That Time of Year Again.

     Here it is another deer hunting season come and almost gone.. I have never been quite into this hunting thing. I didn't grow up in a family where hunting was ever a big thing. My Dad was never a "hunter" so to speak. He did go deer hunting one time with some friends up North of Salol, he got turned around and was lost for 13 hours, it was way late into the night when he finally made his way, by the sound of car horns, out to a trail. He was soaking wet, cold and getting pretty frantic by that time. He said he wasn't scared until the wolves started howling. Then his mind went into full gear, He never went hunting again.
      My Grandpa Dewey would hunt, but his hunting was never made a big deal either. He would always get his deer, usually right close to home. They always kidded him, he bought a big box of shells when he bought his rifle and had got a deer with each bullet that was gone from that box. He was a good shot, and always hunted for the meat more so than for fun.
     When I was 13, Our neighbor's son and my close friend, Timmy was shot while hunting. I remember sitting with him on the school bus the night before. All he could talk about was how as soon as he got home they were packing and moving to the woods for the big hunt. He was so excited to go hunting. The next morning the phone rang before I was even out of bed, I can still see the look on Mom's face, pure shock, when she told us Timmy had been shot. That was one of the lowest and worst times I went through during my childhood.  What an empty space one person can leave in your heart.  It is hard to imagine how quickly a person can be GONE FOREVER!  That is a pretty good reason for me to not be a fan of guns and hunting.
     Needless to say I had kind of a hard time realizing what a big deal hunting season is to some people,  especially when I met Wayne and found out just what a big deal it was in their family. They would move to the woods for the whole season, staying in campers. Hunting seemed to be the only thing on their minds for those two weeks every November. When we were about to be married that was the only stipulation, I was never to come between him and his hunting.  There were times I felt sorry for myself, and really felt like he put hunting before me and the kids. Over time I have come to realize what a special time this was for the guys, and after all, they were all family too. When I sit back and listen to them reminiscing and telling stories of hunting seasons past, I see first hand what a treasure it is for them to have these memories. I even have tried the if you can't win em join em effect, I found I loved sitting in the stand watching the deer. I even did shoot one, one time we were hunting by home and someone had wounded a deer, I was told to "go to the highway and don't let him cross the highway!" Yea right! When I get to the highway the deer has already crossed and is heading for the next woods. Guess what I do, cause I'm just a dummy at hunting and don't even know the rules. I shoot right out the pickup window, and miss of course. The deer goes into the woods, now what does jolly miss hunter do? Better follow, can't let it get away. So brave me goes into the woods, I'm just about to step over a fallen tree when Oooops, up jumps the deer, she was laying right on the other side that tree, I had almost stepped on her. Better take it a little easier. I get just about through the woods and there she is, laying down again, poor thing, now what do I do, I have to try remember how Wayne told me to shoot this gun. I have to put this poor girl out of her misery. I aim for right behind her ear shut my eyes and pull the trigger. Then I start to shake, and cry don't think I will ever get over that feeling of actually killing that innocent  deer. Never again, It is just not in my blood. Sorry guys.
     We moved to the big woods ten years ago, and hunting season has changed drastically for my guys ever since. No more hunting camp, as so many of the hunters have passed away or moved away.  It will never be the same. Wayne hunts pretty much alone these days, he goes out right from the house, and sits in his stand or goes for a ride or walk around the woods. It will never be the same. Our kids and grand kids all hunt, but they pretty much hunt with their families and have gone their own ways. I sometimes wonder, if it is because we live right here in the woods, not far from where they always had their camp, or what. Our daughter's family usually hunts up by her husband's folks, north of Greenbush and our son and his kids usually hunt by their place south of Wannaska. They probably have better luck in the farm country especially this year as the weather is so beautiful,  in the 70's.  Sometimes my heart aches for Wayne, but he just seems to be happy hunting. He loves his quiet time in the woods. But deep down I know he misses the good old days too. He never complains.
      Sunday marked 20 years since my Dad passed away, it was kind of ironic as his funeral was on the first day of hunting season, The guys had to put off their hunt for a day. The next day Merribeth, Shane's first wife got her first deer, a beautiful twelve point buck. They always thought maybe Dad had something to do with that, he really had a soft spot for Merribeth, and he knew what hunting season meant to them all.  Two years later, my cousin, Dale passed away from cancer. The guys had always said that someday they were going to get a buck right from the camper. No one had ever seen one from the camper until that deer season following Dale's passing when the guys were sitting in camp having coffee and Wayne says there is your buck,  Jerome get your gun. Jerome got his buck right from camp that year. I think maybe there was some help from Dale that time...
     Sunday evening Darby, our son-in-law,  got a nice ten point and last night our grandson, Hunter got a nice ten point. So there was some excitement, for sure. They are busy making treasured memories, to be told in the future. I will probably never get a love for hunting, but I sure do love my hunters and all their treasured stories for sure. Below are pictures of Grandson Hunter and his buck, and our Son, Shane, Grandson Hunter and Great Grandson Nash with Hunter's buck.