Rifle Season

Deer season has arrived! In Nebraska, we have a rifle season that lasts 10 days. It is a huge part of hunter's lives and really exciting too! I have gone deer hunting since I was too young to remember. My mama has always hunted since she was a young girl so she instilled a love for hunting and fishing in me (her only daughter) too! I am so thankful to not only have a dad that hunts but also a mama who hunts too!!

On Saturday, my husband took us to some great land to sit and look for deer. If you haven't ever had the opportunity to do this, let me paint a picture for you. 

You wake up at 4am. 4am. Don't worry, I didn't even know 4am was on a clock either. Then you get coffee (or chai tea in my case) lots of layers of clothes, hunting boots (a gift from my mama at my wedding shower...I kid you not- coolest mama ever) and hats, gloves, etc. Most clothes being camo or hunter orange. 

When I woke up at 4am at the sound of my husband saying "Come on, let's go," I can't say I was too thrilled. Who knows how many times he has to say that before I am conscious of it. He is a really nice "waker-upper." Then I got all my clothes ready, lunch, and a skein of yarn and some knitting needles. I can't be in a car for 40min and not use my time wisely :) 

We arrived at our destination and out we go. We walked a half mile or so through the pasture to sit by some trees with the wind in our faces and a great vantage point of the possible places a deer might appear. 

Rifle hunting is typically during the rut (which in "Bambi Language" is when they get twitterpated- meaning mating season). This means the bucks are letting their intuitions and guard down because their male reproductive instinct slightly over powers their survival instincts. You could say....they get a little unwise. :) Big bucks are hard to find. When someone kills one with a bow, that is a HUGE accomplishment! But we are just speaking of rifle.

On morning one, we did not see any bucks but a couple does. Then we had a coyote come up to us about 80 yards away and my husband shot him. He told me, "That was my first coyote of the year. It kicked off my coyote season." And I got to be there when he shot it! I was really excited when he told me that. I have only been coyote hunting with him on one trip. 

We got up from our spots and went on our way, checking with all of our friends and family on any deer they had killed. Come to find my mama shot a nice buck! As did my nephews! Great first morning! 

We went back out that evening but saw nothing. The next morning we went out, we sat in my favorite spot and I counted 18 deer that we watched. At least 6 were bucks but none were the size he was hoping for. A few of them came 20 yards from us and my rump got so sore from having to sit still (not my strong suit) and not being able to shift my weight without spooking the deer and compromising our hunt and position. We got to watch the "pursue of the doe" first hand while a smaller 4x4 chased after this doe in hopes of sowing his oats. Les told me about the deer mating tendencies while I made up captions to myself like I do when my dog looks at me a funny way. Or when we see 2 pigeons trying to mate- how can you not watch that and make up words for their actions?But back to the doe, If you ask me, she was definitely playing hard-to-get and she seemed to play it pretty well. Each time he would move toward her, she would take 3 steps away. I kind of felt bad for the guy but maybe she didn't like the scent he put on that morning.

It was fascinating to watch and learn but so hard to hold still for that long.

Eventually they left our eyesight and then I even got to read Hebrews on my Bible phone app.

It was an AWESOME morning! So much fun spending quality time with my husband doing when he loves to do. I truly enjoy hunting but I think I could love it more if the sunrise was a few hours later. 

I still haven't filled my tag but I am confident we will get some meat for our freezer! 

Happy hunting!!!