Opening Day Without Dad

It's opening day of firearm deer season in Northern Michigan. The second since I lost my dad two Aprils ago. In this photo he's probably a decade younger than when he took me hunting for the first time.

I still remember following behind him, trying to step in his boot prints in the crunchy snow, trying my best to be quiet. We made our way through a low valley of tangled cedars and up onto a ridge of hardwoods, stopping at the edge of an old logging path. We had a couple hundred yards worth of a shooting lane to watch before the path bent away into the forest. We were watching westward into the wind and setting sun.

We have about two hours until dark, think you'll stay warm til then?

Yeah, I'm good, I whispered. Hey Dad, what kind of bird is that?

That's a chickadee.

How do you know?

It looks like a chickadee.

Oh. Okay. Dad, what kind of tree is this?

It's a maple.

How do you know?

See these leaves? He said, kicking a few from the thin snow. They're maple leaves. Hey bud, let's try and be quiet and watch for deer, okay?

Okay, I whispered. It was cold and getting colder as the sun sat further into the trees.

After some time had passed. You see any deer out there yet?

Uhhh, no.

You sure?

He was hinting at something. I peeled my eyes scanning the forest. After looking harder than I'd looked all evening, I thought I saw a flicker of movement through the trees on an opposite ridge, then another. 5 or 6 doe and yearlings silently walking through the trees. They were too far away to hear.

I see them! I whispered even quieter now. Are you going to shoot one?!

No those ones are too far and it's too branchy. You see? There might be a buck following them though.

Okay... We stood there still and quiet as they carefully walked through the forest, disappearing behind the draw of a hill out of sight.

Not long after it got too dark to see anymore.

Well, my dad said, while unchambering the rifle. I guess we'll head back to the truck. You want to lead the way?

Uhh, I don't know how, I said. I was pretty scared of the darkening woods. Do you know the way?

My Dad laughed, yeah buddy. I know the way. You know I won't always be here to get you back to the truck.

Don't worry though. You'll be big before you know it…