Ready, Set, Wait.

Tuesday will be the first day of archery deer season in Illinois. And the weather forecast is calling for 92 degrees.

I won’t climb a tree and swat mosquitoes to pursue a whitetail.  Which doesn’t really mean that much to the deer population in this neck of the woods. I start my fourth deer season, my third using archery as a means to put meat on the table. Fortunately for me, Sav-A-Lot has a meat counter. Because if it were up to me to provide, I wouldn’t have to enlist a diet consultant.

I have one deer to my credit. One old buck who dove in front of my crossbow bolt, giving his life so I wouldn’t be batting .000. I immediately took him to the taxidermist and christened him “Jack.” That’s right, Jack Buck. He’s over my mantle at the cabin. Despite my relative lack of success, I love deer hunting. There is nothing that I enjoy more than a crisp fall day and the opportunity to spend it in an autumn forest.

This can become addictive. I have four stands and a few trail cameras. The deer like to pose in front of the camera and mock me. Maybe this year I’ll have their number.

There are reports of massive deer migration last week. Many whitetails are moving to my 20 acres to hunker down for the next few months. It is said to be the safest wooded plot in Southern Illinois.

Again this year we will be doing our “Show Us Your Rack” contest, details of which will be broadcast this week on these stations. Hunters who have harvested bucks locally are invited to share photos on our web page.

Here at the radio station, you can get great odds if you are willing to once gain bet on the bucks of Wayne County to pitch a shutout against the Dreith guy.

I might surprise them.