A Tale of Courage and Determination

There I was, perched on the side of a tree like a deranged squirrel, in the middle of the wilderness.

It was a true time of test. A test of man and skill. The skill to survive the elements and the danger that lurked around every corner. A time for courage, strength and determination, a time in which most men would shrink in the face of.

It was just me and the harsh elements of a land that seems forgotten by time. A land as unforgiving as the harsh winds that now blanketed the Forest floor with leaves. It was me against the elusive beasts of the forest, the whitetail deer.

Words are difficult to express the sheer ferocity and strength of this phantom of the forest, the deer. The fangs alone can send a chill down the ordinary man's spine. And the antlers of this great beast have driven even the most skilled hunters to run in fear. I knew that my mettle would be tested this day, and tested it was.

I was miles from nowhere, the closest town being 30 miles away, in what direction, I could not tell. The snow was so deep that walking became labored, so I had to fashion a pair of snowshoes from twigs of a cedar tree. Tired and weak, I pressed on. The fabled monster of the great, white North was out there, and I was determined to meet him.

After walking for hours, now exhausted from my labors, I finally reached my destination. The stand was located on the side of an enormous oak, the likes of which would make Paul Bunyan shiver.

Should I turn back? I asked myself. My strength has gone, surely I cannot climb this tree.

I sat down in a bank of snow the size of a Mack truck, to contemplate. Finally, determination befell me, I have not come all this way to be, yet another, defeated man! I will climb that tree, Monster of the North Woods! I will defeat you!

So, climb I did. After an hour of exhaustive work, I reached my destination. Gun in hand, I sat to await the behemoth.

Hunger now set in. I hadn't eaten since I left the camp, three days ago. My stomach growled so loud that I was sure every woodland predator would hear it! I was done for! The first mountain lion to hear my stomach would think it a rabbit in distress and attack the first chance it got. I must not let that happen!

Through pure will, I was able to quiet my rumbling belly, just as I caught the glimpse of a ferocious, man-eating cougar! Too late! I thought, he's here for me for sure!

I fumbled for my ammo. Why did I not load this thing when I left?! As the cougar approached, I was dropping ammo to the ground from my fumbling fingers. Finally, with one round left, I was able to chamber it. Then, as Providence would have it, the cougar turned another direction, apparently thinking the distressed rabbit gone. Whew! That was close!

Now down to one round, I knew that I had to choose wisely. I would only have one shot at the great beast of the North.

It was cold. A cold that would turn penguins into Popsicles. The wind that howled made a chill to freeze a blazing fire in its fury. A sense of failure loomed on the horizon of my brain, how can I do this? I'm cold and hungry. This was stupid! I thought.

NO! No! I've come too far! I can't turn back now! I must face him! I must, at least, see him! Perseverance once again prevailed. I had decided, once and for all, that I will face this monster!

Cold, shivering and hungry, I set in for the long wait. After two days of nothing, nearly faint with hunger, I heard a noise from the east. Sitting up, gathering what was left of my senses, I looked in the direction of the enormous sound.

There, in the middle of a thicket, was a rack the size of Plymouth Rock. The nostrils of the great beast had fire spewing out and his front hoof scraped the ground, digging a trench that would make a drill Sargent proud.

His eyes, oh his eyes, ripped through me as if he were looking for the exact place he was going to rip out my heart with those antlers. I was scared, shaking in my boots like the leaves in the trees on this windy day.

Finally, in a strange, out-of-sorts kind of way, I put my rifle to my shoulder, took aim and fired. The echo from the report seemed to last a lifetime, reverberating through the hills again and again. I was blinded by the cloud of smoke from the blast. He'll charge. I thought. I was a gonner, for certain. I suddenly longed for a warm fire with my lovely wife in my arms. I'm gonna miss you, honey.

As the smoke cleared, I began to make out those great antlers. It was if they hadn't moved. Wait! They haven't moved! He's down! I got him! Here I was, the only man in a century to see the beast of the great, white North, and live to tell about it much less kill him! I had done it!

A jubilant spirit overcame me. I was about to go down in history....

Aww! Who am I kidding! I like to froze to death out there today. I was 200 yards from the house and I didn't even see a deer and the only snow there was came from a few, little flurries. The only gunshots were from the myriad other hunters in the county who were a whole lot more successful than me. And I wasn't in the great, white north. I was right here in Ozark county, Missouri. I guess that when the action in the woods is slow, a fella gets a lot of crazy ideas in his head.

Good story though, eh?