Deer hunting has probably been a part of my life since I was born. I remember ALWAYS going to WV the Sunday before Thanksgiving to be there the opening day of Deer hunting. Unlike WV, who gets off school for it, Ohio doesn't. I am sure my teachers were not impressed that I missed three days of school in a row to go deer hunting. I did go one time with my dad actually hunting. I don't get much out of walking and being quiet through the rough terrain. They used to have turkey shoots and cake walks the weekend before. I don't know if they still do. But they were fun. I had to stand on a wash tub at the turkey shoot to shoot the shot gun and the kickback was so much that I would be jerked backwards and my dad would catch me. I love to shoot guns. I would love to get my carry permit, but not sure I could pass the class. I seen last time in WV the class was $60 to get it down there. Up here in Ohio its $150. Why the huge difference?
This year with Kevin being retired, he has gotten the job of deer hunting with my dad. Since October that is all my dad would talk about, us taking him deer hunting in WV. So we plan to go down to our house for a week so he can get his deer. Knowing my dad he is always ready to come back in two days. So we figure we can be home by Wednesday.
We leave on Sunday to be ready for opening day. We get to our house and the one across the road from where we stay looks like a tornado had went through the land. We have about 10 trees that are blown down, toppled into each other. One huge mess that we were shocked to see. On the other side by my dad's cabin is yet another mess of trees broken and fallen. So we start by the cabin cleaning it up and the chain saw works great - for one evening. Bummer!!!! We burned for two evenings and still have so much more to clean up. It is just overwhelming. We had to leave the biggest mess since our chain saw wouldn't stay running. Going to take ours from here next time.
Kevin and my dad get up before day light. You know you need to be in the woods before daylight, so they say. Well I get up and see them off. I went back to bed for a few minutes, got up straightened and ate breakfast and they are back and guess what??? My dad is done deer hunting in WV. He is ready to come home and he isn't going again in WV ever. Now mind you, Kevin takes my dad in the woods and places him. Then Kevin goes to "run" the deer to him. Well this wears my dad out, he's so tired, and he's cold, and he's hungry, he's legs hurt, he's back hurts. Okay you got the picture.
So we come back to Ohio and before we get home he is talking about the first day of deer hunting in Ohio. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?! But I just sit in the backseat and smile at Kevin. So Saturday we were over visiting my dad and he couldn't even find the gun he has to take hunting up here. Ohio you have to take a shot gun with a rifle barrel. (Or I think that is what they said). So we help him find the gun and then where are the shells. So Kevin finds the shells. Oh no he only has two boxes. I tell him he only needs one shell, so I think two boxes are plenty. Monday morning Kevin was to be at my dad's to take my dad and his friend hunting. The friend Carmen is 77, and my dad 80. Kevin had a few laughs with them. First off those two couldn't get their seat belts figured out. My dad was sitting in the middle of the truck and kept playing with the heater. Driving Kevin crazy. They finally arrive at the property and they tell Kevin where to go to run them a deer. Well it isn't long until my dad gets cold and goes to the truck. Then he goes back out, and they said they were staying till they got a deer. So Kevin is coming back around and sees them headed for the truck. They think he got lost cause it is taking so long to get to them. So now my dad is done hunting in Ohio, he is never going hunting in Ohio again. By the time they got back home, he asked Kevin when they are going again. Carmen said Wed and Sat is good for him.
They never went back that week, but deer hunting is coming back in up here for the weekend. Dec. 15 and 16. Now my dad is asking when are we going deer hunting. So we shall see how that goes.
My dad hasn't been feeling well. Having tests and of course one test leads to another test. I don't think he is able to go hunting, but he will drag himself out there to say he went. I am thankful that Kevin will take them, I worry about my dad being in the woods and wonder if he will find his way back to the truck without getting confused.
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