Fall Hunting

This morning I stepped from my door on my way to work and for the first time this year I felt the coolness of fall in the air.  Like many who live in this area fall is my favorite time of year.  Fall represents a microcosm of what makes East Tennessee such a special place.  Football season will be in full swing, fall harvest is underway, there are festivals in virtually every small town, fishing is not only good, but beautiful because of the foliage, and hunting season is about to begin.

Last year was my second year of deer hunting and the first year in which I was successful.  While many grow up hunting and never forget their first kill as a child, the same is true as an adult.  I had gone to visit my brother Donald in eastern North Carolina for a week of fellowship and hunting.  I often find it odd to hear stories of brother’s who don’t speak or have interactions.  My two brothers are probably my two best friends and short of my wife, they know me better than anyone. Spending time hunting is a great family time for me.

We woke early and had breakfast at lightening speed, which is typical for Donald.  I’ve learned from previous experience that I had better eat while I can because with Donald, lunch is always optional.  It was a glorious November day.  The morning chill was just cold enough to necessitate the need for a jacket and make you feel alive.  When the dogs were loaded we headed to meet up with the other guys on the days hunt.  Introductions were made and it was time to hunt.

Following the advice of his friend Bryant who owned most of this land, Donald drove me to a spot where a platform had been built beside the canal separating two large fields.  I reached the platform and wasn’t even settled in when I heard a twig break.  I turned in time to find a nice six point buck jumping back into the wood line.  There wasn’t even enough time to get a shot off.  I stood surveying the wood line for well over an hour.  I could hear the distance roar of dogs barking as they found the scent of deer.  As the roar would get closer I would imagine a whole herd of deer busting from the wood line like wildebeest but that didn’t occur.  The dogs would get close and then they would move away until I could only faintly hear their cries.

In that quite peaceful moment before the sun had even burned the haze from the field I sat staring at the yellow, orange, and red leaves in the wood line when my deer stepped out.  His rack wasn’t impressive, but he had size, and he was a buck.  He surveyed a path but before he could proceed I raised my shotgun, found him in my sites, and fired.  I knew I hit him because the shot knocked him to his knees.  He quickly scrambled up and tried to make for the wood line but my sites were still on him and my second shot guaranteed this day to be his last.   He managed to cross the canal before falling and that is where I found him.  He was an older buck, but his antlers never grew properly.  This explained why such a big bodied deer had only cow horns.  What should have been a six point buck instead had two antlers. I respected this deer like all of the others taken each year, but there is an order to life and this deer was to provide meat for me and my family.  Life is fragile and his life was not wasted. 

A few days later my brother-in-law James came down and I was there when he took his first deer as well.  I recall the excitement we both felt having walked into the fields together. We would text one another from our tree stand to see if anything was moving. I recall hearing what sounded like a canon going off.  I quickly send James a text “You?”…..”Yes” replied. “Get him”…..”Yes Sir” and with those few words our trip was a success. These are memories I will always carry.  The stories my kids will be tired of hearing.  Many weeks of preparation go into hunting and the costs in dollars and time is surprisingly high, yet when you are there in that moment it’s you, the deer, and your one shot and it’s all worth the time and cost.  Yes, fall is in the air and hunting season is almost here.