Many things sting in life, and some negative events stick with you for a long time. For any hunter, missed shots and unrecovered wounded deer can lead to regret, even for a lifetime. Why? It’s largely because, unfortunately, those whiffs are just as memorable as the...
The sound of silence. Not so much like the one Simon and Garfunkel once performed, but a dead calmness nonetheless. Except for the occasional echo of nearby livestock or a passing vehicle, I sat there mentally acknowledging the start of deer season. Despite the gnats...
All around the country, deer season has ended. For die-hard whitetail junkies like me, it brings both remorse and jubilation. Anticipation-laden tree stand sits gives way to the likes of turkey hunting. Though the late winter and spring can provide a needed respite...
I vividly remember an overcast morning during the 2018 rut. Quietly sitting in a ground blind, conditions were perfect. The wind was in my favor. Facing due east, my scent situation should have been perfect. Deer would neither be spooked from behind nor in front of...
In my deer-chasing world, a few notions come to mind following each hunting season; some regulars, some new ones. From acknowledging my fatigue to the melancholy feeling that it’s over, from guilt for spending so much time away from family to the relief that it’s...
I got to thinking a few weeks ago (I know that can be dangerous). Like an out-of-body experience, I found myself combing a small ridge. With a shotgun in hand, I snapped back into consciousness and realized I was aimlessly shed hunting. I had left my turkey decoy and...
