Monday… after an incredibly busy weekend including preaching a funeral in Perry, Oklahoma, preaching a funeral in McPherson, Kansas, and 3 nights of preaching Revival Services in Wichita, I was headed to NW Kansas, in the wee hours of the morning, to archery deer hunt on some WIHA (walk in hunting area) land I had set a tree-stand up on, and then was going to go check on some tree stands I had set up on a private land area in preparation for our Ministry Outdoor Adventures Foundation annual whitetail deer hunt next week.
As I was making my way North and West, and almost to my destination, around 5:30am I… hit a deer. And, after pulling over, getting out and assessing the damage, I called my wife. She was thrilled to both talk with me so early in the AM, and to hear the good news about my most recent deer collision. After a jovial, pre-dawn, conversation with my better half, I determined my truck was still driveable, marked my location, took a picture of the “dying” deer, and then got back in my truck and continued down the road to hopefully be able to find a rutting buck I could shoot with an arrow.
Upon arrival at my destination, I speedily gathered my gear, and quickly headed into the woods. Since this was a Walk In Hunting Area, my “walk-in” hike was a little over half a mile. About 3/4ths of the way in I think I stepped on a rock and… “Wham!” It kinda felt like something “exploded” under and inside of my foot and I’m almost certain I heard it as well as felt it. I thought… “What the heck was that?!?” But, since I was already 3/4ths of the way in, and since I had come to hunt… on I now more slowly went, hobbling stealthily along the rest of the way to my tree.
Climbing a tree with whatever had just happened to my foot was… fun, probably the most memorable tree climb I’ve ever had. And, by the time I got up, I was WIDE Awake! Then… as I pulled my bow up with my “pull-up” chord, my bow quiver noisily came off and fell to the ground. Now I would get to climb down the tree, and then back up again. So fun…. Why was I here?!?
Then… after seeing Nothing all AM, at about 10:30, I hear “Bang, Bang…. Bang, Bang, Bang!” And, there came a group of quail hunters and their dogs. Though they never saw me, I watched as they worked back and forth, following their dogs, and drawing nearer and nearer to my location. Once they got to about the 100yds away point, I decided it was time to give up on my archery hunting for the day. At least I could now go and retrieve the deer who had ended his life on the front of my truck…
After climbing down the tree, and hobbling out of the woods, I headed to the local Sheriff’s office to get a “salvage tag” for my deer…. Yeah, you know where this is going don’t you?
Upon arrival at the marked location of my truck-struck deer, it was… gone. 😕.
So, Monday wasn’t my best hunting day ever, but I keep telling myself it could have been worse… I think.
The Doc told me this AM, after an exam and x-rays, that though I didn’t break anything, he thinks it is most likely a Peroneal Tendon tear/rupture. And, that my 2021 deer season (the hiking / walking / tree climbing part of it) is probably over…
Kinda bummed, but choosing to be thankful, anyway! God is good, even when circumstances stink!
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
