Saturday in the woods

I went out to the lease this morning for the opening of the deer season. Maybe I should qualify that statement.

The deer season actually opened in early October, for archery. It opened this morning for primitive weapons, and it opens next Saturday for the regular rifle season. This year, Louisiana has a really weird primitive weapons season. Basically, you can hunt with any single shot, breech loading rifle with an exposed hammer, as long as the design was standarized before 1900 and the rifle has a caliber larger than .38. The complete listing of the rifles approved for use is in a .pdf file here. So, that leads us to the bizarre experience of being in the woods for the primitive weapons season, with a .45-70 handi-rifle.

I remember when we had a true muzzleloading season where the firearm had to be a muzzle loading rifle with an exposed hammer that loaded with black powder or a substitute. No in-lines allowed. No scopes allowed. Those seasons sold lots of Hawken rifles. Then in-lines were allowed and those seasons sold lots of in-line rifles. In the past several months, lots of Handi-rifles were sold in Louisiana.

I didn't see anything this morning, but I really didn't expect to see anything. I took two grandsons, ages 6 and 11. We were putting around on the Mule, , filling feeders and checking stands. The kids played in a dry creek bottom while I worked and the cries of young voices, "PawPaw, come look!" weren't conducive to good hunting.

At any rate, we had fun. We did a picnic, explored a creek, scared all the game in the woods, and made it home safe and sound. Tonight, I have to work a high-school homecoming dance, so I'll need a nap before long.

Next weekend I'm not taking any kids into the woods. Their momma's will have to look after them while PawPaw hunts.