Deer Camping

As always we are busy, busy bees. We have been going now stop and I am now finding the time to sit down and write about everything! If I can remember everything! Lets start with deer camp....seeing as that is where we have been going almost every other weekend!

We started deer season a week early this year, since it was the youth hunt weekend. Even though Rhea hadn't practiced with shooting a 'big' gun I thought she could still be included and we could sit in the stand together and just scope things out! Well turns out I was wrong........I took Jacob instead to the deer stand. Rheanna's friends Alec, and J.J. were down at deer camp and she just couldn't leave J.J. LOL! They stayed at deer camp while me and Jacob went to the deer stand. Daddy tagged along with Uncle Billy to his stand. Needless to say, I had a 'loud' adventure with Jacob! He did pretty good for a while and then the impatience ran out! He wouldn't sit still, wanted to shoot everything, and can't comprehend what whisper means!!! We had lots of deer come out and there was even a nice buck that ran right beside Jacob! Here's a few pics from mine and Jacob's hunt:

Jake was trying to shoot a bird

Trying to find the deer

The next weekend was the official start of deer season! Normally we would leave Friday after work and return Sunday afternoon. This year was a little different J.C. had called Jonathan at the beginning of the week and asked if he wanted to go duck hunting Saturday morning ( It was the opening day of duck season as well) Jonathan was REALLY excited! He hadn't been duck hunting in a very long time!  So of course he said YES!
So this year we went to SoSo's house Friday afternoon had some awesome chicken and dumplings and spent the night there so Jonathan could wake up early to go duck hunting with the guys! The kids and I stayed nestled in SoSo's bed til the later part of morning. When Jonathan and J.C. got back the kids went haywire and they had to drag me outside to show me the ducks! Well by the time I got out there Uncle J.C. had already got pictures with the kids and was showing them how you clean a duck. And needless to say Rheanna was intrigued! I had to steal a few pictures from Uncle J.C.'s phone:

J.C. added this to facebook and put "Future Duck Hunters"

The guys from left to right: Brian, Jonathan, J.C. and Mahoney with the ducks they got opening morning

Rheanna helping Uncle J.C.

After cleaning up we headed down to deer camp:

On our way.....

Jacob staying entertained

Rheanna taking a snooze....

When we got to deer camp Dawn and Dan and the kiddos were just arriving as well. We made perfect timing! I had asked Dawn to come out for opening weekend so I could take Chase and Rhea in the stand for the evening hunt. We chit-chatted a little bit before heading out to the stand. They actually did pretty good in the stand together. I took a cat nap while the kids kept watch, we saw a few does and one spike.

Rhea and Chase in the deer stand opening weekend 2011

We had soooo much fun opening weekend LOTS and LOTS of food, with lots of laughs. We were so glad that Dawn and Dan and the kiddos got to come out and play!

The next weekend we went to deer camp I had lots planned! Hobby Lobby had all their Fall decor on Sale for 50% off, along with all their Wedding supplies 50% off. And we were getting our 'new' cabin for deer camp. So me and Rhea went to Victoria in the morning and Jonathan and Jacob stayed behind to help load and set up our new cabin. We must have planned it out perfect because Rhea and I got mostly all our wedding shopping done and back before the evening hunt! When we returned the guys were just unloading the cabin. Jacob was soooo Excited!! Once they got done unloading it, Jacob hopped in and started cleaning he was bound and determined to sleep in the cabin THAT night! After he was done cleaning, he grabbed a few pillows and blankets, and starting making his 'bed'. He then asked Daddy and I to come look at 'His' cabin. He had his bed fixed upon the tables that were in there, complete with pillow, blanket, and toys. Then he pulled back the blanket, which revealed snacks and a juicebox, and said, " And, see I even have midnight snacks!!!" We all started laughing! He wasn't joking, he REALLY wanted to stay in the cabin!!



Cleaning out the new cabin!

The next morning, we went for a Sunday morning drive...around deer camp that is! It was a nice drive, and Jonathan was taking me places I had never been before. We saw lots of deer and even stopped by the Tower stand.

I had always driven by this stand, but have never actually tried to climb up it!

When we got back to camp, we started packing up our belongings to head home. Rheanna really wanted to drive and since I let her drive the day before I decided she could drive us out of deer camp. She did really good! Then asked when she could get a car! HAHA!! I don't think so! She didn't understand the concept that you have to be 16 to drive, legally!

The next weekend the kids stayed with Dawn. So Jonathan and I headed down to Palacios so he could go hunt with Aunt Patty, and I could visit with Kelli and Kaden! Aunt Patty and Jonathan left the house about 4:00 and called me at 4:45 and said they were on their way back! What!? The feeder hadn't even gone off yet, when a nice 9 pointer came out! Jonathan didn't hesitate. As soon as he got a shot, he took it down! ( He is probably going to kick my butt for this)--When I finally got to talk to him, he could hardly breathe, he was so excited! LOL! It was like shooting his first deer all over again! He kept panting! LOL!  But I can see why he was like that when they got to the house!

Jonathans 9 pointer

Heck yea!!

It may look little in the truck but boy he sure did have a lot of meat! After we deboned all the meat to grind with pork to make hamburger meat, we had 60lbs. of just deer meat!!!! Plus we still had to mix that another 60lbs. of pork! Needless to say, I think I may have enough hamburger meat to last us for a while!

Well, I have lots of other stories to tell, but I will put them in the next post, since this one is soooo long!

Until Next time, God Bless!