There are three holidays in November. Three days where schools are canceled, people take off, and families get together. Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, and opening day of deer season. I have participated in two out of three of the events, playing a trumpet in the Veteran's Day parade and assiting in the preparation of a Thanksgiving meal but never have I been a part of deer season. This year was to be different, I had everything ready to go but a flu bug took me out of play, so once again I enjoyed the day from the bench. My brother-in-law was able to head out to the woods for the day and met with success.

Mark is the consummate outdoorsman. Weeks before opening season he can be found on the mountain checking out the deer stands, redding up the cabin, retrieving his camera and preparing his gear. Mark usually knows where the deer have been and can make a good guess as to where they will be on that first Monday after Thanksgiving. I believe Mark enjoys the whole ritual of preparing for deer season. So it is little doubt that Mark would not get his deer this year.

On Sunday night about 9pm Mark and his father Stan jumped into the truck and headed for their mountain ground. At the cabin Mark's Uncle Richard awaited their arrival. Richard had been on the mountain since Saturday and no doubt had the cabin ready for the guys. With nothing much to do on a chilly evening on the mountain they settled in for some rest and perhaps a dream about the big one.

Mark tells me they got up early, had a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon and headed out to their tree stand at 6:45am. After Mark settled into the stand he was able to spy an eight point buck making its way through the woods. Seeing that it was a small eight point and knowing that there was plenty of hunting season left he decided to let this fella go for this year. When all of a sudden another buck, hidden in some laurel caught Mark's eye. He looked and thought no, too small but after another glance was happy to see this was a big buck, a big ten point buck. Now, in 2005 Mark had found some antlers shed by a big buck that season and when he saw this buck he thought perhaps they were the same. With no wasted movement Mark took aim on the deer and was able to take him quickly with a shot to the lungs.

At 7:20am, barely enough time to warm his spot in the tree stand, Mark had taken his buck on opening day. The buck was a ten point with an 18.5 inch spread. Definitely a good looking buck for this neck of the woods. Mark was a little disappointed to have gotten him so early but will enjoy the jerky and hamburger that will come from this year's kill. So what will Mark do on Tuesday? No doubt he will be back in the woods helping his Father and Uncle take their buck. Oh and you can be sure he is taking the head and antlers to a person who will make a nice trophy mount for the wall. Congratulations Mark!