Getting prepared for school and deer season

“Down the first hall and third door on the right and he will see his class.”

“Thank you ma'am”, I replied.

We walked down the hall from the cafeteria to meet his kindergarten teacher and see his classroom.

Cooper met his new teacher and was excited to see where he would spend his kindergarten year. His eyes lit up with anticipation and he smiled with excitement.

After orientation, we spent the day going to lunch, shopping and visiting with my Mammaw.

I spent the afternoon labeling his supplies with his name and hanging up the last of his school clothes.

One more Mommy and Cooper day before he starts school was fun and the reality of having a kid in school was setting in my mind.

He asked when he would get to come back.

I told him Monday was his first day of school.

He told me he couldn't wait and wanted to have fun this weekend.

I told him we had some work to do this weekend to get ready for deer season.

He asked what we were going to do Saturday and I told him that we had to get a few feeders ready and get the cameras put out so we could see what the deer herds looked like after the fawns were born.

He seemed excited but I think he is just looking forward to riding his four-wheeler around the woods.

I have a couple of spots that I want to thin the brush and clean out the four-wheeler trails.

A few sticks are reaching out and have become a hazard if they hit you in the face and chest.

Some bush hogging and tree trimming also need to be taken care of soon.

If we get a head start on cameras and feeders this weekend, then we can get stands moved and ready at the end of August.

Come the end of September, bow season opens, followed by the doe only modern gun hunt and muzzleloader seasons.

I never hunt the doe only hunt because it gets the deer stirred up and stressed out early before the rut even begins.

I enjoy the closeness of bow season.

The woods are still so quiet.

Deer will walk right under you and you can observe their normal behaviors before gunshots make them more cautious in the woods.

Cooper wanted to know how long it was before he could go hunt with me.

I told him in about three months, modern gun season would open and we would go hunt his favorite spots.

He always looks forward to seeing squirrels, deer, hogs and the hundreds of birds.

I can attest to the fact that he enjoys naps in the blind because he takes them on occasion.

The quiet woods, the wind blowing, the birds chirping and the cool fall air make for a perfect nap taking session.

Some of the best naps I have ever taken were in the blind or in a box stand.

Being alone in the woods is peaceful until a deer sticks his or her head in your blind because they hear you breathing heavy.

I had a small spike do that to me when I was 13 years old.

I feel asleep and I woke up to him in my face.

When he jumped back, he almost tore the blind down trying to get away from me.

After that, I was wide awake the rest of the morning.

All I could do was laugh at that young buck.

Just thinking about fall and hunting season is enough to make me excited.

Cooler temperatures, changing and falling leaves and the fact that Cooper will get to attempt to take his first deer this season make me anticipate this hunting season more than anything.

He is beyond ready and he may be more excited than I am.

He has wanted to take a deer the last two years and telling him that he has to be six years old before he can take a deer has torn me up.

That disappointed face that wants to take a buck deer so he can hang those horns on the wall always gets to me.

I told him this is just a lesson in patience.

He said he understands and he is counting down the days until his sixth birthday just so he can hunt.

I'm glad he is more excited about the hunt than a birthday party!

Pictures? Questions? Comments? Send them to katiem@eldoradonews.com.