After some goose hunting I changed it up and took to the deer woods
September was going to be Resident Canada Goose month. And it was. I made it out several times filling the freezer with some tasty goose meat and witnessing some great sunsets on the water. Man, I love September goose hunting on the water, fun stuff. However last Saturday, the cooler weather got the best of me and I had an itch to deer hunt.
I had not practiced with my bow over the summer. But after a few rounds down range, I was looking at a good grouping of arrows in the 35 yard target. The broad heads were sharp. I was ready.
The first deer hunt of the season
Lawrence and I took the short drive to a local farm on Saturday afternoon with the hopes of catching a few deer milling around the corn and soybean fields. With plenty of time before sunset, I was perched twenty five feet up in a locust tree, ready for the wait.
As I sat there doing exactly what I thought I did not want to do this September, sit in a tree waiting, I found a surprising peace. I had not practiced all summer, looking down each arrow as if a trophy buck stood down range. I had not spent hours scouting, in search for that trophy buck that would make my mark on the deer hunting world. I had not obsessed about making this my year to shoot a trophy buck.
Sitting there I said these words in prayer, “I just need some meat”. At that moment I was at peace with myself, and my deer hunting. Sure, I kill several deer a year, some with horns and some without. But that one trophy buck of monstrous proportions has eluted me. The obsession has caused many sleepless nights, and at times depression. Deer hunting had become a chore, setting out to prove myself as a hunter. How could I be a worthy hunter, if I had not arrowed a buck of bragging proportions?
But tonight, the worry of proving myself was gone. I needed some meat. I sat still. Deer milled around in the woods. I sat enjoying my surroundings, not worrying that a big buck would appear. Not being disappointed when the brown movement between trees turned out to be “only a doe”.
Yes, I arrowed a mature doe in the fading light of the evening; a story of typical Augie’s Adventures style. I dropped my arrow as the first doe walked into range, I did get a second arrow nocked and sent her way, only to hit a low hanging branch. Minutes later a second doe walked toward me and I was able to harvest that doe. Was it a perfect shot? Not even close, I got lucky. But I was able to put some meat in my freezer.
A simple hunt, one with little in the way of expectations, or mind filled thoughts and worry about needing to shoot a trophy buck to prove myself. One with time with a good friend, time in the woods watching fall arrive, time thinking about my future, time just relaxing, and most of all the all-important meat for the freezer. Yep, it was a good hunt.
A quote from one of my favorite books, Wild at Heart by John Eldredge comes to mind, “Let people feel the weight of who you are and let them deal with it.” I may not have the bucks mounted on the wall to impress you, but that’s fine, I have a good time collecting meat for my freezer while enjoying the out of doors in the process.
