(as told by the boys Aunt Tammy)
Nephews have been working all summer on preparing for deer season. Involves night filming, planting corn, feeding deer, purchasing the latest in hunter wear, etc., The evening before the big hunt, a traditional family dinner is prepared (pizza) and films are reviewed. Clothes are all sprayed with doe scent or "no" scent, I can't remember which, I just know the family dog goes bonkers sneezing in the meantime! Corey, nephew #3, is not really excited or into the scene as much as the others, doesn't really want to get up at 5:30am in a tree stand and has been known to sneak out of the stand, go home, sleeps until breakfast time and then pretends to arrive at home just in time for the hunters morning break. The event takes place at Gary's dad's farm. Great place, within sight (as long as you are in the tree stand) of their home. The "suburbs" sure are changing in Licking County! We were all given orders NOT to drive by and honk car horns and Gary is not to be mowing.
This past Saturday morning, first day of bow season, no deer in sight from 5:30am-10:30am....hunters go home for ham, gravy and biscuits and some sleep.....back in tree stands at 3:30pm until supposedly, dusk. Around 6pm, one of Gary's friend's truck konks out on River Rd and he pulls into the barn to phone for help. Another friend comes to pick him up and has to use the bathroom in the open air, behind the barn. (another "guy thing" all of which is being viewed from 4 treestands) Bathroom boy picks up a piece of iron and for some reason beats it a few times on the barn siding and drops it...just checking to see if it is iron, I guess, and proceeds to get in car with his friend and leaves. About that same time, the noise must have stirred hidden deer, as they were all around two of the stands. (3 Bucks and Does) Nephew #2 makes the first kill (14 pointer) and Corey, who isn't too much into hunting, has a 10 pointer under his treestand. Now, there is something about a guy and the excitement that takes over when a deer approaches and the raising of a bow.....I compare it to my excitement at a DSW shoe sale....it's a sweaty palm, heart racing, BIG thing.....Corey takes the shot and then..... passes out! Yes, you heard me correctly...passes out. His brother is running down the hill tracking his own kill and sees younger brother slumped over the rail of the treestand....luckily, he listened to Uncle Gary when he purchased the treestand with a bar that protects you from falling. Old brother climbs up in the treestand while yelling for everyone to help. Cell phones are dialed to mom & dad, aunt & uncle, who are just across the street and waiting for Ohio State game to start....great.
We arrive within minutes at the scene and big brother is coddling little brother, which we will NEVER let him forget, and little brother is white with teeth chattering. We can now spot a severe panic attack when we see one! The 14 pointer is laying a few feet away, mom takes over to calm little brother down, others are laughing hysterically at him. The story then began to unfold, Corey was not EXACTLY sure if his arrow hit the deer because he said it was either the deer he saw wobbling or HE was the one wobbling after he blacked out. Once the 14 pointer was gutted on the spot, the search began, which it was dark by now. I will never forget the vision of my brother in law with a OSU shirt that I think read , "Fear the Vest" and one of those miner flashlights on his head as he is searching for a deer that may or may not exist. I have never, ever, seen him in any type of brush/woods and here he was acting like he knew what and where to look...too funny. More friends arrived to help and luckily three were Park Rangers and very "into" the sport. Once Corey got his bearings, they had him reenact what he THOUGHT happened and how he was positioned, before passing out. To find a black arrow in pitch dark is one feat I would have beat against but low and behold, the Rangers found it and it appeared it entered clean through the deer. (not exactly "clean", blood on the entire arrow and small blood drops in the area) The group decided it best to wait until the following morning to track the deer so it will bleed out and hopefully not wander too far into a thicket. (hunter talk for saying, "I can't see a thing")
The next morning, 6:30am, Uncle Gary and the boys were on the search. Not sure who was more excited. Deer was found and definitely a big one, even if 4 points shy of big brothers...a much bigger deer. They were told it will be some kind of record more than likely. Nephew is thrilled and said he will not hunt again until one of his other relatives bags something bigger.......he has nothing more to prove! ha!
The hunt is still on for those that did not get a deer...."moose" as they call it, is still out there and makes these two deer look like Bambi. We'll see.
Looking forward to catch up on your "deer stories" !!
Tammy
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