Hunting “weekend”

We  just got back from a hunting weekend at our lease in West Texas. With Jeff’s work schedule, our weekends are actually during the week.  Hunting is something we genuinely love to do as a family.  I grew up hunting with my Daddy, so it works great that Jeff loves it too! 

Bow hunting is new to me this year.  I got my bow last year for Christmas and have been preparing and practicing since then.  I am no where near perfect and still need a lot of practice but felt fairly confident that I could make the shot I needed to. 

Dad recently got a cross bow so he went out there with us too to try to get his chance during bow season!  But, Dad said he would watch Hayden on Wednesday afternoon for us while Jeff and I went out and he showed me the ropes of bow hunting out of a pop up blind. 

So, we suited up and headed out to our pop up blind Jeff set up several weeks ago.  Well, we got there, Jeff unzipped the blind and there he stood face to face with skunk.  We thought for a second on what to do to avoid him spraying and to get him out of there.  So, we opened up the blind and threw rocks on the outside to see if he would come out.  Well, he didn’t come out and sprayed inside the blind.  Jeff shot at him in the blind and he ended up crawling out the back and crawling in a hole after Jeff shot him a few more times.  There wasn’t any way we could hunt in there that afternoon.  So, we headed over to Dad’s blind to hunt that afternoon. 

It looks like we smeared grease all over our face, but it is camo paint so our face didn’t stand out as one big white spot.

Our view…

Hunting from a pop up blind is so different than hunting from a stand 10-15 ft off the ground.  In a blind, you have a very limited view.  You have to contain your scent so  you can’t open a lot of windows since you are so close to the feeder/area you are hunting.  With a stand that you rifle hunt out of, you can see so far and see what is coming your way long before they get this close to you.  This afternoon, we saw nothing! 

The next morning, afternoon, and following morning, I headed out to our blind by myself.  Jeff sprayed scent killer and opened some windows and let it air out.  Surprisingly it wasn’t bad in there at all!  The only real time I could smell the skunk was that afternoon when it was pretty warm.   I saw absolutely nothing.  And, Dad never saw anything in his blind either.  Kind of discouraging.  

While I was hunting, Hayden spent time with Granddaddy on Wednesday afternoon and Daddy (the rest of the time) shooting turtles with his bb gun, throwing rocks, riding our ATV, and just enjoying the outdoors.  He really wanted to go hunting, but that really isn’t an option in a pop up blind.  Friday afternoon, Jeff and Hayden went into town and explored a bit, played at the park, enjoyed a little Sonic treat, and imitated statues. 

They also went to pick up Jeff’s axis hide he had tanned from a hunt last December.  I am not real sure what we are going to do with it yet, but we think it is super cool.

Our boy was a little worn out on the way home. 

Friday afternoon after we got home, I decided I would go hunt in Dad’s tree/ladder stand about a mile from our house.  This is something I have never done before.  I have never climbed a tree to hunt.  Particularly climbed 15 foot up the tree, harnessed up and carrying my bow and backpack all by myself.  But, I did it!  I had to wrap/connect my harness to the tree in case I happened to fall.   I was so proud of myself and Jeff was quite proud of me too. 

And guess what, I saw deer!!!!  I had two does come in and one shooter (legal) buck.  He only came in within about 40 yards (I need him within 25-30 yards), so I didn’t get a chance at a shot.  In our county, their horns have to be wider than their ears or only have a spike on one side.  I think they all winded me. But, I was so excited that I actually saw deer!! 

It was pretty funny after I came home because Jeff  told me that he had to explain to the UPS man and some of our neighbors that saw me go by on our ranger why I was the one hunting while he was home with Hayden.  LOL!  He will get his chance this next week while we make our way to the OK lease for him to go (bear) hunting.  EEEEEK!