sjsfire

I find myself pretty worked up this week. I leave Thursday morning for the first Illinois firearm season Fri-Sun. Home for Thanksgiving weekend then leave on the following Wed. with my son to hunt the second season. 500 miles round trip each time down. Then the weekend after the second season I'm closer to home for the muzzloader only weekend Fri-Sun. only a 30 mile drive from home. I'm retired so I find myself slowly getting my stuff together so not to forget anything. It's nice to have a attached garage now so I can stage things and load my truck up at my leasure. I also spent the last few weeks pre-dawn and evening out glassing the fields to see what the deer around here look like. Heres a nice 8 pointer I seen slippin by right at dawn. Too far away for a decent pic and I had my night mode on the camera.

sjsfire

Another, same deer.

sjsfire

And this nice 6 point chasing a doe.

kodiakhuntmaster

I'm a mess before the season. I can't sleep and it's all I think about. As far as how I deal with it, I organize my stuff, pack it, repack it, and usually end up packing things again. I dig through all my things, wash my old camo, clean rifles until they are spotless, sharpen knives, read maps, check solunar tables, and try to plan out how every step of the hunt will go from the time I leave the house till the time I get back from the processor. And I do this until I'm totally satisfied that I am 110% prepared or at least confident that if all my plans fail I at have enough junk in my truck that I can change plans easily, or at the very least, that I have enough junk with me to keep me entertained[8D].

Semisane

Man sjsfire, that last picture is great. I love a big 6 like that - makes a real neat and clean-looking skull mount.

cayugad

[&o] I like anything with horns

sjsfire

That 6 pt was a dandy here he is with 2 does. I took these pic at a forrest preserve about 8 miles way from my house.

sjsfire

Last shot of him before hewent into the brush.

alleyyooper

At one time deer seasons arrival was worsce waiting for than Christmas.
Since My hunting partner is no longer hunting it is just another season opener. I really do miss having him around.
Also this year not being able to go to our hunting camp it is even more sort of bla.
Gathered all the gear I need to keep warm and stay legal the night befor opener. Loaded the 54cal and sat it in the corner by the door. Filled the vacum bottle with boiling water to preheat it so the tea & honeyI fill it with in the morning stays hot much longer. Make sure the cameras batteries are charged asI can shoot any thing legally with them includeing neighbors dogs running deer and all the birds that gather at the dog wood bushes full of berries.
Dad loves to watch the videos I take of the deer and stuff since he can no longer hunt. He can sit in a chair and think about what I filmed and talk to Kare about it while he gets his chemo treatments.

The fact I can sit on the living room couch and see a lot of deer any time doesn't help keep the excitement going either.



Al