A Palmated Season

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:10 am

A Palmated Season

I reviewed my journal and decided there is more then enough material and information to do a piece I think I will call "A Palmated Season." I kept a daily record of my pursuit of this buck. It starts in early September. And as you know, it ends in mid January.

This piece would be way too long for this forum unless it was presented in serial form. I also will discuss the piece with Dan Hendricks and see if he wants to do a serial in the Horizontal Bowhunter Magazine. We had this discussion earlier about doing a serial with "The King" and I couldn't come to grips with that piece being presented in that format. But as this endeavor is not yet on paper, I could tailor it to fit that type of presentation.

I also could combine "The King" with this piece and have more then enough material for a four to five hundred page book. I still have a bitter taste in my mouth about publishing houses and the way they do rewrites so I would have to give that option a lot of thought.

The only thing on paper is the little ditty below. It is the introduction.

The muscles in my neck were burning. For two hours now I had been punishing those muscles by constantly looking up the hill and to my left. I had committed every branch of the cedars at the top of the hill to memory. I would know when something new entered that picture. This pain was the price I decided to pay when I selected the tree to climb. The tree was perfect for the shot. It was anything but perfect for the wait. The only way to have a clear view of the cedars above was to turn your head as far left as it would go. It doesn't want to stay there. And you must constantly push those neck muscles to keep it there. I found myself giving into the pain as time wore on and had to bring my head back to center more frequently. I hated the movement. But I couldn't stop it.

I climbed the Ash tree over three hours ago. It had taken me over an hour to descend the opposite hillside, cross the creek and climb the fifty yards to the big Ash. I was a full four hours into this hunt. And by my watch it was time. He made his appearance at this time every evening I watched. But I dared not scout him for the prior four days. He was always quick to note my presence in the past and I could not risk this last chance. I did not know if the pattern was still viable. I was already seventy-five percent sure this was the case when I looked at the picture above me and noticed something was not right. Something new had been added. When he turned his head to the right I saw the white flash of antler. He had arrived.

wildwindom · Post by **wildwindom** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:40 am

O mike i cant wait. What ever happened to the king and i ?? If you posted something about it on the forum i must have missed it.

FredBear · Post by **FredBear** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:50 pm

You my friend have a remarkable talent with the woods, and the pen! Thank you for sharing both of them with us! Write your book and skip the middleman and publish it yourself. Id camp outside a retail store to buy the first copy!

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 8:18 pm

And then??????????

K-Man · Post by **K-Man** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:16 am

Mike,

What hunter cannot relate to the neck pain you describe ? I don't even think it's worth while to bother with the chiropractor during deer season because your just gonna throw your neck out on the next hunt. The sitting and waiting certainly takes a toll.

Look forward to the whole story-it's almost like we are in ther same tree stand.

Regards,

K-Man

hetichunter · Post by **hetichunter** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:57 am

saxman wrote:And then??????????

You sir are the master of the old show biz saying "always leave them wanting more."

K-Man wrote:
Look forward to the whole story-it's almost like we are in ther same tree stand.

K-man another guy mentioned that same thing in the hunting chat room last night. He said that when he watches the hunts on TV he just sees guys hunting. When he reads mike p he feels like he is actually on the hunt. It sure is more fun being there then watching i say and i need to know how it all happened.

Write the damn thing Mike P your killin me here!

bassboater · Post by **bassboater** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 4:52 pm

at this point my back is crushing me from stand sitting. i figured i had 220 hours in the woods this season ( had to burn off 4 weeks of vacation). And now its drawing to a close and my back cant wait..
1 more week with the new xbow. the woods seem deserted. They all are moving at night, or nowhere near me. New xbow, bolts and new b'heads. All are dying for a test run on a deer.

mikew · Post by **mikew** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 1:05 pm

Thanks Mike! Looking forward to the next round/installment.
-Mike

Kenton · Post by **Kenton** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 3:16 pm

Well Mike, whatever you decide to do, I will read it and find myself amazed at your gift.