The cold front that moved back into southwest Georgia on Friday had me hopeful. It was the last Saturday of hunting season, and like many of you, most of my time in the woods is limited to the weekend. With two kids at home and a full time radio gig, hunting windows are based on when I can sneak away, not when the conditions are just right. So, needless to say, when I saw the season was going to end with a cold snap, I was pumped.
First, let’s rewind the clock to last Thursday afternoon. The stars aligned and I had the opportunity to sit in the deer stand during the week! Even though it was hot as blue blazes, I didn’t care – I was going hunting! I sweated all the way to the stand and I was shocked to be swatting mosquitoes, a week removed from playing in the south Georgia snow. But who cares? I’m hunting. A few minutes into a sweltering afternoon hunt, I hear the distinct sound of leaves rustling. I picked up the Remington, ready to put some deer meat in the freezer. As the walkers got closer, I heard something else. A sound you’ll never hear a deer make. An unmistakable sound that immediately told me it wasn’t a deer headed my way. I picked up my binoculars and, lo and behold, there they come. A line of gobblers clucking their way across my food plot. Eight longbeards to be exact. Now, I’m not really much of a turkey hunter. I like the idea, but as described above, I prefer the cold weather to sweating and swatting mosquitoes. But as I sat and watched these birds make their way through the pines, I couldn’t help but think I might come back in the spring. By the time I got down after the sun set behind the southwest Georgia pines, I had seen 44 turkeys in three separate wads. No wonder the food plot isn’t coming in.
Now fast forward to Saturday morning. It’s cold. Bone chilling cold. I’m late getting in the stand. I like to sit down at least 30 minutes before daylight, but today, I’m able to walk all the way to my stand without a flashlight. I decided to sit in the same stand that I’d been in Thursday afternoon – I mean, even if I don’t see a deer, I might see turkeys, right? And any wildlife movement is better than staring at my phone for 4 hours.
By 7:30, I’m settled in and I hear the distinct sound of leaves rustling. It’s the same spot the turkeys came from, so it’s probably turkeys, right? Nope. This time, it’s three deer and I’m looking for meat. The first two ease into the food plot, but the nanny doe stays back. She’s the one I want. After what seemed like 30 minutes (but was really only like 30 seconds), she makes her mistake and the .270 sounds off. Boom. Meat in the freezer. Thank the Lord.
This story is probably similar to something most of you around southwest Georgia have experienced. You appreciate God’s creation and enjoy the great outdoors. It’s a way of life for us. A time to enjoy the solitude of the pines, put meat in the freezer and organize your thoughts. And, if you’re like me, you realize just how small we are AND how blessed we are to live and enjoy the greatest place on Earth, southwest Georgia.
“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” — Psalm 8:3-4
I hope you had a great deer season. I know I did. Let’s do it again next year.
–Dustin
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