The Progression of a Hunter :: Hunting Sports Nature Papers

The Progression of a Hunter It's three o'clock in the morning. I've been sleeping since eight p.m., and now my alarm clock is telling me that it's time to wake up. Most people are sleeping at this hour of the night, but I'm just now waking up to pack up my gear and head into the forest for the morning. Last night I packed my .30-06, tree stand, a small cooler full of food and a rucksack full of hunting equipment including deer scent, camouflage paint and a flashlight. I've been planning a hunt for two weeks, and the weekend has finally come. I get up from bed, shake off the cold of the morning and get ready to leave by four. It's five a.m. when I get to the dirt road winding into Ocala National Forest. I park my car in a clearing gather my gear and head into the forest with my eyes to the trees. By five-thirty I'm set up in a tree, my rifle is loaded and I'm quietly sipping hot coffee from my plastic thermos cup. I'm well concealed by tree limbs, and I have a clear shot at the ground below within my line of sight. My camouflage pants and jacket keep me hidden from the poor eyesight of the deer below, and my height above the ground keeps the smell of a human away from the sensitive noses of animals on the ground. Six a.m. and the sky is turning a light blue. The night's shade is dissipating slowly, and I can begin to see my surroundings a little better. A shot rings out from the west, and that signals nearby hunters. I hope they drove some game my way. Within a few minutes, there is rustling in the brush below me. A young buck is coming within range. He's a big one too; I can see about eight points from where I am. He is cautious and sniffs at the air and flicks out his tongue often. His coat is a light brown color like khaki. There are white markings along his flank, and he has a stubby little white fluff of fur for a tail. I disengage the safety on my rifle. The bolt is forward on the gun, and I know there's a round in the chamber. I steady myself. I turn ever so slightly to get a better angle.