Folks my apoligy for being so tardy at the site. Soondg sent me a private message and basically told me to "git off yer ****" and get to posting. And so here I am. Now rather than relate a bunch'a excuses on my behalf I thought I'd just let ya'll know how things ayre going in my neck of the woods. Well..it's hunting season. That about sums it up. From sometime in early Oct. until late Jan. I'm hunting something..somewhere. In Oct. I hosted a feller from Boise, Idaho for a week of deer hunting and he enjoyed it so much he came back for another round the first week of Buck/Doe Season here at The Homeplace. If anyone wants to read the entire story Google up Muzzleloader Magazine and go to their website and click on The Campfire. Then scroll down and click on Tall Tales and look for a longwinded post from The Oldfart concerning hunting with Leon and Sparks. (my hunting compadres..) Now I'll give ya'll the short version of that story. Are any of ya'll aquainted with A.D.D.?? Attention Deficit Disorder. Have ya'll ever delt with it... with 2 men in their 50's? For a week? While hunting whitetails? Iiiiiiii didn't think so! Well it's kind'a like raising 3yr. old kids..only worse. Much worse in my opinion! But hilarious nonetheless. Okey-dokey...sit back and pop a beer and fill yer pipe. This post is gonn'a take a while and I've got a lot of work to do in the meantime so it may take several days to git it all written. Now to understand A.D.D. in adults my friend Sparks gives this simple verbal lesson and ya might have to read it a few times to git the jist of it but here goes. "How many A.D.D. adults does it take to change a light-bulb.....wann'a go ride bikes??" Hmmmm? More to come..of course....YMHS...Audie..

 

Well now folks the curse of A.D.D. is that the tenents bounce from one topic to another and have a decided lack of focus. Bad on some points..entertaining on some others. Now take 2 of these old codgers so afflicted and strap them into treestands 10ft. off the ground and set back and watch the action unfold!! HAW!HAW!HAW! I managed to talk Sparks into wearing a safety-harness..which is a good thing! He's strapped up in a 18in.X 24in. platform for 4 hours at a time. I did allow him to take along his hunting pouch and a haversack..which is kind'a like a purse ca. 1750. Ohhh...did I mention both of these men are using primitive firearms?? Sparks is using a Pa. longrifle...flintlock....54cal....42in. barrel. Leon is using a "match-lock." Yes..a "match-lock." For those not well aquainted a "match-lock" is an ancient muzzleloader that one secures a burning "wick" (cotton or hemp rope treated with potassium-nitrate..salt-peter to keep it smoldering...) in the jaws of the lock..and at the appropriate time pulls a lever which forces the burning wick into a pan full of powder to fire the gun. Hopefully while aiming it...as the burning wick advances towards ones eye to ignight a pan full of explosive powder..in order to set of a firearm. Well...Google "match-lock"! O.K...where was I?? Ohhh yes...2 old geezers dangling from treestands..wth A.D.D......more to come....Audie...

 

Okey-dokey...on with the story! I've managed to talk Sparks into wearing a safety-harness in his tree stand..which is a good thing. See..he gets distracted from time to time. Since he has his hunting-pouch along..and the haversack... he has lots of little pockets to rummage thru during his 4hr. sit and he seems quite content. But he's moving constantly!! ARRGH! And to make it even worse..since he has A.D.D. he doesn't exakkerlly recall what he just found in any given nook&cranny... so each exploration he finds new (the same) trinkets!! Over and over again. Leon...on the other hand..refuses to be tethered to a tree via a safety harness!!! WAGH! He (Leon) is a carpenter and is accustomed to climbing ladders and scaffolding...unafraid of heights..does roofing/shingles/etc. etc.etc. and so is a bit harder to restrain. I did manage to climb up his ladder and strap him in with a seat-belt for...ohhh...about 20min. before he figgered out how to undo the belt and climb out of the treestand!! Ya'll folks that have children understand..right..? This is like watching 2 squirrels....! Perhaps 2 old squirrels with A.D.D...! Welll now a summary of the hunt! Yes..more to come! Audie..the longwinded Oldfart...

 

Folks during my time spent with these 2 good men we have seen ...roughly..50 deer. On Monday and Tue past we watched 28 deer pass within' a few yards of us. We have had 4 leagle bucks inside the 50yd. range. One buck in particular was a 150 class buck...12 points and STANDING at 20yds.!! This brute was over 24in. wide and had 12 points and a lot of smaller points near the base. Sparks missed the shot...Leon never shot because he didn't feel confident of his shot placement. I sat 40yds. away with a scoped 30.06 and never raised the gun to my shoulder. I was only there to guide them, keep them safe and for back-up. My job was to ensure their safety and ensure that a wounded deer would not suffer nor head for posted ground. During this time I cooked over 40 well prepared meals..breakfast, lunch..supper and snacks. I slept in my recliner for 2 weeks so that others may have a clean and comfortable bed in which to rest. And next year I'll do it all again and rejoice in my small part of the hunt. They enjoyed the hunt so much they have promised to return..and that is my greatest reward. Audie..

 

Well now folks this tale is drawing to a close. It's been a good hunt so far and my friends have had some oppertunities and I have done my best. And yet..there's more to this story! On Fri. afternoon I dropped Sparks off at the Harrisburgh Airport...he headed back to Boise, Idaho and I to return home. Leon was headed back to Lancaster and in Jan. to head for Mexico for a 2 year missionary service. I awoke on Sat. morn at sunrise and felt the need to walk down yonder to the crick and climb up into that tree-stand for "just one last time." Cradled in my arms was my fathers pre-64 Mod. 70 Winchester..in cal 30.06 Gov't. I had only a few hours to hunt before I had company arriving...and yet... I needed some time alone to reflect and reminisce about this years hunting season. Beneath my perch the crick flowed past gurgling and cold. I watched the mink slide by in his search for a mate and forage. I closed my eyes and recalled all the laughter and heard a distant trukey yelping in the early morning..and awoke around 9:30 a.m. cold and shivvering. Just as I was want to leave my solitude I saw some motion on the trail before me and the shape of a deers ears came into my focus. A fat doe presented herself and I took advantage of the oppertunity. One sweep of the trigger and a life was gone. Not without regret and not without respect.... I knelt beside her and gave thanks. Though she will not walk in another sunrise I shall remember her always..the bittersweet remorse a hunter must always feel. Audie....the Oldfart...

 

Glad to have you back Audie.

 

Hey audie get a big one?