Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

803.0. "A prelude of things to come on opening day???" by AIMTEC::SOBCZYNSKI_L () Sun Oct 14 1990 13:39

Well after months of preparing for the big day it finally came.  On 
Wednesday the 10-Oct, I set out for the happy hunting grounds.  Well it was 
a bright sunny day here in the Atlanta area, everything went smooth. I 
stopped by the local Sports Town shopping center and picked up a few items 
and was on my way.  About mid way up I stopped in a rest area and ate lunch 
and the flies nearly ate me up.  Guess I should have figured that this was 
not a good sign, but what the neck one should not sit by a garbage can and 
eat lunch.  Started back up the interstate, then the rain broke loose, a 
heavy rain.  Cars slowed down to a crawl, some pulled over to the side of 
the road but I kept on trucking.  Then it started I ran into a flooded 
part of the freeway (about two inches of water on it I guess) and a head 
wind hit the truck, it caused the truck to go from about 73mph to below 
65mph. Pushed on the accelerator and nothing, didn't realize there was any 
wind, thought my little 4 cylinder jeep truck was about to die.  Well 
finally the wind let up but not the rain, about thirty miles down the road 
it cleared up, well sorta.

We got up bright and early and all meet at the camp gate at 0545 hours, 
decided where we going to hunt, and marked the board accordingly.  First 
small occurrence, couldn't find the camouflage stand had to take another 
one about a 150 yards away.  Got all set up, had my coffee and cigarettes 
and now just had to wait for the dawn's early light and the deer.  Then it 
started to come up, it started to break through the trees, light it 
wouldn't be long now, soon very soon the deer would be out can't wait the 
moments are now hours, am becoming more alert to every sound.  Then it 
happened, a little at a time, getting louder and louder, yes it was the 
rain.  It rained nearly all day, it broke for only minutes at a time, never 
for an extended period though.  In the stand for 12 yes folks 12 solid 
hours, and no deer, like they knew it was opening day.  There was some 
activity out a good ways, heard some snorting, and brush movement, (real 
heavy growth).  Then the 12th hour came decided to call it a day, what the 
neck tomorrow is another day, and we started to plan for the next day, and 
guess what the rain was letting up finally.  So packed the rifle away in 
dockil (spelling?) case.  This would NOT be worthy of mentioned normally, 
however when we got to the house and I took the case out of the back of the 
pickup, water gushed out.  The case was locked when emptied (during the 
hunt) and locked after the rifle was put back in the case.  How the water 
got in there is really puzzling, the amount, could have taken a shower with 
it.  So that evening had to disassemble the rifle and dry on oil it.  This 
case is the one that is black with the slide type locks, as opposed to the 
buckle type locks, will have the better one on the next outing. 

That evening in a postmortum we discussed the events of the day.  One 
other individual had heard grunts and some activity in his sector, but 
never saw anything.  When I told what I had heard and described the general 
location were the sounds came from, the fellow that took me out said, that 
they (the sounds) came from around were the original stand I was to sit in 
was located, no problem we have tomorrow.  We found out from the local 
weigh in station that by 1300 hours only 3 deer had been checked in, 
usually by that time there were 50 to 70 deer checked in.  We heard only 
two shots in the 12 hour period, usually its like a war zone I was told.  
It was speculated that the rain had stopped about 0230 hours that morning, 
and with a 3/4 moon, and now a clear night the deer got up and feed then 
bedded down when it started raining again.  Well its nearly 2300 hours time 
to hit the sack, another sleepless night, anticipating the coming days hunt, 
then it started again......RAIN-THUNDER-&-LIGHTNING.  Buckets will not 
begin to describe how hard and heavy the rain came down, all night long. 
At 0530 hours we decided we didn't really want to hunt from boats, so the 
hunt day was called, well by almost everyone.  There were some real die 
hards who decided the weather couldn't get worse and would go and wait out 
the storm.  I decided under the circumstances to pack up the truck and head 
home, and the fellow I was with decided to go into work and save his 
vacation day.  I backed the truck up into the garage, cause it still 
pouring, like the flood gates of hell had opened up, to load it up at head 
for home.  After loading and getting ready to leave the truck won't start, 
battery gave up the ghost, the original battery and only seven years old, 
damn shame, they don't make things like they use to.  Jump started the 
truck and headed for home, got about twenty miles away and the weather was 
cloudy now, not rainy just cloudy, should I go back. Pulled over to the 
side of the road and had to think this one out.  Now in view of just the 
highlights described so far, not every blood curling detail should I or 
shouldn't I go back?  Naw, needed for home.  That evening I got a call from 
my fellow hunter, it was raining harder, had not let up etc..  The guys 
that did go out gave up and went home.  Great opening day.  Well will be 
heading out the afternoon of the 15th, for the balance of the week, back 
into the great wet outdoors.  BTW, peanut butter and molasses is not a bad 
snack.

Cheers
Leonard
 

    
    Len,
    
    
    Just imagine if you were hunting with a muzzel-loader, sounds like you
    should of been duck-hunting.
    
    Good-Story, I feel wet....
    
    Rick
    

    Leonard,
    
    That's what happens when you hunt out of state.  Good luck this time. 
    Looks like you got good weather.
    
    Bob (5days and counting!)
    

    Leonard,  
    
       That was a good story and even gives me a chill remembering some 
    other years of being cold and wet.  
    
       Nothing can beat the late '60's though, when we walked in snow 
    literally half-way up our thighs!  ... 'and saw deep melted holes 
    in the snow where deer had been bedded down.  
    
       I sure do dress more warmly now with Sorrell boots made just like 
    my husband's Pak (sp?) boots, and light layers of clothing with an 
    insulated set of longjohns; even an L.L.Bean's down-lined hat!  (I 
    had knit-hats caught on the shrubs/trees so many times I couldn't 
    count.)  
    
       My home-sewn mittens with a trigger-finger slot has worked well,too.
    
    (My mother taught me some good stuff... I could never buy any as good 
    as those!) 
    
    Nancy