TIL: THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER FOOTWEAR WHEN HUNTING
I had no plan of going hunting today, but I learned a valuable lesson about footwear, so I am glad that I did.
Since I went to bed at about 1:30 am, mama-pepper suggested that I not set an alarm, so I could sleep in, rather than waking up early to go hunting. Her reasoning was sound, so I agreed, and drifted off into slumber without setting any alarms. Then, a little after 6:00 am, I awoke anyway. Thoughts of steemit and hunting were racing through my head.
It is often hard to fall back asleep when steemit is on your mind. I had just posted my new original song, "STEEMIT LIKE YOU MEAN IT" around midnight, so I was curious about how good the post was doing. After checking that, I still had some time before sunrise.
I figured, it's a little later than I prefer, but perhaps me being up now is a sign that I should go hunting. Perhaps God wants to bless us with some more great meat.
Picking footwear was an interesting situation this morning. Normally, I would wear my boots.
They keep my feet warm, but can make a lot of noise in the fallen leaves of autumn. Thankfully, I noticed another option.
My "aqua-sock" style water shoes were laying outside the door. I knew that it wan't that cold out, and wondered for a moment. This type of footwear was much similar to the moccasins that the Native Americans would wear when they stalked their game in the woods.
Hmmm.... Would this be a better option. It was already getting light out, and I was not in position. Making too much noise getting to the hunting spot would be counterproductive, and I had a long walk down a gravel road to get to my spot for the morning. I took the chance and put on the aqua-socks rather than my boots. Off I went.
As I walked down the road, I noticed an extreme difference in the noise level. I was stealthy rather than obvious in my approach, and I was glad for the silence of my stride. Soon, I parked myself up in the bushes and began my wait.
A lot of noises were soon rustling around me on the forest floor. Before too long, another creature approached on stealth mode.
A buck appeared about 25 feet to my right without me even hearing it come. Whether it walked down the gravel road or came out of the woods to my right I will never know. All I do know is that it was right there, and my gun was facing the wrong way.
For some reason, I started shooting rifle left-handed as a boy, even though I am right-handed and right eye dominant. Eventually, I switched to shooting right-handed, even though I can still shoot just as well left handed. Quietly and slowly, I switched the rifle to face the deer, and ever so quietly clicked the safety off. Just as I had awoke out of nowhere to go hunting, this deer had presented me with this opportunity out of nowhere too.
I raised my rifle left-handed and aimed my barrel. When I pulled the trigger, the deer staggered, and then bounded off into the woods across the road from me. Immediately, I got up and was fast on his trail. He did not make it too far, as I had hit him in the heart. From the time I shot until the time he died was probably only one minute, so I was glad for that.
He did not have an impressive rack on top his head, but he was a good sized deer and will provide a lot of food for my family.
To eat real meat, and animal must die, but a quick death after a natural life is what I prefer.
Though one can never know, I still wonder if I would have had that opportunity if I had worn my boots and made a lot more noise coming down to my hunting spot. Deer are quite alert anyway, and unusual noises can scare them off easily.
It gave me a great appreciation for the hunters that once roamed the woods of this continent too, as they silently crept through the woods with their feet shod with moccasins. Sometimes I am amazed at how far we seem to have come in the wrong direction!
Whether I am out photographing animals in the wild or hunting, I think I'll be opting for my aqua-socks when it is too cold to go barefoot. *At least until I can buy, or make, some moccasins of my own.
A couple of my little peppers are hard at work making some Pumpkin Pies with mama-pepper right now, so it looks like this has been an excellent day in Papa-Pepper Land.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there, and if you are not American, I would still recommend being thankful!
As always, I'm @papa-pepper, and here's the proof:
proof-of-appropriate-footwear
FOLLOW
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You must be exhausted @papa-pepper.
I thought your song and lyrics turned out really well.
I also think that mama-pepper and you need to make a post together about how she makes her pie pastry. Please tell her that I think her pie looks amazing and your 2 little ones are priceless.
That woman works her tail off making incredible things happen all day long!
I might have to feature a few of her things at some point!
Thanks again!
Please do! Please tell her that it's a fine art to be able to bake pastry and her skill at it, is very evident in your picture.
Her pie looks beautiful and the fact that she took the time to make pastry leaves to finish the rim speaks volumes to me about her character and how much she loves her family. :)
She liked your last comment, but this one she will like even more.
Thanks for your kind words.
As a pregnant homeschooling mother of four children all 6 and under, encouragement like that goes a long way!
I just wrote this for Momma and my husband Dan. Please see that Momma gets to read it. ;)
https://steemit.com/life/@rebeccaryan/to-all-the-silent-sweat-equity-partners-of-steemians-i-thank-you
Mama-pepper (and @papa-pepper) say thanks!
Very good post my friend. @papa-pepper You know that I am from the country, I am not a good hunter, however I have participated in many fighters with my priests and my uncle, that they were hunters lords, there are two things that I remain engraved, one was the clothes, never white clothes or Of bright colors, advisable of dark green or brown and the other was the shoe, in this case it was customary to go barefoot, by the sharp ear of the animal, my first hunting would come to my house full of thorns, with time you become Lasts the sole of the foot, that no more thorns enter. I do not bore you any more with my comments and enjoy that delicious meat.
Thank you for sharing, congratulations for the successful marriage.
Thanks for that.
I usually like to dress in camouflage and go barefoot, but often that can hurt your feet.
I like your comment here @jlufer!
Awesome ! Congratulations on the Venison ! My boyfriend got one earlier with his buddy and loaded up my little apartment freezer with Deer meat for me as you know from my previous cooking challenge posts of Venison stew! And roast! And I must say I LOVE VENISON ! Especially little fast fry steaks with peppers and onions! Mmmmmmmm! Yummy! Its definately my favorite of all meat ! And it saves me alot of money on groceries! Great catch
@papa-pepper ! Thanks for shareing! And Steem on! ♨🐂♨
It is a rewarding way to save money for sure!!!
That's two out of six possible on your permit, I think - you're doing great! My dad used to just have my mom load up the dogs and drive off. Then the deer thought the yard was deserted. He could get his deer from the front porch - that's the Arkansas way, lol. I'm sure you will be making some interesting things out of those antlers!
Actually, I got a doe in-between the two bucks.
Three shots, three kills!
Getting pretty good and dressing, quartering, and butchering them!
I bet you are getting good at it now! My dad labelled a lot of his cuts as "Swiss steaks". Who knows what that really is? Regardless, venison is good meat - your family is going to be eating well. Nice work!
Thanks, it's nice to be learning new things and progressing to a more wholesome and healthy lifestyle!
Proper footwear is important. You really grasp this when you get older.
Thanks!
I am right-handed but shoot left-handed, too. I have always been that way. Congratulations on the hunt, and Happy Thanksgiving!
The only thing that I cannot do right handed is shoot pool (billiards).
For some reason, I can only do that left handed.
How about you?
I very seldom play billiards because I am no good left or right handed! And I have tried both. I am not sure how I became accustomed to shooting left-handed. It really only affects me when I use a bolt-action shotgun or rifle, since they are typically built for right-handed users.
Have you ever attempted to write your name with your left hand? Mine ends up looking like a toddler's scribble.
I'm not sure how I started shooting left-handed either, but it's nice to have both options now!
You bet!
Another great post.
Perhaps you should make your next post on how to tan your own hides. Followed by how to stitch your own moccasins.
Making your own moccasins is easy peasy with a pattern.
Tanning hides is a pain... well mostly having the setup (stretcher, scraper, buckets and chemicals).
If papa-pepper does the tanning, I will upvote it, I will upvote it twice or three times. (does anyone know how give something five stars in this thing?)
I mage this gif that you can use.
Thanks for the compliment!
Those are skills that I do need to work on, as I like to use all that I can when I hunt!
Good idea!
Its a fricken pain in the arse. I suggest finding a tanner, and trading your two hides for one tanned hide.
Hmmm... good food for thought.
Thanks!
Congrats bro. Enjoy the venison. Makes me want to head up to the mountain.
We already are!
Thanks Joe!
Steemit like you mean it has now been running amok in my head for about 10 minutes now. I fear it will be my bedtime song! ARRRRGHHHH!!! LOL
The mini peppers are doing a FINE job with the pies and good job on the deer. I'm hoping hubby will have enough funds to purchase a rifle so he can start providing meat for our family too. As for the water shoes... hm... that's not a bad idea as long as the weather holds up for you!
It's time to steemit
so steemit like you mean it
it's time to steemit
so steemit all night!
tape squirrels to your feet like a real man! ;)
Duct tape then, if we are being men, right?