Since it is Thanksgiving and since a friend asked me the question, "When did you begin to hunt?", I think that I will do a little reminiscing this time.
Sometime in Junior high, we met a couple of friends, Swan Loften and Harold Parke. I don't remember all of the details, but I do remember that I became the "spotter" for them. I was getting pretty good at seeing the deer in the forest, but what I really enjoyed was seeing different areas of the Black Hills.
I remember one time that Dad and I went hunting with Swan in his Volkswagen Bug. I was sitting in the back and could only see out of the side windows. Dad or Swan spotted a deer on the hill in front of them. I remember the difficulty of them crawling out of the car and getting their guns out and that the deer didn't run. Dad shot the deer and we loaded it on the back of the Volkswagen and headed home.
One year my brothers came home from college and went deer hunting. I believe that they were both successful. Then came the year that Swan brought out his 22-250 for me to practice shooting. I remember Dad and Swan saying that I was a good enough shot to hit a deer, but when deer season opened we didn't go hunting. Dad was concerned that I would get hurt. I accepted it and went on with life.
In 1992, I moved to Alzada to teach in a country school. I met Chip in March of 94 after breaking my wrist. The first time I went out to his ranch was after I had the last cast taken off. We went fishing in his trout dam. I remember that every time I made a cast with the fishing pole, my wrist hurt. I did catch my fish for lunch and then had to quit. I pretty much kept Chip a secret from everyone until after the 4th of July, when I told my family (who had all been home) that I had met a pretty special guy.
That fall, I was talking to Chip in church and told him that I had always wanted to go hunting. He told me to go get a tag. At that time we could get them over the counter so while I was in the "store", I bought an antelope tag as well. The day of opening antelope season, I asked Chip when he was going to take me hunting. He told me that it was two weeks away. I told him that I had an antelope tag. We went hunting that day. I got my antelope!
Chip had a couple of people a head of me to help get a deer for that year. One night he called and told me to come up right after school. I had a parent stop by and was late getting out. I drove home and was changing clothes when there was a knock on the door. Casey C told me to hurry up and get my deer because he couldn't go hunting until I had shot mine. I told him that I was trying but someone was keeping me from going. That evening I shot my first 5 X 5 symmetrical buck. I really wanted to take a picture of it first, but didn't think that was what a hunter was supposed to do.
I called Dad and Mom and told them that I was bringing their Christmas present to them that night. Mom was waiting for a phone call when Chip and I arrived. Mom asked Dad, "What should I do about the phone call? I want to be in on this too." Those of you who knew Mom and Dad will understand the dilemma when Dad said, "Let the phone ring. They will call back!" This was the first time that Dad and Mom had met Chip. Chip said that he wasn't sure if Dad was studying him or the deer more.
Several years later, Chip came to Belle and stopped by Mom and Dad's where I was living. Dad heard the pick up door shut and heard Chip's cowboy boots on the porch. Dad "jumped" out of his chair, walked quickly to the door and opened it. He said, "Well, come on in you ole bum!" I sat on the couch and knew with all of my heart that Dad approved of Chip. Mom later apologized and I told her that wasn't necessary. I knew that they approved of Chip.
Thanksgiving of 2004 (Wow! Ten years later!) I went into town and picked Mom and Dad up and brought them out to the ranch. Dad was getting pretty weak, but I didn't really give it much thought. Chip had to give me the heads up on that one. Chip, Dad and I went hunting that day. Dad had a hard time getting into the pick up, but he crawled in the best that he could. I did shoot at a deer, but didn't hit it as I was shooting down hill. I remember Dad laughing! He had had a good time hunting with his daughter. March of 2005, Dad passed away.
I have many good memories of all of my hunting trips.
As you spend Thanksgiving this year, think of all the memories that makes your heart thankful. I know that someday, I will even be able to look back at this school year and be thankful.
Sometime in Junior high, we met a couple of friends, Swan Loften and Harold Parke. I don't remember all of the details, but I do remember that I became the "spotter" for them. I was getting pretty good at seeing the deer in the forest, but what I really enjoyed was seeing different areas of the Black Hills.
I remember one time that Dad and I went hunting with Swan in his Volkswagen Bug. I was sitting in the back and could only see out of the side windows. Dad or Swan spotted a deer on the hill in front of them. I remember the difficulty of them crawling out of the car and getting their guns out and that the deer didn't run. Dad shot the deer and we loaded it on the back of the Volkswagen and headed home.
One year my brothers came home from college and went deer hunting. I believe that they were both successful. Then came the year that Swan brought out his 22-250 for me to practice shooting. I remember Dad and Swan saying that I was a good enough shot to hit a deer, but when deer season opened we didn't go hunting. Dad was concerned that I would get hurt. I accepted it and went on with life.
In 1992, I moved to Alzada to teach in a country school. I met Chip in March of 94 after breaking my wrist. The first time I went out to his ranch was after I had the last cast taken off. We went fishing in his trout dam. I remember that every time I made a cast with the fishing pole, my wrist hurt. I did catch my fish for lunch and then had to quit. I pretty much kept Chip a secret from everyone until after the 4th of July, when I told my family (who had all been home) that I had met a pretty special guy.
That fall, I was talking to Chip in church and told him that I had always wanted to go hunting. He told me to go get a tag. At that time we could get them over the counter so while I was in the "store", I bought an antelope tag as well. The day of opening antelope season, I asked Chip when he was going to take me hunting. He told me that it was two weeks away. I told him that I had an antelope tag. We went hunting that day. I got my antelope!
Chip had a couple of people a head of me to help get a deer for that year. One night he called and told me to come up right after school. I had a parent stop by and was late getting out. I drove home and was changing clothes when there was a knock on the door. Casey C told me to hurry up and get my deer because he couldn't go hunting until I had shot mine. I told him that I was trying but someone was keeping me from going. That evening I shot my first 5 X 5 symmetrical buck. I really wanted to take a picture of it first, but didn't think that was what a hunter was supposed to do.
I called Dad and Mom and told them that I was bringing their Christmas present to them that night. Mom was waiting for a phone call when Chip and I arrived. Mom asked Dad, "What should I do about the phone call? I want to be in on this too." Those of you who knew Mom and Dad will understand the dilemma when Dad said, "Let the phone ring. They will call back!" This was the first time that Dad and Mom had met Chip. Chip said that he wasn't sure if Dad was studying him or the deer more.
Several years later, Chip came to Belle and stopped by Mom and Dad's where I was living. Dad heard the pick up door shut and heard Chip's cowboy boots on the porch. Dad "jumped" out of his chair, walked quickly to the door and opened it. He said, "Well, come on in you ole bum!" I sat on the couch and knew with all of my heart that Dad approved of Chip. Mom later apologized and I told her that wasn't necessary. I knew that they approved of Chip.
Thanksgiving of 2004 (Wow! Ten years later!) I went into town and picked Mom and Dad up and brought them out to the ranch. Dad was getting pretty weak, but I didn't really give it much thought. Chip had to give me the heads up on that one. Chip, Dad and I went hunting that day. Dad had a hard time getting into the pick up, but he crawled in the best that he could. I did shoot at a deer, but didn't hit it as I was shooting down hill. I remember Dad laughing! He had had a good time hunting with his daughter. March of 2005, Dad passed away.
I have many good memories of all of my hunting trips.
As you spend Thanksgiving this year, think of all the memories that makes your heart thankful. I know that someday, I will even be able to look back at this school year and be thankful.
