Although I was anticipating opening day like all hunters, I ran out of days. Time passes so quickly! I was up late the night before, washing clothes, and making a last minute run to the store to get hunting gear for my boyfriend who was going to go out with me at some point, as a non- (nearly anti)-hunter, to observe. This season would be my first time going out on my own, without my mentor there to correct me (and protect me!) while out in the field.
The alarm rang way too early! The temperatures had dropped to approximately 29 degrees, leaving a heavy frost on the grass. Boy! It was cold getting dressed outside!
We had moved my ladder stand awhile ago and I was happy with its placement. It was down in a hollow, near, but not too close, to a heavily used trail, with a wide area of shooting lanes all around within my 30-yard-limit.
As I walked across the crunchy frost-laden field, I realized that in even the half-moon light, it is considerably brighter than I would have liked. Since I know the property like I know the back of my hand, combined with the moon light I didn’t need my flashlight to cross the field, even though it was only 5:15 a.m. As I tried to walk quietly, I wondered what my CarboMask facepaint looked like since I had applied it in the dark.
I wasn’t really worried; morning hunting usually wasn’t the best at my place anyway. Still, here I was headed out because it was opening day of bow. Everybody who is anybody is out on opening day. I certainly wasn’t going to be the odd-woman out!
I made it to the fence without stirring up any deer, crawled under and headed downhill through the trees toward my stand.
It was much darker down by the stand, but I still didn’t bother to take out my little flashlight. As I climbed up the frosty ladder, I feel happy that I still hadn’t startled any deer. I forgot to stop and use my strapper for my bow, and dangerously climbed up with my bow over my arm. I managed to get up without incident though. I got settled and screwed my hook into the tree for my backpack. It was darker down here by the woods. I sat and waited in the chilly still of the pre-dawn. A few minutes later I hear a crunching, that sounded just like my footsteps when I had walked in. The sound is getting closer, coming from directly behind the tree I am in, my only blind spot, if only it was light enough to see. I am certain it is a human walking. My heart begins to race, and I start to sweat. The noise gets closer and closer, until I can see a darkened form straight in front of me at about 40 yards. It is still too dark to see what it is, but I know that something is in front of me. In the silence, my heart pounds faster and harder. I silently wish that I weren‘t reading a James Paterson novel about killings in national parks. I almost lose it and have to struggle to breathe! I imagine for a second that it is someone with a gun, and I am a sitting duck here in this stand. Someone could get away with murder out here in the dark and no one would have any clue as to whodunnit. Oh My God! I don ‘t want to die! In the split second that I think those thoughts, the light is slightly brighter and I can see as the crunching resumes, it is only a doe! I don't know if am shaking from the cold or from fear!
As I take a deep shuddering breath and laugh quietly at my ridiculous imagination, I offer a silent prayer that I am safe.
Finally, the sun rises and brings my surroundings to life. The squirrels noisily start their day, and birds are already chirping in the new light. I see six does by the time 8:30 rolls around. Only one doe senses something is different. She stomps her foot at me and sniffs the air. With my Dead Down Wind products, I am confident that she won‘t smell the human in me! She continues to graze, swishing her tail in annoyance. She knows something is up and won‘t come in closer than 45 yards. That’s okay I am relaxed now. However, as usual, my feet and hands are cold. I am ready to call it a day for now. I gather my stuff, happy to have seen some deer and to be alive!
