Many times in life you will be thrown a curve ball. How you react can either win or lose you the game, so being ready for anything can save the day or even your life.
It seems I’m already having one of those years. Nothing is going easy and won’t relent without a struggle. I’m not fazed yet and probably won’t be. Life can be hard and trying at times, but putting on a war face and trudging through the muck of life can be extra rewarding.
I hope everyone had a great first day of bow season, but I’m positive not everyone did. The reason I know this is I didn’t myself. The morning started off good, cool and dry, in comparison to the previous few days. I actually managed to find all my gear but my rangefinder. Personally, my finder is only second on my list of important bow hunting equipment. I had to choose a relatively tight hunting location that would offer shots not much over 20 yards. I call the area from your feet out to 20 yards, the “dummy zone,” because you can just acquire the target and shoot without having to adjust for yardage. You do have to pay attention to the deer’s body language and aim an inch or so low if it’s alert. This can prevent a high hit if the deer reacts to the shot, otherwise, it should be a no-brainer.
I made my way through the fog, knowing I would be facing an unseen obstacle. Weeks ago, they trimmed the edge of the powerlines, or more like hacked. The trees were left along the edge of the wood line, piled and twisted, creating a big mess. As I arrived at the spot where the trail used to be, it was quite the barricade. I couldn’t even locate where the trail had been, so I just started climbing and fighting my way through. The best part is, the place I planned on hunting wasn’t far from the brush pile, so I had to try and be as quiet as possible. It took almost 10 minutes, but I finally made it to my spot. I was not surprised to find a tree top only feet from where I sit, blocking any ability for a shot from the location. I had figured by this point that it was going to be one of those days.
I had to switch gears and came up with another location to sit. I headed there and set up. It looked good and the wind seemed to be cooperating. As it reached 7:30 A.M., I was getting excited knowing if deer happened to make their way through, they would in the next hour. About that time, I felt the wind switch and head downhill directly where the deer were most likely to come from. I knew at that point there was little chance of seeing a deer, let alone shooting one. Then, from the only other place deer come from and the wind hadn’t gone, approached a coyote. I squeaked at it a bit, and then it turned and made an approach to just short of 20 yards, but became alarmed before presenting a clear shot. I sat until about 10 A.M. and threw in the towel. I walked back to the house with a smile on my face and ready for the next chance to get out.
I decided to shoot a bit before heading in for lunch, which I commonly do, to make sure my sights haven’t been bumped. On my first shot, the fletching was ripped off of my favorite arrow. I used to number every arrow as to where they grouped, but with the invention of professional grade shafts, they shoot nearly identically. Being that they all shoot about the same, they get a design on them once they have taken an animal. My go-to arrow is pretty marked up and has taken four deer and a coyote so far, so my superstitious side makes me want to use it. Again, I had to switch gears and choose a fresh arrow to be initiated and receive a design. It shot great and I’m ready to hunt with it, if I can get the time.
The moral of this story is: every day in the woods isn’t the best, but it’s still a good day to be alive. Take joy in life and shake off the bad, to make room for more good stuff. As the sun rises, you face a new day and the chance for better things to come.
Good wishes and don’t let anything stop you.