A Huntin' I Will Go!

It is said that "opposites attract." What that really means is once you are married or have a partner, you spend your entire lifetime trying to understand and participate in activities that your other "half" enjoys. It could be a hobby, a sport, a type of entertainment, an enterprise, a pastime, or a project just to mention a few. It's my impression that the male may make an attempt at various activities his wife loves, but I'm totally convinced that the wife is more apt to continually pursue whatever it takes to be with her loved one.

TC and I are total opposites if there ever was such a pair. I'm a city slicker--he's a farm boy. I'm an indoor person--he's an outdoor person. I'm not competitive--he is. I am easily upset--he's easy going...and the list goes on. Over the years, I HAVE made attempts at various activities he loves, but I must admit, most were failures.

The second year we were married, TC decided that I should go hunting with him. As I was purchasing my deer tag, I asked him if this wasn't putting the cart before the horse (or deer) because I had never even held a gun, let alone shot one. "Oh, that won't be a problem. We'll go target practicing." "Yeah, right!" I mumbled under my breath, but I was willing to try anything, especially for him. (What we women won't do for a man! or vice versa)

The day before we were to go hunting, we drove into the country and stopped by a small sagebrush-covered hill. He proceeded to place a Copenhagen lid on the hillside, walked back to where I was standing, approximately 100 yards away, and handed me his rifle. He gently adjusted my hands and fingers, propped the gun against my shoulder, explained how I was to look through the scope and zero in on the lid, and then very gently squeeze the trigger. He briefly mentioned that I should brace myself because the gun might have a "kick" to it. I'm thinking to myself, "Forget the KICK! Does he expect me to hit that little lid from way back here?"

But I did exactly as I was told, except brace myself. Slowly pulling the trigger, I anticipated the sonic boom that would ring through my ears, but nothing prepared me for that "kick" which knocked me off my feet and buried the barrel of the gun into the ground. While he was helping me up from my "seat," I calmly said, "I don't think I hit the target." I thought he was a man of patience, but I knew that practice was over as we headed for the car. He kept reassuring me that I would do better tomorrow. I could hardly wait.

Early the next morning, TC, Bill (a hunting partner), and I headed for deer country. We stopped at Fred and Irma's farmhouse to let them know we would be hunting on their land that day and was treated to a great cup of coffee. Of course, I had to relive TC telling the story of my target practice debacle, but I just kept smiling. Am I having fun now or what?

Within the hour, Terry knew we had found the best hunting spot. As we were walking toward the edge of a cliff surrounded by deep tree-filled coulees, he started giving me instructions. "You lie on the ground right here (pointing downward) and Bill and I are going to go down into the trees and spook the deer toward you. Just keep looking through the scope until you see one, aim, and fire. It's easy!" Once again, I did as I was told.

Lying on the ground with the gun propped against my shoulder, I waited so patiently--and waited--and waited--and looked through the scope only to find nothing except trees. All of a sudden I heard someone screaming at me. It was TC, but I couldn't understand him because of the echo bouncing throughout the coulees. Looking through the scope, I slowly moved the gun to the left and then to the right until I spotted him jumping up and down, wildly waving his arms, and yelling. Why would he be acting like an idiot while I was engaged in some serious hunting here!

As if that wasn't strange enough, I instantly felt the earth move, so I placed my ear to the ground like we probably all did as children to feel the vibrations of our surroundings. When I looked up, I about died as I stared directly ahead. That deer and I saw each other at exactly the same moment; and as my piercing scream rang out, he skidded to a halt less than three feet in front of me, throwing dirt into my face and hair. I don't know which of us was more scared.

It took me more than a moment to realize what had happened; and by the time I grabbed the gun and stood up, the deer had already jaunted away. He actually didn't seem too concerned that I was going to harm him. It dawned on me then that TC was trying to tell me the deer was coming and I should be ready. Within minutes both boys were standing in front of me with the strangest looks on their faces as if they were holding back the laughter. TC approached me, placed his hand ever so gently on my shoulder, and said, "Dear, now that you know what one LOOKS like, do you think you could shoot one?" What a smart aleck! He could have at least told me that I was lying in the middle of a deer trail!! At least he wasn't upset with me--but my first day of hunting had just begun!

Shortly thereafter, we came upon eight to ten deer grazing in a clearing. They must have already heard the rumor of the "huntress" wandering the hills because they never flinched as we drove within 50 yards of them. As I opened the door of the pickup, Terry suggested I place the gun on the edge of the open window to steady the gun. This would make it much easier for me to shoot a deer. I did as I was told...including bracing myself. I shot and not one deer moved or fell. They kept grazing as though I weren't there. So I turned to TC and whispered, "Can I shoot again?"

By now his patience was running slightly below empty as he grumbled, "Yes, dear!" Well, I did try but nothing happened! No shot. No sonic boom in my ear. No deer falling to its knees. I might not be a hunter by any standard, but I did know that I had to empty the used casing in the chamber, (or whatever its called) It seems that TC failed to show me how to do that. In the meantime, the deer decided to move on to greener pastures. Does this mean it times to go home now? I was certainly hoping so...

I eventually shot a deer that day from 250 yards away and at the bottom of a ravine. If you're a hunter, you can imagine the dismay TC felt as he spent the next two hours dragging my prize hunt to the top of the hill. He was very proud of me but continually reminded me that it would have been nicer if I had hit the one only 50 yards from the vehicle. It would be 13 years before he asked me to go hunting with him again. Bless his heart!