Deer Season - Just Another Activity on Cloud 9 Ranch - Frank Gauthier

Cloud 9 Ranch Club is not only a very large campground that provides the members to enjoy ATV's, Fishing, Swimmng, and Horseback riding. We also provide a place for Deer and Turkey Hunting.

I was down at the ranch several weekends in October. Every evening as I drove down the drive from the main complex to Hill Country I would get to see three to nine deer feeding on the hill. It was a wonderful site to see over and over again.

I am not a hunter, the last time I went hunting I took my camera but that was years ago. A lot of my dear fellow hunters are though and they are full of stories of their experiences. Below I am givng you Frank Gauthier's story of his recent hunting trip on the ranch.

Sat. Nov. 15 2008 started out being a not the best of days. At 4 A.M. the wind was screaming and temps were in the bone-cutting chills. I decided to not go out before sunrise, about the time daylight was showing up I decided that I had best get in the woods as I didn't come out here to lay around the camper.

I had not put my stand out the day ahead as I normally do, that upset me somewhat. I rode out to my spot, unloaded the stand, and uncased my gun, put water and a RC in my pocket. Loaded everything up and headed for my favorite tree. (Which is getting so big my stand my not fit it next year).

Once there I unloaded and realized my left pants leg was wet. Upon investigation I found that somehow the stand had punctured the RC and it had filled my pants pocket. (Good cover sent?) I cleaned that mess up, and proceeded to set my stand. Of course when one is in a hurry he wounds himself, pinched the heck out of my finger, causing it to bleed and hurt like heck. (I complemented my stand on its help).

Finally got A in B tabs and was hanging in the tree. Once up, I loaded my gun. Yep I dropped one of my 3 shells. Finally got loaded, and things got quiet. Decided I needed to test the old buck grunt. Blew on it and the end shot out of it. That was a scream (maybe I did).

Decided I needed to start hunting. The wind was blowing really bad, I normally sound-hunt where I rely on hearing the game walking in the leaves. This morning I could not do that so I really concentrated on looking for movement. I don't think 3 minutes passed when I saw movement on the trail in front of me. There was a deer looking right at me. I aimed and Click. DUHHHHHHH forgot to take the safety off. Did that and pulled the hammer back (sounds like striking a sledge hammer on a Anvil). When I did the game turned sideways, I fired and it has now been relocated to my freezer.

Just goes to show some days might start out really bad but the end results may be pretty favorable.

It just goes to show you, Cloud 9 Ranch is truly whatever you want it to be.