and all through the woods
All the creatures were stirring
because now they could.
The bucks and the does
now are running around
not scared of the hunters
or making a sound
For three months we hunters
all sat in the trees
all battling boredom
coyotes and bees
in hopes that a big one
would come into sight
we kept on a hunting
both morning and night
While Bambi and Rudolph
were snuggled in bed
bowhunters were wondering
are we right in the head
The sport it is tricky
and hunting is hard
we sit there for hours
while the deer's in our yard
I know they're all laughing
and running around
now shootings illegal
on this side of town
I heard them exclaim
as they ran out of sight
Happy Hunting next season
and to all "You aint right!"
Jack Balthazor
Bowhunter 99
True story...This week, I went back to work after the holiday break. My son Daniel happened to get a day off Wednesday and was going to hunt that morning. He asked if I could go, even for a short while and I decided I could. I quit around 8:30 to go home and get cleaned up for work. After showering, shaving, and getting dressed, I stopped by the kitchen to refill my coffee for the trip. I looked out the window and of course, there at the edge of my woods was the biggest doe I had seen all year. Frances said, "get your bow, here's your chance!" I went out to the garage and got my trusty crossbow back out and cocked and loaded. I came back through the house and out on the back deck. The doe alerted and looked right at me and I froze. Amazingly, she didn't run, and eventually turned her head enough for me to line up a shot. Since I don't normally hunt the back yard, I had to guess the distance and I guessed 50 yards, through the trees and brush, with a sooting window of about a foot and a half. Not a great shot, and longer than I am comfortable, but hey, the season is almost over and I had to try. So right there, in my work khakis and polo shirt, I let one fly. Missed a little long, she ran, another doe nearby ran, and as they ran out of sight, behind them was the biggest buck, the grown man of the herd, the deer Daniel and I call Biggun, running 30 yards deeper in the woods.
Bowhunting is a great sport. I have enjoyed chasing Biggun this year, and as it all came to an end, we were already planning strategies for next year. We celebrated the end of the season, and snowpocylpse 2017 by cooking venison backstrap on the grill (yes, they all don't get away).
Now what has happened in the last three months while I was in the woods?
