Last Updated on November 22, 2023 by Terry
(I write this while sitting in my improvised ground blind opening morning)
Black powder deer season opened in Arkansas recently. Opening morning, I crawled out of my tee pee at 5:15 and fired up my small propane stove and placed my percolator on the center. It begins perking in about 10 minutes, and then 10 more and it is delicious!
Sleeping on the ground with a 2” foam mattress was an unrewarding event. No doubt, I’ll be leaving my ground blind about 10:30 heading to a Family Dollar store in Dewitt. Hopefully, they will have a mattress topper or something to aid in tonight’s “adventure in sleeping”.
I’m at the White River Refuge with only 6 other camps in this very large, designated campground. I remember back in the ‘90s this place would be full, maybe 50-60 different hunting groups.
After I set up, one group backed in a 40’ camper and immediately accomplished their first two tasks.
1st-They leveled the giant totally contained temporary dwelling.
2nd-They raised about a 30’ pole with a satellite dish on top.
Camping, it ain’t what it used to be.
Modern day “camping out” obviously means something that I don’t have a grasp of. Remember, I crawled out of a 6.5’ diameter tee pee this morning. I erected it with 6 home grown cane poles, a few tarps, and some large clips from Harbor Freights. Yes, I was the only camp with a tee pee. I wonder, will I not derive as much pleasure from my “camp out” as they will? (Although I won’t be able to watch the football game)
I was set up on the edge of a small drive that ran from front to back of the camp. The satellite/shiny/camo guys were up at the front of the camp. After they got the dish up and running, they began to unload and prepare to go out the afternoon before the hunt to set up their stands. I soon heard their generator kick in. There were 3 great big 4-wheel drives. Two were pulling trailers with two mule atvs each. It appears there are 5 of them.
I was watching opening morning as they prepared for the hunt. They had a huge bank of lighting set up so I could see their every move. As I leaned back in my chair with my fresh percolator coffee, I took notice of their attire.
I’m guesstimating that each of their clothing ensembles cost somewhere between $250-$400 each. Multi green camo outer shirts and pants, four of them even had camo boots. It all appeared to be brand new. Very shiny. Hadn’t been washed much if at all. Wait a minute, I bet they washed all their new gear in some scent blocking concoction.
One more thing about their being “camoed up”, I could see that three of them had painted their faces with some type of camo paste. Then, the fun began. All 5 covered up their pretty outfits with a bright orange vest and hat. An orange vest and hat are the law if you go deer hunting with a gun.
Now back to me sitting on a cushion on a bucket as I write this. I’m wearing a pair of faded Levis and a multi blue plaid shirt. Sure, I have on my orange vest and hat. Personally, I chose to wear a chartreuse construction site vest instead of orange. Hmm, I wonder if I should have washed it in a special concoction.
As I ponder this, I bet mine has a faint aroma of diesel fuel exhaust from being around heavy equipment during many inspections I perform. Oh well. This is where I’ll ask you to do some “thinking” research: Who has the best chance of shooting at a deer this morning, me or the shiny guys?
I passed up a doe from about 22 steps. A huge hog came within 30 or so steps a little later. I fired no shots. You know what, neither did they. They left the main road on their mules near me. I know where they were hunting. Zero shots came from their direction.
While you are doing your “thinking”, ask yourself: when you cover your clothing with bright colored vests and hats, What difference does it make what clothing you wear under the orange?
But, they did look pretty, all “camoed up” and covered with orange.
I still wonder if their reception was good enough to pick up the college football game.
p.s. I did find a mattress topper. Nothing like a good night’s sleep.
p.s.s. And I did have FUN!
-The Simple Guy From Rural Arkansas
