REPORTS FROM THE RIP: Squirrels and deer and Bears OH MY!

If thats Boo Boo, I don't want to see Yogi

The boat has been back in St Pete for a while now. Matt and I have been fixing things broken over the last season and preparing the boat for the season to come. We have put in new carpet and are having the couches reupholstered. The boat looks great.
So what else does one do during the off season? Hunt! All sumer long, we look forward to hunting season. All winter long while we hunt, we look forward to fishing season. I am fortunate enough to be able to hunt the property that my boss owns. Yon Creek Plantation is a great way to get away from the boat after the long season we just had. It is so far removed from boating and all things boat. Some people do not understand what the thrill is with hunting. But once you have done it, you will be hooked. The thrill of the kill is not what it is all about. I find the thrill is being all camouflaged and sitting in a tree and having deer walk right below me a big rush. I let my daughter come out and sit in a tree stand 30 feet up in a tree recently. I dressed he all in camp and set her up where I thought she may see a deer. Now keep in mind that a hunter can sit in a tree many times and never see a deer. During Laurens very first time sitting, She had a doe walk directly below her tree stand and feed there for fifteen minutes. Lauren was not hunting and has no desire to kill a deer. But she was so stoked after that experience. I am glad I got to share that with her.
There are a few bad things that go along with hunting. The number one thing is the cold. After spending 7 months in the Caribbean, anything below 70 degrees is cold to me. During the recent cold snap that plunged much of the US into an early winter, I was up at Yon Creek. One morning in particular i was sitting in a stand in 24 degree temps. That sucked. It was so cold that I saw a squirrel actually break a tooth trying to eat a frozen acorn. But I still enjoyed it to an extent.
A few weeks ago I sat in a big magnolia tree directly above a feeder. ( freezers are big metal boxes that hold corn have a broadcasting spinner at the bottom. They broadcast corn twice a day to bring the deer to the deer stand) I did see a nice buck but it never got in range. Then this last week that same feeder got broken into. Now raccoons will do minor damage to feeders but this time the spinner was completely broken and a good amount of corn was on the ground. Upon checking the Trail cam we had set up there revealed a very large bear. I doubt I will be quite as fearless the next time I sit in that stand.
Thanksgiving was great. I am fatter than ever. Some of you may not understand this, But each year, my relatives get together and play paintball wars against each other. There is nothing better that shooting a relative on the thanksgiving holiday. There have even been a few friendly fire " accidents". Do not knock it till you have tried it.
This coming season will bring more great adventures. This year we will go back to the Dominican Republic. The we will fish the southern Bahamas thru mid summer.
I can't wait till the Blue Heaven is back out on the Rip.