Deer season starts months in advance, getting stands ready, cleaning up the shack and brushing trails it seems like you just did the year before.
But maybe it starts the day before in the grocery store when it seems every other cart is loaded with deer camp food.
“How’s it looking out at Camp Cholesterol?” said an orange-clad grizzled hunter.
“I think it’s going to be another slow year,” I said, checking my list.
Rinse, repeat. And yet, that’s the fun part, just talking about deer hunting.
There’s been a pre-season gathering of hunters and even non-hunters up at Tom Wetzel’s shack the past number of falls. Stories are told, deer polish is consumed and another log is put on the fire.
Sports are the primary topic since, at times, there are five or more retired coaches gathered around the table.
Hunting is always part of the conversation.
Ken Hupila dropped by the office and asked if I wanted a sticker he had made up, “Fernberg Deer Hunters Association.” I said, “You betcha and could I have an extra two or three?”
He said he had to explain to folks this isn’t a very formal association. I was thinking of some of the stories told and that it was a good idea they weren’t on the record.
It’s the same at our deer camp.
We hunt, tell stories, play cards, take saunas and eat good food. Sarah Burger was generous again and made us homemade manicotti, which we enjoyed Saturday night.
We hunted in the bitter cold on Saturday morning and in the wind on Sunday afternoon. Really enjoyed the snow on Sunday, just enough to see tracks. If there were any tracks to be seen. Yup, it’s that slow out at Camp Cholesterol. Pass the cream corn.
