First "Deer Story"

I've been hunting with my husband since 1979 and 10 years had gone by without getting a deer. Now I have my own "deer story".

It was finally November 11. I had made application for a doe permit and a few days before the season started it was granted, but only for Texas County. My husband was good enough to take me all the way to Houston, MO. Maybe this year would be successful for me.

The alarm wakes us at 4:30 a.m. I didn't get much sleep for wondering how I would perform. My husband says, "Let's put on enough clothes to stay warm and stuff our pockets with enough food and drinks to stay for the entire day if needed." Now we're off to the woods in the dark at 5:15 a.m. with only a flashlight. everything is sleeping; it's so quiet.
We walk and walk to find our place to sit and wait for the sunrise and the deer. After a while my husband says he's going to walk around. He soon comes to get me. He's spotted two doe.

We leave all our food and heavy coats because it's warmed up by now. The hunt was on.

I see the deer and shoot twice but they are running and too far away. So we follow them into the thicket.

I take another shot but miss. We walk on up the hill to find a place to stop and watch for the deer. We are thirsty by now, only to remember our snacks are at the bottom of the hill. So Gene goes for our survival kit while I wait.

I wait, and wait, but he's done this before so I'm not too worried. Finally he returns, out of breath, says he's been up a tree for a while and not deer hunting.

He had to go through a field of dairy cattle to get to our food and this bull decides to follow him. gene said he took a stick and said, "Get on out of here." The bull must have understood or wanted to fight. He began pawing the ground the way Gene had seen on Popeye or The Three Stooges. Then he proceeded to blow hot air out his nostrils.

I'm not sure what this meant but Gene said he got the idea this animal was feeling like a charge was soon to take place and that he was the target.

Gene looked around for a tree to climb. While selecting a tree he heard this noise that only a bull can make and every cow in the field came to either help or watch what was going to take place.

Gene had no choice of tree. It was the closest one or else.

There he was hanging in this tree and all the cows and this bull were under his tree. He waited it out until they wandered away far enough so he could make a run and jump the fence. By the time he got to me, he needed that soft drink.

We sat there only a few minutes, then saw two more doe. We followed them; they stopped; this time it was close.

I waited for a good sight and was so nervous because I knew I could get this one.

My gun was on safety. I tried to shoot, finally pushed the safety off and shot. My husband (my coach) talked with me though it all.

It was 9:45 a.m. My hunt was over. We celebrated my first deer by taking a picture. My husband and this bull made my story even more interesting.

With the assistance of my husband (my coach) I have successful hunts of deer, turkey, squirrel, and rabbits every year.

This hunt was also what led us to pastor in Mountain Grove. What a perfect fit for us now serving in our 20th year!