Grammer Greg Grammer Mr.

Neuburger English Composition 101-103 20 June 2011 Descriptive Essay Conquering the Whitetail It was now 9:30P.M. I stood in a trance like state, unmoving as if I were some sort of

concrete gargoyle. Even though my body was locked motionless, my mind was spinning like the wheels of a nickel slot machine at the local casino. I was looking at a collection of hunting items laid out in nice even rows on the floor. They seem to have been arranged in such a way as to prepare them for a possible photo opportunity. As I stood there, my eyes darted from one item to the next in a clockwise motion pausing at each item for just a moment before continuing to the next. At the end of this scan cycle, I would inevitably start the process again, going round and round in some sort of fault checking mode. I was attempting to suddenly force my mind to relent and release another possible thought of something forgotten from the growing rows of items on the floor. The higher the stakes for the task at hand, the more intense the mental strain to assure nothing had been overlooked, and right now the stakes seemed very high. Occasionally, my mind would let loose a thought in much the same way you might see a hostage released from a terrorist controlled building, dashing forward in a frantic effort to escape. Sometimes, this idea was a critical nugget of information, but more often than not, it was an idea that had been released earlier, reviewed and found to be of little use for this hunt. If the idea wasnt needed it was then quickly sent back into my thought hostage situation where it would probably surface again later in an attempt by my mind to extend this silly game. I was now less than nine hours

Grammer away from my first bow hunt of the season, so youd think I would get a little more cooperation from myself. This was after all an event I had dedicated countless hours, days, weeks and probably even months in preparation for. Flinging arrow after highly calibrated arrow into targets that never died, in an attempt to improve my accuracy, draw strength and shot memory. Scouting endless miles of forest trails, contour maps and tree stand locations, as if my very life were hanging in the balance. All this time and effort sacrificed on the altar of this very consuming

sport. I was always convinced that just around the next corner, I would discover a location better than the last. I even tried to view the world around me through the eyes of that elusive prized creature the whitetail deer. I played out scenario after agonizing scenario in my captive mind, all in hopes that this hyper sensitive animal would not detect my presence within its own living room. Chances were that not only would I have to evade the senses of just one of these creatures, but I would have to become invisible to several of them at the same time, as they usually travel in groups. Just overriding one set of eyes, ears and super blood hound sniffing nose is tough enough, but having half a dozen in the room at the same time can create intense stress, making it seem almost impossible to breathe. The animal seems to be able to detect the noise of the air molecules entering and exiting your lungs. Upon seeing them, your eyes suddenly seem as if they are emitting light, drawing the gaze of every forest creature within a five mile radius. I seem to lose confidence in my camouflage and its ability to hide me. Images of flashing neon signs with large arrows now pointing at me start going off in my head. Struggling to survive this initial blast of adrenaline, I try and collect myself enough to evaluate the conditions around me, hoping any breeze that might be blowing will be in my favor. I learned the hard way that its the eyes that are the easiest to deceive, and the nose is the mechanism that always seems to find me. This

Grammer

black, slimy, non-threading whitetail protrusion seems harmless at first, but after being busted by it 20 or 30 times, I started to feel differently about it. Once I learned the details to this twin chambered particle analyzer, it seemed more like some kind of advanced alien technology than something from this planet. I now accept, I have no chance at defeating its detection, only mitigating it to a lesser alarm level or possibly confusing the sniffer into thinking its detected something else. If I can manage to place myself within the animals presence, I still have to complete enough body movement to draw my bow for the shot. This is roughly equivalent to raising my arms horizontally out to my sides in a type of crucifix stance with one arm bent back towards my center ready to fire the shot. Everything done thus far has all contributed to a brief upcoming moment of time. Once drawn, the bow limbs will be recoiled back ready to unleash a lighting strike of movement with a slight touch of my finger. Seventy pounds of force equaling 175 ft. lbs. of energy will almost instantly be transferred to a very small point of less than inch in diameter. This energy transfer causes the specially constructed arrow to heave and arch, flexing back and forth, struggling to contain the force it has just absorbed without compromising its own highly calibrated structure. As the arrow gains forward momentum its rigidity starts to return as the initial static shock load is transferred and spent on gaining the vital component of velocity. Proper arrow speed must be achieved quickly in order to get the razor sharp blades of the broad head to the intended vital organs of the whitetail before it has a chance to react to the sudden clap of death that has just ripped through the calm forest. Whitetails have a split second reaction time, and even a shot fired from 30 yards can be dogged if the animal is on high alert. Once the shot does find its intended mark, there is no long term escape plan to be found for the recipient. A well placed shot will bring an end to the victim before awareness of whats

Grammer even happened can register. If done correctly, the broad head tipped arrow will pass completely through the deers vitals before the initial lunge to escape the sound of the bow shot has even started. There might be enough time for the animal too bound away 20 or 30 yards before sufficient lose of blood occurs, bringing the travel to a stop. There have even been documented cases of whitetail deer continuing to graze before suddenly collapsing in response to the fatal wound received from the arrow. It is ultimately my decision and responsibility to harvest this majestic creature in a human way. What is my reward for all of this time and effort? Well if I only calculated the poundage of meat available to feed my family it would be hard to justify. I must also incorporate the

personal effects and therapeutic values that completing this process does for me. The satisfaction of having overcome a very demanding and challenging task can significantly boost my confidence. Time spent in nature enjoying the solace and beauty of creation can recharge my soul, regardless of whether the whitetail joins me there or not.