and a strong cup of coffee

[NeighborWoods] Neighbors in or out of the woods but always outdoors. Created by Robin’s Outdoors. Please leave a comment and include the link to your [NeighborWoods] blog.

[NeighborWoods] Neighbors in or out of the woods but always outdoors. Created by Robin’s Outdoors. Please leave a comment and include the link to your [NeighborWoods] blog.

As I was looking through photos of 2014 and printing some out, I couldnt help  but get nostalgic.  I had no intention of bear hunting a year ago.  I had actually told my Dad (a few times) that I had no desire to shoot a bear, didn't think I could like the meat and that it was just not in my wheel house.  Skip ahead a few months and with the invitation of Steve and Lorri, I learned how to prepare and set bait and went hunting.  Then, given the opportunity to hunt with hounds, I took a chance to learn more about it and came home with an incredible story and some delicious meat.

You do "funny" things when you are a hunter. You willingly wake up at 4am.  You willingly spend hours tracking, sitting and walking and you willingly sit out in 0 degree weather waiting for an animal (coyote) in my case.  Some mornings, it is fun to document my questionable saneness and the last weekend of deer hunting season was one of those cases.  I never did get a coyote but night hunting for them starts this week!

[NeighborWoods] Neighbors in or out of the woods but always outdoors. Created by Robin’s Outdoors. Please leave a comment and include the link to your [NeighborWoods] blog.

In 2015, I have a few goals that I am hoping to finally accomplish.

1. Get a turkey!  I came close last year, but I am hoping that the 3rd time is the charm.
2. Goose hunting.  I had plans last year that fell through so I am hoping to try that this year.
3. Catch a 'keep-able' fish.
4. Go bear hunting again.  I will never beat this year's hunt, but I can try.
5. Get that 8-pointer!
6. Go with biologists to a bear den.
7. Shoot a moose (this will be on my list each year until I do.)
8. Shoot a coyote.
9. Learn about trapping. I don't know if I will actually do it, but I want to go and see how it's done.

What else should I add to my list?

...having a deer bed down next to your tree stand.  This bed was about 15 feet from the bottom of my stand.  When I went out to see where the deer was that Hubby jumped, I noticed this.  The deer were everywhere the guys were, but they just couldn't make a connection. Maybe next year!

[NeighborWoods] Neighbors in or out of the woods but always outdoors. Created by Robin’s Outdoors. Please leave a comment and include the link to your [NeighborWoods] blog.

[NeighborWoods] Neighbors in or out of the woods but always outdoors. Created by Robin’s Outdoors. Please leave a comment and include the link to your [NeighborWoods] blog.

I do have a few blogs in the hopper that I am working to get out to you.  I was the only one who tagged out during deer season, but I was able to take some cool photos and will share some fun still hunting stories from Dad and Hubby's adventures but I am taking a pause for a minute to get refocused.

This Thanksgiving was the first without my Grandmother who died on September 27 - two months to the day before Thanksgiving.  The is the first grandparent that we have lost and it seemed odd to not have her there with us.  Then, after a short illness and x-rays that showed a tumor in the soft tissue at the base of the nasal cavity, we made the heartbreaking decision to put our dog down. 

Hubby tried to put in the effort, but his heart was just not in hunting after that.   It has been an emotional fall with a lot of loss that we are processing.

But know that I am writing (old school with paper and pen) and getting ready to get all of you caught up on the latest adventures and what I …