Deer Hunting with Derek - Melinda

As I child remember our school system would get 2 days off of school for deer hunting. Seems rather odd now, but we loved to get out of school and  it didn't matter the reason. Each break dad and Derek would pack up and leave the women behind so they could go off on their big hunt. I had always wondered what deer hunting was like, but was never invited to go.  Finally in high school I decided I wanted to experience the hunt also.  So Derek consented to taking me hunting with him early one weekend morning.  When he said early I had no idea that it meant “dark”. We donned our orange attire and headed out into the blackness in search of those elusive deer. The drive the long and the hike even longer for us to reach our perch.   Our goal was to be on the mountain at dawn. I believe we achieved our goal and by then I was tuckered out and tried with no success to curl up on a large rock and go to sleep.   Derek kept telling me that I needed to be looking around for our prey to come in sight. I had that fleeting thought as I looked at the mountain across the way that if we got a deer there would be more hiking in store to go find it.  We got to see the dawn arrive, the morning and even the afternoon sun, but never did we see that elusive deer.  All was not lost I had found a jaw bone and skull of an animal and was so excited by my find.  The hunt was a success in my eyes and the prey was pretty easy to catch. Most important I was able to spend the day with my brother- the mighty hunter. ( We took a picture that day and I can remember it in my mind, but cannot seem to find it)