Today is November 7, 2011 and I'm sitting in a rundown old house near Nebo, Illinois. A group of five deer hunters, including myself, are in Pike County enjoying the early part of a week of bow hunting. This is the first opportunity in all my 53 years to have the privilege of a hunt like this where there are deer of the quality that this beautiful part of the country holds. It is warm and raining at this moment and as I look out the window of this old house, a pheasant is walking down the edge of the gravel road just 40 feet from the house. That's right – a pheasant! Where it came from is anybody's guess. Better hunting weather is predicted toward the middle of the week and hopefully that will prove to be accurate because the rut is getting underway and the bucks are chasing does persistently.
This hunt is the realization of a dream from as far back as my memory will take me and the other guys are a really good bunch to be able to share this experience with. Even more than the realization of a dream, this is also a therapeutic experience as well. My time spent in the woods or on the water does wonders for my sanity. The pressures and disappointments of life can sometimes become a suffocating burden, but when I'm twenty feet up in a tree or on a creek so far away from a highway that man made sounds are few or nonexistent those problems can be put on the back burner. This morning some of us were excited to see a monster buck chasing a huge doe. She was so big that we were looking for antlers. A sighting such as this causes us to look forward to the rest of the week's hunt with heightened anticipation - a buck like that is exactly what we hope to get within bow range before week's end.
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
At 6 A.M. we are sitting in our home away from home as the rain pours from the sky and the forecast calls for rain and thunderstorms all day – not very safe conditions for sitting in a tree stand. Four of us are sitting in the living room as one of the guys plays the guitar. The other guy is still in bed. We are thinking of going to find a diner to get some hot breakfast. Weather conditions are supposed to be better for deer hunting starting tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to that. In the meantime though, it is quite enjoyable to sit and listen to the music and sing along once in a while. Hunting has not been great for the first couple of days, but the experience of being in Pike County, the "Golden Triangle" as it sometimes is referred to, is something that I'll remember and treasure for the rest of my life. Just to see the incredible size of the deer in this area leaves me in awe. These created wonders are a testimony of the amazing power and wisdom of the master Designer.
"The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters."
Thursday, November 10, 2011
The weather was considerably better for hunting today in Pike County Illinois which made for a more enjoyable day. All the guys in our group saw deer this afternoon. Things seem to be looking up for our chances of taking some good bucks. There is nothing more beautiful and relaxing than the deer woods cloaked in fall colors with deer moving calmly about. The peaceful solitude of sitting high in a tree watching and hearing nothing but the sights and sounds of nature helps keep me sane. This afternoon a half grown fawn came in and browsed a while and then laid down and took a nap for half an hour just 30 yards from the tree I'd climbed. I named the little buck after my precious little grandson. Tomorrow mornings weather forecast gives promise of another good day in the woods and so with much anticipation we sit and talk about where each of us will hunt at daybreak.
We've finished eating our supper and as we sit around the living room of this old dilapidated house that has been home for six days now, we are enjoying the sounds of music. Three of the guys are pretty good with a guitar and there's a little bit of singing as well, though that part is not so great. This week of hunting and the company of some really good guys has been an experience that will be treasured for the rest of my life. Even so, the old saying "there's no place like home" is certainly true and I'm really missing my family and especially my sweet little grandson. He's two and one half and is the light of my life. How can a little boy capture the heart of a 53 year old man so completely? One of the most precious sounds I've ever heard is that sweet child calling me "Poppy". It's really going to be great to see that boy again in a couple of days.
For now we are getting ready to settle into bed and get some much needed rest before rising at 4:00 A.M. and heading back to the woods. Tomorrow is the last full day of this week's dream hunt and hopefully we can all be successful and make this an absolutely fulfilling experience for each of us.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Today was the last day of our Pike County hunt. This morning we got out of bed at 4:00 A.M. as we have all week long but this morning there was a sense of sadness that our hunt is coming to an end. Yet there was also a feeling of relief and anticipation that we are going to go back home to be with the ones we love. I have missed my little grandson more than words can express and can't wait to pick him up and kiss his cheek and hear him say "Poppy".
We are leaving Illinois with the same number of deer that we came with. The weather early this week was not good for deer hunting but improved late in the week. Two of the guys got shots but missed. Such is the world of bow hunting for deer! This morning we hunted until 9:00 A.M. and then packed up to head home. I saw three shooter bucks this morning but all of them came through about 100 yards away. One of them was the quality of buck I came to Illinois hoping to see. He was huge and he was hot on the trail of a doe but she led him up and over the hillside and out of my sight. The other two were not quite as nice but were nice enough that I'd have taken one of them if possible. Two of the other guys saw shooter bucks this morning as well but also didn't have a chance to shoot. So we are heading home with no deer but with rich experiences to store away in our memory banks. One day I hope to be blessed with another opportunity to go on a hunt where the big bucks roam and maybe finally have the dream encounter of a lifetime with a 180 class deer. For now, though, I'll cherish this experience in another part of the creation and look forward to new opportunities to spend time in the woods. It is experiences such as the past week that help me keep my sanity. The pressures and disappointments that come with everyday life in this world seem to fade into the distance when I'm in the woods or on a creek somewhere. Everyone needs to find something such as this that takes them away from their problems and the weight of everyday life.
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