Lost a good hunting and fishing buddy today.

[wolc123]

Joe's house was just a short walk away from mine when we were kids.  We fished the little creek that ran out back, and the neighbor's pond together since we were in grade school.  The fishing, hunting, and snowmobiling times that I shared with him might exceed that with any other.

The strangest thing about that small buck that I killed yesterday, was that it might have entered the pearly gates at exactly the same time that Joe did.  Ordinarily, I would use a finisher to the neck, when I come up on a deer that is not quite done for like that.  I even had an "oddball" slug in my chamber, just for that purpose, at the time.  

He just looked so peaceful, laying there in the water with his head alternatingly lifting, and then resting on the branch. You can see it in the photo that I posted on the last page.  That is why I held my fire (plus I wanted a neck roast).  I'll be remembering Joe a lot, when I eat the tenderloins for lunch today. 

I had a couple of the mixed drinks last night, of the kind that he and I had invented out of necessity, on  snowmobile trip down to Allegheny state park about 35 years ago.  We didn't have any other mixers, on the last day, so vodka and milk it was.  There was no snow around last night, so I had to substitute crushed ice.

Edited November 22, 2020 by wolc123

[Steuben Jerry]

16 hours ago, wolc123 said:

A very good friend of mine has been in a coma for a while, and I recieved word this afternoon, that we lost him today.  That puts a damper on this opening day for sure.  I take comfort in the fact that he is in a better place now.  

I am certain of that, because just after I sent up a prayer for God to give him a good room in his mansion, I randomly opened my pocket New Testament, and this was the verse that my eyes fell upon:

This one is for you Joe:

So sorry for your loss Wolc.

[wolc123]

1 minute ago, Steuben Jerry said:

So sorry for your loss Wolc.

Thanks, I will miss him.  The last time I saw him, was late ML season last year.  He had already filled his tags, and he let me hunt out if his enclosed blind, down at his southern tier camp.  I missed a doe that afternoon.

He mentioned wanting to go out bass fishing with me last summer, but we were not able to make that happen. Dont take anything for granted, that's for sure. 

[Tughill Tamer]

Very sorry for your loss.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[mlammerhirt]

Prayers sent wolc!

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

[2012_taco]

So sorry for your lose Wolc. 

[fasteddie]

Wolc - sorry for your loss ! 

 

[wolc123]

I worked a little bit on "Joe" tonight.  Got the skinning done anyhow.  I will process and freeze the rest of the meat tomorrow night.  It looks like it is going to get plenty warm enough, over the next few days, to fire up the power washer and finish the euro. 

I should have plenty of time also.  4 days off work after tomorrow, and we just pulled the plug on our Thanksgiving trip to the in-law's place up in the Adirondacks. I wasn't real excited about it anyhow, with no more buck tag.  My wife thought it best that we stay home, since our town is in the Covid orange zone.

[Northcountryman]

Very sorry Wolc 

[wolc123]

I finished up Joe this afternoon.  I prefer the "natural" look over whitewashed or camo dipped.  He will hang out in my shop for a while, prior to taking the top spot, inside our house, on my post-2015 trophy wall.

He looks like a 2.5 year old, based on comparison to some other skulls. I did not save the lower law, but it might still be on my coyote bait pile.  They just started to hit that last night, when I scared them off while opening my bedroom window.

I talked to another one our good friends about  Joe's passing last night.  It looks very likely that he and this buck may have entered the Hereafter at exactly the same moment.  

Edited November 29, 2020 by wolc123