Day 12 - Back at it...

Friday (yesterday - I am writing two posts today because my parent's internet was down) I went back out to the deer woods.  It was perfect.  COLD, clear, slight wind in a good direction and it was a wonderful time.  In the morning I saw 3 different bucks - the odd thing was that two of them were very similar in antler configuration to the one I shot, each had two points on one side and four on the other.  These were both much wider than the one I shot and one had the odd side on the left and the other on the right.  Makes me wonder about a genetic issue in the herd on that farm.  Got a picture of one of them.

ALos was able to capture some photos of a group of 4 bald eagles - 3 adults and 1 immature eagle.  And I shot some photos of buzzards on a fence and a pileated woodpecker, as well as a fox in the field. 

The highlight of the day was intentionally staying out of the woods a few moments to capture an even better picture of the lone tree at sunrise.  Hoping to enter one of these in the Ward Contest next year!

Thoroughly enjoyed being out in the woods again!

Day 11 - a Transition Day...

Today is Day 11 of a 14 day vacation.  And it is a day of transition in many ways.

First, it is a day of transition weather wise... we are leaving behind the warmer weather of the early part of the week and hopefully the end of the rain is in sight too.  Deer hunting is so much better this time of year when it is cooler.  So to have the temps be in the 30's tomorrow will be great!

Second, I spent some time today getting all our Christmas decorations down, so that Sharon could begin decorating this Saturday.  A time of transition of special seasons.

Third, I find that today, is the first day of this vacation that I find myself thinking about the church more than not.  Thinking about the Christmas season.  Thinking about upcoming sermons.  Thinking about community impact.  Thinking about the need to get the leaves gathered up from the ministry center.  Thinking about all the work I have to do in preparation for my next Advanced Foundations of Church Leadership Cohort in January.   Thinking about newsletter articles that I must write next week.  Thinking about a schedule of pastoral care next week.  Not that thinking about church is wrong... but one thing a pastor tries hard to do while on vacation is to unhitch... to let go... to get away for a bit.  I have been able to do that mostly until today.  Everyday, in my times of prayer, I have remembered the ill and othere special needs of our people as well as seeking God's best for our congregation.

These two weeks have been good for me!  I have thoroughly enjoyed my time away and feel ready to get back in the saddle and live out of the gifts God has given me and the calling he has placed on my life.   This time of transition away and soon back has been a blessing!

Day 10... a different kind of day!

Today was not a day to hunt as it rained most of the day. 

Besides I had butchering to do.  So, today was a day to enjoy the fruits of my vacation labors... and enjoy we did.  Nothing better than fresh venison tenderloins cooked on the grill wrapped in bacon.  YUM!

Tomorrow, I expec to return to the woods after the rain stops.  And my plan is to spend the remaining days of this incredible vacation in the woods hunting.  I have one more doe to get before I can return to buck hunting and I already have my bonus tag in my possession. 

Day 9 - Vacation... return to the woods!

Today I returned to the woods after a day to butcher yesterday.  It sure was windy and warm this morning.  Beautiful still!  I decided to stay local and enjoyed my time in the Wicomico County woods.
I need to harvest two does before I can take another buck, but all I saw this morning was bucks... here are some of the pics... and one has a buck in it.

Day 8 - Vacation .. Time to unhitch and let go...

Today is the day after a week's vacation that I would have had to go back to work... but not this time!  I took two weeks off back to back... and it is WONDERFUL!

Today, I walked at the mall, then openned the butcher shop.  Glad to have meat to eat and share!

Then I ran some errands, visited with some friends, and got supper ready for the oven.  And before I knew it it was time to head to Wi Hi for the Powderpuff Game that Emma was playing in.  She was quarterbacking the junior team.  I knew from our time of catch in the yard the other night, that she would be a fine QB!   And that she was!  The team beat both the sophmores and the Seniors and came away with the title.  The Freshman couldn't field a team (didn't have enough girls willing to play).  WOW!  It was fun to watch.

Tomorrow it is back to the whitetail woods... though I am staying local and hunting only morning and evening as I must take two does before I can hunt another buck!

Day 7 - A Day of Rest and Worship...

It felt good to sleep in a bit today.  Didn't need to get up early to prepare for preaching at Community of Joy nor to go hunting.  It was nice!

I am looking forward to another day off and especially to going to a local church where I can just be a participant and not need to say a thing!  Also anticipating some more time to spend with my family!

Ended yesterday on Hoopers Island with some friends at their house and then at Old Salty's for dinner.  The photos were taken from our friends dock.  It is the view they have from their house too!

What a day...

Got up at 3:50 and still was late to the woods this morning!  But that allowed me to get a photo I wouldn't have gotten otherwise and it didn't matter anyways.

I realized just as I got to the farm that I had left my cell phone at home and was dreading the all day sit without connection to the outside world and not knowing what time it was.  It is amazing how stranded I felt without the ability to have connection to the outside world.  I did realize that Sharon would see my phone and realize that I didn't have it.

I left by 8:09 a.m. this morning and had already seen 7 deer under me... and shot a buck that was loaded in my truck by that time too!  It was a buck I photographed on Wednesday (the last picture on my blog for that day) and it wasn't as big as I thought.  And I confess, it doesn't have 13 inch brow tines like I said in that post either... and you know what, it never will either!

Came home deciding to spend the rest of my day with my wife since she is also on vaction!  And in the process I cut my finger pretty badly, but don't think I am going to the ER!

Day FIve - a day at home...

Didn't go hunting today due to the high winds... so this is the first shot of the day as I went out to get the newspaper.  Both shots taken at same time... different settings on camera!  The lighter one was taken seconds after the first one... note how fast the clouds moved over the moon!  That is why I stayed in!

Fog Seems to Be the Operational Word...

For the 4th morning this week, Fog has settled in thick!  Today it was so thick that in the woods the water dripping from the trees sounded like a hard rain.  And when that stopped the wind came and blew hard.  Didn't see as many deer today as usual and only had one close.  Saw a total of 9 - 2 at 8 a.m. and 7 after 4:40 p.m.  Sat dark to dark today and it was grueling!

Missing my wife and needing a break from the dark to dark sitting... I decided to come home tonight and sit out tomorrow.  It is supposed to be super windy anyways.  Since I have all next week, I don't feel pressure to stay in a tree and make the most of the last days of this week.  Otherwise I would be out there.  Not sure if I am taking my nephew for Youth day on Saturday or not... will find out tomorrow if he is able to go or is out of town.

There is a bird in the 6th and 7th pictures ... see if you can find them.  And note the buck in the last picture sure has a funky rack... due to a front shoulder injury prior to growing this years rack.  Notice in the last picture he struggles to walk... but when he ran... you would never know a thing was wrong with him.

Day Three... turning a corner

 Today was day three of my two week vacation.  While I did not sit dark to dark today, because of a Pastors Gathering that I am part of.  I sat on the morning spot until 9.  While there, I heard ducks and geese on the river below me.  Turkeys in the trees above me.  Saw Owls and Eagles buzzing by me.  And the only deer I saw was a BIG buck (the kind I am looking for!) but he was at the begining of the lane as I turned off the road to drive back to my parking spot and it was still dark.

After the Pastors gathering, I headed to a farm I have not hunted before.  On the way, I saw another BIG buck out in a field behind my sisters house along with a doe and then in another field on the way I saw another BIG buck.  Both seen around 1 p.m.   I also saw a medium sized buck laying in a soybean field along the road, and I suspect a doe was bedded near by.  It is that season and that is why I am hunting now.
The following pics are from the evening spot. Found my "Still Waters" and saw BIG deer from this stand... one was green and the other was a BIG funky 5 point.  He walked under me at 8 yards and I had to decide not to shoot him with my bow... wait until he was far enough away that I could move and put my bow down and get my camera so I could shoot him... unfortunately the only shot I got was not a grea one... he had three points on the one side and two on the other.  Both brow tines were about 13 inches tall.  Also seen tonight are three longbeard turkeys... don't miss them in the pics.