Halloween 2009

Yes, I'm posting something on the day it actually happened, within hours. Tonight is Halloween and Abbey dressed up as Wonder Woman and Mae as Cat Woman. Yes, a couple of women. Michael did not dress up because he was supposed to be on the youth deer hunt today (cancelled for Michael's failure to keep his end of the bargain) and also because he's 13 - a little too old in my mind to go door-to-door asking for candy. It was beautiful weather here and the kids had a good time.



Here are the kids as we were on our way out....

And here with their loot........

Certified Hunters!

Back around 1988 the Missouri Department of Conservation decided it would be a good idea to institute Hunter Education for everyone born after January 1, 1967. Even though I had already hunted three deer seasons, I suddenly found myself faced with taking a Hunter Education class or else giving up my hunting. I took the class at age 16 along with my cousin Bud - that was back in April 1988. I passed the class, received a temporary certificate so I could purchase tags, and I received a Hunter Education patch that I still wear on my orange hunting vest to this day.

Since Michael got his first deer last year and is now 13 I decided he was ready to take the class and get certified. (Without certification you can only hunt on a youth tag in the immediate presence of an adult - with certification you can hunt in your own deer stand). I also twisted Abbey's arm and convinced her this would be a good thing to do also, even though she is not currently interested in hunting.

The class is twelve hours long so this past Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings we attended the training from 6-10 p.m. each day. It is taught by a Conservation Agent along with several guest speakers. They cover a variety of topics, including primitive weapons, survival skills, tree stand safety, and proper handling of a firearm. It is excellent training for everyone, whether a hunter or not. An 80% or better is required on the exam and Michael and Abbey both scored in the mid 90s. In the photo they stand with their patches and certificates around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday night. I am so proud of them and looking forward to opening day of firearms deer season (not the youth hunt, but regular firearms deer season) with Michael. Maybe if we're lucky we'll both bag a deer on the same day!

October - My Favorite Month

October is my favorite month for a lot of reasons. The weather cools, the grass stops growing. Bow season is in full swing. The first hard frost comes. The leaves change colors. Anticipation of deer season grows more each day. October memories are also something special for me. High school football games, Homecoming, all the magical Cardinal moments of the 1980s, time spent afield with Randy, Larry, Papa, and Willie, my trip out west with Annette back in 1993, on and on I could go.

This afternoon our family did something special. Each fall I need to go to a rifle range and prepare my rifle for deer season. You know, shoot it, check it out, make sure everything still functions correctly and it's still sighted in properly. This year I bought a new scope and we adjusted Michael's scope so both rifles had to be sighted in again. Instead of just the two of us going to the gun club to shoot, the whole family went, and each person shot. Michael shot his single shot .243, I shot my Winchester 30-06, all the kids shot a .22 Marlin, and Annette, Michael, and I all shot my 9mm Ruger. We've never before had a day where we all shot together.

We drove to Owensville Gun Club to shoot because I am a member there and they have a 500 yard rifle range. We left there at the end of the day and on the drive home the setting sun behind us cast an orange glow onto the treetops in front of us, onto trees whose leaves were already beginning to fade from green into yellows and oranges. It was a beautiful moment on a quintessential October day. It reminds me yet again about the importance of families finding time to do things together.

Now, Michael's rifle and my rifle are both hitting bullseyes at distant targets so the burden is now on us to deliver deer to our freezer this year. If we don't, we won't be able to say, "stupid gun." Also, tomorrow night begins hunter education which I will be taking with Michael and Abbey. Passage allows them to buy deer tags and hunt in their own deer stand. Abbey isn't ready to hunt but Michael is. So tomorrow the class begins. I was hunter education certified in 1988. I suspect a lot has changed in the class in the last 21 years!