HUNTING ADVENTURES
HUNTING TRADITION’S PASSED ON                                                                                          

  It’s a cold, crisp winter day, cloudy and damp, just right for still hunting or
stalking game in the woods of central Texas. The hunt takes place in Bosque
County just west of Lake Whitney. A mix of hardwoods and mesquite with a touch
County just west of Lake Whitney. A mix of hardwoods and mesquite with a touch
of cactus, open areas of grasses and succulent plants. Along for the hunt is a son
and his daughter .They are bow hunting for white tail deer. Beth is along for the
experience as she does not carry or shot a bow, being about twelve years old, not
quite strong enough yet to pull and hold the minimum draw weight of a compound
bow.                                                                                                                                                  
    Dressed in full camouflage, they slowly still hunt along the edge of a well used
game trail .Reaching an area that has been previously scouted and tree stands
set up. One in a very large oak tree and, the other a short distance away over
looking a small pond and feeder. There is a series of game trails leading into the
pond and a small clearing. He places Elisabeth in a concealed pocket of brush at
the base of the old oak, so she may safely observe the clearing and any game that
shows up. A shot time later a hunting companion, Mike comes in to the same oak
tree and climbs into the stand placed in the top. Totally unaware some one is
sitting so quite and still and camouflaged so well he did not notice her. Into the
tree he climbs, he settles in to the stand. She wonders should I say something or
just stay quite and still. Finally Beth decides it might be best to make Mike aware
of her presence, since he dips and might have to spit or have a nature call. She
finally tries and gets his attention, with surprise and somewhat shocked to find a
doe of a different species than was expected. They stay, sit quietly and watch
trails leading into the clearing, birds, ducks flying over going to Lake Whitney or
other ponds but no deer.                                       
   Mean time David in the tree stand by the pond has heard a very faint sound. His
senses tuned into his surroundings, adrenalin builds, heart pounding, a movement
is spotted along one of the trails leading in to the pond .It’s a deer, silently he waits
for a sign, is it a buck or a doe? Will the deer show it’s self? Finally a large mature
doe steps into sight. Patiently waiting the hunter gets ready, drawing his
compound bow when she turns her head to check the back trail. Finally the deer
steps to his twenty five yard marker. Just as he sets the twenty five yard pin on
her and releases, at that very same instant she spooks, clean miss, arrow hits
where she had been. David gets down and checks for any sing of blood or hair to
indicate a hit, satisfied it was a clean miss, and He says thanks in his mind for the
opportunity. Slowly he walks back to the ancient oak tree to met his daughter Beth
and finds her and friend Mike waiting. Unlike the predator that missed and spends
his night hungry, the hunters go back to camp for a good meal and campfire. They
talk of past hunts, experiences and lessons learned are shared. Each sit’s quietly
by the fire, watching the stars, enjoying the quality time shared.
                                                       
                                                                                                                                                          
May your arrows be true                                                                                                 
Story by Bassman1