Mark and I immediately bonded over deer hunting. We were in the same small Christian Church congregation and discovered each other’s love for deer hunting. I am unsure of where we first hunted together, but I recall a lot of our hunts.
The best I can recollect, Mark and I hunted just east of Moundville, AL. We then hunted near Panola, AL. From there, I recall us pursuing bucks in Demopolis, AL and over near Uniontown, AL. When Mark moved to Kingman, AZ, I managed to make a trip out there for—you guessed it, pursuing deer with my bow. After he left AZ, he made a great move to eastern West Virginia.
We have hunted some great spots, and some not nearly as good. We have plotted strategies, and followed blood trails together. We’ve drug out each other’s deer and put quite a few in the cooler.
On one of our last hunts in VA, a few years back, Mark had shot an 8-point. We typically bow-hunted together, but that day we carried rifles. The deer had immediately dropped, and particularly because I was in a stand nearby, Mark had just sat in the stand after the shot. When He finally slipped down to get it, it was gone.
Meanwhile, in my stand I had heard Mark shoot. This was a pretty good spot, and Mark always scouted thoroughly, so hearing him shoot was no surprise. But, it was a bit of a surprise when I saw a buck ambling along the edge of the woods almost due south of me. I didn’t think the deer was a shooter, so I didn’t get too excited. The deer was slowly working north, down the edge of the woodlot. He turned west and broadside to me. Then I saw it.
There, just below his spine was a huge hole, almost as big as a soft ball. There was no decision to be made, I had to take this deer down. I was amazed it was on its feet and seemingly unfazed by the gaping wound. A shot to the spine put him down on the spot.
That deer was very educational. It didn’t dawn on me yet that this was Mark’s deer. The deer had taken a big hit, just below the spine. The shock to his spine had put him on the ground immediately. Some time within the next few minutes, the buck had recovered enough to stand up and slip away without Mark noticing. Subsequently, the deer had wandered into my view. Again, when I first saw the deer, and during the time it took him to wander down to me and turn broadside, I had not detected even so much as a limp. Wow! Whitetails are tough!
Mark and I had scheduled another whitetail adventure for the beginning of November of 2022. I had packed my gear for another great bow-hunting outing. Just before leaving home for the long drive to Mark’s, he texts me to say that his Chemo for his cancer had really set him back. His pain was also intense. The hunt would have to be postponed to later. I was disappointed, but I new how much Mark loved hunting. If he felt so bad he cancelled, I knew he had to be really sick.
Mark and I have many a joyous hour together. It is sad to see him so sick. But, G^d is sovereign and He is the one true Physician. Mark trusts in G^d, and so do it.
Get well soon Mark.
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