eboone
1378418906
Posted 1417441657
Reply with quote #1
In Pennsylvania, today is the traditional opening day of buck season. Sitting in a tree stand, a 4x8 platform 25 ft in the air that I built 12 years ago with a little help from my aging father, I am gazing out over the head of a wooded ravine on land settled by my ancestors in the late 1700s. When my great-grandparents died young almost 100 years ago leaving 6 daughters, the farm was abandoned and has reverted to forest. This land, now owned by me and 3 other family members, has been used by my family for camping, hiking, family reunions, and especially hunting. Some of my most treasured memories are of being here first with my Dad and brother, then teaching my son and daughter about hunting and the outdoors here. Today is an unusual opening day, I am here by myself. Being here gives me an opportunity to connect with nature, to commune with God, to reflect on life and family, and to think about how this wonderful place, my ancestors, and my experiences here with my family have impacted my life. Don't get me wrong, I hope to fill my tag and provide for my family. But that is just a small part of why I am out in the woods today.
Dark Greek (Navid), Col Littman's Black Cross
WillsC
1348087628
Posted 1417442370
Reply with quote #2
Growing up in PA spent many a rainy, warm, cold, windy, snowy first days just as you describe. Many may not know that in PA the first day of buck season is an event.....it is actually a school holiday.
cis4elk
1347840383
Posted 1417449866
· Edited
Reply with quote #3
When I was growing up in ND is was sort of the same for deer and pheasant opener both. It wasn't a holiday, but most of the boys were out hunting.
paully22
1195324538
Posted 1417450162
Reply with quote #4
good hunting Ed and thanks for telling us the interesting history.
greg88
1359498953
Posted 1417450217
Reply with quote #5
for me, hunting, gardening, fishin,g etc., is "dirt therapy"
, Kathleen's Bl, Hunt, a great UNK or anything anyone wants me to have???
deerhunter16b
1352062719
Posted 1417455628
Reply with quote #6
Good luck......there's nothing better than the outdoors and being one with nature. Hunting and fishing are two of the things I enjoy doing very much.
nycfig
1380768118
Posted 1417457532
Reply with quote #7
My family and friends just came back yesterday from a 2 week stay at the property upstate, NY. We spend Thanksgivings up there together and do a lot of hunting. I was blessed to take a big doe. My wife spent a lot of time in the stand and saw plenty of deer but passed on everything. The oldest son missed a buck and the youngest watched everyone joyfully; he's only 4 and his time will come. Others in the family either missed their shot or passed. We enrolled our property in the Quality Deer Management program a few years ago and have watched the deer populations explode this year. I've hunted for most of my life and this is the first year that I passed on multiple 4's and 6's. It's a great feeling!
Facebook: NYCfigs Buying Fig Trees and Cuttings From the Internet
m5allen
1378496146
Posted 1417463352
Reply with quote #8
Good read, thanks. I am not a hunter, but an avid fisherman and I know all those feelings very well. I think any sportsman can relate.
rookie
1339168097
Posted 1417466983
Reply with quote #9
Great story, good luck on getting your buck, I didn't do too well this year but that's fine because all I wanted to see was my 18 year old son get a nice buck which he did. A nice 6 pointer that he grunted in , shot, and field dressed all by himself in new york. Yes I am a very proud father, thanks for listening.
schaplin
1392175246
Posted 1417494916
Reply with quote #10
Wow great hunting stories. One of the things I miss about living in Flemington was our neighbors farmed and had over a 100 acres that was loaded with deer. I would place my order and in a day or two I would have a lovely field dressed doe left in the back of my pickup truck. So good..
Norhayati
1381365278
Posted 1417496491
Reply with quote #11
Really great stories. Being a city girl, hunting is totally foreign to me. I hope all of you have great time hunting.
