"Buck Fever"
Author: Linda K. Birch, Copyright December 2009

Yeow! The needle jabbed into my left gluteal cheek and the sting fanned out like scalding hot coffee feels going down your gullet too fast. I seem to be a regular at the Mille Lacs Health Clinic in Isle each year - from cracking my ribs when hitting a deer with my truck, to tick fever from a deer tick in my armpit, to breaking my arm roller blading to lacerating my shins on my trailer hitch. In this case, I had gored my leg with the antler tine of a buck and was getting a tetanus shot as partial remedy. The balance of the remedy was taking horse sized pills for a couple weeks that promised a variety of side effects most which of course I experienced in full splendor. What I do for the love of the wild outdoors defies logic - and this was one kind of buck fever I had never had before. But buck fever comes in many shapes and sizes.

So, let me tell you about Nate. Nate is the longtime buddy and groomsman of my son Matt who has joined us for deer rifle season five years running after taking my Firearm Safety class. Nate has seen white tails, usually running away from him, nearly every time he's been on stand and every year he has hunted with us. He has yet to harvest a deer, but he has come very close to murdering a squirrel or two.

Nate came back from his first deer opener with some interesting comments. "So how do you hold still with your legs dangling from a tree stand when you shoulder your gun to take a shot, so you don't get busted by the deer?"

Legs dangling?

Nate had climbed up the tree and into a hang-on stand in pitch dark and being inexperienced with tree stands, did not realize that the stand seat actually flipped-up and out of the way. Hence he sat on the platform with his legs dangling. Wearing his safety strap that morning was a trick too. The deer he saw zeroed on him and his dangling appendages before he could put the crosshairs on them and bolted into the next zip code before his could get his check on the gun butt. We spent some time later at camp going over tree stands.

The next day, Nate said he was walking out in the dark after the evening hunt, and he freaked out because he thought a wild animal was following him out of the woods. The animal - was his safety harness dragging behind him in the leaves. He had removed to strap from the tree instead of from his body as he readied to exit the stand.

That evening, the always considerate Nate was gathering wood to bring in for our evening fire. Suddenly, he was rapping loudly on the front cabin window from outside, waving his flashlight wildly. He was motioning frantically for me to come outside and I, thinking a bear might be in camp, came rushing to inspect. He excitedly exclaimed "Look !! there is a big buck across the turnaround just standing there at the edge of the woods! Dubious, I used my own flashlight and checked out the "siting". In the light beam was our 3D life size eight point buck archery target. We spent time with Nate later that evening explaining how a big buck would not be in camp, would not stand still at close range in the beams of two flickering flashlights held by two flailing humans.

So ya, Nate has had some good buck fever adrenaline over the years.

Before I continue, I need to say that Nate is always the first to laugh at himself and his many foibles over the years. He never has a bad attitude and hits the woods with a positive excitement for every hunt. He is the quintessential good sport and as such, is a joy to have around. He is funny and smart and pulls his own weight. He comes prepared with gear and weapons and eagerly listens to all the advice given. He is not afraid to ask for advice either. We have always tried to put him on the primo deer stands because we all really want Nate to get a deer. He has had many opportunities where he has gone to take a shot and gotten busted at the last minute. I must say, if I had hunted as hard and long as Nate has, and come up as empty handed, I might have given up the sport long ago. But this guy just won't give up. I admire that.

However, this year was more difficult for all of us at deer camp. Opening morning, the big buck I saw early season came to the area where we had Nate in a stand, but the opportunity for a humane shot did not present itself. To his credit, he passed on the shot. That morning too, my daughter in law shot her first deer and it was her first time in a tree stand. She came back to camp on cloud 9. Nate was supportive and excited for her success, but I could see that puppy dog look in his eyes. We girls call it "always the bridesmaid and never the bride". I was about ready to don a deer costume and a bullet proof vest and let him take a shot at me at this point. Nate didn't get to hunt third weekend due to the death of my father and the ensuing details, but I know Nate's time will come because he's not a quitter and he has the patience of Job. Probably Nate's biggest challenge is figuring out when to move and when not to move when deer are present, and how to get the gun in position to take a shot without getting busted. His time will come. After all, he is hooked on buck fever.

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