So I got a total hip replacement a couple months ago and got the green light by the Dr. two weeks ago to start doing "normal" things again. (not supposed to lift weights or drag deer/hogs till next month)
Last week I went out to one of my favorite places in TX to hunt (Mason Mountain WMA) and was lucky enough to get in on a standby for a drawing hunt. The only legal animals were bucks with 6 points or less, but it is a joy just to sit in a blind and watch all the great wildlife pass by. I was fortunate enough to take a spike and a little 4 point to tag out and will be a great tender addition to the freezer. Sorry, I didn't think of taking pictures of my trophies before I started processing. Here is a picture of the view from one of the blinds I hunted before daylight.
The best news is that my hip functioned as though there was never anything wrong. Now if the other side goes as well, I will be unstoppable next year.
As soon as I got back from Mason Mountain, I headed to MS for the opening of deer season there. This is the first time I wasn't working the opening weekend, so I just wanted to see what was happening. The hogs were pretty active at night, but I still don't have much stamina after sitting on my backside for so long during the recovery so I didn't even try to go after them. I did hunt each morning and evening and saw a lot of deer, but nothing I wanted to shoot after already adding to the freezer. Three years ago we started getting trail camera photos of Black coyotes and both my buddy and I had brief sightings a couple times. On sunday morning, right at first light I spotted a coyote lurking in the shadows with my x320 thermal spotter. He started moving toward my blind and fortunately stepped out into the clearing where I could see him with my day scope. At that time I realized there was another one behind the first one, but when I tried to get my rifle out the window, I bumped the sill ever so slightly. It was enough though to alert the first coyote but instead of running, she sat down to look at me. That was a fatal mistake. I shot the first one through the chest and she was DRT. The second one started running through the high grass but I was able to stop him momentarily when he got into a shooting lane by lip squeeking at him. One shot in the boiler room and he started the spinning death dance. He only made it about 10 yards into the thick grass before dying. So after almost 3 years hoping to get a shot at one I got two in a few seconds.
So, the field testing is going quit well and I will continue to work on the stamina and endurance and get ready for the next replacement. I think my training regiment will revolve around hunting. I hate gyms anyway.
Last week I went out to one of my favorite places in TX to hunt (Mason Mountain WMA) and was lucky enough to get in on a standby for a drawing hunt. The only legal animals were bucks with 6 points or less, but it is a joy just to sit in a blind and watch all the great wildlife pass by. I was fortunate enough to take a spike and a little 4 point to tag out and will be a great tender addition to the freezer. Sorry, I didn't think of taking pictures of my trophies before I started processing. Here is a picture of the view from one of the blinds I hunted before daylight.
The best news is that my hip functioned as though there was never anything wrong. Now if the other side goes as well, I will be unstoppable next year.
As soon as I got back from Mason Mountain, I headed to MS for the opening of deer season there. This is the first time I wasn't working the opening weekend, so I just wanted to see what was happening. The hogs were pretty active at night, but I still don't have much stamina after sitting on my backside for so long during the recovery so I didn't even try to go after them. I did hunt each morning and evening and saw a lot of deer, but nothing I wanted to shoot after already adding to the freezer. Three years ago we started getting trail camera photos of Black coyotes and both my buddy and I had brief sightings a couple times. On sunday morning, right at first light I spotted a coyote lurking in the shadows with my x320 thermal spotter. He started moving toward my blind and fortunately stepped out into the clearing where I could see him with my day scope. At that time I realized there was another one behind the first one, but when I tried to get my rifle out the window, I bumped the sill ever so slightly. It was enough though to alert the first coyote but instead of running, she sat down to look at me. That was a fatal mistake. I shot the first one through the chest and she was DRT. The second one started running through the high grass but I was able to stop him momentarily when he got into a shooting lane by lip squeeking at him. One shot in the boiler room and he started the spinning death dance. He only made it about 10 yards into the thick grass before dying. So after almost 3 years hoping to get a shot at one I got two in a few seconds.
So, the field testing is going quit well and I will continue to work on the stamina and endurance and get ready for the next replacement. I think my training regiment will revolve around hunting. I hate gyms anyway.
