My Thoughts for getting through today, December 17, 2013

The best way to avoid being thrown under the bus is to be the bus driver.

December 12, 2013 Thought for the Day

You might profit from a lie initially.  However, the long term maintenance can bankrupt you.

Thanksgiving thoughts about hunting posted on the Altadena, CA Blog.

Many families gather around the traditional turkey dinner during the Thanksgiving holiday.  Please keep in mind that turkeys do not grow on trees.  Millions of turkeys are raised for slaughter to accommodate the American Traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  PETA reports on their website entitled "Turkey Transport and Slaughter":

Close to 2,000 turkeys can be loaded onto a single truck headed for the slaughterhouse. The turkeys are collected by workers who grab them by their legs and throw them into large crates. Many birds suffer broken bones in the process.

The crates are then loaded onto trucks, and the birds are shipped through all weather conditions without food or water to the slaughterhouse. Millions of turkeys die every year as a result of heat exhaustion, freezing, or accidents during transport.

At the slaughterhouse, turkeys are hung upside-down by their weak and crippled legs before their heads are dragged through an electrified “stunning tank,” which immobilizes them but does not kill them.

Many of the terrified birds dodge the tank and, therefore, are completely conscious when their throats are slit. If the knife fails to properly slit the birds’ throats, they are scalded alive in the tank of hot water used for feather removal.

I have bow hunted turkey for at least 5 years.  To date, I have yet to even get a shot at a bird.  While target shooting last year, I had a rafter of turkeys walk between me and the target.  I had to wait until they cleared the area...it was not turkey season so I could not legally harvest a bird.  When I returned to the same location 3 weeks later during turkey season, there were no birds to be found.  The fall wild turkey season is only 30 days beginning the second Saturday in November and the limit is 2 birds per season.  According to Farm Sanctuary:

Turkeys used for meat suffer horribly on factory farms. Most spend their entire lives without ever setting foot outdoors. Genetically manipulated to grow extremely fast to achieve “market weight” at a young age, they are slaughtered when they have lived only a small fraction of their natural lifespan. An estimated 45 million turkeys are killed each year for Thanksgiving alone.

Forty-five million turkeys versus a two bird maximum.  I'm sure if the turkeys could lobby, they would be lobbying in the hunter's favor.  However, turkey is part of the American Traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Many American dinner tables may have a variety of beef on the American Traditional Thanksgiving dinner table.  There's not many things that can beat a great steak--cooked and seasoned to perfection.  However, in a country of more than a billion people, with very different traditions, the majority still find beef consumption as wrong.  Some Hindu traditionalists are appalled:

 "The cow is our mother, it's our duty to protect her...We do this because we believe in what the cow represents in our country, our culture and in the Hindu religion."

The Indian government has increased the penalties for violating an Indian Tradition that is an every day occurrence in America:

Cow slaughter is now a serious offense and could invite a jail term of up to seven years in Madhya Pradesh. Consuming, keeping or transporting beef of any cow progeny will invite the same punishment.

My American Traditional Thanksgiving dinner includes venison.  I would very much like to have a wild turkey, also.  However, to date I have not been worthy.  The venison on my Traditional American Thanksgiving dinner table is from an animal that I personally harvested.  Millions of deer were not slaughtered so that I would have the convenience of selecting the perfect venison cut from the local supermarket. 

As described above, traditions vary greatly.  I am not so ethnocentric to expect that my mores are the perfect fit for anyone else but me.  By the same token, I refuse to have anyone expect that I will adopt their mores as my own because of their self-righteousness and/or passion for a popular cause.  According to historical accounts, the inclusion of venison (and duck) on my Thanksgiving dinner table more accurately resemble the dinner celebrated at the first Thanksgiving feast.

I would like to believe that those who value the wilderness as much as I do, would take this traditional Thanksgiving period to view the common ground that we share.  By helping to keep the WILDerness WILD, we can work together to preserve a natural resource that will continue to serve everyone for generations to come.  Our traditions may vary, but our cause is one in the same.

November 2013 Response to citizen's apparent dissaproval of having hunters in the National Forest posted on Altadena, CA Blog

The San Gabriel Mountain foothills are abundant with deer, bear, coyotes and a variety of animals that classify as game animals.  The State of California Department of Fish and Wildlife divide the state into specific Hunting Zones to regulate and balance populations of the aforementioned animals.  Specifically, legal deer hunting regulations in the Altadena and Pasadena areas by use of bow and arrow are as follows:

A-31 (Los Angeles Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunt).
(A) Area: That portion of Los Angeles County within Zone D-11 (see subsection 360(a)(10)(A)).
(B) Season: The season for hunt A-31 (Los Angeles Archery Either-Sex Deer Hunt) shall open on the fourth Saturday in September and extend through December 31. 
(C) Bag and Possession Limit: One either-sex deer (see subsection 351(b)) per tag.
(D) Number of Tags: 1,000.

The proximity of legal hunting areas on public lands in the National Forest to urban areas and residential neighborhoods have long been a major concern in Altadena.  There have been reports of poaching, hunting on private property, hunting too close to a structure and other misdeeds.  These actions are illegal and should not be tolerated.  They should not be tolerated by residents, because they are definitely not tolerated by legal and ethical outdoors-men.  People who engage in this behavior are criminals.  Criminals typically execute their deeds in secrecy and out of the public eye.  When exposed, they scurry like cock roaches trying to avoid the light. 

A person firing a weapon at an animal in the forest in violation of the rules and regulations qualifies no more as hunter than a person with a handgun qualifies as a policeman. In the State of California, every hunter is required to take and pass a Hunter Safety course.  Carrying a weapon also carries added responsibility.  The primary focus throughout the course is public safety.  The rules and regulations are designed to maximize public safety in the hunting environment without compromise.  You are much more likely to be severely injured by a errant golf ball from Altadena Golf Course, than by a hunter bow hunting in Angeles National Forest. 

People accused of violating the rules and regulations are treated fairly under the law.  If the accusations are proven to be true, the offender's hunting privileges can be suspended and/or revoked.  However, our legal system does provide that once the penance has been completed and the privilege to hunt restored, the person is not restricted as long as the current rules and regulations are followed.  There is no need to create a residential vigilante posse to monitor his activities.  Egregious crimes are noted and often have distinct signatures as to who and how they were committed.  Authorities have been trained to "hunt" for perpetrators of these crimes.  If someone repeats crimes that were proven in the past, the authorities are very well trained to handle the situation.        

The camouflage clad hunter casually crossing the road to enter the National Forest, or sitting on the tailgate of his truck talking to his hunting buddy, or walking down a trail is less likely to be someone planning to break the rules and trying to hide.  He or she is more likely to be the person who sees you while you are out for a morning or evening hike, but you do not see him or her.  The same unseen person would not hesitate to assist you if assistance was required when you believed there was no assistance to be found.  Public safety is paramount in hunting rules and regulations; virtue and decency are traits exemplified by hunters that I know personally.  This should not become a person of interest to the sheriff's department because he's not wearing the suit and tie he's required to wear during the week.  A deputy sheriff chatting with a legal bow hunter on Chaney Trail can't be at a house on Punahou Street investigating a burglary.

There are some residents who live in the foothills and near the National Forest with a very low "outdoor IQ".  Symptoms include leaving pet food outdoors, trash improperly bagged, in cans without lids or several days before scheduled pickup. Local wildlife view this as a dinner bell for an all-you-can-eat buffet.  Neighbors and law enforcement see this as an invitation for trouble. Unfortunately, it is usually trouble for the wildlife.   The California Department of Fish and Wildlife support the "Keep Me Wild" campaign to help educate people about our relationship with wildlife.  Most people are aware of the slogan, "...a fed animal is a dead animal...".   People exhibiting this behavior create a very serious public safety issue.  Wild animals are just that, wild.  Wild animals can be dangerous.  It is illegal to feed deer in California. Penalties may include a fine and/or jail time.

California Regulation251.3. Prohibition Against Feeding Big Game Mammals.
No person shall knowingly feed big game mammals, as defined in Section 350 of these regulations.  Amendment filed 1-1-08; effective 2-7-08.
    

I make no effort to influence your personal feelings toward hunting in general.  Having hunted in the Altadena area for over 15 years, I have personal misgivings about certain events that have influenced the wildlife population, also.  The destruction of wildlife habitat over the years has been appalling.  The deer population is only a fraction of what it was before much of the residential construction along the foothills.  The razing of hills to build housing lots has decimated the fruit and black walnut trees we shared with the animals that used to populate the hillsides.  Using the current hunting rules and regulations, It would take me at least 5 lifetimes with a 100% success rate of hunting each year to harvest as many deer as was displaced by the deleterious environment created by urban development and the destruction of the natural habitat.

It has long been argued that hunters are the first conservationist.  I'm hoping that many of the concerns expressed by local residents are based on a true desire to maintain and protect the integrity of the foothills and the wildlife native to the area.  I hope that we can establish common goals based on public safety and respecting the rights of others to pursue lawful activities on the "Land of Many Uses".

Timothy Jones, Vice Chairman

Los Angeles County Fish and Game Commissioner, 2005-2011        

Time to take back our hunting rights!

While standing and chatting with my hunting buddy at our parked cars along the foothills of the National Forest, embolden local residents stopped to log my license plate number and report my presence to the local sheriff's department.  Less than 15 minutes later a sheriff's deputy arrived.  The female officer indicated that the department received a report that hunters were in the area and requested to see our hunting permits.  Mind you, my buddy and I were standing at our vehicles without weapons visible.  The Sheriff's department was already aware that it is hunting season.  In many places, hunters wear camouflage clothing to mask their appearance from the animals.

Since my buddy and I were simply standing and talking, I informed the deputy that the permits we hold are valid for hunting, not standing and talking on public lands.  She indicated that she wanted to check the permits in the event we went hunting later.  I asked if she stopped individuals standing and talking in the park and request a valid driver's license in the event they decided to drive later.  Requesting my hunting permit when I'm not hunting is just as ridiculous as requesting my driver's license when I'm not driving.  The deputy repeated that she had the responsibility to investigate the incident because of the call into the office.  We provided her with the information requested and she politely acknowledged that she understood why we were less than thrilled with her presence.  She indicated that the department receives many calls from local residents during the hunting season reporting the presence of hunters in the area.  I'd hate to be the resident needing immediate assistant to only find out the deputy was dispatched to investigate the presence of a hunter in the National Forest hunting area during hunting season wearing hunting attire.  Time for communication...

2013-2014 Deer Season is Now Open

Deer camp opens on Thursday, 9/5/13.  It's meet-up time in Cleveland National Forest for the five guys, plus my eight year old son Gabriel, who will be at deer camp this year.  There's David, Jon, Dane, Toby and myself.  I met David and Jon while shooting at the archery tournaments during the off-season.  Both shoot traditional bows.  I enjoy shooting with David and his family.  For that matter, I also enjoy shooting with Jon and his family.  Jon is a very good shot and a fun person.  I reserved a spot at the same campsite we stayed at last year.

I created an organizational chart for this year's deer camp.  Last year was great, but we ended up with lots of the same things.  This was wasteful.  I'd like to assign specific items to each of us so that we don't bring too many of the same things, and not enough of other things. I'll try to insert or attach the final chart to this blog.g.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of last year's deer camp was the food and meals we shared.  David introduced most of us to the Scotch Eggs that Rebecca made for camp.  They were a great fast and efficient breakfast.  You have the hard boiled eggs wrapped in sausage and bread crumbs -- a complete breakfast.  The dinner made by Manuel and Froilan were legendary.  Manuel brought the private wwreserv e wine and Froilan cooked the hell out of the Filet Mignon.&nbspi; The gourmet desert topped off a meal to remember. Ok, but this year we got Toby. Toby is one of the main reasons that I still hunt. We have hunted every year together since we met in 1995-96. Toby can cook...and he can also eat.. but boy can he burn. He watches the Cooking Network as much as Lauryn. I don' t think we need worry about our culinary well being. Toby won't act as though he wants to invole himselc too much, but he can't stand watching things being done incorrectly or at a lower standandard than he is accustomed. He'll pitch in for sure.

Prey or Predator...You Decide

Am I being realistic or pessimistic?  I really do believe that animals only come in two varieties: Prey or Predator.  And since people are animals, that logic applies to us as well.  Perhaps that's why I have such a passion for hunting.  It's not so much the action of overwhelming the prey, but knowing that I am the hunter and in control.  Perhaps that explains why I get so stressed when I am not in control and feel as though I am the prey.  I've been feeling that way for a much to long now.

In nature, prey and predator often live in harmony.  Prey knowing that a safe distance must be maintained.  Predator knowing that prey must remain localized and in abundance for the predator to survive.  I have no desire to dispatch prey because I want to gain notoriety or demonstrate my killing efficiency quotient.  Those that do it for this purpose should experience what's it like when you do not have the advantage of having the only weapon and can become prey instead of predator.  High-fives after shooting an animal at 200-300 yards is a juvenile ritual for those who are too lazy to learn the skills needed to overcome the natural instincts of the prey they stalk.  That's like the wealthy taking advantage of those of us who work hard everyday to just get by...because they can.  They do it from a distance so that they have no real personal involvement.  The man whose confidence and talents are derived from his bank account balance knows damn well that if he gets too close, he may have to face the harsh reality that he is not the man that his wealth has purchased the appearance of him as being.

131024 What Kind of Hunter?

I often wonder just what kind of hunter I am. I watch outdoor shows that characterize the hunter as a guy ready to kill anything breathing. Whereas, I see myself as the guy who is amazed at the survival skills of the prey I stalk and will only kill what I will eat. Am I being a whimp? Should I shoot the deer who does not perceive me as a threat because some misguided animal lover thought it a good idea to feed the animal whenever possible? At this point, the answer is no. I will not shoot an animal corrupted by human ignorance. However, I will attempt to reintroduce the prey/predator concept. I know that my hunting buddies would not hesitate to shoot a trusting animal. I see my role as the animal's guardian and protector. An odd perspective for sure. HoweverN I find myself trying to make sure that all of the requirements for sustaing the animal and its decendants are in place and properly cared for. I would not hesitate to report the poacher . I would try to educate the misguided do-gooder who try to domestcate wild animals. I speak out against those who are rapidly destroying the habitat that the animals need for survival. And I take my long bow and wooden aarows into the field with the hope of harvesting one of these wonderful beast for personal consumption. Yes, I see myself more as the type of hunter represented in Native American traditional lore. I only take from the earth what I need and always give back more. This my way of helping to keep nature in balance for future generations to enjoy.

April 2013...Getting in Shape for 2013-2014 Hunting Season

I searched for 'Hunting Physical Fitness" listing on the Internet.  The search did not produce the articles that I hoped to find.  I hoped to find an outline of an exercise program specifically designed to build the physical fitness needed for successful hunting.  In light of that, I'm continuing with my own program, which is...

Since hunting season is over 4 months away, I'm very low impact.
Target practice at least twice a week.
Shooting at target from approximately 20-25 yards away
Targets are the 6-inch paper plates and 3D Deer target
Stretch before shooting at target.
Run at a very fast pace around the block before taking first shot.
First shot after running around the block is at the 3D Deer target.
Deer target is scored 10-for heart and/or lung shot, 5-for kill zone, -5-for hit but not in kill zone and 0-for a complete miss.
Only one arrow shot at 3D Target
Record score for 3D Target
Next shot - 10 ends of 3 arrows each at 6-inch paper plate target on mounted on a 12x12" foam square from 25 yards.
6-inch target scores: 10-center, 9-inside paper plate, 7-hitting paper plate and 5-hitting foam square.
The running around the corner as fast as you can gets the heart rate higher.
Running around the corner and seeing a deer that you are about to take a shot at during hunting season, both raise your heart rate.
Practice shooting while the heart rate is high.

Records are kept and my goal is to get better over time.

A Traditional KISS

A Traditional KISS

 Finally, it’s time to head to the woods to hunt deer as our ancestors hunted them – with bow and arrow.  We are a strange lot who choose to use a relatively primitive tool to hunt one of the most elusive, cautious and nature-smart creatures in the wild.  Always vigilant and on-guard, deer can hear, smell and anticipate our presence.  Our plan is to do all that we can to increase our chances of success.  The deer’s survival instincts appear to be supernatural, so we prepare for the hunt using the heavily promoted hunting accessories and supplies that promise to make us ghost busters.  We must overcome the deer’s senses of sight, smell and hearing to even hope to have the chance of getting a shot.

            The choice of camouflaged clothing is intended to make it difficult for the deer to see our human outline when compared to the surroundings.  The advertising for camo patterns can be found in all of the hunting journals.  Most of the successful bow hunters on TV and in magazines are clad in Mossy Oak or Realtree fashions.  Some of the “old school” bow hunters can be found wearing Treebark or army surplus pattern clothing.  The camouflage patterns can be found on hunting blinds, tree stands, bow limbs, and even 180 thread count bed sheets.   We’re lead to believe that we need to invest in the latest camouflage pattern to keep the deer from seeing us as we try to conceal ourselves in the woods.

            Learning how deer communicate via sound is critical.  Knowing the sounds that deer make and being able to anticipate their reaction to the sound provides us with a rare advantage.  However, we quickly learn that deer, very much like teenagers, rarely act in a predictable manner. We try grunting, bleeting, rattling and wheezing to get the deer’s attention and entice them to approach our position.   There are manual and electronic devices sold to emulate the deer “language” and advertised as the translation tool that will broadcast the invitation to other deer needed to lure them into an effective shooting range.

            We religiously shower with scent free soap and use the companion shampoo.  Brush our teeth with tasteless baking soda.  Apply unscented deodorant. Dress in the carbon activated, scent-absorbing, moisture wicking, HD camouflage clothing.  Finally, we completely spray every inch of our body with the scent-eliminating snake oil advertised as the “must have” ingredient for the successful hunt (as long as we stay down wind of the deer). 

            If we choose not to attempt to remove all of our scent, why not choose to smell like a promiscuous deer of the opposite sex who wants to meet up close and personal?  Years ago I tried a similar technique to entice the opposite sex by splashing on gallons of Brute and Hai Karate after gym class. I’d say the outcome could be termed as a mixed success.  I did have to fight off the ladies.  However, most of my fight was in self defense as they were trying to beat me down for completely depleting the room’s oxygen supply.

            Photographs captured by trail cameras provide dates and times of deer activity that help to pattern deer behavior.  The quality of the photographs and features on the cameras continue to improve each year.  Just because we can’t be in the field 24/7, that doesn’t mean the camera can’t record what we’re missing.  Who needs pictures of Ms. November wearing nothing more than a trigger release when we can see pictures of a healthy 4 by 4 passing our camera at 4:30 in the morning – and we’re not talking DuraMax baby! (wink, wink).  Some cameras record the date, time, temperature and moon phase.  The only thing missing is the deer’s age, weight and zodiac sign.

            There is a wide range of archery equipment.  It starts with the traditional longbow and wooden arrows all the way to the ultra-modern carbon composite killing machine.  We are talking bows that launch arrows in excess of 300 feet per second.  That is almost twice the speed of my traditional relic.

            The arrow rest on the modern compound bow appears to nullify the laws of gravity.  It keeps the arrow suspended in mid air.  It all but eliminates the friction between arrow and bow upon the activation of the calibrated trigger release.

            The HD fiber optic sighting device appears to be more technologically advanced than the first Lunar Module that landed on the moon.  It lights up, balances you and your bow, provides controls for micro fine adjustments and locks your retina.  It’s nice to know that I can shoot my bow instead of taking Prozac to get me balanced.  But that retina locking thing sounds like it could hurt. 

All that is left before field dressing our game is to record the laser measured distance using the state-of-the-art range finder, nock an arrow on our GLOWING adjustable arrow nocks, align the peep sight with the GLOWING HD Fiber Optic sight pin and activate the micro calibrated trigger release.  The fine micro carbon shaft with a straightness tolerance of plus or minus .001 inches and a weight tolerance of plus or minus 1 grain will streak through the air at 1/4 the speed of sound.  The fletching promises maximum steering and durability, minimum noise and weight, and tighter groups.  The mechanical broadhead is certain to create a cavernous wound cavity that will dispatch the animal quickly (that is, if the broadhead doesn’t open in the quiver first).  If the season is not over by the time we get all of this done, dinner is served.

I’m sure there is a Time and Place for all of the technological innovations that increase the bow hunter’s success.  However, I find that when I have the Time to make my Place in the woods, I prefer to do without technology as much as possible.  Hunting with a longbow and shooting wooden arrows is how I unplug.

I would eventually like to make my own hunting bow.  However, for now I’ll stick to my treasured 62 pound, 62 inch longbow.  I make my own arrows from cedar blanks that I fletch and finish with a fixed blade Zwicky broadhead.  My most recent innovation is to wrap rattle snake skin on the shaft as my signature cresting.  I experimented with different glues to get the feathers on the skin without taking off the scales.  When the arrow was completed, I was concerned that it was not balanced and would not fly correctly.  To my surprise and delight, it missed the bull’s-eye with the same errant precision as any of my store bought arrows.  I only had enough rattle snake skin left over after covering my bow limbs to wrap two arrows.  I proclaimed that any deer taken with these arrows would be termed “Snake Bitten.”

The next personal touch that I added to my hunt is my attire.  There has been so much research into what is best, worst, and doesn’t matter when it comes to blending in with nature.  It only stands to reason, as a traditional hunter, I should wear what nature provides.  It gets too chilly in the mornings to go completely au natural, so I settled on burlap.  My choice for camouflage is tailored burlap coffee sacks.  The breeze that flows through the mesh is refreshing after a long hike.  I wear wicking shorts and top and find my burlap creation just as comfortable as my store bought clothing.  I’ve gone undetected in the field by several buddies when only yards away.  So now I think I’m ready to approach my deer hunt with all of my traditional tools tested.

I arrive at an area large enough for me to stand surrounded by manzanita and sage brush.  There are bushes to my rear that guard against providing a view of my silhouette as the sun rises over the mountains.  I stand there in my stylish burlap coffee sack camo, holding my Acadian Woods 62 pound at 28 inch longbow and nocked my 29 inch, rattle snake skin wrapped arrow with 125 grain Zwicky broadhead.  I adjust my finger tab and continue to wait.  About 40 minutes into my wait, I hear noises come from a bush on the other side of the ridge.  I watch as a doe appears from beneath the canopy of brush and walk along the trail.  The adrenalin pump is switched to high as I size up my options and plan to get a quality shot.  I finger my arrow nock to make sure my simple glue on arrow nock is secure on my simple bow string holding my simple wooden arrow that I have no idea of the weight or the straightness.  Simply put – everything is simple.

I shift one foot in front of the other allowing me to get in shooting position.  As I raise my bow, the doe stares deeply into my eyes and moves her head side to side in puzzlement – as if to say, “Are you really wearing a burlap coffee sack?!”  The unspecified weight wooden arrow finds its mark and the doe drops in her tracks.

There are friends who hunt with firearms and compound bows who say that my traditional method of hunting is pretty stupid when there are many things that can make the hunt more successful.  My response is, “There are few things that are as memorable and satisfying as A Traditional Archery KISS (Keeping It Simple Stupid) and just about everyone remembers their fist KISS.”

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up

I”ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up

I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.  The only sound I hear is the barking alert of a nearby tree squirrel.  He had a front row seat to my “fall from Grace”.  The squirrel’s heckling drives home the point that it definitely was not a graceful fall.  He’s telegraphing throughout the forest the updated score, deer one, hunter none.  How embarrassing to be dissed by a squirrel…

Just yesterday morning I had my 6 year old son and his 14 year old cousin hunting with me in this area.  We got out of bed at 4:30 AM and we were in the forest by 5:45 AM.  To say that we were still hunting would be completely laughable.  If you know anything about many 6 year old boys, the last thing that they can be is still.  So I used the time that we had in the woods to allow the boys to shoot their slingshots and for me to find a potential tree stand location.  The boys soon learned that acorns make pretty good slingshot ammunition.  I’m sure the squirrels were not expecting the onslaught of an acorn shower launched by slingshots.  I also held out a very faint hope that a curious buck would find the boys too irresistible not to investigate.  Any respectable buck would know that this loud and raucous group could not be a hunting party.  For goodness sakes, the smallest one in the bunch was singing pop songs and skipping along the trail.  Unfortunately for us, we did not come across a buck whose curiosity was greater than his common sense; although I stood ready should the event present itself. 

I scouted an area where three recently traveled deer trails converged and there was fresh scat on the ground.  I located what appeared to be a sturdy oak tree adjacent to the trails.  I trimmed back a little brush and removed the dead limbs to provide a better view of where the trails converged.  This appeared to be a great spot for me to return early in the morning in hope to catch the deer moving.

I corralled my two-man Chinese fire drill team and pointed them in the direction of the car.  They did not get to see any deer, but both raved that they had a great time.  My 6 year old even made up a song about his great time that I had to hear all the way home.

My wife was pleased that we all had fun; and more pleased that we were gone for so long.  I told her that the constructive part of my hunt was the tree stand location and preparation completed.  She insisted that I return the next day to the tree stand location without the boys.  The boys already had a great time and should be worn out for at least a day and one-half.  Besides, it was my responsibility to step up and bring the meat home.

The next day I was up at 4:30 AM again and in the woods by 5:30 AM.  Knowing the tree location relative to the access road, I was able to park a little closer to where I wanted to set up.  I decided to put on my safety harness before walking to the tree so that I would make less noise once I arrived.  Getting the snaps and straps oriented correctly takes time and can be noisy.  I walked quietly through the brush and arrived at Grace, the mighty oak tree.   Yes, the tree’s name is Grace, as in “…fall from Grace”.  The trunk branched out at about 12 feet, so I set 3 pegs in the lower trunk to get up to the saddle.  Giving a little favoritism to my right knee, I had MCL surgery 6 weeks ago, I braced against what appeared to be a sturdy branch to reach the limb to attach my safety harness and …oops…

On the way down I reached for other branches.  Of course, all of the branches I managed to reach turned out to be breakaway branches.  I hit the ground, and thankfully nothing else but the ground on my left side.  I am positive it was my left side because it still hurts!  As I lay there on the ground, I can remember my first thought, “$#@!, I just fell out of a tree!”  I know that falling from tree stands is among the leading causes of hunting injuries, but I don’t believe that I just fell out of a tree.  Ok, now what?  Can you move your hands and fingers?  Check.  Can you move your legs and feet?  Check.  Can you sit up?  Check, but it really hurts.  Ok then, lay back down.  I can’t believe I just fell out of a tree!  That tree squirrel has been squawking since I hit the ground.  He is the one creature to witness the whole pathetic event.  The longer I lay here, the louder the squirrel gets. 

Ok, I’ve just fallen out of a tree and a heckling squirrel is making fun of me.  I take that as a sign that it is time for me to go home.  That means I have to find a way to stand up and eventually walk.  I rolled onto my stomach, raised myself to my knees and pushed up with my arms.  One more surge and I was standing, and it hurt!  My steps were a very slow and deliberate shuffle, much like a constipated Frankenstein monster. 

As I looked back at my landing zone beneath the tree, I could clearly see the imprint of my body in the dirt.  There was so much dirt turned over that the area looked like a Tyrannosaurus Rex scrape.  My last recollection as I limped to the truck was the mocking heckle of Mr. Squirrel.  Please email me your favorite squirrel recipes.

FACTS:

According to a 2008 Consumer Product Safety Commission report on tree-stand-related accidents, between 2005 and 2007:

- 41 hunters were killed

- About 19,000 were injured

My fall resulted in bruising and embarrassment, but nothing broken.

The Perfect Shot

The opening day of the 2011 Archery Only D11 Zone was yesterday.  However, I spent most the day celebrating a friend’s birthday and completing long over due “honey do’s” around the house.  So today, Sunday, will be my first 2011 hunt.  Too much celebrating would make me less eager for an early morning hunt.  I left the party early Saturday night and headed home to pack my gear.  The plan – up by 0400 hours and out of the house by 0500 hours.

I love it when a plan comes together.  Unfortunately for me, this is the exception, not the rule.  I was up at 0400 hours this morning as planned, but all of the food and drink from the birthday party had a WWF Smack Down in my belly.  Suffice it to say, I did not leave the house until 0530 hours and the bathroom air fresheners were working overtime.

At 0615 hours I arrived at one of my favorite spots.  It’s a private plot of land surrounded by US Forest Service that requires hunting permission.  I planned to have the permission papers signed, but forgot that it is Sunday and the offices are closed.  Oh well, I’ll just scout the area.  It took three attempts for me to locate the area that I setup last year.  The first two attempts left me exhausted from bush whacking to the wrong areas that present little to no shot opportunities. 

The brush was so thick and I was so loud crashing through it, I’m sure I spooked game from Oregon to Arizona.  When I finally reached my “honey pot,” I sat and got right down to business…I took a nap.  The four hours spent there were uneventful, so I left to check out another favorite area on public lands.

My knee surgery was one month and two days old now, so I didn’t think there would be limitations to my hiking.  My knee allowed me to hike without pain, however at a much slower pace.  Climbing the hillsides became more difficult, also. I realize that I’m about twice the age of many active professional athletes, but how is it that they can destroy their knees and still run 4.5 second forties after surgery?  Just askin’…

As I walked the trails, I continued to glass and inhale the strong sage aroma riding the thermals crisscrossing the forest floor.  I like the smell so much I tried to make it into a cologne.  My wife vetoed the cologne project and stands sentry at the door when I return from the forest so that I remove my clothing before making the house smell like a sage farm.  The sage smell is extraordinarily overwhelming; and that is the secret to my scent control.  When I smell like sage, I don’t smell like a human to the deer I hunt, AND I can’t go home unless I get naked -- pretty fair trade-off, eh?

 

My spot and stalk hike unveils plenty of sign – scat, tracks, rubs – but no deer are in sight.  I stopped to glass the area ahead, but before I raised the binoculars to my eyes, I glanced to my right and I see the rump of a deer about 40 yards away near the top of a hill.  There is a tree directly in front of my head and a tree directly in front of the deer’s head making it impossible for us to have eye-to-eye contact.  I could see his rump and he could probably see my arms and bow.  We both stood motionless for no less than 35 minutes.  As I stood there contemplating my options, I recalled that I needed to confirm the sex and legality of the deer if I was presented with a shot.  The rear view of the “cojones” confirmed that it was a male deer.  The remaining concern was to make sure the antler size was within the legal limits.  When he finally decided that the staring contest had gone on too long, he slowly walked down the ridge about 40 yards away.  As he walked and his head became exposed, I saw that he was a massive 5 or 6 pointer.  I’m not sure of the exact count because I didn’t want to get fixated on his antlers.  I had more important business to handle.  I came to full draw on my 62 pound Acadian Woods custom longbow and kissed the knock as the brute continued down the ridge.  As he entered an area that had small trees present an unobstructed frame of his vitals, I unleashed my most reliable wooden arrow with its Zwicky single edge razor sharp broadhead.  I kept my focus on the intended impact spot as the arrow spiraled perfectly toward the kill zone.  I recall the pulsating glimmer of the freshly sharpened razor edges on the broadhead in the sunlight and the rotating brightly colored feathers as the arrow followed the planned path to a perfect heart/lung shot.  Everything was perfect – except the buck was not there when the arrow arrived.  The small string twang caused the buck to hasten his pace.  The arrow arrived at the kill zone about ½ second too late.  It was a clean miss.

This majestic buck deserved nothing less than a perfect hit or a perfect miss.  My preference is obvious, I would have been honored to harvest the animal.  I brought to bear my years of experience and practice to make the perfect shot.  The buck brought to bear his years of experience and instincts to survive. 

This was not my first encounter with this buck.  We met over 2 years ago along the same trail.  He was up hill, about 50 yards away and completely surrounded by trees and brush.  I knew that I did not have shot and it appeared that he also knew it.  We stared at one another for about 5 minutes before he turned and disappeared into the trees.  I’m hoping that our meeting today will not be our last.  Encounters like this make me a better and more appreciative hunter.

Timothy  Jones

Los Angeles County Fish and Game Commissioner 2005-2011

My gear included:

Acadian Woods custom longbow

62# at 28” draw

Cedar arrows

Zwicky single edge broadheads

Feather Fletching

Bushnell 16x32 binoculars

Timberland Boots

Homemade Ode de Sage cover scent

Military surplus camouflage outwear

“Batman” underwear