I spent some good quality alone time in my hunting blind this weekend in the 17 degree temperature. They tell me with the wind chill factor it was more like negative five degrees. I guess that explains why my hands and feet are still cold yet today. But you know, partaking in the opening weekend of the Wisconsin deer hunt is a family tradition, and no matter the weather conditions, I just won’t be the one to break tradition. That said, I forged into the cold wilderness with my husband, brother, brother-in-law, and buddy in search of the ultimate buck. Needless to say Mr. Big Buck is still running wild, and I will return to the woods Thanksgiving morning.
I find the forest an interesting place, especially in the dark at 5:30 in the morning. I trudged out with the rest of the crew on foot carrying my backpack of essentials (which now includes a Kindle) and rifle, and dressed in so many clothes I’m sure I looked like I was hobbling around like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in the Ghostbuster movie. After about a mile or so we all split off the trail, and I’m left forging through the woods in the dark by myself until I reach my trusted old hunting blind made of piled up logs and sticks. I settle in to the center of the blind and wait. While I wait impatiently for daylight to break, my eyes are on full alert scanning the darkness for any movement.
It’s amazing the things I see in the dark. This year, on opening day, a child-sized sasquatch paid me a visit. You can see him in the picture below, on the right side, peeking around a tree. It’s only a stump you say…it sure didn’t look that way in the darkness, and I would have sworn it moved on occasion.
Well if the above picture isn’t enough proof for you just take a look at the center of the picture below, Sasquatch is peeking at me through the greenery.
I told my young niece that I saw Sasquatch, and in return she asked if he was riding a pink unicorn when I saw him. I think she gets her sarcasm from my brother.
At any rate, I tend to see a lot of scary things in the woods while hunting. I’ve seen two badgers, one in Wisconsin and one in Michigan. I’ve had a black bear cross my path. I’ve watched a red squirrel narrowly escape the talons of a hawk. Eagles and owls have flown overhead. Wolves have howled, and coyotes have yelped and yipped so close to me I would have sworn I could feel their hot breath on the back of my neck. The slapping of beavertails on the surface of the pond near my blind has echoed in my ears nearly deafening me. An annoying little mole lives in the pile of brush and leaves in the corner of my hunting blind. He pokes his head out on occasion to let me know he’s there. With all that going on it’s no wonder I rarely see a Whitetail buck.
On the level though, I’ve been in this hunting competition with my brothers and husband for more years than I care to admit, and I do have one trophy buck on the wall, and no, I didn’t get him with the car. Lastly, being completely factual, I have one brother who has yet to beat me in the competition, but he doesn’t like to talk about it.
