Thursday Evening:
As I go over my “List” for the ninth time this week and add to the growing mound of gear accumulated on my den floor ready to go out the door into my truck, the reality of having the opportunity to hunt in prime whitetail country is rapidly sinking in; my tenth state that I have had the opportunity to hunt in. I pray for a safe trip there and back and look forward to the opportunity to grow as a hunter and meet new friends and fellow outdoor enthusiasts.

Not having a clue as to what to expect in the weather other than what I have researched on Internet weather websites, I know I packed more clothes than I would need for a 10 day hunting trip….heck, make that a two week excursion! Can you really have too many clothes? Tonight is the final evening that I can pack and I will need to have the truck ready to pull out in the morning since I am leaving right after work tomorrow afternoon. MapQuest tells me I will be there in 8 hours minutes on a straight haul. I haven’t input the information and verified that with Matilda, my Garmin Nuvi 770 GPS that is going to get me there safe and sound. If Matilda should fail, there is always Ernest the Garmin Oregon 550T that I am giving a test run. I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked this week if I am worried about the drive to and from Illinois by myself. Simply put, I have two GPSs, a fully-loaded Glock 26, a first aid kit, a tool kit, a battery charger/power supply and a roadside emergency membership…..what is there to be worried about.

Friday Morning:
Scratching my head with a look of bewilderment I wonder how I ever got all of that enormous pile from my den floor into the cab of my Quad Cab Dodge Dakota. The little silver pony is loaded and feeling more like a gray pack mule this morning….but I got every bit of that enormous pile of gear into the cab of my truck.

It is raining this morning and I was expecting some rain on my trip up to Illinois so I wanted only the stands, climbing steps/sticks, and cooler in the bed of my truck. Plus, it will make it a lot easier when I stop at a hotel tonight only having to grab the climbers and take them into the hotel room. So far, so good…only forgetting one item, my ratchet pruners and hand saw–but my teammate is bringing hers; I did remember the pole saw though!!

I depart for this venture some time between 3:30-4:00 p.m. this afternoon. No matter what may unfold this next week-I am looking forward to this opportunity and hope to make many new hunting friends and hunting memories. I hope you will follow along as I blog each evening of what the day brought; the good, the bad and the ugly. Some of my entries might be real short (like that ever happens!), some entries may be just the bare bone facts of the hunt and some may go into further detail. I hope to bring you pictures and entries that will put you in the competition with us. Wish us luck and stay tuned as this adventure unfolds.

~Practice often, hunt hard, harvest ethically and may your drag be short…good luck this season. Nancy Jo~

© Nancy Jo Adams 2009