annual hunting text

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adirond8
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2014 5:43 pm

annual hunting text

Post by adirond8 »

so a few years back one of my hunting buddies and myself started an annual hunting story via text message to get the other members of our hunting club fired up!! I just wanted to share this years text. please excuse the any typo's or word errors....remember this was a text........

I'm awaken by the sound of the alarm on my phone. I reached up in the still blackness of the camp to shut the alarm off. 4:30 am the clock says. 4:30am! I rest my head back down on the pillow and think to myself it would be nice to sleep today. I notice as I lay there getting ready to drift off back to sleep that the rain that has been with us for the past 3 days off vacation has now subsided. I roll over and look up at my brother Tim. He's fast asleep, probably dreaming of the big one like we all seem to do in our bunks. In an instant I snap out of bed (the only way I'll will myself out) and hit the cool floor. The camp has a cold dark chill to it. I notice the stove isn't glowing. Must be the past days are starting to wear on us, for no one awoke to stoke the fire.
I stumble in the dark to Tim's bunk. I nudge him and ask "are you going out this morning?" He replies "is it raining?" I tell him no, but seems awful chilly this morning. I turn on my head lamp, and start some water on the stove. I find the lighter to light the gas lamps that for so many years provided us with all the light we need for camp, but just like ourselves as they have become older, many things seem to dim as life's realities come more into light. I turn and say "coffee". I get a reply "yup". So i make 2 cups of instant coffee to give us that badly needed jump start we'll need.
We sit in chairs, huddling next to the freshly started fire. Neither one saying a word, just the quiet sips of us drinking our Joe. After a brief few minutes we finish our Joe and put on our clothes. As I'm preparing to put on my typical hunt clothes, Tim reminds me...today is throw back day! At that moment we both think to look at the thermometer for the first time. Tim walks over to the window; wipes the fog off and says it zero. I reply zero!!!! Conversation ends and we finish up dressing. As we are outside waiting for the atv's to warm up, our breathe hangs around us like a group of bar patrons taking a smoke break outside, but today there are no cigarettes and and there is no smoke.
We arrive to our stopping points with the atv's. Tim finally asks "where you going" he then explains with the cold front that has come upon us that he's headed for his favorite watch with beach nuts. I explain to him that i was thinking the same, but my gut was telling me to get to the hardwoods on the fringe of the swamp. I say my typical "good luck", but Tim doesn't. Instead he replies "today's you turn", "today's been 2 years in the making". This sticks to me like a pitch from a freshly cut pine tree in midsummer.
I get to my watch with the predawn darkest still engulfing my area. I sit with my back to the hard wood ridge facing east to catch the first morning rays of sun. As I sit there in the darkness the chill from the 10 mph north wind makes my left cheek numb. The sun starts to break the tree tops, bringing light to another day, another day of possibilities. I see to the west of me about 20 feet the sun has now hit the glistening, frozen ground. I think to myself, should i move into the sun to warm my body, but then what Tim said comes lingering back to me. So i tell myself...no... 2 years in the making, I can hold on for 2 hrs. 2hrs, for 2 years seems very reasonable I keep telling myself.
The silence of the woods is broken by the snapping of what few hardwoods still surround me. pop, snap, crack, bang, it's mother natures symphony letting her animals know the storm is over, and it's time to awake. As I stare in the same location that I have been for what seems like an eternity, I start to hear the pitter pat of something rustling in the leaves. Could this be my friend the squirrel, or is this the moment. the moment 2 years in the making?? I tune my focus into where I hear the noise. I strain my eyes to see what is making this sound. I grip my firearm tighter, taking a moment to look down at my piece I'm carrying today. I get distracted for a sec when I see the heat from hands has left a frozen outline of my hand on the cold steel. I gently wipe out the outline and think my model 8. My model 8, a story within itself. The iconic adirondack deer hunting rifle. My moment is broken up with the sounds of more foot steps. I again turn my focus onto the spot where the noise came from. As i stare into the swamp I see an outline. It's the unmistakable outline of a deer. My sight of the deer is obstructed by the few, hardy, and stubborn leaves left on the beech underbrush. My heart starts to race, my blood pressure starts to rise. 2 hrs for 2 years is what i was telling myself a moment ago has now moved aside for please don't let this moment end. The deer moves to west. Briefly steps into an opening where the post dawn sun has now revealed the bucks years of success of evading other hunters. In the past, I would have taken this shot opportunity, but this wasn't the past, and this wasn't my typical opportunity.
As he keeps moving to the west, and I keep telling myself...2 years....2 years I can see through the beech place his front feet forward and making a long stretch of his dew covered back. His stretch was long, and strategically placed, almost as if he just awoken from a long falls nap. He picks his head up in the air, his nostrils flare. Purposely scanning his environment for anything out of place. I can't help but be mesmorized but his acute attention to details. Every step he takes, every breathe, even the slightest movement he makes seems to all have purpose to his end goal. 2 years...2 years I tell myself.
As he turns to walk forward I pull up my model 8. I place my cheek on the stock and check a whiff of fresh gun oil that I had wiped the gun down with last night. I close my left, staring down the peep with my right eye focus on the newly polished brass bead that I had bushed the nigh before. He takes 2 more steps to the west, he's in my opening not knowing his run of luck is going to end on this crisp fall morning. I ease back the trigger, but nothing happens. I attempt to ease it back again.....nothing. no click, no bang, just the feeling of the cold steel against my finger. With bead on my target I reach up with my right thumb and ease down the safety, which in a haste I had forgotten. The buck once again is behind brush. He's feeding on what only could be beech nuts that had matured and dropped earlier in the fall. I patiently wait for my next moment. At this point I he no sound, I have complete tunnel vision on my target. 2 years......2years........this runs over and over through my head.
As the buck moves into the opening that I had focused my sights on, once again I ease back the trigger. I hear no sound, but just the feeling of my spring pole model 8 recoiling into my shoulder. I remained focused on my opening, not a sound, and not a movement from me. Finally the silence is broken with a call from my radio. It's Tim wondering if I need help. I reach down to the frozen ground next to me and pick up the radio. I press the call button, the only conversation with him I have is the conversation in my brain. In reality I spoke not a word....not a sound, not even a noise. I release the call button and continue to stare at my opening. 1/2 hr later, from what i am told my ignorance to sound is broken with the sound of footsteps behind me. It's Tim....he asks did you get him, all I can muster to say is "2 years" He walks straight by me, not asking where I shot, not asking for me to point. It was as he was drawn to the opening I had so long centered my attention to. I see him raise his hands with joy. He runs over to me and starts to congratulate me on my success. He reaches into my backpack, and pulls out the bottle of blackberry brandy. the celebratory drink. It now has finally hit me on what has been accomplished. As he opens up the bottle and goes to hand me the first drink, I slow stand up for the first time in 2 hrs. 2hrs for 2 years. I temporarily ignore his actions and watch over to my trophy. Scanning his beautiful body. I kneel down on the ground next him, not to give the almighty praise, but to reach down to pick up some of his feed and place it into his mouth. Giving my respect to him and everything this buck has come to represent. 2years i murmur to myself. I stand up weak at the knees, take my drink of brandy, and look down at my model 8. An then it hits me.....the iconic adirondack deer hunting rifle, and a legendary adirondack buck. I may not be what's considered as a great adirondack hunter, but in the last 2 hrs , and what has taken 2 years in the making at this moment I AM A TRUE ADIRONDACK HUNTER!!!!!!!! Best of luck this season, and have happy adirondack buck hunting dreams!!!!
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81police
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Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 12:12 pm
Location: TEXAS

Re: annual hunting text

Post by 81police »

AWESOME hunting story adirond8! Your narration was really getting me into the setting and story. Great job at writing, very exciting! I'd love to see photos of the scenery this depicted or the trophy itself!
Cam Woodall
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adirond8
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2014 5:43 pm

Re: annual hunting text

Post by adirond8 »

81police wrote:AWESOME hunting story adirond8! Your narration was really getting me into the setting and story. Great job at writing, very exciting! I'd love to see photos of the scenery this depicted or the trophy itself!
Well it didn't happen like the story but here's what a member got this past weekend
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Phyrbird
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Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 10:53 pm

Re: annual hunting text

Post by Phyrbird »

Nice :!:
Phyrbird
SOKY
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