Opening day dawned cloudy gray at 26 degrees with a skiff of snow on the ground and a breath of wind from the Southwest. 10 am saw cloudy bright and by 11 the sun came out but the wind had freshened from the North and kept the temperature just above freezing. A doe going full tilt snuck up on JC in the middle of Aldertons field and almost kissed him. The shooting gallery opened up but she is still running. We hunted hard with deer seen on every drive but nothing in the truck. By 2:30 the wind was gusting to 8-10. Given that the card game the night before had broken up at 4 am with Travis down $21 and Mikey Egan crying in his beer about women, we headed for the shack and hooked up the satellite dish. Manley had worked all day Thursday and Friday and the place was spotless so there was nothing to do but play cards. Travis crashed and didn't get up until after 10. Temke and JC et al never showed up but were excused because they found their own show at the tavern. "Bigger than ........" was the catch phrase the next morning. (as big as lug nuts on a school bus??) Jeff showed up about 8pm and just sat there reading National Geographic until the Poker game started. Left over from last year, the Dr. came out with the poker cards. Scott was the big winner with his "FIFFFFFty cents". The game broke up around 3 with some animosities...

Opening Crew

FIFFFFFFFFty cents

Day 2 was cloudy bright but the 27 degree temp was belied by the below zero wind chill. Leon showed up just as we we were leaving for the first drive but couldn't be tempted to join us. Jimmy, Shawn, and Nick missed the end of the standers and almost went to G from the 62 Creek road. Mike Egan and JC had to go back early but the rest hunted hard until the Packer game started at Barb's at 3. Just as well as Kenny was out of shells after 3 shots at a big deer on the CCC drive. Kind of frustrating to hunt that hard both days and not even draw blood.

Waiting for the lost souls

Still waiting

11 degrees at sunrise on day 3 and it might just as well been zero for all the deer seen. Leon was drafted for a couple of drives and Uncle Ralph showed up too. The crew was short and the wind was up so the card game started early. By the way, according to Hoyle, the Knight can move up two and over one or up one and over two.

The fire wood ran out which made for a chilly wake up. Day 4 was a sick day for most of the crew, especially Fuzzy Alderton who had to clear his mind (sic) before he could go home. (and he claimed it was only a glass of water) Scott finally got some camp meat towards the end of the day so all was not lost. There was free beer all around at the Red Arrow thanks to Scott and the debate about weather or not it was Watermelon flavor.

Day 5 saw more cold weather and wind but no snow. Rex and Manley both scored. Manley says he shot the doe because it was bigger than the buck that was with it. un-hun. It was Manley's first deer in many, many years and Charlie gutted it for him and then used his doe tag. The Buck Pole took a puff this summer so it is just as well there aren't any horns to hang on it.

Turkey Day(!!!) started at 23 degrees and warmed to 38 by 8pm. Scott's french toast recipe was a hit but I still don't think it should have sugar in it. More hard hunting and still nothing in the pot. Everybody had some fine food and the card game went to 3 again. JC was being a good Samaritan and ended up at Michigan Creek. Go figure!!

The temperature held till morning and day 7 warmed to 48 by noon. The wind was up and gusting 15-18 mph which made for lots of noise in the woods. With that much wind the deer were holding tight and you had to almost step on them to get them to move. When they did jump is was hell bent for leather but not very far and you had to kick them again. The standers didn't stand a chance when the deer exploded right in front of the drivers. Of the 5 deer seen, 4 would have fit in a lunch box. The clouds moved in about 3 and the temperature plummeted making the wind chill miserable. Jack and Mark and Scott were standing around on old 8 after the last drive and a deer snorted right behind them heading back into the drive. Such a deal. After a great supper of Lasagna, the cards came out again. It started to snow a dusting about midnight and Mike and Jim came too just in time to head to town with some of the crew. They met up with JC et al and did it right. The quote of the evening was from Jim- "Look at THAT guy...... HEY, that's Charlie!!" Jim never did make it back to the shack, but Mike did which was amazing seeing as he was only seeing half as well as normal.

Day 8 and the wind was howling and 11 degrees. It was decided to break camp so some of the crew pulled out early leaving the rest sleeping with hardly anything to eat. Temke forgot the face wipes but, Oh well... The trucks were loaded up and the shack was cleaned but it was early yet so once again the cards came out. (We couldn't just haul all that beer home.) It started to snow again about noon and this time left about an inch. Garret swamped the Nissan at the entrance to the shack road and was almost a popsicle by the time he had walked to the shack. The temperature dropped some more and the stove couldn't keep up with the wind so the last of the crew pulled out.

2002 was by far our worst year and the blame can only be the windy weather. We played hard but we also hunted hard. The lack of bucks on the pole didn't diminish the expenditure of testosterone or the satisfaction of the blood lust and truly, a good time was had by all! See you next year.

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