My opening morning hunt will involve me springing out of bed at 3:45am without having slept a second, knowing that everything is packed and ready for go-time. I'll throw all my gear in the car and head to my hunting property, probably seeing a half a dozen does crossing the long dirt driveway as I make my way to my parking spot. I'll get out of the car into the blanket of darkness only to hear the sound of a large pack of coyotes howling in the direction of my stand location. After I'm all packed up and ready for the trek, I will have mentally convinced myself that today is the day that the yotes decide they want me for food, or this will be THE morning for my first early morning close encounter with a bear and her cubs. Those insecurities will soon be insignificant after the realization sets in that I have to fight my way through a few hundred invisible spider webs that seem to stretch over every path I decide to take. At this point, my stealth is compromised. I'll get to my tree near the edge of the swamp with sweat soaking my clothes, attach my climber to the tree and begin my climb. At the 5 foot mark, I'll realize that being attacked by that pack of yotes staring at me in the brush is no longer realistic and my focus will turn to the hunt and making sure I take my time to get all set up and wait for first light, in hopes that my preparation will allow me a shot at a nice doe or early season buck. I'll finally be able to relax and enjoy the pleasures of nature waking up to the rising sun. Everything will be perfect. Then the wind will change direction...
Mine will be sneak into the tree I picked out an hour before daylight climb up, get settled in, really enjoy that first sunrise of the year from a stand. Then just as a deer starts working towards me some jackhole will come marching in after daylight with his stand clanging, arrows rattling, and snapping every stick in his path. Not only will he chase the deer away and he will then climb a tree 30 yards away even though he saw me. Gotta love Pa public land .
Up in the tree, surrounded by leaves, great cover, overlooking a great bottleneck between two ponds, a place that has given me several mature bucks over the years, BUT. Pitch dark, I'll be hoping no trespassing hunters ruin my hunt. First hint of daylight, hoping the Chinese lady doesn't walk her dog today. Half hour later, hoping the cute blonde in the sweaty, white, see thru sports bra, DOES jog by today. Fifteen minuets later, hoping the dude on the mountain bike doesn't ride by today. 8am hoping the landscapers don't show up to clear the walking trail 50yds from my stand. 9am, hoping the crazy lady who screams at her 9 unleashed dogs running wild through the woods is finally locked up in the funny farm. Man I hate hunting the suburbs!! (Except for the cute bouncy blonde and the occasional big buck!)
