Favorite part of Deer Hunting?

[Guest]

Man I get everything that everybody is saying!! I guess for me it would be, that it is almost spiritual, and the land I bowhunt is a spiritual place! When that little sparrow lands right in front of you, or you are watching a fox right under you. The smile lasts all day. The memery lasts all year. On opening day of bowhunting my 14 year old son, got his first deer. A little velvet buck! When we found it at the end of the blood trail, the hug, and then the thank you, he told me....... Well folks, I have been blessed with a memory of a lifetime. I hope this season brings all of you a memory of a lifetime too.... Good luck, be safe!

[jlm]

I love it all but in particular, it is the aniticipation of the season every year. It gives me something to ponder on and something to REALLY look forward to every year. I can let my mind drift to previous years hunts and let my imagination run wild about the upcoming hunt. The camp and the guys is my second favorite thing...we all know what thats about. My third favorite thing is the antlers. I am fascinated by them. I study every buck I see for as long as possible. I etch each one in my mind wondering what they will look like next year or three years from now. The whole deer hunting thing is my pill for sanity in this crazy fast paced world!

[eyecrosser2000]

Without a doubt it is the anticipation for the opener--scent-free, UV-free clothes washing and line-drying; reading forums like this; double-checking all the Cabela's and Gander Mt ads to see if there is anything I absolutely cannot go without; making a trip to camp every weekend because something just has to "get done before opener" (even if it is just to run a hot seat up to the bucket on my stand); and finally, that brutal but glorious week before when there is absolutely no living with me at work or home. The hunters love and the anti's hate my "parade of deer sweatshirts--yes, I have a new one to wear each day in that final week. Most years I'll stop at Grandpa's grave as I drive through Bigfork. The first opening eve after he passed away I pulled up to the grave and two white tails bounced across the plot!!!

I guess the opener is so important to me because it was what I grew up with. I look forward to it so much I couldn't imagine not being a part of it. I know all the guys in camp feel the same. There is nothing like Deer Eve!

[can it be luck?]

First light. Knowing that I have hunters moveing around on adjacent land to our family's 80 acres. Nearby gunshots, especially several in a row usually meaning missed shots. Looking at a spot that was previously empty, now there's a deer standing there. Seeing a deer comeing towards you and knowing it's a buck just by the way it acts and carries itself. Fireing up the ford tractor and grabbing the chains to haul out the deer. Thank my brother for putting in a new logging road to my stand.

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http://groups.msn.com/canitbeluck

[Ruttin' Buck]

There is nothing that quite compares to the comraderie of a deer hunting group. For many of us, it's that one time of year we get to see some of our childhood hunting buddies.

However, I think my favorite part of deer hunting is the time I get to myself in the woods. I have spent many sunups to sundown days in the woods and love it. Nothing does compare to the course of a day by yourself with nothing but woodspeak, yet not speaking yourself.

The wildlife nuances that you see and must remember to tell the crew about later.

Having a mental conversation with yourself which is abruptly interupted by the curious "CHICKA DEE DEE DEE DEE DEE DEE" call radiating from all places, off your gun barrel!

The thought that, "boy, it must be getting close to lunch time" to find out that when you slowly move to glance at your watch...it's 9:00 AM and you settle for a Mini-Snickers (left over from Halloween) which of course now smells like Doe-in-Heat.

The fact that when lunch time really arrives, the summer sausage sandwich you have with only a couple tabs of frozen butter spread hastily on the bread is about the best lunch you've ever had. If you're lucky, you found a chunk of Pepperjack in the fridge and you ended up with a bonus on your sanny. And of course, you'd have something to wash the feast down with if only you had remembered an hour ago that you should have put your now Mountain Dewsicle in your jacket to warm it a bit.

The fact that such a lively woods can become so quite with the disappearance of the sun. It's like natures volume knob where East is ON and West equals OFF. The fact that generally the only sound you hear after the volume knob reaches OFF is likely that of a deer.

The best part about this type of day is the fact that at any point, it can be interupted with the blessing of a deer. The fact that a shot on a deer will likely roller coaster your emotions from excitement, to a blink of sadness, and finally of thankfullness to your maker for providing you with the animal.

Good luck to all with the deer hunt just a touch over a week away. May your trip be safe, luck be on your side, and shot be accurate.

Aim small, miss small...to the hunt!!!

[10 poyntr]

Wow! Since I started this topic on 10/10, look at all the responses! It just goes to show you how much we truly love the Deer Hunting experience. Buckblaster, you could write a book! You really can paint a picture with the way you detail the neat things around the hunt! I can hear the excitement in everyones explanations. It's fun to talk to each other about it, because we share so many of the same thoughts. Safe Hunting, everyone!

[Sinker]

I saw something last year that will forever be cemented in my memories of deer hunting.It was after dark on the second day of the Wisconsin gun season.I live in central WI. but we have hunted up north since my first season years ago.My daughter and I were leaving our camp to go visit another camp when we drove past the small bar that registers deer.It's cold,a little windy and a few big snowflakes are coming down.There is only one truck parked outside this bar and as we drove by we saw a nice 8-pointer in the back of the truck.Now the corny part:as we drove away,I thought about the hunter inside the bar.For that night,for a couple of hours,life couldn't be any better for that hunter.He or she was able to spend precious time with family and friends,doing something they love to do.The job and other stressful parts of life were far away if only just for a while.Toasting the nice buck bagged that day.It was just one simple image that summed up what I like about deer hunting the most.Every part of it.

[mistermom]

For me it is just being out there totally in tune with my surroundings, listening, and as light permits, watching. I don't even care if I get one or not. I get a similiar feeling duck hunting (without the buck fever).

mm

[Coldfeet]

O.K. I'll chime in here too. There is only one way that I can explain it. Do you remember when you were 8 years old and you woke up at 5:00 in the morning on Christmas day and couldn't wait to open your presents? That's what I feel like on opening day, and that's my favorite part of deer hunting.

[Coldfeet]

O.K. I'll chime in here too. There is only one way that I can explain it. Do you remember when you were 8 years old and you woke up at 5:00 in the morning on Christmas day and couldn't wait to open your presents? That's what I feel like on opening day, and that's my favorite part of deer hunting.

[WaveWacker]

O.K. I have to throw back in with an experience that I won't forget. Nothing to do with actually shooting a deer but more so after that.

Early in my years (and actually my first) up North hunting with my dad I was lucky enough to get a nice mature 8 pointer. I flying on cloud nine all the way to the registration station. That would soon change some.

Upon pulling next to a truck we noticed a buck in it's box that was at least twice the size of mine. I'll have to admit that my heart sank some and I was envious of this gentleman. We walked over and talked to him, congradulating him on his big buck. He asked how we did.

Now at the age I was at I usually would have been jumping out of my boots to show the stranger the back of our truck, but my excitement was dampened some and I felt that the buck I got didn't measure up to his. I even stated to the stranger that "It's no where near the buck that you have".

The stranger became quite, slowly looked down at me and with his hand on my shoulder said "Son let me tell you. It's just nice being in the woods and if your lucky enough, a buck's a buck." and with that he probably took more time congradulating and "re-pumping" back up this young kid then he did admiring his 14-16 point buck that he had.

I still admire that gentleman today and would like to shake his hand for what he did. I guess to me it kind of goes along the path of taking the deer hunting situation in as a whole and not just the "harvesting" aspect.

[Ruttin' Buck]

Thanks 10 poyntr...I've actually considered it. Would you read it if I did write one? Seems 'The Deer Hunter' rights are already taken...least as far as movies go. What else would a guy possibly want to write about?

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"Aim small...miss small"

[BuckslayerBob]

What a great thread. Many of you guys have already said what I love about deer camp so much. It's a year's worth of anticipation. It's the planning. It's the dreaming about the buck you hope to get. It's deer camp. BSing, drinking(you don't have to drink to have fun at deer camp), playing cards, shaking dice, playing cribbage. It's the camaraderie. The late night pumped up strategy planning for opening morning. It's camp pranks. It's giving each other dump. Laughing at others and laughing at yourself. It's seeing some people you only see at deer camp. It's remembering the hunting partners from deer camp's past that are no longer with us. It's coming out of the woods at the end of opening day and hearing stories of who got what and who missed what and congratulating the happy and proud hunters that got one that day. It's the cooperation and teamwork of everyone from dragging, hauling, to hanging every deer shot. And it's the celebrations when the deer are on the meat pole and everyone made it back out of the woods safe and sound with stories to tell and different strategies for the next day. It's so many different things that it's just too hard to pick one as a favorite. I can't wait for Friday, and that is part of it.

[barebackjack]

I couldnt have said it better myself Bob! Especially the part about not being able to wait for Friday.

[Boyz in the Woods]

My favorite part?
Getting ready for the upcoming season. Going over my lists, checking out other people's lists, reading the last minute stories and tips in the hunting mags, checking our
(3 boyz) equipment, deciding where everyone will be hunting, making sure everyone gets their license on time, and trying to figure out how we will process and eat 8 deer if we are that lucky.

My biggest fear?
Someone will get hurt. A fall from a tree stand, a broken ankle from a pot hole, a slip of a knife, or a stray slug from some unknown hunter.

Let's be safe out there this year!

[SCCO9803]

Many of you have stated the commradery of the hunting camps and the anticpation all year. I agree nothing beats being the ones that make the outdoors so much fun. I only have one complaint, the work week before deer hunting season seems to take so long. O'well it will be worth it Friday when I reach our hunting shack.
-Good luck to all!