Sunrise in Turkey Territory.

5:30 is an unfavorable time of the day for me. I don't intend to get accustomed to it, although when I do allow myself to crawl out of bed (and sometimes I do literally mean crawl), I am always thankful for the sights I see, the things I hear, and I'll be the first to admit that when the day breaks in Turkey Territory there is no other sound that i'd rather have fill my ears.

 You see, I once was a turkey hunter. Wait - let me rephrase that... I once went hunting about twice a year to suffice the general public's shock when I answered, "No, I'm not really a turkey hunter." This is hard for people to believe because my Daddy's Daddy &My Mamma's Daddy enjoyed were obsessed with turkey hunting, and MY Daddy & brother bleed turkey feathers. That blood clotted once it got to me, but I would go to say that I went. I hated walking around, chasing around a smart bird, trying to avoid sticks, and training myself to breathe as quiet as a mosquito in order to make as little sound as possible. I would be aggravated with myself by the end of the morning, and I would tell myself I'm never coming back.

 However, this year I have had a change of heart. I don't know if i've fallen in love with the beauty of a turkey, or if I just longed to hear the echo of their gobble throughout their territory. Either way, an urge has been brewing inside of me to go with Daddy. 

 Now, for the many of you who have gone - I'm sure you have your own way of going about things, and my Daddy does too. I just follow him like a shadow, putting on my mask when he puts his on, placing my boot in the footprints he just made, stopping when he stops, listening when he listens, holding my breath as he holds his, you get it. I mirror his actions... or... I try. 

 Once we got out of the truck, I was putting the vest I borrowed from him my gear on, and I glanced at Daddy on the driver's side of the truck. He seems to be a tad distraught with the mosquito repeller, and he seems to be in somewhat of a hurry. Daylight hasn't broken yet, so we're not technically running late, but we probably should be walking somewhere instead of fighting with a bug killer - it was 35 degrees, but he knows best, so I said nothing. It was funny for me to see him racing with himself and the sunlight. I can honestly say that I haven't ever had to beat daybreak, but sundown? That's another story for another day. Onward.... Sometimes I think he should be part of the Navajo Indian tribe. He can walk through a brush pile & never crack a stick. He can hear like an elephant with a hearing-aid in, and he's always been able to. He can see like an eagle, and he can spit out information & facts about almost anything just like a verbalized encyclopedia.

 We have the funniest conversations (that I'm sure won't be as funny for you because ya kinda had to be there) while we're in the woods. 

I was telling him about the rattlesnake that I stopped & let cross the road last year, and this was how the conversation went:

Daddy, "I'm sure an ole' rat family isn't too happy with you for that."

Me, "Yeah?"

Daddy, "(in a raspy voice, talking as a rat) Well... if she had just ran over him, Mamma'd prolly still be alive.." 

***************

Yesterday, we went to listen for one in the afternoon. I saw something ahead of us in the road & asked Daddy what it was because I couldn't tell yet. (see comment about him having the vision of an eagle), he said:

"Looks like a piece of wild trash to me!" 

Sure enough, it was someone's garbage they had thrown out their window. Geez.

 Anyway, I was thinking of all those things as we made our way to where we would listen, and out of no where, just like someone rang an alarm to wake them up, turkeys start gobblin'. They sound like they're in a 5 gallon drum. The pitch of their call bounces off every pine tree out there. We're in Turkey Territory, and they're awake - ready to play. As I sit & wait on the next one to pipe up and play its tune, I notice the sunlight creeping in on the evergreens, just as if it wants to say hello. There's hardly no wind, which is good, and I'm too worked up to be cold from the low temperature. So we sit, they gobble, we listen & re-evaluate. We did this 4 times. None were successful, but then again they were. 

 All the while of walking back & forth and around in circles, it became clear to me - just as it does every time I decide to wake up before sunrise, of just how awesome God is. He not only created the plants that color the earth, but He gave them light from the sun that paints the most beautiful colors across the sky. He created the creatures of the earth that fill a once quiet patch of land with songs just as the day breaks. I consider myself lucky for every opportunity I take advantage of seeing a sunrise, sunset, or the beauty of the way that animals react around each other without knowing they're being watched by human eyes. 

 Although my morning didn't end with a kill, I enjoyed it, and I look forward to going back. Turkey territory is a new place for my feet to walk on, but I'm willing to allow myself to get used to the feeling of a spring morning sunrise amongst my eyes, and a bright green dewy ground under my toes.

"Waste not the smallest thing created, for grains of sand make mountains.." 

- E. Knight

Switcharoo!

Ignore the photo color on these images, I didn't feel like fooling with the settings!

My room was rearranged yesterday, due to having a new desk!

For like 6 years I have been doing my homework on my bed or on the floor (but most of the time I just go downstairs to the office.) I fixed my hair on the floor, did my makeup on the floor, painted my nails on the floor, well..I basically did everything except SLEEP on the floor of my room.
I just recently took interest in getting a new desk. I had one in my "old" room. I spent a lot of time at it, but I didn't want another one.

Until recently.

I just decided that it would be beneficial for me to have a logical place to do my homework, charge my computer, do my hair & makeup, etc.

That proposed turning my entire room around! I'm okay with change in my own room. I like this type of changing! Here are some photos, like I said -- disregard the hue.

(previously)

(now)

(before ANY of that occurred.)

whew. 

by the way, the photos show 4 different greens, but my room is closely like the last photo. 

In case my mad photo skills (kidding) had you fooled.

I have a "vintage"-y lamp ordered from none other than Amazon! 

This was the last one, but here's a preview..

I don't know what it is about it, but I love it. It's somewhat strange, but ya'll know me...

.........................

Last, but not least, I didn't post this when it happened! 

Daddy's weird buck he killed right at the end of the season!

Congrats, Daddy! 

firsts, lasts, deer, cats, & upcoming tasks...

There's no doubt in ya'll's mind that I have a love affair with the outdoors, right?

So, when I tell you that, "this week (particularly today) just might be the most depressing day of the year" you'll understand why, right?

Does that clear it up for those of you who were confused?

You're welcome. :)

I feel like I cheated myself this season. I didn't take full advantage of huntin' like I would most of the time. There seemed to always be a reason why I wasn't going although my reasons only ever made sense to me: Matt wasn't going to be close incase I ended up needing help loading a deer, Daddy was working or decided to go somewhere I didn't want to go, I was tired, it was cold, I had "things to do".. etc, etc. 

Well, this weekend I just sucked it up & decided amongst myself that I was going regardless of who was doing what. I went every day from Thursday 'til today.

I honestly go through a slight depression era at the end of rifle season, and it sparks back up around June.  I can usually keep myself occupied until September to go dove huntin', but it's a challenge. The good thing about this era is that it ends sooner now since I'm bow huntin'. That starts up in October here, for all you non-Mississippi readers!

(glasgow, montana, 2010)

Sunday I got a fairly early start considering my habits for being fashionably late for everything (including huntin' most of the time, can you even BE fashionably late for huntin'? Anyway..) I chose to sit in a stand that I don't normally sit in, just to see what was going on down there. There is one lane and a box house at one end. 

(this is the lane, box stand beside me..minus Marlee, of course)

I sat there for around 2 hours, and I saw 2 deer. The deer were in no mood to stop & graze, though. They simply walked out, checked to see if they were seen, and walked back into the other  side of the lane. I love watching them & they have no idea :) So, later... I decided that I would have no chance to shoot one if they were moving through there so quickly.

(first bow kill)

I relocated back to "MY" stand. I feel at home there. I know the trees that "turn into deer" at a certain time of the evening, right before dark (I have a problem with that..hallucinating that there is a deer at one end of the field when really - it's a stump or tree limb that has been there for 45,676,402 years.) Anyway, once I got settled I looked down my right lane (it was 5:20). Something, I didn't know what, but something was creeping towards me. I was unsure of what it was (but I was VERY sure that it wasn't a person..just so you know), I just knew it was an animal that didn't belong (alive, anyway) in my field. 

So, I shot it.  

Now you're thinking I am an irresponsible hunter, right? One who doesn't fully think through what she's doing with an automatic rifle? Well, you're wrong. First of all, I had a gut feeling that I knew exactly what it was by its slyness and the way it walked towards me. Secondly, when your very worst fear is (aside from clowns) a coyote... and something walking on 4 legs is headed your direction -- you would do the same. Plus, I had been seeing a bobcat in that area for a few days. Excited, I left my stand to check it out, and in fact - it was a bobcat! My first bobcat! I was just as thrilled as I would have been if you told me I had killed the Boone & Crockett record. 

Yeah, that was pushing my excitement a little. But nevertheless, I was excited. :)

Monday, I went back. I vetoed going to the "new" stand, and I just went to mine. I knew I'd end up there anyway, so I waited until around 5:20 (again), and here comes little teenage doe! Well, I whacked her too, and without assistance I loaded her onto the back of the four-wheeler. I was quite proud of myself for not needing to call in backup! My dilemma? I drive a Honda Pilot now. Incase you didn't know, they have no room for bleeding animals in the trunk. My other dilemma? I drove my Honda Pilot to hunt. My next dilemma? My daddy was hunting in a different county & Matt was at home.

Lucky for me I had a volunteer to go with me to get my deer & take Daddy's (eight point) to the processor, help me unload it then load mine & unload it again. I also had help cleaning it, not that my Daddy wouldn't help me, but anyway. I could do it alone, but I'd rather have someone out there to critique me. As it turned out, I didn't need critiquing Monday, I just skinned the deer and the rest of the time I held the rack steady. I also had help learning that my little teenage doe was, in fact, a little teenage BUCK. Oops. In my defense, his antlers had not broken the skin, and either way -- "my help" told me that they would have shot him too. My daddy said the same thing, and I feel no remorse about it. :) 

It must be all of this "end-of-the-year excitement" that's got my brain shifting gears. The year as a whole (hunting wise) has been unforgettable. I won't ever forget these times i've spent with my daddy. I've experienced a few firsts this year, and I am so grateful for that. I thank God for allowing me to have the opportunity to hunt the outdoors. It is truly a privilege.  

ONWARD!!

I wanted to let you all know that I am going to start doing monthly favorites at the end of each month, and when I post one you can comment on the entry with a link to your blog if you want to participate! I think it will be fun to see what we've been enjoying each month. This can include anything you like: clothes, food, hair products, makeup, movies, books, websites, photos, other blogs, whatever you have discovered or been drawn to during that month. I hope you will all take part. I love seeing what everyone is interested in! 

Thursday: Thankful!!!!!!!!

November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving from the somewhat chilly (14 below) Glasgow, Montana!

We woke up the same time as usual and headed out around 7:30. We got a little later start today, but it was all right. 

The sun was shining, and the SUNRISE was phenomenal. We saw nearly 60 deer as the morning began, and 6 or 7 were bucks. No sign of Mr. Bad Boy!

We turned around to exit the field we had just scanned through, and we were going to make our way back down through the same way we had come in, and that meant that the riverbank would be located on Macy's side.

We came out from the edge of the tree-line and brush, slowly making our way out into the open, and Macy looked through the binoculars. 

"SHOOT THAT DEER!"

So, I got out, laid my gun across the hood of the truck, and felt Daddy standing beside me.

I placed the cross-heirs right behind the curve of his front shoulder, squeezed the trigger after releasing half of my breath, and lost my view of him afterwards due to the smoke coming out of the barrel.

"He's hit, good job!!" Daddy said as he smiled and patted me on the back.

Our excitement led us back to the truck where warmth fell over my body again, although I wasn't too cold... Or maybe I didn't realize that I was cold because I had my mind set elsewhere =)

"Good job, Julianna! Nice hit!" Macy's excited voice made me feel confident too. He extended his hand out to high five me, and as my hand reached to meet his, I realized they had begun to shake. I never get nervous until after the shot, and my nerves had wasted no time getting kicked into gear.

We went by the house (the deer was across the riverbank, so we had to go through town and back to the bank from the other side) to pick up Trevor. We then made our 5-6 minute drive over to retrieve the deer. To be honest, it felt like the longest ride of my life.

Once the deer was found, we took 4576 photos (or at least that's what Daddy said, ha!) and we went back "home". All in a day's work, right? =) 

Coming "home" was different than it would be at my real home. Mom wasn't there with her smiling face waiting for us at the door when she knew we had a successful morning. She didn't have breakfast waiting on the table, and we couldn't re-hash our morning with her over a meal. 

Mimi didn't come by to take photos to document our morning, and not a whole lot of questions were asked about the hunt, other than what came through the telephone line. 

It was different.

Toby's family invited us to eat Thanksgiving dinner with them, and we were so grateful for that. The food was nothing like our Thanksgiving's at home. but the experience was wonderful, and they have such an amazing family. They made us feel right at home. 

Randi, Trevor & I even spent the morning playing the Wii some, and they almost had me talked into going sledding! I guess I should have, but I would have really frozen solid then. You would have had to chisel me out from an ice cube!

There are so many things that I have to be thankful for;

My family - for loving me endlessly and checking on me daily.

My friends - for reminding me also that I am missed and loved.

To have experience all of this week with my Daddy who would do anything (in partnership with my Mamma) for me, and also for my Mamma who dealt with being alone this week.

If there was one wish I could ask for at this moment, it would be to go see my Pa-Paw and tell him all of these stories I have shared with you this week. I can feel his hug around my neck and his laughter filling the room as I think of sharing this experience with him. 

A part of me wishes he could be here in the flesh to hear about it all from me, to see that i've grown into a lover of the outdoors just as he was, and to be proud of me. 

Another part of me knows that he has, in fact, seen it all. He doesn't have to hear about it from me.

& I believe the sun shined a little brighter today as he watched this story unfold,

and I am so thankful for that.

Wednesday: So Close, but So Far Away...

November 24, 2010

This morning was a fail on all accounts. 

We woke up (still tired after going to bed at 9:30, which is unreasonably early for those of you who know me), got dressed & ready. It is -17 degrees here today with a windshield of -27. The wind is blowing, and the snow is falling... or pouring, whatever! Needless to say, the odds are all against us today. 

We rode around and scanned a few areas, mainly looking to make a kill today, either the 10 point we saw Monday or the tall heavy one we saw yesterday... and one better than those two would also be fine :)

We scanned over another area we've been to once before, and for awhile we didn't see anything, then Macy said, 

"There's a deer," calmly he said, "a buck."

Daddy checked to see where Macy's eyes were fixed, and he too looked to see. Sure enough, a buck stood there in front of a fallen tree and was held up by a ditch line. There was a doe out in the field not too far away, and we assume he was probably headed her way. Both men in the front, and me (still trying to find the deer) in the back. 

"He's a shooter..." Macy said; 

"Get your gun!" Daddy exclaimed.

I dug my way around all the jackets and backpacks, found my gun from underneath them, all while trying to listen to the orders being called my way.

"Open your door!"

"Load your gun!"

"Rest your gun in the curve of the door!"

.."Easy."

"Can you see him?"

My heart raced, and I opened the door, letting the crisp Montana wind spear my face. I jumbled around trying to get my gun out, and Macy said,

"He's put his head back down and turned around."

I didn't even have a chance to see him, but it seemed like for a second the world stopped spinning. Nothing was said for what felt like days to me. At that very moment, I was cold, tired, and let down, but I was still trying to find faith that something positive was going to happen. I just felt like I had been given my second chance too many times on a nice deer.

Macy suggested we walk down the river bank just to see if he had gone in the tree-line to conceal himself. My feet hadn't gotten completely thawed out from the last drive we had made earlier, but I was determined to at least have a chance to SEE this deer. I knew that this was the first time that Macy had gotten excited about a buck all week, and that had to mean something.

We got out, 

walked around, 

crossed the ditch line, 

made a circle, 

saw a small buck, 

circled back out, 

attempted to cross back over the ditch line, 

tripped, 

crawled to the truck (not really..kind of), 

and brushed off the snow. 

No luck.

This afternoon we rode and looked for awhile, and we stopped in the yield of a road to check out the field in front of us. Deer were spotted all over the white snow, and the only thing between us was a fence and wind. We glassed the area, and I noticed 4 deer straight out in front of us; I told Macy to check and make sure (since my vision often resembles an Armadillo - not good) and he said,

"That's our deer. . That's him.

(the tall one.)

The race was on, but it wasn't a literal race of course. We eased to the road's edge, and Macy told us to climb out and walk the ditch line because if we could make it down there without spooking him, I could get a good shot from a very close range.

So, we got out, the snow falling heavily all around us, and we slid down into the ditch line. Weeds were covered in snow, and they slapped me in the face after daddy made his way though them.

The weeds were over daddy's head, and I just followed his steps. Every footprint he left embedded in the snow was soon to have my boot mark in it as well. I was his follower, he was my leader.

Macy stayed back in the truck, and he waited for us to reach the other end of the ditch so that we wouldn't have to turn back & walk all the way back again. Instead, he would just come pick us up.

Once we reached the end of the first ditch where the culvert separated the other side, my face was freezing, as was the external portion of my body, but my blood felt like it was boiling.

I was frustrated and yet again, determined at the same time. Walking this next ditch, on the other hand, didn't seem so appealing to me at that present moment. As we stood there trying to figure out our next plan of action, I finally [thought-i-was] brought daddy back to reality,

"That deer has probably crossed the Canadian boarder by now. This is dumb."

"Come on. Let's go, we're almost there."

Always pushing me forward, always.

So, we did. 

We made it almost to the end & jumped him. 

The good news was that we jumped him in out direction, on "our" land. We had obviously walked right past him, and we never saw him until he took off running.

Macy was back soon to pick us up, and almost instantly we were back on his trail. 

This made my adrenaline pump even more. I wanted to see him again. I wanted to be in his presence. I wanted the cross-heirs on his body. I just wanted to know that he was still around, and he was the same deer we had seen yesterday.

I needed closure at that point.

He had made his way down to the riverbank, but we found him again.

I got to watch a real fight between two bucks today.

I got to see the look of excitement on my Daddy's face when his optimism poured over as we searched that ditch line.

I made memories today.

I am storing these images in my heart and mind.

& I am trying to stay optimistic.

Tuesday: Depressed

November 23, 2010

I woke up this morning feeling like I hadn't slept a wink, and I still feel that way. So sleepy! It's ridiculous.

 We headed out a little later this morning because it wasn't it wasn't light outside early yesterday, and not to mention the "winter storm advisory" we were under today made it darker as well, due to the snow & clouds. The high for today is in the single digits, and snow was expected (3-5 inches).

So, we decided to do a little drive, and that is typically a good thing to do during this weather because the deer bed down to block themselves from the winds, and when you push them out (in a drive) they obviously become a little more motivated to move. (Go figure) 

Macy parked at one end of the field, and we stayed in the truck as he made his way down the opposite tree-line. As he walked a distance, I lost his orange vest in the snow, assuming he had crossed over onto our side of the tree-line. 

We waited for awhile, as my toes felt like they were literally going to crack open at any given moment. [Note to self: just because your boots claim they are "insulated" does not mean they are "insulated" enough for Montana winters. In fact, they feel like placing frozen zip-locs around your feet in place of socks.] 

(turkeys)

Anyway, Macy drove a little herd out, and one nice one ran with them.

When the heat was turned on, my knees began to ache because of the frigid cold that was rushing through my toes. I have only thought my feet have been cold before, but I now know an entirely new level of cold. Cold, at this point (even to Macy who lives in it), was an afterthought.

We came on back shortly after that, and we relaxed until almost 3, made the rounds that we have been making, and actually we all talked more today. I haven't mentioned this, but not a whole lot has been said as we ride these roads. 

Granted: questions are asked, small talk is made, the plan is given, but not a constant conversation (like it would be with a truck car full of girls). If ya'll know me, you probably know that I have been feeling a little... AWKWARD? I wanted someone to burst out in talking, laughing, singing, dancing, SOMETHING!! Pleeeease!

..and that is when I realized the difference between men & women.

it hit me.

like a ton of bricks.

boom.

bam.

shizam.

I ate a cheeseburger type mix for lunch today. It was a rotel-type texture, but it was served like a sloppy joe. 

we had an enchilada casserole for supper, and a maple "long john" (as we call them) or "maple bun" (as the Northerners say) for breakfast - since I forgot to mention that earlier. 

this is the town of Glasgow. This is only one street of it, but it is by no means a large town.

We were right at home =)

The geese here seem louder than back home, or maybe it's just they travel in bigger flocks.

I guess the main reason why i'm feeling depressed today is because of the weather. Macy said the weather hadn't been this extreme in nearly ten years. 

I feel like it may inhibit our hunting this week because we haven't seen NEARLY the deer today as we have the past two days.