birthday ramble

[George]

For the last 5 years I've given myself a present for my birthday, a day in the woods hunting/trekking in period garb. Because deer season extends past my birthday, and hunter orange is required if you are in the field with a gun for any reason during that season, I delay my trip until it is finished. Today was the day. I dawdled into the woods mid-morning and just sauntered around, trying to kick up a cottontail or spot a squirrel. No luck with that today, had to fall back on my favorite part of these days, roasting lunch on a stick. It was very windy, and I hate to cook in the wind, so I found a deep stream bed and got out of it. The roast chicken laced with cayenne and a hot cup of boiled coffee made me forget about the lack of game. Sandhill cranes by the hundreds milled far overhead all afternoon, headed south, sending their beautiful trilling cry down to my woods, and I couldn't have wished for better company. I had a grand birthday celebration just soaking it all in, taking some pictures, doing a little shooting just for the fun of it, for the smell of it. This is the sort of thing which could put the psychiatrists out of business..
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/occasional/trek5.jpg
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/occasional/trek1.jpg
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/occasional/trek2.jpg
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/occasional/trek3.jpg
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/occasional/trek4.jpg
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/occasional/trek7.jpg
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/occasional/trek6.jpg

 

[Trench]

Great way to treat yourself on your birthday. :v

 

[chance]

Great Pics!!

 

[Robby]

Spence, what a great day. Thanks for the pictures!
Robby

 

[shootemup]

This is the sort of thing which could put the psychiatrists out of business..

Absolutely. Great day in the field, thanks for sharing it with us.

:hatsoff:
Spot

 

[Britsmoothy]

Fantastic, I know just what that day meant to you :hatsoff:


Brits.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Thanks, Spence! Too cold to do that here. It's noon and 37 degrees. Nice outfit!!

 

[Randal Zartman]

Spence thanks for sharing your birthday. I get to busy trying to shoot a deer in late ML season, maybe I need to slow down a little more when I am enjoying the peace of being in the woods. Thanks again that is what ML is all about.

 

[Skychief]

Happy Birthday Spence! :applause:

 

[hawk]

Happy Birthday Spence,a great day afield :hatsoff:

 

[jrmflintlock]

Happy Birthday!! Great Pictures !! Hope you don't mind but I think I will make that my tradition too starting this year!! :wink:

 

[George]

Hope you don't mind but I think I will make that my tradition too starting this year!!

I not only don't mind, I recommend it.

It has grown for me to the point I like my rambles about as much as my hunts. A couple of pictures from other years:
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/occasional/outfitfront2.jpg
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/occasional/rabbit_06E.jpg
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/occasional/Trek75Y.jpg
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/blanket3a.jpg
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/lunch9.jpg
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20/Spence_2010/trekker3.jpg

Spence

 

[Stumpkiller]

Nice! I use to make it a point to have one "meal hunt" that usually was a spit roasted squirrel and cup of hot tea. I should continue that tradition.

Thanks for the images and Happy Birthday!

 

[Nifeman]

Spence, been on the forum for years and I think this is the most profound post I have seen. Everyone should experience this at least once in their lifetime. Great pics and thanks for posting the thread :hatsoff: :hatsoff: :hatsoff: ...Bud

 

[wattlebuster]

Happy Birthday great pics an that chicken sure did look tasty :thumbsup:

 

[ny griz]

:hatsoff: :applause: Happy Birth day Spence.Raining and windy as hell here in W.P N.Y.But this just made my day.(Hate cabin fever)I have a BD this month,weather permiting i might have a go at it.Chicken looks just the way i like it.Great pics.Take care,Griz. :hatsoff:to ya.

 

[KyFlintlock]

Good to see you post! Congrats!
Wess

 

[Greenmtnboy]

hey buddy my photobucket just updated and threw me for a loop as well :bull: :cursing:
click on the pic then scroll down and click on the bottom tab and it will copy your pic for full viewing.
:hatsoff:

 

[longcruise]

Those are great pics Bob. And "happy birthday".

I admire you guys with the period outfits. Mine amounts to little. A bag, horn and a few handmade doodads.

Ever meet up with any tourist types while out there. Bet that would make their day!

 

[George]

Ever meet up with any tourist types while out there. Bet that would make their day!

The most usual response to me when I stop for gas, snacks, etc, is to studiously ignore the fact that I look like a fugitive from the American revolution. You can tell they are paying close attention and that they are very curious, but they try hard not to let you know it. I've been doing this for about 20 years, and I've never had a single person ask me what I'm up to.

Took me quite a while to be comfortable in public, I must admit, but I don't think much about it any more.

Spence