I just discovered that NCST8 isn't the only one that can have "fun" hunting. It was about 28 degrees, winds were 22 mph gusting to 32 and blowing snow. I should have known better but I went anyway.
Thankfully I was hunting local area and only drove a quarter mile to my general hunting area. Gathered up my "stuff" (a climbing tree stand, insulated coveralls and boot blankets and my ML) and off to the wood I started.
I had to cross a small branch which has a wooden "homemade" bridge across it. It is made of pressure treated lumber and I guess the boards had drawn moisture which unknown to me had frozen on the boards. The bridge, while plenty strong, sags a little and after the second step on the bridge I found my feet higher than my arse. I fell for 10 minutes but the fall was inevitable, I wharped the boards. Knocked the wind out of me and put a terrible dent in my left arm and some bruises elsewhere. After I concluded what had happened, that I wasn't dead and probably would live I put all the pieces back together and went down the bank across the water and climbed up the other side to level ground. I walked another 50 yards and realized oh Hell I forgot my blaze orange cap. Back across the branch and up the bank (ain't trying that bridge again today) and back to my vehicle. Drove home got my B/Orange cap and drove back.
Crossed the branch again and up the side of the mountain to the tree I intended to climb. Got all set and started up the tree and my left ribs hurt like hell every time I lifted the bottom half of the climbing stand. Got about half way up and as I lifted the bottom half it hurt so bad I had trouble lifting my left leg. The foot slipped out of the climbing stirrup and the bottom fell away. So there I am hanging on to the top part of the stand. I ALWAYS USE A SAFETY HARNESS AND TODAY WAS NO EXCEPTION. But I had all my weight on the top portion of the climber and didn't fall or even put any weight on my safety rope.
I had the two pieces of the stand tied together with a short rope (which today convinced me is a good idea) so I tried to catch the bottom with my toe but couldn't get the stand to catch on the tree once I pulled it up. Finally I got all my weight on my right arm on the top part of the stand and got a hold of the rope and pulled the bottom piece up until it caught on the tree. Got my feet back in the climbing stirrups and took a breather then finished my climb out.
Got set up and wrapped up good against the cold and wind and all was well in "huntland". After awhile instinct told me to look behind me and when I did I saw 5 deer trotting across below me. Alllrrriiiiggghhhttt, here they come. W R O N G
They turn up beside me and then 3 of them turn and come right under me within 2 feet of the tree I'm in but the big doe I had my eye on disappeared. The 3 milled around about 10 minutes then left.
About 30 minutes later I got this feeling that something is staring at me from behind. I slowly turn my head around and there stands another "wise" doe staring at me. Snort and away she goes taking yet another deer with her. I thought dang I can't do anything right today.
Well it is getting close to dark or legal quitting time so I decide the excitement is over for today. I hang my ML on the hanger and start getting my rope out to lower the ML to the ground. I look up and there stands another big doe and she wastes no time getting G O N E.
Tie my ML to the rope, check all around me to make sure there are no deer then lower the ML to the ground and toss the rope down to the ground. I look up the hill at 40 yards and there stands another big doe. Damnation why did I even bother getting out of bed this morning. I toss my boot blankets out of the stand and she runs away. By now my whole body is sore so I take my time getting down out of the tree SAFELY, gather up all my crap and my phone starts vibrating. It's my brother wanting to know where I'm at and he has "something to show me and to stop by his house on my way home". I head to the branch again and NO I did not attempt the bridge again. Once a day is enough to teach me a lesson. LOL.
He had killed a huge Tom bobcat. Said he saw it as it was heading away from him and he made a squeaking noise on his hand and here it came right back to him, jumped up on a stump and sat down for a moment at about 45 yards. That was all he needed but he ruined it for mounting. A .50 Cal makes a mess out of a bobcat's head.
Some say a bad day hunting is better than a good day working. I'd just about argue that point with anyone today.
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