Opening Weekend 2011

This weekend I went home to my parents’ house for opening weekend of deer hunting season. My parents have some property outside of White Salmon, Washington, which makes hunting really convenient (i.e. wake up, put on hunting gear, walk out door, start hunt). My cousins Chip and Katie came up to my parents’ house too so Chip could hunt with us, and Saturday morning we headed out at day break.

First thing Saturday morning my dad and I found deer in a small field across the road from our house. Right across the road, guys. Two bucks, one doe. The bucks weren’t legal though, so we had to pass them up. But when my dad went to shoo them into the woods (so they wouldn’t get shot by someone else – also that probably wouldn’t happen because my 6’6” logger father would flip out if someone shot a deer on our property), a bigger (possibly legal) buck jumped up. I couldn’t shoot because my dad was next to them and my dad couldn’t shoot because he had left his gun with me. Opening morning fail.

We then walked around for a few more hours, saw some more does, and headed back to the house where Katie was waiting up for us.

We just relaxed at the house for most of the day before heading out that evening for another hunt. I went out solo this time. I saw a few does, but that was all. I ended up back at the house right before dark.

Everyone (me, my dad, my brother and my cousin) got back to the house at about the same time and we stood on the patio chatting, until the same deer from that morning came down into our yard. I walked into the yard to get a better look (and to see if they were legal) and the deer proceeded to walk right past me! Like 15 feet from me. Cocky little brats. Good thing (for them) they were too small to shoot. Ha. I’ll be waiting for you next year. 

After that Chip and Katie went home, my mom brought my brother, dad and I home some Chinese food, I stuffed my face and was asleep by 9pm.

This morning I was up before day break again and on the move. I was sooo sore though. Apparently I’m a little out of shape because my whole body hurts today. My shoulders hurt from carrying my gun and my legs hurt from hiking in stiff boots, through brush and up hills and for hours at a time. And they also hurt because like I said, I’m out of shape. Note to self: go to the gym this week. No excuses.

At one point I felt really weak from not eating breakfast so my dad put me in the middle of the field while he went up to walk through the brush. I was supposed to watch the field for deerz. So naturally I took a picture while I was waiting (and not seeing a single deer):

When I was heading home my friend Jon from High School was driving by. He stopped and chatted with me and said he hadn’t had any hunting luck either. It was nice to see him. After my chat with Jon I walked around a little more before heading back to the house to make some eggs and homemade biscuits for the boys.

I then showered, napped and hung with fluffy before heading back to Seattle:

It was a good weekend. It would have been better if I got a deer, but there is always next weekend. Also I’m not ready for Monday (but it’s not like I’m ever really ready ha).