A Hunting Weekend

A hunting weekend

By Allan Olson

On Saturday I was one of about 500,000 in the “Orange Army” hoping to be lucky enough to harvest a mighty whitetail and stock some venison in my freezer for the next year. I was really gung-ho and rarin’ to go on Saturday morning – until I got to my stand.

I enjoy the thrill of the game and a successful hunt but, sitting in the stand until daylight, hoping to get lucky enough to draw a bead on an animal is really a boring game. You sit there and sit there, often all for naught. However, when a deer does make an appearance, all that waiting is quickly forgotten.

Well, I’m going to be honest – I waited from about 7 a.m. until about 8:30 a.m. before I got my chance, and then I blew it. As the song from “Bananas at Large” goes, “My fingers were so frozen, I couldn’t pull the trigger.” My fingers were definitely getting cold, although I did manage to squeeze off a round (or three) before my prey disappeared in the brush. About seven minutes later it cleared that patch of woods and appeared before my brother, who was ready and waiting, thanks to my previous volley. He proved to be a deadlier shot than I, and completed the task.

That afternoon I passed on returning to the house, opting to eat my packed lunch in my stand and hoping for another chance. So I sat there again and enjoyed my lunch, the fresh air, sunshine, and my book . . . but no deer. Not a snort. Not even a twig breaking.

Since I was having no luck where I was at, I decided to go for a walk. Two of my brothers were on my dad’s homestead, and I thought about hunting over there, so I informed them I was going to walk the trail between the two properties. I left my stand about 3 p.m. and, after conversing with the other hunters, headed down the trail toward that location. It took just over an hour and my legs were starting to feel like rubber after all the walking I had done that day.

I took a post in one of the stands on the field for the next two hours. Nothing.

Sunday morning was another long and quiet time in the deer stand, and that evening I took the same post. On my way out to the stand, I saw two deer cross over to a neighboring field, and I kept hoping that one (or both) would circle back to visit me.

I got my wish just before dark. A deer presented itself on the border of our property, and I took the opportunity and fired. The deer jumped straight up and took off. Yes! I thought, victory is mine! But it kept going. I fired three more rounds over the course of the next four minutes, as my target got farther and farther away on the neighboring field. Finally I saw it drop. Okay, I was pumped! I got my deer. I watched it for at least five minutes, but the darkness was fast approaching. Just as I was preparing to get out of my stand, of course, it took off. Shocked, dismayed and well, mad – yes – there were a few sounds made in the forest that it’s probably a good thing only a few birds and trees could hear.

Hoping against hope that the wounded critter didn’t go far, I trudged toward where I first shot, and then to where I thought it should be laying, but it was nowhere to be found. A neighbor came out with a spotlight and helped me search, too, but we couldn’t find it anywhere.

Back at the house I shared my story – and got my share of ribbing (I’d been dishing it out all weekend, so it was my turn). Soon after I headed for home, very frustrated.

I had been presented with two opportunities and I screwed both up – how, I don’t know. I’m blaming it on my scope. It must not have been sighted in properly earlier this fall. After all, there’s no way it could be operator error.

The kids enjoyed the time spent with their cousins, and this weekend we’ll likely do it again when we will celebrate our youngest daughter’s birthday!

If you’re heading out in the woods to hunt this week, please remember this simple rule: “Be sure of your target – and beyond.” Please watch out for the buses on the roads, as they are carrying our children. Thanks for reading, and have a great and safe week and don’t forget your blaze orange.