Surprise trophy for rookie hunter

My first day as a bowhunter was better than I ever expected. I did not shoot a 20-point buck or slay a huge gobbler, but I got something even better.

Archery season opened Sept. 15.

My alarm went off at 4 a.m., and a little after 5 a.m., Cal and I were walking through the woods on my grandfather’s land outside La Monte.

The rain made the creek rise a little, and I soon learned that my waterproof boots were not.

With wet feet and only a small flashlight with which to navigate, we made our way to the tree stand.

My senses were at their peak. I could hear the sounds of water flowing, squirrels playing and branches breaking.

Soon after sunrise, I heard a loud noise in the trees. I lifted my bow to prepare for a giant buck to walk under us, but it wasn’t a deer.

A turkey had left its nest in the tree tops, and Cal did everything he could to bring him closer to me, but the tom’s gobbles slowly became harder and harder to hear.

A few hours passed, and still nothing. I was ready to go try another spot.

Cal and I began to climb down the tree when he stopped and raised a small box in the air and asked me to marry him. I said yes. That was better than any kill.

We left the tree stand, so I could go show everyone my trophy for the day, my diamond ring.

As we were leaving, we looked in the pasture, and saw six turkeys strutting their stuff. We waited with bows in hand, but they got scared and took off.

While I went back to town to show everyone my new bling, Cal continued to hunt.

Just when I thought the day couldn’t get any better, he called and said he just got a turkey.

I was in a great mood and my competitive side sparked up with that phone call. I wanted to get something so bad.

At 5 p.m., we went out again, and this time we saw a doe. She was standing in the bean field about 100 yards from us. Cal assured me she would walk by us soon.

I tried to stay focused, but my eyelids were too heavy. After an hour of watching the doe and her two fawns eat, we decided to do a push, which didn’t work.

By 7 p.m., I was ready to go to bed,  we began leaving and we noticed the same doe. She wasn’t in bow range so I decided to take matters into my own hands and go to her. I crawled through the field and was still a little too far. She got spooked and the hunt was over.

Archery season runs through Nov. 14 and starts again Nov. 26 through Jan. 15.

I couldn’t be happier with my first bow hunting experience, and I still have four months left to get a big one.