"We interrupt this marriage..........."

"We interrupt this marriage for Hunting Season!"


Every time I hear that phrase it makes me giggle. Never had I heard it until I moved to Missouri! I would have never believed that hunting was so much a part of anyone's life anymore. How was I to know when I was told that I would be a hunting widow, or that all other schedules were changed for hunting season, that it would be true?!

Well, let me tell you, I am a seasoned pro at this whole "hunting widow" thing now. 15 years of different hunting seasons, working our actual wedding in around hunting seasons, and although not planned...both our kids were born outside of a main hunting season. I have gotten to a point of laughing at the insanity surrounding hunting and the long roughly 6 month span of different seasons. As any other women who are married to hunters can tell you, you learn to prepare and plan a little differently.

Once hunting season rolls around, you never fix enough food to just feed your family. You fix enough to feed a small army...you never know who will be stopping in to show off their latest prize. You never depend on your hunter for ANYTHING during hunting season...cause "it ain't getting done!" :) You learn to bite your tongue when they tell the "big buck story" over and over for the umpteenth time(and the size of the deer just keeps getting bigger with every telling!)! You learn to tune out all the conversations about calibers, ballistics, scopes, the best/worst tree stands. The hunting locations have names. These are normal names either! These are names like: the hooch, the bean field stand, the corn field stand, the box blind, the rattle box or the war wagon. You learn to roll your eyes without anyone seeing, so you don't have to hear how "you just don't appreciate hunting," remarks for the eighty-seventh time this season. You learn to prepare the latest prize to eat. Yes, we actually eat what my boys hunt...they don't joy hunt. And, you learn that even though these boys are old enough to go hunting, they aren't old enough to keep up with their blaze orange vests, hats, or mud boots!

While this was something completely foreign to me 15 years ago, I am a seasoned pro now! I know a week before opening morning that the rifles must be sighted in, and heaven forbid they not be able to group the bullets under a quarter! Then there are several more hours of "practice!" I know to stock up on extra food, and that there better be plenty of "grab and go" snacks. I know to remind these boys to get their tags, dig out all their crazy looking camo, reload their shells, and buy more if necessary.

You learn to expect "unannounced visitors," who will be showing off their prize. Not to mention my mighty hunters telling their own tales of the days hunt. Knowing that even if you just smile and nod, you can usually B.S. your way through at least one telling of a deer story. You learn to be able to entertain yourself, how ever you feel is best, to get through the hunting widow stage. Some cook, clean, go shopping or grab a bottle of wine and enjoy the peace and quiet! After the week leading up to rifle season...a good bottle of wine, some peace and quiet is just what we need! As one friend decided....a bottle of wine and a tiara sounded like a great plan! :)

So, as another year has begun, this hunting widow decided to share a humorous look at a life that I didn't know existed 15 years ago! As some younger generations begin to take this same journey, I encourage you to find humor in it. Learn to enjoy your own company(as boys will be boys!) and pull up your big girl panties! It may not always be easy, but for the most part...it's worth it.

I believe I will grab another cup of coffee and start cooking and baking! I believe it's going to be a chili/cornbread night at the Twisted B Ranch tonight!

Happy Deer Season 2013!