woods, waters, & step-daughters

[dadof3upatree]

                                   TIMES I'LL NEVER FORGET   
While catfishing a small river in Missouri, I watched my rod bend in half  and after a 30 minute fight between me and the fish, I won.  My prize.. A 45 pound flat head. Two weeks later, same hole, a 35 pound flat head.
      The time fishing a local  lake and landing a 7.8 pound largemouth. After a few pictures it took all I had in me to release her.  As I watched her swim away I grabbed my rod and made a half hearted cast.  On that half hearted cast I landed a 9.9 pound largemouth that now resided at my home nailed to a board.
      The time bow hunting near a pear tree that set about 80 yards away.  A small six pointer fed there every evening it seemed.  This particular evening he  pulled a pear off the tree and began to munch it.  Just then another fell from the tree and hit him right on the rump.  I nearly tested my safety harness from laughter as he mule kicked around the tree for about three laps just sure something had grabbed him.  I never saw him at the pear tree again.
      The time I killed my largest buck.  I had missed a small basket racked buck just after dawn and was very mad at myself.  At around 1pm out of no where came a 140 class buck with a canine in hot pursuit.  As they blazed by me at 100 yards I blew my grunt call as hard as I could stopping both the buck and the dog.  At the crack of the gun the buck dropped and the dog was gone.  Thanks dog.  I was under orders to kill any dog on sight by the farmer who owned the farm.  I later let that dog live one cold morning when he passed under my stand while I was attempting to fill my doe tag.  I never told the farmer.
      The first time I called in a buck with the famous can call.  As the 8 pointer ran past well out of bow range, I turned the call over.  He stopped and started again.  I turned it over again and he stopped again.  I turned it over again and here he came.  Running!  I stopped him with a "MERP" and sent the arrow into him at 2 yards.  Man I love that can call.
      The first time I took my 5 year old step-daughter on a bow hunt with me.  She was so excited but I was beside myself.  I did make a mistake though.  The sugar donuts for her breakfast.  That little blind had to be bouncing as she enjoyed her sugar high.  We saw no deer but what a morning we had.
      The night I laid her into her bed, covered her up, kissed her and told her I loved her as I had done on so many other nights.  As I shut the light off, for the very first time,  I heard those sweet words from her tiny little voice, "I love you too, Johnny!"  With a single tear running down my face, I had to go back and kiss her again.
           Thank you Lord for flatheads, largemouths, pear trees and safety harness, dogs, can calls, sugar donuts, and step-daughters.