And I'm sick of it, too.  I was hoping to at least be able to hunt Friday and Saturday for the ever-elusive, large antlered buck.  But I don't know that I'm going to be able to do it.  I'm still too bloody with the sinus infection and the bronchitis.  I wake up in the mornings looking like something from the Dawn of the Dead.  I might even feel that way!  The last time that I had this combination, I was sick for 3 months and in and out of the hospital twice.  I don't want to go that route again.

Deer Hunting Season

Friday and Saturday will be the end of the Antlered Rifle Season (it also included the antlerless permit if you had bought one).  The following week will be the Antlerless Season for one week, and that's followed by the Muzzleloading Season for one week.  There's a couple of days near the end of December where you can get the rifles back out and hunt for does.  Not to mention that bow season doesn't go out until the end of December at dusk.  There's still plenty of time to hunt.

My brother and I will take Dad out during the antlerless season and see if he can get a doe.  In this state, antlerless means they are either does, or they are bucks with antlers less than 3" tall.  When the muzzleloading season comes in, then we can hunt for bucks again.

The FogWalker is tired....and dizzy...time to hit the recliner...

We're both sick in our own kinda' ways.  I'm restricted to the house, but the Mule has been admitted.  So maybe I'm doing better than it is, but I dunno'!

I'm on some heavy meds for the bronchitis and sinus infection.  I've also had to take plenty for the migraines, and drink lots of fluids.  The Mule is getting a "knee" replacement (CV joint) and will have its fluids replaced.

My Hunni's insurance will cover some of the costs for me getting better, and I'll cover all the costs for the Mule.

It's weird how similar some things can be, and how unsimilar, too.

The FogWalker goes out to shake some groginess....

I left on the 19th to set up my camp for this past week.  After a couple hours of driving, and another couple of hours of getting a truck unstuck from the mud, I got to set up.  Two more hours of set up and it started to rain.  Then came the hail.  And you guessed it, then came the snow.  But I was in my tent by then and it was okay!

It snowed through the night.  I woke up once hearing a couple of coyotes trying to find each other.  The larger tent made it really nice to move around; plenty of room for standing, walking, and staying cooler than the smaller tent.  Even with my high setting on my Buddy heater, I could still see my breath at all times.  It wasn't unbearably cold, or else I would have stayed in my sleeping bag that's rated to 0°F.  I guess to some, you really got to like being out to do that, and I'm one of those that really like it!

No Pics

I took my digital camcorder and my digital camera.  However, it was so wet on Monday and Tuesday that I didn't even take them out.  I saw lots of wildlife since they don't have a house to stay in when it's bad weather.  Yeah, the squirrels may stay in, but I still saw a few of them along with the other animals.  I did get some pics of my tent when I was breaking down to come home on Thursday.  We were going to come home on Friday, but the forecast said it was going to be in the mid 60sF and that's just a little too warm to leave the still clothed deer hanging.

Pulling the trigger is just the start...

You may think that pulling the trigger is all there is to the hunt.  Pulling the trigger is just the start when it comes to large animals, probably for any game.  Then there's the field dressing, the dragging to the camp, then the finished field dressing, hanging, checking in, then taking home and processing.

My brother's buck dropped off the bank it was standing on into a hollow that was about 100' deep.  That would have been okay if the sides had not been almost straight up and down.  With all the wet weather, we could slide to the bottom but couldn't get back up out of it, especially when trying to drag his buck.  He called on the radio and I came to help, bring my rope, which we proceeded to use to bring the deer out.  I tied the rope to a tree so he could get himself up to me (after tieing it to the deer, of course).  Then it was a two man hand-over-hand and around the tree to get it even with us.  We did this about 5 or 6 times and got it where we could drag it to an old logging road.  Then it was time for my Mule to pull it to where we could load it.

At least my deer dropped within 30 yards of a trail and there wasn't much dragging; I did all that by myself.

Processing

My uncle was a butcher before he passed away several years ago, and my brother and I bought all his work shop.  I had worked for him and another butcher that is a close friend for several years, so I've learned a trade that is helpful when it comes to processing the deer.  I've also learned that processing beef is very different than processing deer.  We used to knuckle off the hides (better money when selling them), but we now have a pulley system that we designed to do all the knuckle work.  It does as well as the old way, but even if it didn't, there's not much money in the hides now and we usually give them away.

Dad, my Brother, and I all have our separate parts that we do when we process.  After skinning and quartering, John or I will run the bandsaw.  Then we both will fillet the meat (we leave very little bones in the cuts).  I specialize on the backstraps/tenderloin while John specializes on the legs.  I also run the grinder for burger.  Dad's speciality is the sorting, wrapping, and marking.  This year I had bought a FoodSaver vacuum packer and my oldest son and Dad vacuum packed all the meat.  That not only makes it easier to stack in the freezer, but it will keep it longer and makes it look nicer.

With all the deer we did, it was pretty much an all day job considering that we had a couple of noobs to help, and considering the cleanup at the end.  The meat bandsaw takes about an hour to clean up, the grinder about 1/2 hour to an hour, and the floor, tables, pans, etc. take another hour.  We each do our own certain jobs, like me with the bandsaw and grinder, and my brother with the rest.  He supervises the last part since this is his area and it needs to be spotless of meat that would otherwise become rancid if not cleaned up.

Maybe that's a little more detail than most wanted, but I can definitely give more detail on field dressing and processing that would help the deer huner to save more meat and get better tasting meat.

My Mule

We noticed Thursday that my Mule was making a clicking sound in the rear driver side wheel.  It's probably a CV joint getting ready to go out.  Also, a rocker arm is jumping off way to often and I need two new, heavier springs to fix that.  So, Saturday I took it to the local Kawasaki dealer that I know and put the ol' Mule in the shop.  It's time for a general checkup and fix the little problems.  I'm thinking of getting some more aggressive tires than the knobbies that I have on it, too.  But we'll have to see how much the rest is going to cost me.

I WAS Well

Seems like Friday I picked up something, maybe the cold or flu, from my oldest son.  Saturday night I was well, but got really sick Sunday.  Today is worse.  The nice thing is that I have two doctor appointments today.  One for my health check up and the other about the ulnar nerver "thing".  However, even with that, I'm surviving.

The FogWalker starts to get ready for the appointments....he's sick....and hurting....

Just for a week.  I hope that didn't get anyone excited like "He's not coming back, yeah!"  I'm leaving early in the morning and spending a week out in the woods.  I'll be hunting, picture taking, camping, the whole nine yards.  No electric where I'm going.  I've got good gear for the days, and good gear for the nights.  So, I'm ready for about any weather as long as it doesn't beat me up with the barometric pressure.  If it does, then I'll spend a little more time in the tent.  I've also heard that we're supposed to get some snow on Monday, which I really like.  I especially like it better than rain!

Shooting

I love shooting firearms and today we spent several hours just making sure everything was sighted in correctly.  Today was fun just punching holes in paper targets.  Nine and ten ring stuff for us!  My Dad, brother, and I have fun and a are a little competitive when it comes to punching those holes.  It was a nice day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

To those that celebrate it, I hope you have a great Thanksgiving.  You can think of me while you're eating those nice meals and I'm enjoying my MREs.

The FogWalker goes to finish packing....

Has it been a week?  Wow!  I think I time-warped a few days, but I've also been out in the woods a couple more days.  I really enjoy being able to be out.  I don't enjoy those days when the migraines really kick my butt.

Vacation Is Coming

I'll be leaving Saturday or Sunday to go back over to my camping spot.  Time to set up the tent and spend a week there hunting and just enjoying being out.  The weather might not want to cooperate with being dry, but even wet, if the barometric pressure stays low, then I'll feel better.  Feeling better with the migraine being lower equates to good days, regardless of wet or dry, sunny or overcast.  Generally speaking, the low barometric pressure days (rainy and overcast) are my best days!  Go figure!

The FogWalker goes for breakfast....then to read some blogs....then, who knows...

I remembered to type that after visiting Moniet's site.  She has a nice tribute graphic there.  And the veterans have my thanks and well earned gratitude.  My three favorite vets are my Dad, my brother, and my youngest son.  I'm glad they chose to serve!

No Sleep

I didn't get much sleep, the restless leg syndrome kicking it, but I was still up and about at 3:30am.  The truck was already loaded except for putting my bow and my food.  Ten minutes later I was on my way to pick up my Dad and his four-wheeler (Prairie)  Yes, Dad is 86 years old, has a four-wheeler and still bow hunting (rifle hunting in a couple of weeks).  Two hours later, we're in the woods hunting.

Dad hunted a thicket where 2 paths intersect.  The bad part of hunting there is that the area is so restrictive.  The good part of hunting there is that the area is so restrictive.  The bad part this day was that only birds and squirrels frequented it.

I hunted the area around the thicket hoping that any deer that saw me might want to visit the thicket.  Of the deer that I saw that day, only one saw me and she still decided to walk past me and away from the thicket.

I watched one vigilant doe that morning come walking up out of the thicket towards me.  She had used another trail than the main one.  She browsed towards me for about 40 minutes.  She was doing alot of watching, seemingly more precautious than normal, but I never saw another deer or coyote when she was around.  After she walked/browsed past me, she headed for the trail that I walked in on.  She got to where I had walked, nose went down to the ground, then up in the air with a loud snort.  She looked and looked but never spotted my 20 yards away in my ghillie suit.  After a few minutes of carefully screening the area, she decided she was safe and went back to her browsing.  She moved to the trail which would lead to my Dad.  However, as deer are apt to do, she took some side trail somewhere and never went past Dad.

The day was so warm, that if I had parked myself somewhere, I'd probably still be there sleeping.  Oh it felt good out there!

Breaking Bread

I moved out of that area to some open woods and found a nice spot to sit on a log.  When I move, I'm an extremely slow still hunter.  So, I get to see alot of animals.  Besides all the squirrels and chipmunks, I also got to see a couple of grouse walking on the ground, and a glimpse of a coyote that was also doing some hunting.  I was taking a pre-lunch break on that log and was munching on some trail mix, all the time watching the animals.  I was sitting on a "cutting" log where some of the squacks go for their lunch.  And here come a rather large grey one with a double hanging acorn in his teeth.  He jumped up on the log, came over about 2 feet away, and started enjoying his lunch.  I really love watching the wildlife.  I started to ask him how they were, but I figured that it might startled him and I didn't want to make him choke.  He must have read my intentions because he turned his back on my so I couldn't see him eating.  It was nice to have some company.

I had paid so much attention to him that when I saw the next two does, they were only about 40 yards from me.  Wow!  They got close fast.  They weren't as slow as the first one and were gone in about 15 minutes.  One big momma doe and her little puppy looking offspring.  No antles, so I wasn't interested.

After they left, the squirrel went for more nuts and I left to go get Dad and have some lunch.

Parking Four-Wheelers

Dad and I finished up our lunches and I decided to check out the trail leading to a low gap where I've had lots of success hunting.  I hadn't been out there the last two seasons due to the long walk, and I asked Dad to take his four-wheeler.  He let me, so I was off.  That Prairie will really go.  It's four wheel drive, and has the quad track where all the wheels lock in, has a high lift, and it will just plain go anywhere.

I rode up the old trail having to traverse fallen trees, logs, large banks and cuts and drove it out to a very close area to the low gap.  I was satisfied that I could get out there close enough for this ol' man to walk and hunt and I headed back to tell Dad.  On the way back, there was an angled bank that I had come down that I needed to now go up.  Going up is a little different than going down.  Hmm...  I started up really slow and was doing nicely.  At one little cut in the bank, the tires cut a little much to the left and the front left tire bumped a 4" diameter pine tree.  Well, the four-wheeler wanted to climb the tree like a squirrel, but the nut on the back didn't.  As the principles of physics would have it, the center of gravity changed and so did the relative positioning of the four-wheeler.

The Prairie came to rest comfortably on it's left side with only the left two tires, and the front right handlebar touching the ground.  I came to rest rather uncomfortably on my back a few feet away.  Once I could breath again, I tried to upright the Prairie.  No good on that one!

A Leisurely Walk

So now I'm walking back to the truck.  Dad sees me walking and thinks that four-wheeler has run out of gas.  I told him that it had plenty of gas, but I parked it in a "bad" way.  I got a comealong, 5' chain, and a rope strap out of the truck and started the now not so leisurely walk back up the hill for 200 yards.  Needless to say, I got the four-wheeler back on it's "feet" and rode back to the truck.  Amazing info: That think didn't drip on drop of gas or oil or other fluids!  I did bend a mud flap strap and the right break lever, and put a big stratch in the plastic/rubber fender.  Dad was cool about it and I'm glad since that thing looks brand new!

Exploration Over....Back to the Hunt

Dad went back to his intersection.  That day just didn't see them traveling.  The next movement that I saw out of deer was around 4:30pm.  I don't know, but maybe they were laying around during the day to get some extra ZZZZZs.  I watched 2 does until 5:30pm.  They kept looking back into some shadows where I couldn't see because of dusk.  I could hear the 3rd deer moving around, but could never pick him/her out.  That was probably the him that I really wanted to see, but one will never know!

Back Home...Man, I'm Sore!

After a day and a half, we've had no success if that's measured by the amount of deer brought home.  However, we measure success by having a good time together and out in the wild and wonderful fields and streams of almost heaven West Virginia!  And I also measured success on Friday by not be squashed by a 650+ pound four-wheeler.  My back is a little sore, maybe from my swan dive in the woods, and the shoulders and aching.  But the days with Dad are good!  Another week and we'll be going over for a week to stay, me in my tent, and Dad and my Brother in their camper.

The barometric pressure is now changing; more rain coming.  And it's starting to beat me up with a severe migraine.

The FogWalker had two pretty good days...but now will seek oblivion....sleep is much needed...

I took that test yesterday (and posted it) and I think there was alot of thought behind that one.  So many of the little tests are fun, but just lack something. 

In a past life (it just seems that way since it was so long ago), I did alot of training.  I was training others on some computer systems.  I did alot of traveling and spent alot of time away from home.  I've been in about every east coast state from Maine to Florida and from Minnesota down to Texas.  I didn't get to spend much time in the West, but did get some time in Colorado and Wyoming (I loved it in Wyoming). 

Anyway, with all that traveling, people would try to guess where I was from.  Most of them said the southern states.  I didn't think that my accent was that bad, if that's really bad.  The closest anyone ever got was Virginia.  When I told them West Virginia, it was like, "Western Virginia?"  Geemyknee!  I want all Stonewall Jackson on 'em and said, "That's West by God Virginia!"  I was really surprised by some Americans of their lack of knowledge of the states.  But sometimes that was fun.

If I had been a single man on those trips, I might have had several dates.  I think some of the ladies liked the southern accent and the gentlemanly-like actions (like opening doors and saying "yes ma'am" and such.  Or maybe they felt they would be "safe" with someone like that.  I know, it was my "rugged" good looks.  LoL!  But anyway, I wasn't single and I wasn't looking for trouble ('cause my Hunni sure would have given me trouble when I got back home - you know she's broken my nose, split my lip and broken several of my fingers!).

Rugged good lucks, hehe, that's my way of putting that my looks have been known to make women go into menopause early and has stunted the growth of children.  LoL!

Edit: It took some searching, but I stole this from Cliopatra!  The test in the post before this one, I mean!

Archery

I still like the archery and the bow hunting.  And ElevenStones made me thing about the shoulder problems.  With the shoulder problems I'm having, it hasn't affected the shooting too much.  The position of holding the bow doesn't aggrevate my shoulder as long as I don't shoot alot in one day.  With the hunting, I might not shoot for lots of days.  Matter of fact, I haven't shot my bow hunting this season, only shot it keeping in practice and that may be 6 to 10 shots in a day.

The numbness in my fingers causes me not to grip my bow, but I don't grip my bow when shooting.  If you're an archer, you probably don't grip your bow either since that can cause misalignment and bad groups.  For carrying my bow around, I have a little sling that the string fits in to hang it around my shoulders.  Neat, huh!

That means that I want to stay away from any surgery until after the frist of next year....so I can get the rest of deer season in.  I'd like to harvest a big racked buck, but I haven't seen any so far this year.  I've seen plenty of does, spikes, and a little basket buck.  I know, "you can't eat the antlers" but I have a few wall hangers and it seems harder to find those, so I'm raising the difficulty level.  And as I told one person, "antlers give you the big glory...more bragging rights!"   Of course, in my opinion, anyone that gets a deer with a bow and arrow has already beat the odds.  I think in this state last year, it was estimated that 1 out of every 25 bowhunters got a deer.  That's 24 that never brought one home!

It's raining now, but this Friday and Saturday are supposed to be really nice, and have some unseasonably high temps.  So I'll head back out to the woods this weekend and see what I can see.  Those warm days make it easy to fall asleep in the tree stand (I always have on a safety harness and have never slipped).

The FogWalker gets ready for breakfast....the good cooks are here today....ummm.....

My PCP is sending me to the orthopedic surgeon, which happens to be the one that has worked on my alot...and I mean alot!  The two finger problem (pinky and ring finger) is generally due to the ulnar nerve being pinched much like the nerve in the carpal tunnel.  He thinks that I may require surgery to remedy that. 

The shoulder is tendonitis and some arthritis.  Joy!  I got some high powered Motrin for that and he thinks it will be okay.  But, I'll mention to the surgeon while I'm there.  Which brings up something....

While I was getting the appointment, I told the receptionist that I needed to see the doc for a couple of things, my shoulder and my fingers.  She asked me which one, because he can't see me for both.  It seems that the insurance company won't pay for the doctor using one appointment to see two problems.  Now that really makes sense, especially since the insurance company says they want to save money...so they make me go twice?  Geemyknee, how asinine.

I guess I'll have to nonchalantly mention that my right index finger is going numb and getting cold in my "other" appointment.

I also found out that I have a little bit of a sinus infection and bronchitis while I was there.  I'm falling apart!

Vote Day

I ran over to the school and voted this morning.  They asked me if I wanted the paper ballot or to use the new fangled computer machine.  I saw that there were 3 people waiting to use the single computer while there was only 1 person in the row of 5 booths doing the manual voting.  Guess which one I chose!  I was out of that place in 5 minutes.  Ah, the pause that refreshes.

I was asked to fill out a survey when leaving about the polls and stuff.  That took another minute and it was time to go back home!

Fun In Bed?

The extended family, if they are not already in the bed, start getting in the bed around 7:30am every morning.  That's the time that yours truly gets up and fixes breakfast for everyone.  Monie come in this morning and yowled around wanting breakfast.  He usually lays down beside my head and just watches me.  This morning, he put his big Maine Coon paws on my face.  That was okay, too.  What wasn't okay is that he decided to stretch out those big Maine Coon claws and he hooked me right on the nose.  Then I yowled and he moved away.  I put my head under the covers.  Then I felt movement on my nose, right before the trickle of blood dripped onto my hand.   Nope, this wasn't time for fun in bed.

So what did you think I was going to talk about with that subtitle?

The FogWalker goes for a short break....the barometric pressure drop has fired up a nice migraine....

If you missed the recipe, go down a couple of posts and get it.  I just ate the last no bake cookie in this house.  I need more cookies!!!  Those are delicious.

Falling Apart

Yesterday, I woke up with the pinky and ring finger on my left hand being numb...again.  However, this time my hand and wrist started swelling and the pain was immense.  I couldn't rotate or move my wrist, nor my fingers, and it also hurt in my elbow and shoulder.  Yes, I do believe it's the ulnar nerve problem.  Fun, fun!  Maybe I can go back to my orthopedic surgeon for some more fixing.  He's put more scars on my than a terrorist with an automatic weapon could...and I've paid him for them!

I've also had some problems with my left shoulder.  It's not rotation problems, but sharp pains when I get it in various positions.  Oh boy.

I have a doctor appointment tomorrow with my PCP, so I'll not being going to the ER.  I don't know what the ER would have done anyway except get me an appointment with my doctor and waste alot of my time.  And today, the swelling is down, but the pain is still there.

Oblivion

The sweet peace that comes with no pain during sleep, that's oblivion.  Yes, my body may have pain while I'm asleep, but my consciousness doesn't beat me up with it.....in essence, no pain while asleep.  Proof?  They put you to sleep to operate on you.  Why?  Because you don't feel pain in oblivion!  Okay, no conscious pain.

The FogWalker needs some more relief....but probably not in oblivion...

I continue to take a beating from the barometric pressure.  I can not put reigns on it, nor keep it balanced, and it continues to rollercoaster.  The pressure is rising above and beyond right now, and my head will soon explode.  Scanners.

The FogWalker searches for oblivion...but it's not to be found today...not without help....