Dirty South Hogs (May 14, 2016)

It was Saturday night, which for most of you know that's #SaturdayNightSwine! I was set up at the Dirty South feeder spot & Tina was at another spot waiting on hogs. Trail cameras had shown hogs coming in before dark and I was pumped! It's been a long time since I've had hogs show up during daylight hours...

About 8:00 pm, 4 nice hogs came out from the left of the feeder; I was hidden behind one bush, sitting in a chair, bow in hand. There were 2 black ones & 2 brown ones; one of the brown ones was pretty aggressive bumping & grunting the other hogs & I could see he had good teeth on him. However, in past experiences I have learned with hogs that trying to be picky can sometimes leave you empty handed because they spook each other & move around a lot eliminating shots. The plan now is to take a shot on a hog that is most calm or presents the best shot first. As I waited for that shot opportunity the aggressive one broke away from the bunch & went to the right & was focused on me, or what he thought was something suspicious.

I tried to stay as still as possible because without the cover of darkness I knew I could be exposed. Finally, 3 of the hogs lined up for a great shot & I took it. I watched as my arrow went through the first black hog & stuck in the shoulder of the second brown hog behind him! As they scattered I was shaking & full of excitement but 2 of the hogs were still hanging around in the brush. I waited but they finally left.

As I sat there waiting I noticed my green lighted nock in the brush to the right of the feeder where the hogs I shot had ran. I decided to go check it before it became too dark just to see the amount of blood on it. It felt like a great shot & the footage confirmed it. As I was kneeling in the brush just 10 yards to the right of the feeder looking at my arrow, another group of hogs came into the feeder with a huge group of piglets!

Feel free to laugh along with me because here I am 25 yards from my bow, hiding in the brush with an arrow in my hand trying to figure out how to get to my bow without being seen (I had my 10mm on my hip but we have all agreed there would be no gun hunting on the lease). The only way was to go back around through the brush & hope they wouldn't see me. As I crawled through brush I was just hoping maybe if they only heard me they would think I was another hog & wouldn't spook. Somehow I made it back to my spot but on the back side of it leaving me in another dilemma. The lone bush I had for cover was my only hope but my bow was in front of my chair on the ground & getting to it would expose me if I moved the chair. I reverted back to my gymnastic days & planked across the chair while hiding behind the bush & somehow managed to get my bow off the ground.

One step down; next try to move the chair forward slightly so I have a shooting lane around the bush. I did manage to stick my arm through the thorny bush & turn the camera back on but off to my left was the aggressive hog from earlier watching me again. I looked & saw foam coming out of his mouth (which I confirmed later with a picture of some nasty slobber on the ground!). I was able to inch the chair forward just enough to get a clean shot. I launched an arrow at a small sow & my arrow zipped through her. As she ran off the piglets came right back! I grabbed another arrow & said "why not" as I launched another arrow into a group of piglets. A few ran off but they kept coming back!

I didn't want to use any more arrows on piglets because they can be hard to find so I decided to see how close I could get to them under the feeder. I began stalking to them & even though they would spook they would come right back. I was within about 8 yards when they finally decided they had enough of this game and left unwillingly. I was having a blast though!

Now the tracking had to start but let me set the tone for the weather...it had rained a little earlier in the day, it was hot with 95% humidity & every known bug in the area was out to annoy me. So lets go....

Tina hadn't seen anything yet so as she continued to hunt I started tracking the first hog. I found good blood & began crawling through the brush when I heard someone coming through the gate & a vehicle driving by just 50 yards away. I bolted out of the brush, slammed my head on a branch, saw a bright light (from the head hit, not the headlights of the vehicle ha!), & kept running to go see who it was. (There shouldn't have been anyone passing through the property however, I found out later because of a lock issue on the main gate they had to come through our property to get out a secondary exit). My spirits sank a little because they had just driven right by where my first hog had ran to. Hoping they didn't bump him I went back to the blood trail.

As the brush became thicker I was crawling on my hands & knees finding small holes in the brush to stand up from time to time to give my legs a break from being crouched down. As I was crawling looking for blood face to face with the ground I saw some eyes looking back at me. It was small & camouflaged & as I shined my white light on it, the bull bat (night hawk) freaked out & started trying to fly...except he flew right into my face! It was so thick he couldn't fly up & kept hitting the brush crashing back into me, flapping his wings, & crying out...or maybe that was me letting out some random noises as I lay on the ground covering my face from getting clawed or scratched! All I could think was Are You Kidding Me! How does this happen to me? Here I am in the middle of the brush getting attacked by a night hawk! After about 30 seconds of this going on he finally found a hole to fly up & away from me. As I lay there dripping in sweat, covered in spider webs & my arms scratched up, I just laughed out loud & realized that really did just happen!

I continued searching for the first hog but ran out of blood & decided to try to find the small sow I shot second. It had to be easier than this one & less dramatic! I went back to the feeder & immediately started following blood to the left. About 40 yards in I found her! Success without a bird beating! I searched around for the piglet but was unsuccessful, so I began dragging the sow out of the brush to the road. 

I made my way back to the arrow that had hit the second hog on the pass through of the first hog. I knew I didn't get much penetration but I had to finish the job & confirm he wasn't dead or wounded. I looked for blood but didn't find anything; I followed a few paths that he could have taken looking for any signs of blood, fresh droppings or even a wounded growl. I didn't find any signs & I was satisfied I didn't do much damage because the arrow hit & fell out within 10 yards of him running off.

I had been tracking hogs for over 2 hours now & was dripping with sweat, bruised & cut up from the crawling & thick brush, oh & the night hawk attack, but I was so excited. I checked in with Tina who hadn't seen anything but figured with the vehicle driving through the property the hogs probably scattered. We loaded up & headed home...but in the back of my mind I couldn't get over the first hog not being found. It was a great shot, I had great blood & it was driving me crazy.

The next morning I headed back out to look for the hog again; it had rained even more over night & everything was wet but I had to try. I looked for another hour & found a little more blood but never recovered the hog. My clothes were soaked, my arms were bleeding again from more brush scratches & somehow a worm made its way into my boot & stung my ankle causing extreme burning pain & swelling. I wrapped a baby wipe around my ankle to soothe it & decided I had done all I could do.

Just another adventure of chasing hogs & loving every minute of it! Enjoy the video, I wish I could have filmed the night hawk attack! Maybe next time!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eno3BCJfGxQ

A Dandy Dirty Doe

2015 started off with a trip to Deep South Texas for a hunting trip with some friends. We had hunted this part of Texas before but never this exact spot so we took 4 pop-up blinds to help keep us mobile for changing deer patterns. Most of the set-ups already there were for rifle hunting so we needed to be prepared. The forecast was for rain, rain, cold, and more rain.

On New Year’s Eve we made our way south nearing the Texas/Mexico border; the rain had made the roads extremely sloppy and our trip took a nasty turn when our truck and flatbed trailer with the Gator on it slid off the road into a small ditch. It was a mess. We had to unload the Gator to use it to pull the truck and trailer out of the hole, all while it was 36 degrees and raining. Needless to say after a lot of messy, muddy work we finally made it to deer camp, completely soaked and covered in mud, but still excited to hunt.

 

The next morning we headed out to scout a few spots for blinds and found a some senderos that looked promising. After a few hunts with no success we moved one of the blinds to a sendero with a feeder on it. The brush in South Texas is extremely thick leaving only small roads or senderos to hunt, therefore baiting is almost necessary. Regardless of hunting over bait, this wasn’t going to be an easy task. We set up the ground blind in the new spot and brushed it in completely. I knew these deer were going to notice this new “bush” in the road but had to take my chances; leaving only a tiny opening for a shooting window I had to be as concealed as possible knowing these deer would be on high alert. I was 30 yards from the feeder and we had thrown out more corn in the road to help.

As I watched birds scurry about it was 5:15pm when I saw a very large doe step out into the road 17 yards away. The brush is so thick you cannot see the deer walking toward you or if they are in your area unless you are elevated in a blind rifle hunting. The trees aren’t tall enough to put stands in to bow hunt out of but the brush is just high enough to cover the heads of deer. The windows of opportunity bow hunting here were slim. As she stepped out, she immediately looked at my brushed-in blind and walked back in the brush. My heart started racing because for the brief moment I saw the front legs and chest of this doe, I knew she was a big, mature doe and was ready. I steadied my bow and waited for her to calm down and hopefully make a return appearance.

 

As I tried to calm my breathing and nerves she came back out into the road and headed to the corn. I decided to give her a little time to get comfortable (animals are always more alert when eating) before I took the shot. She finally turned completely broadside as I drew and released. I saw my arrow fall out the other side of her as she darted into the thick brush. I was shaking and just knew I had made a good shot. As I went to nock another arrow my heart sank. A bobcat crossed the road and stopped for a brief second (not long enough to get my bow drawn again) and headed in the direction of my doe.

 

Just my luck. (I have mentioned before that I have never shot and recovered a deer while bow hunting during a morning hunt. All of my kills have been afternoon or evening hunts where tracking and recovery is usually after dark or at dusk). It was raining, foggy, only 45 minutes until dark, and a bobcat was traveling in the same direction as my doe. So I prayed. Then I text my husband and a few friends to pray for a quick expiration and hope that the bobcat didn’t run my doe into another county or start destroying her. I was torn between going to search for her and keep the bobcat off of her or wait the full 30 minutes. I compromised instead.

 

I exited the blind quietly to check the impact site and arrow for blood to determine my shot. There was blood where I had hit her and my arrow had bubbly blood on it. I had a feeling she probably ducked a little when I shot and hit lungs instead of heart but I was confident after seeing the arrow and blood at impact site as well as blood on the cactus right on the edge of the road. I sat back in the blind and prayed again that the rain wouldn’t wash away the blood and this would be a quick recovery. I waited about 25 minutes and decided to go look before I lost light.

 

I only took my pistol because the brush was so thick I was going to be crawling on hands and knees and didn’t want my string getting cut by cactus, mesquite thorns, and everything else that sticks and stabs. I knew I had to be ready to shoot a bobcat that might have started his dinner on my doe and possibly recruited others. The tracking process was about 15 minutes, mostly because getting through the brush was so thick and the blood was deceiving because of the rain. I was alone because my husband was still hunting and I didn’t want him to miss an opportunity but I knew I couldn’t wait for him.

There she was, about 50 yards from where I had shot her. I could see her, but couldn’t immediately get to her because of the brush. I looked around for a hungry kitty cat but was relieved when I was alone. My eyes began to fill with tears and I tried to jump up and down and do my victory dance but the brush was so thick I cut myself on some thorns and stuck myself with cactus instead (well worth it).

I finally made my way to her and realized since I had been crawling and finding ways through the brush tracking blood, I wasn’t exactly sure where I was anymore or how close to the road I was. I tried to drag her but without my game hauler I wasn’t going to get far. Light was fading fast and the rain was steady; I had 3 flashlights with me (red, white, and green) so I left the white light with the doe pointing upward for a marker and attempted to make my way back to the road. My husband and friend were now on their way to me and somehow I made a quick exit to the road, pushing through thick brush getting cut up more. When I saw them walking towards me I ran to my husband crying and laughing with excitement and we embraced for that amazing moment we live for.

 

As we walked the road we found my white light and realized she was only about 15 yards from the road! We recovered her and headed back to camp to weigh the big girl. She was 130 pounds of beautiful venison, although completely soaked and covered in mud. I know that may not seem like a big deer to my Northern friends but in the Texas Hill Country a big doe is 90 pounds making this southern girl a fatty! She was my biggest doe taken with a bow and I was ecstatic to share another hunting moment with my husband and great friends. We were so blessed to hunt on their ranch and leave with an ice chest full of meat! That was one dandy dirty doe!

I also stayed true to one of my New Year's Lifestyle changes (not resolutions) and documented the hunt in my Rite in the Rain Notebook!

 

Doe-Licious Delight & Coyote Chaos

 

 As much as I love to bow hunt whitetail I encounter situations that require me to pick up a rifle. These are rare moments, especially when hunting deer, but that was the case this past January. An opportunity was presented to conduct deer management on some property in Deep South Texas & with over 5000 acres to cover in 3 days & plenty of tags to fill I knew I would have a rifle in my hand. There wasn't time to scout or set up good bow blinds and the land owner needed some doe herds thinned out. The land was going to be leased out for the following season & who could pass up an opportunity to fill our freezers & feed our family!

 Most of the hunting was done down long senderos and hitting up water sources so we tried to increase the challenge by taking long shots, usually 200+ yards each time.
 

Over the next few days we were able to put 6 doe in our ice chests & another friend filled his with 3 doe as well. Knowing we would be keeping some of the meat but also filling our parents & families freezers was very rewarding and being able to help out the land owner in the process. 9 doe may not be a big dent in the doe population but it could only help.



The 3rd doe I shot was  in the early afternoon and the weather was warming up so we field dressed her immediately so we could continue to hunt (this was actually one of the bigger doe I shot but the angle in the picture below made her look smaller-we were keeping her in the shade to keep her cool as well). We left the gut pile and headed out to finish checking senderos. We were making our way back to the area of the gut pile when we saw a big ol bobcat run off from the pile! It had not been more than an hour since I had shot the doe and the bobcat found his own dinner quickly and during daylight hours! We tried to get a shot on the cat but he was too quick for us!

In between filling ice chests we were always on the lookout for predators, pests, pigs and javelina to hunt. While driving around midday we headed to one of the water sources for some action. When we drove up over one of the damns we all spotted a coyote devouring an animal carcass.

The first shot from our friend was a miss but then my husband took a follow up shot while the coyote was on the run and he hit him. We quickly made our way over to him. This was turning into a team effort and since he was still alive (broken back) I then put two .40 rounds into his head. Dead coyote. As always I wanted pictures (have to share with y'all) so I drug him out of the brush & proceeded to take pictures. 

 

 As I laid him back down I freaked out! He started breathing and moving his mouth. At first I thought maybe it was just his body reacting to the shots and being held upside down but when we put a boot on his stomach he pushed it off with this breathing & started moving! A few more rounds in him finally led to his expiration. I would have thought 2 shots to the head would have sealed the deal but apparently I was wrong!

 

 This was one tough coyote & here I was holding him up taking picture while he was still alive!! The only comfort I had was that I had on snake boots that came up to my knees and 3 bottom layers of clothing! As you can see from the picture his gnarly teeth were well within range of latching onto my leg and leading to a whole mess of problems! Not the smartest moment I have had in the woods! 

 

 

The last morning of the hunt hubby and I were sitting together watching a sendero when we saw 2 doe come out. They were calm and relaxed and it was his turn to shoot; as he was getting set up for a shot at 180 yards we both noticed something else in the distance.

 Sneaking up behind the two unsuspecting doe were 2 evil conniving coyotes. We were about to witness them carry out their plan of attack from behind on the smaller doe and we were not about to let this happen. The doe had no idea the coyotes were sneaking down the road. As much as we wanted to get another doe on ice and meat in the freezer, we knew taking down these predators and saving the doe and future fawns was more important.

 So hubby turned his sights of his .270 to the coyotes and took a shot at 200 yards and dropped the first coyote in his tracks. He moved quickly to try for a shot on the second coyote but it had already made its way into the brush. The doe scattered as expected but we were happy to have destroyed that coyote and ruined their plan of attack!

 

 So yes the coyote in this picture was shot by my husband and not me, but he isn't as excited to take pictures as I am haha! However, that coyote was very smelly and my hands stunk for quite some time afterwards! 

 It was a great weekend trip of filling freezers, managing the doe population, taking down some predators and I even did a little javelina stalking with my bow that came up short. Now all of those doe are in our freezers and the freezers of our family. The land owner thanked us over and over but we were the ones who were extremely grateful for the opportunity to hunt, feed our family, and make memories to last a lifetime!

Get Lost To Be Found

  

Noise. Noise everywhere. Traffic, honking, typing, machinery, cluttered conversation, meaningless words. Everywhere. Every corner, every turn, every person. People in a constant rush, buy, wait, hurry, wait impatiently. The clock ticks, the clock tocks, the clock spins. Pushing, keep up, keep going, no rest. Get ahead but leave integrity, humility, tradition, morals and self-worth behind. The days fly by, minutes are meaningless, speech is abbreviated, handshakes are non-existent. Words are fake, staccato, misspelled and childish. Quiet moments interrupted by technology, the true feel of the world's beauty missing from so many minds, forgotten, overlooked, incomparable to what could be surpassed next; pushing the limits, ignoring risks, but not accepting consequences. The noise, it's silencing; silencing the true beauty of the world and the heart of Mother Nature. 

The noise of the world is easy to get lost in. We all get lost there with jobs, family, and high speed haywire lives we live, but for the lucky few who know how to escape it effectively we survive, I survive. I survive by consciously seeking the embrace of the road less traveled, the unbeaten path, the untouched breath of God in the quiet moments best spent alone in the marvelous outdoors. 

I am found here. Here with each burning sky of the sun breaking through the trees, the awakening of the awe inspiring moments that breathe life into the morning and into my yearning soul. My heart overflows with passion, gratitude, humility and everything that was lost collides with the simple untouched moments of the woods; the chaos is consumed and I am found. 

 I am found as the dark is colored with light when the woods awaken, breathe and come to life. I am found in my tree stand, ground blind, or path to heaven on earth anywhere in the field. In a tree, in a chair, walking without a purpose, with or without a weapon, I am found in those moments of tranquility that are untouched by man, undisturbed by manipulation and unexplainable to anyone resisting the welcoming call. 

I am found as leaves fall, crunch beneath my feet, blow in the wind and float on Gods simple transportation that changes everything as it remains the same. I am found with every sound; no longer noise but joyful notes of harmony and melody; the same tune but different verses. The moments of purity I witness as I walk to and from a hunting spot as I feel the touch of the bark of the trees, the hard and soft ground beneath my tired feet, and the smell of the perfume of the grasses, flowers and animal scents left behind in their daily life of survival. 

I am found as I watch the crazy critters scurry about all while I am observing from just a few yards away; unnoticed (most of the time) I peer into their lives, their personalities, their flaws and features as they exist in their perfect natural environment. I see their tiny paws and claws, the small patches of fluffed fur, their eyelashes and ear tufts, their movements as they almost always remain alert. I am alert, waiting, watching, enjoying every moment with the most resounding moments of peace in existence. 

Will there be a shot at an animal? It's possible but so much must come together for that moment to occur. I am content being in their world and absorbing the refinement and artistry of a living painting before me. I am envious but protective of their ability to be free from the overbearing thoughts of chaos we as humans must endure. True freedom at its finest. Their movements, style, and grace are all with purpose; every step, head turn, flinch, jump, or sense used is calculated, with reason, for survival but it still fascinates me. 

Will I be disappointed without a shot? Never. The journey of being found while getting lost is more than enough to satisfy my soul, more than enough to refresh, renew, and relax my heart and mind, and more than enough to recenter my gravity and keep me grounded like the mighty oaks. Mother Nature's foundation is my building block in life; it's what keeps me sane, provides clarity, and ensures my return trip to the chaos is safe; safe knowing that I will be getting lost again real soon. 

First Weekend of Firsts

Headed to the heart of the Hill Country in Central Texas I knew this trip was going to be different, but I was not prepared for all that happened. It was the first weekend of the New Year of 2014 and although I love every minute of every hunt with hubby and my awesome hunting buddy Muzzy (our miniature dachshund who I will write more about another time)  we were being joined by some awesome friends and two young boys that would provide some of the most memorable moments of any hunt. This was a weekend of firsts, not just for me, but for Noah and Remington (Remi) and their parents as well.

The Texas Hill Country always refreshes my soul with the varying landscapes that although static most of the year, show adaptive changes during drastic weather. The prickly cactus, the solid strong oaks, the scent of the cedar that exposes its layers more and more as winter strips it away, and the sunrises and sunsets of each hunt that nearly take my breathe away every single time. The Texas Hill Country never disappoints!

 

The first 'first' for me was the process of making sassafras tea; something I have never known much about and although after the process was over and a little research this is best taken in very small doses. The root from a sassafras tree used to be the primary ingredient in root beer but after many changes from the FDA it is not used anymore (please research this before you attempt to make this or consume it-I do not want to be liable for anything haha)

 

Moving on...the root is chipped at to make small shavings (you can smell the 'root beer' smell once exposed) and placed in a pot to boil. After boiling, we strained it through a coffee filter and added sugar and enjoyed! A very sweet, root beer flavored tea! Such a fun process to make something like this and learning something new from others is the best part. I love expanding my knowledge of the outdoors and I am forever grateful for this experience!

 

 

After finishing some refreshing sassafras tea it was time for another first for me. Although I have hunted for a while now, I have never actually had the opportunity to shoot a cross bow. I love my compound bows but how could I say no?!? The 2 boys were having a blast shooting it and I had to get in on the fun. I try not to ever pass up an opportunity to try something new, especially with weapons or the outdoors! You truly never know when the opportunity will come back around again, so seize the moment!

 

 

After a little target shooting with the cross bow it was time to hit the woods with my bow and try for a deer. But enough about me, because this weekend was all about these two excited boys that were soaking up every minute of the trip. The first night Noah had the opportunity to shoot his first raccoon and this kid was a great shot! When he made it back to camp I could see the excitement in his eyes and was unsure how he was going to get any sleep that night with the morning hunt looming. Noah's weekend was off to a great start for sure!

 

 The first evening hunt was slowly slipping away with hubby and I in our own bow blinds and Noah and his dad in their box blind, rifle in hand, excitement building for the anticipation of Noah's first deer. As the sun was fading away, just at last light, we all heard a shot and the hit. Immediately phones were texting about what had just happened. Noah had shot a doe and was overflowing with excitement. We advised for them to stay put for 30 minutes because they had not seen the doe go down. As we all packed up and met at their blind I could see the most excited boy I have ever seen. He told us the story in his head and dad confirmed Noah was shaking so bad! Noah said "Dad I have buck fever, no doe fever, I have some kind of fever!" What a moment, but we still had to track.

 

We confirmed it was hit when we found blood on the ground right where she had been standing when he shot. We tracked blood in the dark for about 30 minutes before running out. Noah was soaking it all up as we tracked blood and asking questions along the way. What a teaching moment this was. A little frustration sat in after our blood trail ended, but I told him we would get Muzzy to help track. I would hate to lose Noah's first deer so we were going to do our best to recover her. Muzzy found the same blood trail we had and another couple of spots that we didn't find but lost a clear trail after a while. We backtracked numerous times, checked around some down hill slopes, a tank, and under brush and trees for any signs but our hope was running out. Sadly we weren't able to recover the doe, but after talking with Noah he said if he had to guess if he shot too high or too low, he said a little high, which we explained to him could have hit the void and missed vitals altogether and the doe would survive.

 

Although we weren't able to recover Noah's first deer, I was completely humbled the way he responded. I have never seen someone with such a great attitude about the situation. He said "I did my best, we put our best into finding her, its ok...". Never once did he show signs of frustration or defeat. We all shared our stories of 'the ones that got away' and explained as much as we hate it, it happens and all we can do is learn from it, correct any mistakes we think we might have made, and get back in the blind. He was truly grateful for the experience of the situation and actually made me rethink some of the ways I have acted in the past over a lost animal; it is heartbreaking and we all have our moments and that's ok. But as sad as I was to not find his first deer, I was reminded of something along the way; little did Noah know, he showed and reminded me to be humble, grateful and resilient. A first deer shot, a first blood tracking experience, first frustration, and a first moment for me being reminded of a great attitude from one of the coolest kids ever, 20 years younger than me!

 

The frustration and defeat was wiped away as the boys headed back out for the evening for more predator control; this time Remi was on board! Another first for Remi who was able to take down his first raccoon! These kids were on a roll and grinning from ear to ear enjoying every moment like it should be. Noah was able to notch another first in his belt by seeing his first ringtail and shooting his first ringtail. I told y'all these boys were great shots! Many people go their entire lifetime without seeing a ringtail in the wild, and while hubby and I prefer to watch them because they are rare to see, it was game on for Noah. Using his .410 shotgun to minimize damage, Noah took down this ringtail and it will forever be a memory because they are getting him mounted! Heck I have to say I am a little jealous of having that cool mount in the living room; they are such beautiful creatures but the true beauty was the smiles on Noah and Remi's faces - priceless! 

 

 

The next morning hunt was cold and windy which seemed to keep the deer bedded down but not our spirits. After everyone met back at camp it was time to go search in the daylight for Noah's doe just to ensure we put forth every effort to recover her. Driving and walking back around the area the recovery effort still fell short but we know we did our best searching at night, with Muzzy, and during the day. Fortunately or unfortunately something else happened that changed everything, another first for the boys and parents.

 

A yearling was spotted hung up in the fence with a broken leg, a partial hind quarter eaten, still alive. (the next photo is slightly graphic but necessary). There was nothing good about this situation but acting quickly Noah was ready and ended the suffering of the yearling. We weren't sure if coyotes or a cat was the culprit of the destruction of the yearling but one thing was certain, Noah got his first deer in the most unconventional way with a hard lesson included. Luckily because she was still alive when found and only one hind leg had been destroyed the meat was still good. Noah again showed the best attitude and soaked up every moment, helping skin and clean the deer, getting bloody in the process and sharing the experience with his family and us.

 

It was a heartbreaking situation that was turned into a positive learning and educational moment for everyone. The cruel reality of nature presented itself but the end result was Noah's first deer, meat in their freezer and an end to suffering for a young deer. I honestly can't imagine being 9 years old and witnessing something like this and having the best outlook and attitude about the whole thing. I was truly blown away at the maturity of both boys and the respect they showed for the land, the animals, and the entire hunting process, having rarely been exposed to any of it before.  

 

 

The weekend ended with one last morning hunt where I had another first at this specific piece of property. The deer out here are pretty spooky all year round so stalking them is a pretty tough feat, especially to get into bow range. As I sat in the lean on stand in one of the oak filled pastures, trying to stay warm, I was all about to give up hope. It was 20 degrees with a wind chill of 4 and I felt like I was hunting in Kansas again! 20 degrees in Texas is a pretty big deal to this 'tropical' South Texas girl but I was surviving. A heated vest and heated insoles were my saving grace!

 

As I looked behind me I saw a doe creeping into the area but to my disappointed she must have been cold too because she bedded down in a low lying area where a tree had fallen. There she was 60 yards behind me; I could see her ears sticking up as I peered through the trees and tall grass. I was convinced there was absolutely no way I could climb down out of the squeaky lean on and get close enough for a shot, so I waited, and waited, and waited. She wasn't moving so I decided to. If I could get my bow and myself down without her running I knew I might have a chance. Bow was lowered and I slowly climbed down the ladder, made it to the ground and she was still there. I got my bow and hid behind a tree to let things calm down and plotted my path.

 

I had ranged a few trees and spots I needed to get to for a possible 30 yard shot. I knew I had to get relatively close because she was in a hole and as soon as she stood I was going to have to be a quick shot. I slowly creeped my way to the next tree and waited again. She was still there and I was in shock. I dropped down on my stomach and began a slow belly crawl to the next group of small cedar bushes that would get me about 40 yards away and in a better wind position. I locked my release in my D-loop and slowly raised up to start moving towards her when she popped up and bolted! GRRRRRR! I was so close but it just didn't come together.

 

I watched her run away and jump into the neighbors property and out of my life forever haha! I was pumped though from the excitement of the stalk and was so proud to have closed the distance on her. This was the closest I have ever been stalking on a deer at this ranch and I was excited, even though I am pretty sure she only stayed that long because she was just as cold as I was; I wouldn't want to move from my warm spot either!

 

It was a beautiful, cold weekend of firsts, during the first weekend of the year. I learned so much though beyond the hunt. Noah and Remi are 2 special boys who have a bright hunting future ahead of them. I was truly blessed to have spent a weekend with them and learn from them as they learned from us. I helped Noah understand that there a lot of people out there who will not agree with hunting or with the story behind his first deer but advised him of the good he did for the suffering yearling and how he turned something devastating into food for the family, instead of food for the coyotes or wild cats. He helped me remember to keep the best attitude possible and showed such a genuine, innocent and perfect mindset throughout the entire weekend. These two boys have a special place in my heart after this weekend and I can't wait to get them back out there for some predator control and call in the coyotes. It will be a great moment to seek revenge on the destructive predators that almost succeeded on that yearling.

 

 

 

 

Thank you to Noah, Remi, and their parents for allowing us to share knowledge with each other and for one of the best, most unforgettable hunts. Although hubby and I don't/won't have children of our own, there is something so rewarding about influencing and shaping the mind of the younger generation and passing on priceless knowledge, moments and memories that I know everyone benefits from. Until next time...