Opening Day 08'

The alarm clock gave its warning at 4:45 am. I rolled over and turned it off then rubbed my face until the cobwebs cleared. I took a few bites of left over apple stack cake my brother brought for dinner a couple of nights before, drank some tea and dressed in faded camouflage from head to toe. It is opening day of archery season in Tennessee, this means my tenderloin is waiting on me in the woods. I am usually alone in the house at this time in the morning, however this morning Ally Grace was staggering through the living room with bear under her arm. Since my wife had not even rolled over when I got up I told Ally to get in bed with her momma. Ally was glad to oblige. I was out the door by 5 o'clock and heading north, an hour and a half later I was sitting in my tree stand near the border of Cove Creek WMA with my crossbow in hand. It was an uneventful morning except for the inordinate amount of yellow jackets buzzing around. While attempting to leave I was met at my truck by a neighbor Charles Johnson. Charles seams to know about everything and is glad to tell you about. During our informative discussion Charles' son pulled up on an ATV with a small doe on the back. He excitedly told his story of the shot with his compound bow and only tracking it 20 yards. I cut the jaw of the deer and preceded to age it at 2 1/2 years of age (no tri-cuspid but no real wear either) which was shocking to me considering it could not of field dressed more than 65 pounds. Reminds me of the little deer at Chuck Swan. I got back in my truck at 11 o'clock already thinking of tomorrow morning when I would hide in the woods once more.