It only comes around once a year but when it does all the small towns and country lodges are packed to capacity and the pickups can be found scattered along the country roads. Opening weekend of whitetail season is like no other weekend of the year. The air is crisp and cold and the darkness of the night still spreads across the country. As pickups are fired up and hot coffee served at the diner we load up the gear and head to the fields. Arriving long before daylight we quietly finish our coffee and slip quietly into the woods for the first morning’s hunt. Quietly we climb up into our stands and wait for the sun to peak the horizon. When the sun finally comes up and light begins to spread across the forest floor a tingling of excitement shoots through my body and my breath can be seen as it hits the icy cold air. Just the feeling of sitting out in the woods on these crisp mornings is irreplaceable and hearing the sweet sounds of nature makes me forget about the craziness of everyday life. The wind might blow and the snow may fall but nothing can keep a deer hunter out of the stand on that opening morning, it is simply in our blood.
The experience of being deep in the backwoods is reward enough for me and any other hunter but if the chance at a big buck presents itself during the hunt just puts the icing on the cake. All year long we wait for the week when we can go out, forget about our busy everyday lives, and enjoy some quality time making memories with those closest to us. Hunting is a tradition that has come through many generations and will continue to bring people together for many years to come. My fondest memories of growing up were spent in the fields with my dad learning about the sport and making memories that will last a lifetime. Hopefully one day I will get the chance to pass on the love I have for the outdoors to my kids and they will do the same with theirs.
