SNOW CHANGES EVERYTHING come deer hunting. Thursday night into Friday morning snow fell here at camp. I would say there was about six inches on the Hotel’s porch railing when I went to walk out to the swamp stand. Almost didn’t make it off the steps as there was some ice underneath the snow but I had a hand on a railing when one foot slipped out from under me. I went back in the Hotel and told Elmer to watch his step when he comes out then set off to the swamp stand. By ten I had not seen anything and the wind was up and the sun was breaking through the clouds. Snow was melting on the branches and I could hear and see dripping water falling on my stand. The family of gray squirrels came through I am guessing around nine or so. Not just passing through like I thought, they live around here somewhere. They work their way across my line of vision leap froging in front of one another, for some reason they reminded of clowns coming out of a VW at the circus. Only now with the snow on the ground they are quiet, as the leaves are now wet and buried.

By ten thirty I am ready to head back to the Hotel and I get out of the stand and work my way back slow like. In my footprints I find a set of hoof prints waking in my steps. I stop and look around where the tracks head off the trail and into the woods. I make a note that I better keep a better eye out on the trail. Seeing some deer tracks always helps the sprits, lets me know that I am not alone. I return to the Hotel and find the steps shoveled off, and Elmer’s tracks heading toward the stand of cedars. I get some coffee and some cookies and go back out and sit on the rocking chair and wait for Elmer to get back.

Just after dark the first set of headlights appear in the darkness coming from the gravel road. I am sitting in the rocking chair and I watch as the convoy of white pickup trucks lead by Big Earl in his Suburban with the plow down make their way into the clearing. They look like a UN peacekeeping group until they all step out in their blaze orange. The first Friday of deer camp which happens to be the second weekend calls for us all to drive over to Maggie’s for the all you can eat spaghetti dinner. After gear is all stowed away and everyone is caught up we all pile into my Tahoe and Big Earls Suburban. With all the extra weight of the guys I have no problem making it out on the now plowed trail.

We drive over to Dave Maggots resort where he puts on a big feed for the local hunters. For the longest time no one would really eat there as he called the place "Maggots" then he renamed the place after his dog Maggie and business picked up. We still call the place Maggots and enjoy telling the younger guys in our hunting group to watch out for the chucks of mystery meat that is in the spaghetti sauce. Speaking of younger guys we do have a new guy hunting this weekend, Chucks son in law Scott has joined the group and will be having a try out this weekend. Should be an interesting weekend as Chuck told him to make sure he brings up a coffee can for the stand. Big Earl always brings up broken bags of charcoal to the Hotel for burning out at the stands when it gets cold. Every stand has a metal coffee can with a couple of holes punched in the bottom. You bring out some self lighting charcoal in a bag, put it in the can and you have a nice toasty little heat source. Scott brought out a plastic coffee can so we will have to see how that works out here at Lake Iwanttobethere

Posted from Maggots I mean Maggie’s Resort in the heart of Lake Iwanttobethere deer hunting country