# Fire arm deer season starts tomorrow.



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Tomorrow will start my 54th firearm deer season here in Michigan. Lots of memories to think about, I am the last of a group who traveled to my Michigan's UP deer camp. I no longer travel far to deer hunt I think about 200 yards from the house to my box blind on the edge of the woods or just a tad less than 400' to a box blind in my front yard. 

I started in 1963 as a young boy in a off and on hunting family, dad saw I really was wanting to deer hunt the year I came of age. I was given a old well worn Ivers Johnson break barrel 410/44lug in one stamped on the barrel. Took 2 1/2 inch shells, I was given 5 shells to shoot at a tin can around 50 yards out on a fence post. I think I may have hit it once, then I was given 5 shells to hunt with on what we called the 80 which was down the road a mile and was half cleared and half woods that had been clear cut about 10 years before so it was really thick.

I was given a red hooded sweat shirt to wear which satisfied the law but sure didn't keep a person warm sitting on a stand. Also that darn itchie wool long jons didn't help either.
So I still hunted HA today I wouldn't call it still hunting more like seeing how many acres I could cover in the least amount of time. But I did stay warm and the itchy wool long jons weren't on my mind, Iwas seeing a lit of *white tails.*

It was prearranged we would meet at the truck at the gate at noon so we could go to the house for dinner. I was walking the old logging road back to the gate when I hear a lot of shooting off to the north fairly close like across a 20 acre field where the river ran. I stood there a bit watching when a doe comes crashing thru the brush from the north, crosses the logging road. In the blink of an eye a buck come thru the brush not far behind the doe and stops in the road like made just for me. I lift that old shot gun and fire, that dumb buck just stands there, today I believe confused. I broke the shot gun and fire again and again till I am out of ammo but I had hit the buck I saw as it ran off to the south. I was shakeing like a leaf in a noreaster, didn't know what I should do. Sure wasn't get dad mad because I was late meeting for dinner and farm chores.

Back at the truck all excited and telling my dad who is pissed when he learns I am out of ammo and no deer, he didn't believe the story one bit. I was given more ammo and a lectrure not to be shooting birds and trees with it. We could not go back out right after dinner as we had some farm chores to get done. My 2 year younger brother came home from school so he was able to go with me to help look for that buck. We tracked the blood trail about 150 yards up thru a stand of hard woods that had not been cut, thru a dry low spot with tall weeds and found him just oin the other side. My first deer was an 8 point buck, Oh field dressing my first deer was a chore too. being dumb as a rock I stuck the knife in, OH what a stink arose not sure how many times I puked and spit but I got her done good enough to drag to the nearest logging road and send brother to get the truck, dad could wait.

Dad sure was baffled when I gave him back the 5 rounds he had gave me just a hour or so before and there is a buck in the back of that old truck.

My 71st birthday is just 29 days away now but for 1963 on my birthday I was given for my birthday and Christmas combined a use Winchester model 94 in 30-30 with strict orders to save the brass every time I shot it.
Dad was buying reloads from a guy he worked with in town. I have a box down in my room with the recipe on the tag, I don't remember the powder or primers. I do remember the bullets were Winchester silver tips. Wasn't till 1965 I got another buck, 66 I was in VN, 67 I was AWOL to deer hunt. haven't missed a year since and have a bunch of stories but all who gave a dam are gone.

 Al


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

What a good read, similarities to my first hunt, except I didn't get a deer


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

Good luck Al hope you get a nice one and be safe


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

Al, did you have a chance to get in one of those blinds yet?


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Good luck to you and all hunters....and stay safe.

I have decided not to go this year's....lot's of reasons....but mainly.. just don't feel like it.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

This one was moved from my front yard to the place back behind the pole barn. I used it opening day. Morning was windy but only 41F cold. Rained all afternoon, 5 tenths worth so was glad to be under a roof.



This one was taken down as it wasn't on skids to make room for the one out of the front yard. It is going to be put back up, back in my woods in the northestern area when I can get the stand across the creek which isn't now with the high water.



Today I sat in my recycled materal blind, I really like this one great size and the bigger front window. But it faces south so these southern winds howl inside but todays wind was fron the north so it hit the windowless door side.




Seen a button buck opening day, spent about a hour and a half cleaning up acorns under a triple stand of oaks. and a DEER ran across as far back as I can see with nakid eyes in the afternoon.
Today saw another button buck, could have been the same one eatting acorns under a different huge oak tree. He was joined about a 1/2 hour later by 4 does one huge a late fawn and a pair I figure were early spring fawns.

I should take some pictures of the inside since i have the ads all painted over.
Notice not one 2"x4" in the build.





Oh the roof is steel on perlins, you can see part of it in the last picture. I used the great stuff and covered it about 5 inches thick.











Yet today when a gust of wind shook the Oak trees it is under a couple of acorns fell and scared the crap out of me when they hit the roof. Come next summer I am going to do some thing different with the roof or move the bind away from those Oak trees. About had a heart attack.

I many times don't feel like doing some thing but deer hunting isn't one of them. My late departed hunting partner told me one day as were draging his deer we would have to stop deer hunting, told him yup when I am dead. 


 Al


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

You say not one 2x4 in the building, what did you use, 2x3's it appears sturdy enough......I wont be deer hunting this year, these dialysis treatments leave me weak and very tired, just wiped out, don't feellike doing much of anything and I sure miss deer hunting and rabbit hunting, oh well it is what it is,dialysis is the priority....


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I guess I should not have said no 2x4's. they were 2x4's but split used lag bolts to draw them together once the sides sheeting were added. Makes the blind modular so I can do it one section at a time on the platform. Even the roof is modular and lag bolted in place.

Here you can see a pair of wall lag bolts above the thermos, at the top and to the right a bit you can see the darker wood(recycled) that went into this roof system and see a lag bolt there that holds the roof in place.



The gray line going up from the thermous is where I ran the OSB thru a dado blade half thre thickness of the OSB got stained then the 6 inch strip was glued in place and screwed to the 2 by to hold it. there is another 6 inch strip on the other side to make the sheet 5' wide.

 Al


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

Looks like a nice job, does the trick, keeps wind and rain off you....


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Also some what contains my scent and hides my body outline too.

Since they are on 8 foot tall platforms I am shooting down even the one way back in the woods that is on a ridge.

 Al


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

I recognized the homemade handle on the thermos..It works...


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Also serves as a drag rope, just get a stick and add the cord. Put the empty thermos in the back pack.




 Al


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## Silvercreek Farmer (Oct 13, 2005)

Great story!


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

Anyone have any luck yet deer hunting, starts tomorrow in PA.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

They just harvested the corn here and am now seeing deer. Seen 13 last evening 4 in one group and 9 going single file from the heavy brush to the picked corn field to feed all night.

Wasn't seeing much while the corn was on.
Season ends Thursday, Muzzle loader season starts Friday and in my area goes till 12-17


 Al


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## crazydave (Feb 14, 2015)

alleyyooper said:


> Also serves as a drag rope, just get a stick and add the cord. Put the empty thermos in the back pack.
> 
> I also have a thermos similar to yours. Have worn the handle out twice, but still going strong !! Purchased new on Halloween 1968, been all around the country, with many drops etc. Stuff happens when you drive Big Truck !! It looks like you know what but still keeps the coffee hot !!
> 
> ...


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

My thermos knows what the cab of a semi looks like too. Many a trip from the east coast to the west and back again.


 Al


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

Hey gang we need hunting updates, anyone hunting Pennsy or West Va.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

My friend in WV got a 11 point opening day. His son got a 8 point and a spike a couple days later.

 Al


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