Trip to the Deer Stand

Nov
24

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I walked out through the upper pastures yesterday to the old deer stand that Ross rebuilt this summer. The platform looks over the field in one direction and the ravine and creek in the other.
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I imagined climbing up those rungs with a heavy shotgun on my back. Or even without.
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And chickened out. I figure Ross leaps up there with a single bound, but I’m not Ross. I’m better off getting up against a tree, on the ground, and not breaking any bones. Meanwhile, I did a little target shooting to check my distance and accuracy. No point shooting at a deer I can’t hit and scaring them all off for nothing. I’ve gotten a little better. The Hornady shells don’t about blow me down anymore. I can’t shoot as far as I’d like to, as least not accurately, but I can’t expect to be an awesome shot immediately. One way or another, I’ll probably end up with some venison in my freezer after this week. My ex-husband is coming from Texas for the week and will be hunting here, too. But it would be cool if I could get one for myself. Gun season opens in West Virginia on Monday, and I’ll probably go out for my first time Monday evening.
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I’m going to try, and since I’ve never hunted before in my life, I figure that’s good enough.

P.S. Yes, my ex-husband and I sometimes share the kids together for holidays, and he actually stays at my house. He has spent holidays at my house before; this isn’t new. He has also shot a deer for me before, so that’s not new either. (I think he has some slight amazement that I’m planning to attempt to get one for myself this year.) Weston is home from Morgantown, by the way, but no Ross this year. He is 20,000 leagues under the sea or something like that. WE MISS HIM.

*****

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Comments

  1. rurification says:

    Good for you!! I have ‘Learn to shoot a shotgun’ on my To Do list for this year. I’m glad to see your experiences here. I hope you get your deer!

  2. Diane says:

    That is great you have learned to shoot. I never went hunting. Do not like the thought of sitting in the cold. Do not like cold. lol. I do like to shoot! I’m a pretty good shot.

    Its nice that you and your ex get a long pretty well and that he comes and stays for the holidays. Enjoy your visit and hunting.

  3. brookdale says:

    Yikes, I can see why you would chicken out with climbing up into the tree stand! Pretty scary! And if you fell you would perhaps land right on the fence….Ouch!
    Glad to hear Weston is coming home for Thanksgiving. Haven’t heard much about him lately, hope he is doing well. Have a wonderful holiday with your family.

  4. mamawolf says:

    Happy hunting. Hope you get a deer. Venison is so good. And please, stay off the deer stand; don’t want to hear that you have any injuries. :fairy:

  5. hollygee says:

    Wear lots of orange. And pink!

  6. Joell says:

    :happyflower:
    I am not in favor of hunting, I understand why people do it, just be careful, we have a large woods behind our property and I am always glad when hunting season is over, one of our neighbors had a bullet come through her kitchen wall—very scary.

  7. CATRAY44 says:

    The best thing next to fixing their marriage, that my parents did for my siblings and me, was to be friends and have holidays together. I love them and appreciate them so much for it! Bless you both for doing the same!

  8. CATRAY44 says:

    Oh, and have fun and get a nice, tender – but large- one! : )

  9. CATRAY44 says:

    *could have ( but didn’t)- meant to say.

  10. kmac says:

    Leave the deer alone.

  11. bbkrehmeyer says:

    Good luck. Shooting is the easy part. The hard part is when you go to finish off Bambi. big tears running down his face. His screams of pain fill the air as you plunge your knife into his fragile neck and slash his jugular vein.Thats the really hard part,and thats why I stopped . If you can do a heart shot its not so bad. Anything less? No thanks.

  12. dawnraeb says:

    Good Luck and Be Safe. There is nothing better than the taste of food you grew, harvested, hunted, or fished yourself. I can’t wait to get back to country living. I know I appreciate my food more when I am the one responsible for where it came from. (I vote no on the deer stand) 🙂

    Missing service kids over the holidays is hard on mom. *hugs* to you.

    Good for you for being able to “share” the kids and space on the holidays. (makes my job as a child therapist a whole lot easier!) :snoopy:

  13. Granma2girls says:

    Thanks again, for the education. I’ve heard of deer stands but had no idea what they were. Looks like you’d have to be a monkey somewhat to climb one of those.
    How healthy for your kids that you and your ex have been able to share holidays with them together. Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!

  14. gailelaine says:

    Suzanne I wish you luck. I have been hunting whitetail deer for 34 yrs.After trying shot gun I started bow hunting (which is my favorite) I also muzzle load. A very healthy meat to feed your family. and the herds need managed or disease will take its toll. As years went by I learned to process my kill and then to create sausages, bologna, homemade wieners, jerky, brinning roasts and smoking them.The list goes on and on. Knowing you as I do I can see you following the same path with passion. Go get um Lady, be safe, shoot straight.
    ps
    if you get in that tree stand wear a safety harness.

  15. RosieJo says:

    Suzanne, you have set a fine example for us all. We aspire to be more like you.

  16. holstein woman says:

    I have 3 venison necks in the roaster to can soup tomorrow.
    You shared the family last Thanksgiving and it must have worked out very well as you are doing it again. That is a real BLESSING for anyone in your family.
    I would love to hunt, but I can’t stand the throat cutting. Its like when we butcher chickens, I can’t kill them, and I don’t think I would try that deer stand either.
    Have a GREAT Thanksgiving.

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