With the season looming, how do you picture your first hunt of the year? I'm excited for that first trip across the lake, canoe loaded, face painted. Getting settled in overlooking the creek. King fishers diving for minnows, the eagle soaring down the channel, the loon calling as dusk approaches. Squirrels fooling my yet unseasoned ears. A light breeze carrying my stanky smell out to the lake. The first sight of brown as a doe or two pass below to get a drink or simply cross the creek. Yes, to say that I'm looking forward to the Season is an understatement. I simply can't... wait!
To be honest I haven't been thinking much about it. I don't know for sure yet when or where my first hunt this year will be. Kentucky season opens on 06 September, but I'm not crazy about hunting that early this year. I have a feeling my first sit of the year will be on 27 September on the Tennessee opener and I'll be sitting over the little food plot I planted behind the house. I'm not sure what's wrong with me, but I'm not feeling the excitement this year that I should be feeling.
First year with our own land and I cannot wait any longer! For the first time I will be able to walk out with no fear of the State Land Orange Army. The feeling I will have walking across my own food plot and clear cut paths is a feeling I will never forget.
Mine is going to be just like Fitz's except.... I'll drive through suburban traffic for 45 minutes to reach my hunting spot, fighting bad drivers and stoplights the whole way. As I get dressed at my truck I'll be hiding as best as I can from the neighbors so they don't call the cops on the half naked guy in their back yard who is putting camo on. Later I'll sit in my stand and be serenaded by the sounds of rush hour traffic and kids playing after school sports at the nearby school. Perhaps the elegant sound of a car horn or jake brake on a semi tractor will snap me from my intense focus on a game of Words with Friends. I may get lucky and catch a glimpse of a deer, most likely a doe or a spike buck, some 300 yards off in the distance. Ah yes, it will be here before you know it!
Oh it will probably be 90 degrees and I will be trying not to sweat my @$$ off on my way to the stand.
I've been thinking about it a lot. The night before spending time with a couple of my buddies, celebrating the start of the season. That early morning wake up call with the unfamiliar cool breeze making me second guess my decision. Adjusting to all the sounds in the pitch black darkness, finally making it to my comfort zone 20 feet up in the tree. Watching nature wake up when the warmth of the sun hits the forest floor. Picking out the first doe in the early season foliage being followed by the newest additions to the herd. Just taking a moment to close my eyes and welcome the much anticipated season.
I'll go out opening morning just to go. No real expectations. Not sure where I will be sitting but it will be in the timber somewhere. I'll sneak in. It will be cool and damp. Quiet. I'll have some apple cider with me to take the chill off as I won't dress very warm. I'll sit till maybe 9am or so. Very well won't see a deer. I'll head back to the cabin and take a nap. Then take our youngest out for his first deer hunt that evening over a food plot.
Walking through woods to stand thinking man, I hope the Deer tics are not to bad and I dont walk through a nest of them! sitting stand thinking man its Hot, I would love to kill a Doe early and get that out of the way, but thinking Man its ho,t and I dont really want to mess with one! Then passing Doe's and thinking man why didnt I shoot one like I do every year then hunt next 3 weeks with no shot ops
First night we get out will be setting up camp under the headlights of the truck, getting tents up, a fire going, etc. Then the next morning, we'll pack up the scope, binoculars, range finders and bows and go watch the sunset and see if the deer come by where we are sat. If we get to see some deer, we'll wait until they bed down and then one of us is off on the stalk. This has gotten my pumped up! Come on November!
This will be my first year waking up and walking out my back door. I was quite excited, but my activity has died off! I am planning on sitting on the edge of the woods, behind the pond which is near two seperate pathways (one from the road and one from the powerlines). I am hoping to see something. But I do have a feeling I may try shooting a ground hog that keeps escaping me - he likes to hang out on that backside. The activity I was seeing was all hours of the day. I plan on getting out before sunrise and sitting as long as I can. It may be hard being able to see my house but not going in! A lot will also be weather pending. My opening day is October 4.
Nothing like the first walk in the woods at dark climbing up your stand and settling in waiting for daybreak! Sit back, take a deep breath, think about all the work you've put into leading to this point, enjoy the peace and quiet and anticipation of your first visitor! Then .... game on!!!
I see my first sit being in an afternoon sitting over an alfalfa/bean field. Hopefully my cameras and glassing are telling me this is the place to be. Face will be painted up and as Fitz said I'll be hypersensitive to squirrels playing as I awake from a nap. As the sun starts to set the crickets will be chipping and I'll be scanning the field for the first doe or little buck to enter the field and just enjoy watching them. I'll hear the twang of the fence and crunch of leaves and twigs as the first shooter comes up the fence row into the field. I'll ease my bow off the hanger, vision will narrow to a little tuff of hair behind the shoulder, draw and anchor, meerrrp, release, recover, and post a picture to the forum! Man I'm excited, thanks Fitz.
