Oct. 1, 2005 - Deer Hunting

It was a walk in the woods - Something that the deer do all year long.

The drive up to Heppner was good with a little rain out of Portland. The sun was out and it was warm. I leveled the van to sleep in and Ilene set out the stove and things to cook on. My dad had his trailer set up and the blue room ready for us to do our thing when the urge called us.

There was not much to do and it was too dry to build a fire to sit by. The truth was there was just too much grass to think about a fire. We went off to bed at 8:00 p.m. We were tired and it would be 5:30 a.m. when we got up.

About 10:30 p.m. there was roar and there were Myran and Trina in their Subaru WRX. It is a rally car – right? The road in was gravel, not that bad and it was dry. They told a story of how it was raining. Trina said it was a white-knuckle ride. We are dry and warm here. They put their things in the tent and off to bed they went.

Now at 5:30 a.m. the rain came on us with force. No, we hadn’t put up the tarp; we almost didn’t bring it or the umbrella. I had left the rack on the van for the boat so we tied the tarp to it and moved everything under it.

I went to the blue room with my umbrella because it had no roof. The umbrella did its thing and I did mine. Ilene cooked and we ate. Then it was put on the rain gear and what I thought was waterproof shoes. Not. My dad had rubber boots. Myran and I did not.

Into the Silverado to go to the hunting spot. Now this spot is not gravel but mud. Picture this: Myran holding his Rifle with his left hand and driving with his right on a road with big ruts where there are probably other trucks still in them. There are street tires on the truck so turning out of the ruts is like not having the sun come up. Now he gets to the rocky part that I have never taken a two-wheel drive on up or down. My dad took his dodge on it once and bent things under it. With the four-wheel drive we make it easy but are back in to the ruts and mud. Bouncing from side to side in the pick up for three miles gave us a good work out.



We got out of the truck and into the rainstorm to hunt for a deer. Everyone has a spot they like to be on opening day. I walked slowly through the woods till I got to my spot and stood there for two hours. Then, being sufficiently cold, I started back and saw a big bull elk with a good size rack on it. (I’m hunting deer.) It is 10:00 a.m. so we start back. This time we go the long way and there are no mud or rocks to drive through.

Lunch and then back out for the evening hunt. After the hunt it was cold but not raining then a hailstorm came in. Now it was damp and cold with the tarp needing a lot of our attention keeping the ice off. We started the van and got warm and Myran and Trina joined Ilene and I for a game of Pinochle. Dad went to bed to get warm.

Up at 6:30 a.m. It was really cold. My feet were always cold but my body was warm. It was Trina’s first hunting trip. Most of the time it is hot and dry when we hunt. She likes hot. They left for home Sunday at three after doing a morning and afternoon hunt. Something about wanting to get home and build a fire and Myran owing her big time.

It was warmer Sunday evening. Ilene woke up in the night because her feet were finally warm, too warm.

My dad and I hunted Monday and then Ilene and I left around 3:00 p.m. It was a great time seeing deer all the way home. On highway I-84 there were two four points and a doe standing next to the freeway. There were about 20 big horn sheep spread out along the way too.

I let Ilene drive the last part; it rained hard and it was dark. She loves to drive when it is dark. Not!

The house was 59 degrees so I built a fire. It was up in the 80’s by bedtime.

My dad got home Tuesday and said it was a lot colder that morning and there was another hailstorm.

It was a hunt that makes you appreciate the warm ones.