Tis The Season

By
Mary Ann McCoy
Munfordville, KY

As another deer season closed I found myself comparing deer seasons to the “ghosts” in Charles Dickens’ famous novel, A Christmas Carol. The ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, succeeded in showing Scrooge the error of his ways. Similarly, certain seasons of deer hunting have educated me.

During the past seasons I have observed many deer visiting the food plots, the corn piles, and the salt licks. I consider these to be the “deer of seasons past”. The ones that I scouted, photographed, and documented. The ones with which I experienced buck fever. The ones I knew everything about. The ones I now base all of my great cabin tales on. You know the ones I am talking about. The ones that got away…the “deer of seasons past”.

As I put fingers to the keyboard it is presently both muzzle loader and bow season in my state. Hence, I think about the “deer of seasons present”. I plan to squeeze in some afternoon hunts or the weekend hunt. However, the season present is plagued by windy days and rainy afternoons. The unpredictability of the conditions places challenges upon the seasons present. Thus anticipation and motivation decline…The “deer of seasons present” are left for yet another day…

Unfortunately, I suffer the non-harvest results of the “deer of seasons past” and the “deer of seasons present”. Now, I wonder if my luck will change for the upcoming ones. Have I learned anything? What can I change? How long will this take? Are my tactics too fake? I hope the “deer of seasons future” will appear so I do not live with the ghosts yet another year.

Until then, I will research, target practice, and scout. I will be ready when those deer come out. I will not be haunted by these deer of seasons past, present or future again. I will be a prepared “Scrooge” when the new seasons begin!