Keep on dreamin’ even if it breaks your heart….

I’ve been having a reoccurring nightmare ever since Friday. It goes something like this:

4:45pm and it’s about -15 (that’s 5 fahrenheit for my southern friends), not too bad but at the moment I’ve decided to stand facing south, looking through the fading light for a glimpse of the 6 point buck I had just drawn on at 35 yards only to have my bow make a horrible squeak in protest to the cold when I drew it back. In the dead calm winter weather, the buck picked up and ran when hearing it. But it was the last 20 minutes of a long season so I had to try! Frustrated and realizing I was cold, I continued to stand, watching, listening and agonizing over the playback of getting busted by the buck. Through my big fur hat I hear, “crunch, crunch” that faintly sounds like boot tracks coming towards me. But who would know I was here?  The sound is getting louder, and I twist to see a bigger 8 point buck about 15 yards from my stand walking straight towards me. Seeing me he jumps into a cutting horse stance, my body is twisted with my bow on the other side. In another split second he cuts left and runs to a safe distance of 70 yards in some scrub. Slowly he makes a perfect semi-circle around my stand at a safe distance while I watch the daylight fade into twilight. 

When I think back to my season it was a series of learnings which I know will and are making me a better hunter. My whitetail season was more of a mental battle than anything. I have consistently been after the same buck for 2 seasons now that has almost become a game. He jumped out at 20 yards in front of me on my walk out on the last day of the 2011 season almost to say, “see ya next year”. This year G2 walked into the stand and busted him out and I was worried he wouldn’t be back. But he was and came strutting in one afternoon at a safe distance in the spruce trees with no chance of a shot. And day after day I sat waiting for him as he would torment me on my trail cameras. Other deer came in that I could have shot. Does, smaller bucks and I know some people are asking, “can she get the job done?” Well this isn’t my job, I have 2 other full-time jobs, which is one of my problems with lack of time I have in the woods. Also I’ve been consciously making the effort to not pull my release on animals that I think should have a chance to mature. I’m thankful I have lots of support from family and friends that support my conservation minded spirit. For me, as disappointing and disheartening as closing day was, I wouldn’t trade my time in the woods for anything.

Other things I’ve learned from the school of hard knocks, lots on stand placement to proper apparel. I think I’m becoming the expert on women’s cold weather clothing systems. What works and what doesn’t. Trust me, I’ve got a full post coming just on the gear. I’ve learned a lot of systems don’t work that well once you are at that -10 Celsius mark, if anyone is looking to partner on a cold weather line or improve their’s for women, I’m your girl.

As for whitetail hunting with my bow, I’m smitten. My friend Glynn aka A_Reel Lady asked me last year if I preferred sheep hunting to whitetail hunting. My answer stays somewhat the same, I love the challenge of a sheep hunt from the hiking and the pursuit that can be sometimes extreme but with whitetails I found I love learning the pattern of the deer. Checking my camera’s and seeing the same deer year after year, I found myself at work or home wishing I was out at the stand, because I was wondering what “my deer” were up to. I think this year I finally understand a bit of the “whitetail addiction”.

See ya next year!

And one of my favourite songs of the hunting season, which I thought was appropriate for the post title:

Eli Young Band- Even if it breaks your heart