The Great White Hunter
We left Friday heading toward West Virginia for a few days of hunting. There are many stories to tell and some we just left on the mountain. This is a long thread so be patient.
Friday was a travel day and spent the evening with family. A good time was had by all as the guys started talking and planning the hunt.
Saturday
It was like a ghost town as the guys all went their own direction preparing for opening day on Monday. We went up to the farm to setup the blind and take a tour of the hunting ground where we would be spending our time. It was something like 13 or 17 degrees (whatever the temp was I call it cold). Steve's 4-wheeler started having trouble and died several times. It would start right back and we kept going up the mountain finally running into James Michael and Chris on their way down. We explained we were having trouble and to watch for us. As we turned around the engine 
died its final time not to start again. We looked down the mountain to see the other two fade into the distance never looking back. Good thing we told them of the engine trouble! We walked down and met up to tow the broken machine back to the truck. The view was excellent from the blind 
Sunday
For me Sunday was a day of getting sick with what ended up being a 24 hour bug (homesick I am sure). Steve drove us up to the deer camp where some of the others were staying. This place was a few miles the other side of nowhere. The before hunt feast was underway. Two turkeys frying and all the fixens (plus lots of liquid refreshments). Me I was starting to feel really bad and spent my share of the time in the cabin. I was given a tour of the place and was able to see some of the tree blinds where they would be calling home on Monday. What did 
people do before the invention of 4-wheelers? That would have been an all day walk without one. Very nice place. Here is a picture of James Michael, Me, Scott, Chris and the young man down front getting ready for his 63rd opening season is uncle Jim. There is a larger group shot but I did not get one on my camera and will need to get a copy. It was a tough day talking up some SH*T as you can see Steve was plain worn out. Poor guy!
Monday
Its opening day and I spent the night emptying my stomach in the toilet. OK I missed opening day but did manage to see a local Dr. to ensure the next two days would not be missed. It was a miserable cold rainy day where Steve, Chris and James Michael spent some quality time in the one man blind shown above. Sorry I missed that.
Tuesday
After the rain on Monday I was not expecting the snow to stick but it did. It finally stopped snowing and the sun popped out. What a view with the snow on the ground. This did not last long as the snow started again with more furry than before. I looked down at my pants and saw snow starting to build up on me. It was snowing horizontal and blowing directly in the blind. It was getting to be a mess inside the blind and Chris and I called it a day in the early evening leaving the warrior Steve to finish the hunt until dark.
Wednesday
Early to rise as I carried my stuff down the hill to Steve's house. We left for the farm before sunrise again. This time I am feeling much better and even drank some coffee before the hunt. The weather was warmer with no snow or rain. It was still cold though. I managed to setup in the blind before Steve started walking behind me. Not long Steve shot a already wounded 4 pointer and put him out of his misery. I shot some video of a few doe who walked out near me. Listened to the guy 
on the other side of the hill as he shot a spike. I just never saw that rack to put my crosshairs on and pull the trigger.
Steve took me to another hunting ranch for lunch. This place was nice. The garage 
alone had a full kitchen and satellite tv with more 4-wheelers than I could count. They were cooking chili, hot dogs, hamburgers and grilling steaks for steak sandwiches. Very nice and the view over the mountains could not be beat.
After lunch we drove back to our hunting grounds and decided to go up the mountain and look downward. This is where we met Mr Deliverance. Interesting conversation as he talked his story kept changing and shifting. I doubt he even remembers our conversation. He did shoot at a buck he claims went down below us. As he left we saw a large buck cross down below and around the hill. Too quick for a shot not to mention it was between us and the truck around 400 yards away. Not the ideal shot. Oh well we waited and James Michael met us up top. At dark we walked down and officially ended my hunt. Back down I walked and met Steve at the bottom to collect his deer.
Thursday
Well time to head home. We headed out to Pittsburgh and found the airport nearly empty of travelers. Thanksgiving day is a good day get through the airport with minimal traffic but the plane was still full. Airport staff was limited and traveling with a rifle took longer get checked in than when we left. I guess the staff that had to work on Thanksgiving were not very happy since most left the customer friendly attitudes at home.
Some stuff I learned and can be told:
Hand warmers - Those packets really do work and I heard of other uses as well.
Mickey Gilley - Yes even the deer like to listen to Mickey Gilley.
Elmer Fudd lives - I had the opportunity to watch him walk down the mountain in front of me.
Deliverance - I met someone on the mountain who really could have been there. As we talked I heard a banjo playing. Seriously...
Restroom - When hunting and you have to go then you go. Here are some emergency ideas that are proven to work. Sock puppet, cut off your underwear, knife to your shirt and the most famous is the hand warmer....These are all true proven emergency ideas when you forget your TP (not by me).
Don't screw up - Everybody will remember and remind you often.
The great white hunter has left the building until another year....Until then check out the other pictures in the photo gallery. Hopefully the pictures will show how much fun was had. Steve has the stories we left behind as we left and is not bashful to tell. I am sure it will bring laughter for years to come. Click Here for the pictures.
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