There were three days still left for our holiday break and Rachel was sequestered to clinic Friday and Saturday morning. I still had my deer tag burning hole in my pocket, and despite my frustrations, I told myself I would be happier filling a deer tag than shooting more ducks and geese. I may or may not have had some help with that decision from Nick and Ethan, but they were for the most part right; I needed to try.
Friday morning I went out on a limb and headed to Cottonwood where Dad and I had our evening duck sit a few weeks prior. There was plenty of deer sign and a great trail coming off of the corn field above.
As I drove in, there was a lone doe bedded in the middle of the two track heading into my spot (this would end of being the only deer I saw this morning). As I crept my way into my spot I settled in amongst the sweet clover and waited for any deer to dare to come close enough. Though I would not see any deer, it was a rather enjoyable sit. I saw thousands of snow geese, a few large flocks of mallards, and even a few swans. I spent most of my time thinking about my duck season, Rachel, and how much I am going to enjoy being a Dad. Only the constant barrage of snow geese would bring me back to reality.
I should have followed through with my original thought and brought tip-ups out with me as there was walkable ice still on Cottonwood. the edges were dicey, but the main lake ice was 5+ inches. It was irrelevant as I had not done so, and back to the car I went.
I worked on the shop a little in the afternoon and planned an evening sit at Bruce's. I have come close a few times out there, but had yet to connect with anything. I got out there with two hours of hunting light; plenty of time to get settled into a good spot. As I buried myself in the cattails, with Dad's guillie-suit on, I had a great vibe about the evening. These deer wouldn't know what hit them if they came in.
About 45 minutes into my sit, all of that vibe came crashing down in a cold sweat. There was a parked truck at the top of the hill in the pasture right below the house. I didn't feel like having lead whizzing my direction, so I put my blaze hat on. They sat for what seemed like an eternity before heading to the other side of the pasture at the gate.
This was not a good omen at all....
When they finally got to the gate, I could tell what was happened before it even happened. I was about to get booted from this place.
Sure enough, as they got the gate open, I just got up and headed their direction.
I was asked if I had permission to be down here hunting as they had just gotten off the phone with the landowner who said no one else should be done there hunting. I would not be down there unless I had explicit permission and I told that to the folks. They were the ones living in the house at the top of the hill, meaning they were the landowners tenants. This was another mark for the them. I apologized for the confusion, and told them I will just head out and let them salvage their hunt, and I will not bother the place the rest of the season.
And just like that, deer weirdness fucked me again.
I have just about had it with this deer hunting thing.
I blasted across the prairie to another spot I had permission and sat on a berm for the remaining 40 minutes that I had left. Of course, I saw no deer, and my season was just shot to shit. This was the only property I had permission to deer hunt that had even a snowballs chance in hell of me harvesting a deer, and I can't drive past the place without a knot in my gut.
Bow hunting was fun when I could have camp with the guys, or when I could take Rachel out and we could hunt the same property together. Those days are over until we move back to Iowa. I have struggled to find decent places to deer hunt in general, and even the ones I have found, have more deer weirdness associated with them then many properties I have dealt with in the past. Believe me, I know deer weirdness. I have lived more of that shit than I care to admit, and quite frankly, it sickens me.
So, until Rachel and I find ourselves back in Iowa, I am hanging up the bow. There is far too much stress associated with it anymore for it to be enjoyable. I will just stick to birds and fish.
Stay Tuned
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