I'm No Longer A Hunter

What a wonderful day November 27 turned out to be! Cold (25 degrees) when we started out, but warmed up to 52 if I remember correctly. We took a break at 9:30 by going to my friends house (who owns the farmland where we hunt) to make a pot of coffee in his electric percolator, while sitting by the gas heater. That was quite comfortable! Then our host decided he needed to go somewhere on business and left three of us to hunt. When we had been on our stands about 40 minutes I shot the little two point buck seen below! NOW I AM A KILLER! [Not to be confused with Jerry Lee Lewis, the original "killer". He called himself "the killer" because he thought he was the ladies man!!! He did have a few falling all over him in his younger days.]





I bought a new mule for the hunt. Kawasaki Mule, 610XC!


Now, I'm ready to go get 'em!


Three of the friends who joined me!


The trail leading into the hunting area.

It has been at least 25 years since I last killed a deer. It's a bit dis-heartening to a person who is so serious about hunting to go year after year after year and keep coming home with nothing to show for their efforts except a few scratches from the briars and a thousand beggar lice hanging on their clothes. Why do you think we call this thing "hunting"? 'Cause that's what we do! We hunt. And hunt. And hunt again! I've often said to my friends, "I'm not a killer. I'm just a hunter." But from yesterday at 12:35p, right after lunch, I became a killer. The .270 Ruger is a deadly weapon. A nice clean shot high on the shoulder and this buck was on the ground. he kicked for about five minutes while my heart ran at break-neck speed. By the time my blood slowed back to normal the deer was not moving and was waiting for me to prepare him for the journey to our Christmas table - via the butcher shop!!! Boys and Girls, I WAS EXCITED! No, I'm Not a Hunter ... I am a KILLER!






Trees had to be cut to allow our machines to reach deeper into the forest.

We located tracks and other good signs of the presence of deer.


My good friend Ed Williams looking for more deer sign.


My Stand, overlooking a beautifully wooded area where there were abundant signs of deer activity.


My harvested deer! Although we had field dressed him on the spot, he felt like he weighed 250 pounds while we were dragging him out to the road. However when we put him on the scales at the butcher shop, only 71 pounds! What happened? ☻


Good friends William and Scott showing off "our" deer!


Ready to make the trip to the check-in station.