For me like many others, factors like age, balance, or even disabilities that have gotten worse has caused the seasons to change for us. In other words, we can no longer hunt out of a tree stand. While we may still be able to hunt from the ground via ground blinds etc, some things are still missed.
For me, the first thing is just being able to walk or stomp all over the woods as I searched for the first trees dropping acorns. Wading through everything and over everything including the saw briars that ate me up. Finally finding a hot tree and either hanging a stand or hiding the climber close by.
That drive in the darkness as I headed to the place where I would get out and make my way to where I would begin my walk in the darkness to the selected tree. Finding the tree and either climbing the single pole ladder or using the climber in the darkness except for my headlamp shining on the tree.
Getting to the desired height finally minus a limb or two that got sawn off. Getting safely tethered to the tree and secure before pulling up everything. Finally securing everything, my pack, the quiver and the bow.
Now, turning off the headlamp and waiting in the darkness for the next thirty or forty minutes for daylight to come. Staring up at the stars above me if able but also listening to the woods as things were still happening even in the darkness. Hearing the owls hooting, some far off, sometimes very close to me.
My eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness as I stared down to the ground. The sudden feeling of "All is well in the world" as I got comfortable in the stand for the wait. Then the woods slowly coming to life, first the small birds that I only heard at first light and at sunset. Then other birds from crows to even turkeys as they caught the early glimpses of the rising sun. Meanwhile, the constant every so often sounds of acorns dropping and hitting both limbs and the ground.
My eyes slowly making out the nearby trees and other things as the light slowly creeped in. Bark showering onto me as a squirrel moved around above me. Seeing something move slowly and stop down below me, a bobcat and once a mountain lion. But watching intently as the cat studied everything ahead of it and to the sides. It's ears cocking and twisting as it heard various sounds that I did not. Or even have a bobcat chase a squirrel up the tree beside me, totally waking me up. Hearing the coyotes during the night now to see one slipping along out of range. Way off somewhere to my right, the bellowing a cow.
Watching the critters doing their thing totally unaware that I sat high above them with my bow. Having various birds including hawks and owls to either land or try to on me or my hat. Having squirrels climb all over me before they realize that I was something else.
Suddenly realizing that there was a snake about eight feet in front of my face on a limb. Hearing noises on the ground behind me only to be a red squirrel looking for acorns but then a little bit later, the squirrel had turned into a buck. Watching a big doe with twin fawns make their way under me and hearing how vocal they really were. Watching the doe kick the snot out of the little buck fawn to settle him down. Being so wrapped up watching the doe and fawns that I didn't see the buck slipping in. Knowing that I had done everything right as I lifted my bow up.
But also remembering those very cold mornings where I wasn't quite as prepared for the cold as I should have been. Waiting for what seemed forever for the sun to begin slowly sending rays of light through the tree limbs. Stretching my hand up high trying to get it in the rays of light, hoping to warm my hand. Watching the wood ducks as they landed hard into the crystal clear water in the river beside me. Watching the brown bass patrolling their area of the river. Seeing waves of something along the edge of the water but not being able to see it until the raccoon raised its head up. Or hearing the popping crunching sound of hickory nuts being eaten as something headed your way, was it a bear or a wild hog?
Yes, I sure do miss all that and more but now I hunt closer and on the ground. I have to make sure that I have a clear and clean path to hobble to my stand but I still see things, just at a different level and now I can stand and stretch my aching bones and muscles without so much worry about being seen. The seasons may have changed for me but I am still worrying the deer and other critters. Either we adapt and make changes or we just simply and fade off. I'm not done yet!
Topic: A few things that I miss of my old friend, the tree stand (Read 931 times)
