Unexpected Turn of Events

I always try to get together with my high school friend, Rachel, when I'm in Wichita.  It doesn't always work due to schedules, Rachel is a physicians assistant and works a lot of hours. But: This time it worked out!  We enjoyed catching up, we have the kind of friendship that picks up right where we left off as if we saw each other every week. 

Then there was an unexpected turn of events.  I ended up out on the windy Kansas Prairie with Derek that afternoon.  

He had actually gone out alone early that morning (his hunting partner/camera operator wasn't available that day).  But after he'd driven the one hour out to the hunting site, he realized he'd loaded all his gear but left his bow in my parent's garage. 😞  So he came back and caught a quick snooze while we visited with Rachel, then we left the kids with my Mom and headed out together...since Derek needed a camera operator.  It seems easy to me to forget something when you carry a whole carload of gear on your person when hiking out to the stand.  Whew!

We made it though and Derek went up the tree first.

He has a rope system to pull one piece of gear at a time up into the stand. Then he had to get me up there too!  He might have had to push a little from behind! Ha.  

We were harnessed in and got seated, me behind the camera.  Yikes! 

Derek gave me some instruction and pointers.  Then we waited.  It didn't take long at all before a little buck came walking through.  He was small and never gave Derek a shot, since he cut though the trees behind us.  We saw another buck that was barely big enough, but again, never gave a good shot. Then we saw a doe that Derek would have taken (to give me the full hunting experience 😊) but when he asked into his mic if I had her in frame, he couldn't hear me respond yes, then she ran away before he could shoot. Oops.  We did see her come back toward us when a little spike buck chased her around for a few minutes.  It was such a fun experience, with the perfect weather conditions and lots of activity... mostly squirrels!  I have long term plans that include getting my own bow!! 

We went back empty handed just in time to find G'ma and Grandboys playing a game of Monopoly Empire.  Ethan's Thanksgiving break started that night and he was sleeping over!