This weekend, deer-hunting season opened in my area.

It's an almost-holiday in local culture; a day in which those interested in hunting travel long distances, set up camp, and rise early to spend all day in a hunting-blind, waiting for the moment when a white-tailed deer will come into sight.

It is (in my experience) a combination of boredom, immersion in the natural world, rare moments of excitement, and tales of the one that got away.

In five years of hunting experience, I have yet to bring in a white-tail deer.

If I had a doe permit the first time I went hunting, I would have harvested a doe within an hour of sunrise that first day. Since then, I've rarely seen a deer in a situation where I could get an easy shot. (At least once, I cursed myself for setting up a bow-stand at a spot that made it impossible for me to shoot to the right...only to discover that several deer regularly used the trail that ran 20 feet to my right.)

The days off of work that I took to go hunting have been rewarding. Most of the reward was in the relaxation, and the time spent away from everyday cares and worries.

One of these times, I'll come back with a deer as well.

Posted by: karrde at 12:35 | No Comments | Add Comment
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