Opening Weekend

The piney woods were calling and "No Primer" Shannon, "Number One" Ian and I "Deadeye" were going to visit. The long anticipated opening day of archery season had finally arrived and the three of us were going to Clear Creek Wildlife Management Area, last Friday.



Since I was forced to work that afternoon, my two compadres hooked up the old airstream I've been working on all summer to the truck and left me standing in the yard inhaling their dust. I must admit with tears threatening to form in my eyes (from the dust) I suffered through a range of different emotions (not all good) as I watched the young-hunters depart, in my opinion, a little to gleefully. I thought the two could have at least shown a little reluctance in leaving me behind. I forced myself to be comforted by thinking of the dove stew Number One said he would have waiting for me when I arrived later that night.



I pulled into the campground around 9:30 p.m. and found two over-stuffed hunters lazily lounging in their chairs. I made the mental observation they looked like two swollen frogs ready to pop, from eating all of the stew of course. Well, okay, not quite all, after scraping the crust off of the bottom of the cast iron pot, I did have enough to temporarily satisfy my hunger I ate the delicious meal while the two swollen bellies watched and crookedly grinned, in obvious gas pain or from sharing a secret joke. I'll sum it all up by just saying, the two dove, one pigeon and gravy was delicious and if the roles were reversed, I'd probably eaten it all by myself.

I went to bed contented, already knowing we were going to have a great huntin' season together, new stories were waiting to be written and memories created.