negative.Dad commented again about being blessed to go out in the woods . I told him that is a lot more than they are doing.

I will do some recuperation. I want to beat this cold or whatever I have so I can go out and hunt.

[Duff L Bagg]

Good story, Enjoy the time you have to spend with your dad out in the woods. I would love to have just one more day in the woods or on the water with my dad. I hope that you get to feeling better soon.

[rjohns94]

that is very special. My dad and I have never hunted together and only once have we fished together. I sure wish I had those memories with him. He just is not that type of guy. He did plenty for us as a father, coaching, providing, vacations, but he never wanted to join me in the outdoors. My son and I do other things, he is not a hunter. He does enjoy shooting though.


thanks for sharing a very special day. I hope you feel better soon. prayers up

[Andrew]

Yes, good read. I don't have the drive to hunt that hard, that's why I just shoot paper. That's hard enough for me anyway.