Isn't It Ironic?

As you have read - I was up north deer hunting last weekend with Jeff. I was really excited for it and I spent way too much time getting ready for the trip but I think it was worth all the hassle. We arrived Friday afternoon and had just enough time to ride the ATV to a couple of deer stands, put out some lovely doe urine scent and check for sign of deer before getting back to camp at dark. The truck camper worked out perfectly for deer camp - but the furnace that I spent hours working on konked out on us only a few hours into the first night so we were forced to heat the camper with sunburst type heaters. This did work well but between getting too hot, too cold and having the carbon monoxide detector go off every half an hour one night - we did not exactly wake up well rested and ready for action every morning.

It was an absolutely beautiful weekend to be outside. I saw 4 doe and a fawn on the afternoon of opening day but decided that I really didn't want to shoot a doe so I justed watched them pass by in near silence. It was really cool to be so close and watch them in their natural setting (this was the first time hunting that I have been able to see deer that close.) and it made the afternoon pass by quickly. The next morning my opportunity came for me to get that ever elusive buck - and much to my dismay I f#$#@#d it up! I heard the crunch-crunch of something in the nearby brush - then I saw a deer pop out of the bushes and continue with it's head down for about 10 feet. Then it happened. It popped it's head up and I saw the white silouette of the antlers and my heart started pounded faster, faster, faster while I slowly pulled the gun up to my shoulder and tried to take aim at my prize. Wait a second - I can't see anything - what the - why - no - no - don't run away!!!!!!! So the by the time I realized that my scope was fogged over the deer had run behind a clump of popple trees and my chance of getting a decent buck had come and gone. The rest of the weekend I never saw another deer. Luckily Jeff shot 2 deer Tuesday morning so my tag did not go to waste. That is an entire story in itself that I will save for another time.

Now for the ironic part...
Wednesday morning I backed down the driveway to go to work and looked down the road towards the highway. Off in the distance I plainy saw the outline of a deer standing right in the middle of the road so I headed towards it. As I approached I noticed that this was not just another doe - but a really nice 8 point buck! As I watched it slowly walk to the other side of the road in into the woods I spotted an even nicer 10 point buck standing and waiting for the first. As they walked away I saw yet another deer standing in the shadows. These were the nicest deer I saw all weekend, all 1 block from my house. The kicker is that a woman I work with hit a deer with her Jeep on the way home from work that Monday. I guess the comdian Ron White (of Blue Collar Comedy Tour fame) was right - all you need to do is slow the bullet down to 55 mph and you will get one every time!

I was glad to be home and it was really nice to see all my girls again. I guess Paige was pretty upset that I didn't take her hunting and she told me that next time I go she wants to come with me. Addy was just smiles from ear to ear when I walked in and there is nothing better than a really nice hug from your kids.

As I type this I am listening to the Satellite Sisters talk about trimming trees and hiring an arborist and it reminds me that this is on my to-do list also. We are finally having the cumberson power pole that is in at least 8 feet into our backyard moved and hopefully having a tree or 5 removed at the same time. For those of you that have not been to the house - we are lucky enough to have a really large Rainbow play set for the kids. I put it up last spring in the hopes that this power pole would be moved by the power company - and after much negotiation with the power company and discussions with the neighbor it is finally happening. The pole currently sits in a dangerous spot that interferes with the swings so we would really like to have it moved. We were hoping they would bury the power line for the neighbors house (ours is already buried and this pole is for their house) but the company will not do it unless somebody pays them nearly $1000 for the service. Instead - they agreed to move the pole into the neighbors yard so we can have our space back at no cost to us. In order to do this they will have to butcher several trees and even remove others - but I think it is a good option and I am hoping it will clear out some of the crappy trees in the yard and lessen the leaf burden we have. More on this as the situaion evolves. Until next time...