Hunter enjoys great day in the woods
I love this time of the year. We flourish in the afterglow of Thanksgiving with expressions of gratitude for all that we have, warm memories of conversations with family and friends, and all of the great traditional food. We look forward with excitement to the Christmas season. And best of all nestled between these wonderful holidays is deer and bear hunting seasons.
The hunt day begins with a loud alarm going off announcing the results of a short night’s sleep laced with the excitement of the day to come. My lovely wife is up with me giving me a warm kiss as she hands me a cup of coffee (what support, for I know the city girl does not like hunting and could have slept in). The only thing that would make this morning better is… well perhaps later, I have to get to the hunt.
I have practiced my due diligence in preparing for the hunt. The hunt area has been scouted, scent control is in place, and all essential gear is ready. The last-minute check of the weather conditions confirms that all appropriate clothing is on hand.
Finally, the time has arrived to jump into the pickup truck and head for the mountains. As I drive through Hopwood, I am struck by how beautiful the village looks in the morning darkness with the quaint street lights and Christmas evergreen wreaths setting the stage for the holiday to come. The residents have to be proud of their efforts to beautify this area. My mind wonders to considering the history of the area with the National Road, adjacent taverns and boarding homes. I imagine what it would be like to sit and have a bit of the local corn beverage with the early Scott-Irish settlers and travelers heading west and to share the stories of their exploits.
The radio interrupts my thoughts with an update of the situation in San Bernardino. A prayer seems appropriate for all involved in this tragedy. Then I think about the knee-jerk reactions from calls for more gun control regulations to not taking in Syrian or Muslim immigrates, tragedy piled upon tragedy. Other thoughts come to mind but I must get off of the soapbox and take care of the business at hand.
It is time to concentrate on the hunt. I check the wind direction and plan my approach to the stand to minimize any disruption, it pays to be stealthy. One of my absolute favorite experiences is to be on stand at least one and a half hours before sunrise. The stars shine bright, dead silence, perfect quietness. One has time to sit and reflect about God’s creation and enjoy the peace.
Gradually the forest becomes alive. While still dark, birds begin to chirp, one here another there, now others join in. A turkey yelps from atop a tree down the hillside as it awakens to a new day. As the sky glows red with sunrise, in a gradual crescendo, the noise becomes louder and louder. The turkeys fly down to begin their day and yelp assembly calls. Squirrels and chipmunks scamper on the frost covered leaves. Woodpeckers begin their rat-a-tat-tat in search for food. How wonderful it is to observe and be a part of God’s natural plan!
A doe and her fawn pass just below me. The doe is cautious and encourages her child to keep moving. The faun (like any child) just wanting to play and have fun. They move quietly on. These same scenes happen several times today as different groups and other animals pass by. Unfortunately, no bear nor antlered deer are seen today.
After 13 hours on stand, I climb down and head back to the truck, it is dark again. I look forward to the drive home to enjoy the streets and homes festively decorated. The scene welcoming another holiday season to celebrate our gift of grace. What a great day! Who knows, maybe tomorrow I will even load bullets into my rifle.
God Bless you and Merry Christmas.
Ira Chrise is a resident of Uniontown.