Ain’t Nothin’ But a Thang
Funny the things we think about in the stand. As I was looking up at all the beautiful stars in the sky this morning, an airplane light heading north caught my attention. I thought about all the people who must have gotten up early to board that flight and I wondered if they were looking down out from their window seat while I was looking up! Life is a beautiful place if you just stop and realize it.
Every hunting season brings about new lessons and experiences. It’s hands-on learning that can’t be taught from reading about it or being told. I’ve gained my best knowledge from the school of hard knocks…called MISTAKES or better yet SCREW UPS.
Let’s take this past week for example. It was an evening hunt and I was up on the ten acres at the front of the property in my stand. The temps were dropping from the warmer ones we’d had and the wind was minimal at best. Let me interject here by saying that I have been seeing an 8 pointer on my camera and had already crossed paths with him once before up close and personal. I’m on a mission for this fella but he just doesn’t know it yet. Actually there is a good possibility that he does.
This particular evening was pretty much event less. I hadn’t seen so much as a doe and a fawn, which usually I ALWAYS see groups of does AND fawns. Not today, though. The best I could get was CLAMOR and NOISE. To the west you could hear the neighbor’s dog barking incessantly. I am assuming that it was feeding time considering the clanking of metal spoons on metal bowls (yes I could hear that clearly). Next, the neighbor, north of him, must have been frying up some bacon and eggs because LAWD the aroma made me want to get down and trek through the woods for ‘sum o’ that!” Then, there was the neighbor to the west, who was apparently on his tractor doing work in the pasture because it wasn’t a faint sound AT ALL but rather aggravating. If someone would have been coming up behind me to kill me or attack me, I would have NEVER heard it from all the ruckus going on. But the absolute WORST of the WORST was the chaos going on in the cove on the lake somewhere in the distance. Now granted, voices travel over water. I get that. And I know that you can hear for a LONG ways when you’re on the lake or in my case, a tree stand right next to the lake. But my gosh, I don’t know what party was going on, or how many people were in the boat, heck they might not have even been IN a boat (they may have been at the campground) but there was this ONE guy…just ONE who was getting on my very last nerve. It wasn’t just kids being loud and having a good time, it was utter annoyance when you’re out hunting, trying to be quiet and LISTEN for deer approaching. I mean if I heard one “HOOT” then next would a “HOLLER.” And they were LOUD and REPEATED…OVER and OVER. I’m thinking “man it’s getting dark and it’s Sunday. Shouldn’t you folks be getting to bed or something?” After what seemed like a lifetime of stewing over the distractions, while sitting in the tree, I decided that because it was getting dark I would just call it an evening and head back to the house.
I’ve fidgeted around a little bit taking my arrow from the rest, putting it back into my quiver, and removing my release from the D-loop. Right about the time I am getting ready to take my bow OFF the hanger and lower it to the ground I hear some heavy and I mean HEAVY footsteps coming up from behind. I look over my left should and “OH SH-TTTTTTTT” it’s that 8 point buck and he’s on the move. I’m thinking, Lord, are you kidding me? You’re sending him to me NOW????? I, very quietly, attempt to remove my arrow BACK from the quiver, put it BACK on the arrow rest, REATTACH my release PLUS hang my quiver BACK on the hook, all the while I am looking down on the back of this big fella, who has his muzzle up in the air sniffing me out. Talk about pressure and stress! It was getting dark so my chances of making an arrow/vital organ connection were slim to none but the no-quit in me wouldn’t let this moment pass me by without at least giving it an honest effort.
He veered left from my stand which gave me ample opportunity to reach for me bow and wait for him to get in position so I could take a shot. I watched as he skeptically took a few steps at a time. He made his way behind a small cedar tree, that I might add was directly right in front of me at about 20 yards. Now this wasn’t exactly the way I wanted it to be BUT it gave me time to stand up and get in position to pull back and hold at full draw. And trust me when I say I held at full draw for what seemed like days to the point I had to let down and draw on him again. His head was behind a tree and his body was covered by the cedar limbs but I knew at some point he’d have to step out and then THWACK…he’d be mine. Well that was the plan and we all know that things don’t always go according to plan. He did step out, just barely, and although I didn’t have the shot I wanted I still took it and you guessed it…I missed. My arrow hit the ground in front of me, blue lighted nock and all, and he jumped back and then just stared at the shining blue light. I am sure he was thinking “WTH was that?” I had to giggle just a little inside because I predetermined how this was going to turn out because I knew I didn’t have enough light. I immediately thanked God and giggled again because this is not the first time God has sent me this buck and I am sure he is saying “Good grief!!!!!!” I sat there until it got pitch black and knew for certain that the buck had moseyed back down the hill before I headed back to the house with a big smile on my face. 
That buck and I have a bond of some sort. I truly believe God continues to send him to me to teach me how to be patient. I am the world’s worst at sitting in a tree and three hours is my limit. It’s funny because at the writing of this post I had yet another “date” with this buck this morning. Same bat time, same bat channel. He’s like clockwork coming in at the same time each morning. I obviously don’t concern him because he is on a mission either looking for a doe or looking for a scrap with another buck and I’m not even a glint in his eye. I will give him credit though. He times it just right, knowing that he can keep his aloofness on point by making his presence at first light leaving me no ability to take a shot successfully.
God is so wonderful and has a plan for us. He knows what we need when we need it and it not a moment beforehand. Will I get that buck…maybe. But if I don’t it’s still okay because I’ve been given so much more than a freezer full of meat and antlers. I’ve been given experience at not only hunting, but the lessons God’s trying to get me to learn. I will continue to say “thanks” and let him know that whatever he chooses for me is perfect. He is perfect and so is his timing. So just like with everything else, I will wait, patiently.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 29:11-14
