The First Saturday

Here in Pennsylvania, Doe Season starts on the first Saturday , after a week of buck hunting. For most people, that first day of buck is the most anticipated, hoping to get that old deer with a big rack, just praying a wall-hanger comes your way. But this isn’t the case for our family!
We cannot wait for that first Saturday of doe.
It starts the night before. We all meet at our house, watch hunting shows, eat pizza, and reminisce about the previous year’s hunting adventures. This little party breaks up pretty early, because we are all getting up bright and early the next morning!
We meet at the family’s hunting ground, and decide where we will all sit and with who. This year I sat with my cousin, overlooking a pond and some wooded area. My husband went to a tree stand (I’m scared of heights and passed on that spot) and the rest of the group paired up, and spread out.
Then we sit. The guys thought us girls would be moving around and talking too much to see anything, but we proved them wrong! We were the first to shoot! My cousin seen the deer first, so she took the shot. After we calmed down again, we sat peacefully watching the squirrels, turkey, and birds moving about, waiting for another chance. That opportunity finally came just as we were about to come in for lunch. This time it was my turn! I heard the brush crunching, telling myself it was a turkey, so my nerves wouldn’t get too bad, but I knew. It came down over the ridge; I took a deep breath, and prayed my aim was true. It was a perfect shot! The girls out shined the guys that morning!

Then it was lunch time! Where the story telling, some slight exaggeration, and poking fun begins! All while eating some hot chili and other yummy food made by the aunts and grandma while we were out.
After lunch we drive out the woods and anyone who hasn’t gotten a deer sit and wait.
At the end of the night we weigh in and see who got the biggest.
I didn’t win this year, but my freezer doesn’t care about that. For us, it’s all about family. Both feeding them, and the fellowship that happens in the process. It’s not always about the rack; sometimes, it’s just about spending the day with those you love.