Well, since it was only misting rain this mornin', I rolled out of bed and hit the shower, and started gettin' ready for a wet sit in the tree, including my old military gore-tec jacket.
Now, of course this time I remember EVERYthing, including snacks so I load up the car and drive to the neighbors house. They won't be around until early December so I'm sure they won't mind me parking in their driveway....the rain picks up to a drizzle.
As I cross the field the ground feels like soaky moss, and though wet the field grass snaps like crisp Doritos. Finally, I reach the wooded edge and step to the wet leaves which are silent..thankfully...and then I notice a subtle babling sound..."Eh? That sounds like water." Immediately, I'm a little concerned as it sounds closer than the tree stand.
A couple of minutes later, I realize that I won't be making it to the tree stand today as a creek is now before my feet, and though it's raining, I'm not looking to get my feet soaked before sittin'. So, a quick change in plans and I'm sittin' under a small pine which is also sheltered under a larger one, just thirty yards from my tree. It's dark as I turn off the cap-light.
Almost immediately I can hear something moving but it's still too dark to do anything but sit still. The new creek is making it nearly impossible to hear anything but crisp snaps of twigs...I sit still.
A gust of wind in the tree tops was my warning...which I blankly missed. Another gust bows the tops of the trees. I only know they are swaying from the sound of knockin’ limbs. The roar in the tree tops dampens even the sound of the creek…only briefly. In hind-sight, think this was God trying to tell me “You got a few minutes to reach the car.” But, in the moment, I’m still thinking I'm better off sittin’ here under these trees than swaying in my tree-stand. The wind roars the tree tops again…and then it’s silent…with the exception of the creek, and light is just beginning to beckon through the trees.
It’s still twenty minutes before legal shooting, I’m nearly frozen with anticipation and excitement. My hands damp and pruning from the light drizzle. Then, it starts…rain. Well, first it’s just rain but it’s soon replaced by a waterfall of drenching bombs of liquid cold. So….I run, (and I didn’t waste a second to consider it),…all the way back to the car…completely soaked, and happy I wasn’t sitting in the treestand. I hop into the car putting the bow into the front passenger seat and that’s when I noticed the bow string. The previous morning I had heard what sounded like a single guitar string plucked. It appears that a couple of strands around the peep-sight may have made the sound…not sure exactly, but that is my suspicion.
Anyways…it’s pouring friggin’ hard outside the car…I’m soaked to the bone.. Even my buttcheeks feel the soggy cold. I head home, dump the clothes on the deck and run inside with just my boxers. Ah…warm. A towel and a new dry pair of boxers and I’m back in bed. Then I’m up again…gathering my wet clothes and tossing them into the wash. One more day left of bow season…so long as it’s not raining…I’m goin’ in the morning.
Now, of course this time I remember EVERYthing, including snacks so I load up the car and drive to the neighbors house. They won't be around until early December so I'm sure they won't mind me parking in their driveway....the rain picks up to a drizzle.
As I cross the field the ground feels like soaky moss, and though wet the field grass snaps like crisp Doritos. Finally, I reach the wooded edge and step to the wet leaves which are silent..thankfully...and then I notice a subtle babling sound..."Eh? That sounds like water." Immediately, I'm a little concerned as it sounds closer than the tree stand.
A couple of minutes later, I realize that I won't be making it to the tree stand today as a creek is now before my feet, and though it's raining, I'm not looking to get my feet soaked before sittin'. So, a quick change in plans and I'm sittin' under a small pine which is also sheltered under a larger one, just thirty yards from my tree. It's dark as I turn off the cap-light.
Almost immediately I can hear something moving but it's still too dark to do anything but sit still. The new creek is making it nearly impossible to hear anything but crisp snaps of twigs...I sit still.
A gust of wind in the tree tops was my warning...which I blankly missed. Another gust bows the tops of the trees. I only know they are swaying from the sound of knockin’ limbs. The roar in the tree tops dampens even the sound of the creek…only briefly. In hind-sight, think this was God trying to tell me “You got a few minutes to reach the car.” But, in the moment, I’m still thinking I'm better off sittin’ here under these trees than swaying in my tree-stand. The wind roars the tree tops again…and then it’s silent…with the exception of the creek, and light is just beginning to beckon through the trees.
It’s still twenty minutes before legal shooting, I’m nearly frozen with anticipation and excitement. My hands damp and pruning from the light drizzle. Then, it starts…rain. Well, first it’s just rain but it’s soon replaced by a waterfall of drenching bombs of liquid cold. So….I run, (and I didn’t waste a second to consider it),…all the way back to the car…completely soaked, and happy I wasn’t sitting in the treestand. I hop into the car putting the bow into the front passenger seat and that’s when I noticed the bow string. The previous morning I had heard what sounded like a single guitar string plucked. It appears that a couple of strands around the peep-sight may have made the sound…not sure exactly, but that is my suspicion.
Anyways…it’s pouring friggin’ hard outside the car…I’m soaked to the bone.. Even my buttcheeks feel the soggy cold. I head home, dump the clothes on the deck and run inside with just my boxers. Ah…warm. A towel and a new dry pair of boxers and I’m back in bed. Then I’m up again…gathering my wet clothes and tossing them into the wash. One more day left of bow season…so long as it’s not raining…I’m goin’ in the morning.
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