Family, bucks and familiar ground

It is a rare occurrence that four family members can go on an expedition in the sage brush that surrounds us and come out with smiles. Yes, it was opening day for rifle deer season and I was out there once again. The difference this year was that instead of just Cousin Cory, two boys tagged along. But it did not start out that way.

As all you hunters out there know, you can’t just jump in the truck and go hunting; you got to have a plan. Levi and I thought we had one, too. Dave Finch had given us permission to hunt his little gem of a place, and we scoped it out. It looked great.

Opening morning we found ourselves there, hunkered down in the brush, watching a coyote dance around on the hillside. Shots rang in the hills around us, orange dotted the ridge line and soon we realized that the deer were on vacation this time of year. Reluctantly, we pulled out, and after talking to a few people, we found out that a few cougars have been spotted in the area the last few weeks. So yes, the cats moved in and the deer headed to greener sage brush. Plan one destroyed.

So back to the old stomping grounds. State land that I walked every inch of last year and missed a nice buck, twice, kind of. But this time Jesse, (the other Jesse) jumped in for a day with the boys. Plan two was put into action soon after a chat with Cory, and the walking started all over again.

This chunk of land and I seem like old friends. When you recognize a rock that has been your resting spot many times before and a familiar hawk that follows you along the path, this all reminds you that you know this land. As a matter of fact, all the work put in last year paid off this year. I knew the little divots. I knew where the beds were and the escape routes. Almost 100 yards from where I missed last year, I harvested a decent buck this year. Then the work began. Thanks to Jesse, (the other one) Levi and Cory, the hard work was easy. With smiles and knives and aching backs, it wasn’t long and the deer was processed and hanging.

Then something weird happened. I had never gotten an opening-day buck before. It was strange to know I was done just like that. Cool, but I just felt a little cheated. I wanted to get out there and look some more, to walk till my feet yelled at me, to sneak up on another one.

As I sat in the house resting as Levi walked the same ground I was familiar with, becoming familiar himself, a feeling of wanting him to get one grew large in my gut. He would. I knew it. I never so bad in my life wanted something for him. It seems like a simple non important thing, but I saw the flicker in his eyes; he was hungry for the same feeling I was having, and I wanted him to have it but 10 times more. That book is still open.

So a big thanks to Cory Alman, Dale Rinker and Dave Finch. All played a big part in this weekend’s success. Also thanks to Jesse (the other one) who loaned us his back and comic relief, mostly at his expense. Thanks to Levi for coming out in the sage brush with an old man and igniting a new fire in my gut. A fire to go all out after a big one, with integrity and passion that only a hunter would know. It was a good weekend and I can’t imagine you not being there.

Oh, and by the way, that book will probably be closed and hanging on a hook before you all read this. I’m just saying.