Saturday morning, I’ll be in my tree stand.
I wonder how well I’ll sleep on Friday night, knowing that not only is it the first day of Vermont’s deer hunting archery season, but my very first season ever as a bowhunter (or any type of hunter). I’m as prepared as physically and mentally as I can be with the understanding that when faced with the decision of shooting an arrow should I see a deer, it will be an emotional choice. Having spent the past year learning about hunting, archery, scent control, and safety considerations as well as practicing daily, I know that getting out there and giving it a good try is the next step in the journey.
This weekend we double-checked the two-man ladder stand I will be primarily hunting at, securing the lifeline and making sure the haul line was where I wanted it to be. We also put up another stand in a place only accessible by canoe or paddle boat on our property. My husband has scouted out this area and will be hunting from this location.
SEE: The most realistic buck grunts you can make …
I think I’ve mentioned here before that I’m not a huge fan of the tippy canoe AND do not want the added stress of paddling over to a tree stand for my first bow season. It was quite a mission to get the tree stand and other components over there, complete with me getting my feet (luckily in knee high rubber boots) stuck in some quicksand like mud. The spot where we hung the stand overlooks a field with a fruit-laden apple tree and we have our fingers crossed that in one of these spots we get our chance.
Along with checking and hanging tree stands, we washed our hunting clothes in scent killer detergent and hung it outside. I plan to keep it outside (hopefully rain-free) until it’s time to put it on this weekend. I found this great branch to hang my clothes on that is sheltered from the weather by the tree canopy and also doesn’t use my regular outdoor clothing line since I’ll have regular laundry to do before Saturday, too.
With the cost of organic meat these days, I’m really hopeful that between me and my husband, we fill our freezer with venison, duck, turkey, and goose this fall. Good luck to everyone this hunting season!
Hey everyone! The preorder site is LIVE for my Beginner’s Guide to Archery: For Women DVD!
HUNT: Learn more what happens during the rut than you’ve ever known before …