Tracking

Living in Traverse City, Jason and Hunter are truly in their glory.  Up here hunting season is practically a holiday.   Guys and some gals take off work to be able to go out in the woods and sit for hours hoping to see some type of movement through the trees and hear leaves crunching.  Hunter cannot wait to go hunting with Jason, he talks about it all the time.  Finally, last Saturday was Hunters big chance to go in the woods with dad and try to shoot a deer.  Now remind you that it's only bow season, did you think I was crazy enough to let my oldest baby go out in the woods during gun season?  Jason, maybe...Me, no way!  So all bundled up in layers and dark clothing, Hunter told his friends that he couldn't play anymore because he was going hunting with his dad and as soon as Jason got home from work they were on their way to the woods.

Jason and Hunter in the blind

Jason complained that Hunter's coat made too much noise, lol

Hunter was the lookout man, using binoculars to spot any deer that might be trying to sneak through the woods and he says he did see an antler but it never got close enough for Jason to see.  Their night was quiet in their blind and Hunter passed the time by playing his DS, thank goodness for video games.  The night ended without any real sightings of any deer.  Hunter wasn't too disappointed, he was just excited he actually got to go hunting.  Jason told him that if he shot a deer while he was in school he would come get Hunter out of school so he could help him track it.  And that's just what happened........

Wednesday morning, Jason woke up before any of us and made his way to the woods.  On the way to taking Hunter to school I let him know that daddy was out in the woods and hopefully he will get a deer and if he does he will come get him from school.  Around 9am, I got a text and then a call from Jason, breathless, telling me he just smoked a deer and then had to tell me how he missed the deer from a mere 13 feet and luckily the missed shot didn't spook the deer away so he was able to take another shot at it while they were walking away and BAM, perfect shot through the right shoulder.  Jason saw her go her head go down and she couldn't really run without dragging her head and shoulder on the ground.  Jason got out of his tree stand and saw alot of blood and knew that she didn't stand a chance at surviving so he made his way home to get to get Grandpa Marks truck to bring her home.

After picking up the truck it was time to go pick Hunter up at school.  I guess teachers up north understand that deer season is somewhat of a holiday because Hunter's teacher was all about them going out to track the deer and taking the afternoon off of school (although Hunter is only in kindergarten, so I don't think an afternoon is going to matter).  Off we all went to go help dad track the deer.

The day was perfect, although a little bit warm at 65 degrees, not optimal when were talking about a dead deer laying out in the woods, but it was perfect for us to be walking through the woods tracking a deer.  Jason led us to his tree stand and then re-enacted where and how the deer was shot. 

Hunter began looking for blood or "clues" as he called it, which I thought was a very smart way to looking at tracking a deer, you have to find all the clues that lead you to the deer and that's just what he did.  First the broken, bloody arrow, next blood on leaves here and there, weaving us in the direction the deer went, matted down weeds leading us on the path that the deer took,

Found the arrow and inspecting it!

Any Clues?

and then......" I FOUND IT!" "I FOUND THE DEER!" Yep, Hunter happened upon the deer before Jason or I and found it all by himself.  And there she was, laying there in the weeds. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1zgfljOjZ4 Hunter tracking the deer

She was a big one, probably 4 or 5 years old. But I can't help to think of her bad day....

Jason will confirm that she was a very large doe,
he was very winded after dragging her to the truck

Proud Hunters

There's our third, soon to be hunter

Zander loved petting the deer and then mommy promptly took him inside to wash his hands, lol

Lois (what I have named her) and her friend were going for a stroll through the woods on a glorious, warm, November day and then BAM a stinging whiz went through her faster than she could react, all she could do is run to try and get away but she didn't get to far before she layed down and closed her eyes, forever.  I wonder if her friend, who ran in a different direction, knew what happened.  Is she wondering where Lois is?  Did she go back to look for her or was she too scared and shaking to retrace their steps.  I know when you're hunting you don't think of these things, even though Jason does say what cool and beautiful animals they are, you somehow have to disconnect yourself from the sadness of it.  Although, thanks to Lois, our freezer will be filled with meat, hotdogs, and sausages.  We shall not go hungry for the next year atleast.