2005 Archery Season Ends

I got an opportunity to run out to the mountain today, to check on another treestand. Just in case the thief made it to all my favorite spots.

I pull into the dirt road, and right away notice construction of a new house in the fields abutting the woods. Interesting, but I just figured my father-in-law sold a lot to someone to build a new home. So far, no big harm.

I park where I always park, and as I dress for the hunt, a woman walks by with a dog. “Mind if I park here (knowing full well I am on my in-laws property)?” She replies that she doesn’t own the property; she is just walking her dog (near my woods, during archery season…a clear psycho).

Almost ready to step into the woods, and here comes a guy from the backhoe. “What are you doing?”
“Um, getting ready to hunt, why?”
“Who are you?”
He didn’t recognize Fuzzie, so I gave him the full name, with a firm handshake, and add, “My in-laws own these woods.”
“Not exactly.”
“What?”
And he proceeds to explain how he bought the mountain ground from my in-laws.

Shock. Disbelief. Anger.

I had no idea he sold the ground. (Turns out, no one in the family knew).

And I had always asked him to sell it to me, if he ever wanted to sell it. No notice. No right of first refusal. Nothing.

I put the bow back in the truck, ask the new owner if I could retrieve my stand. Mention that I would like to hunt, only to hear “Don’t let my wife hear that!”

Let’s recap: so far I have had a treestand stolen, and a favorite honey hole (family owned) sold without any notice. Time to take up a new hobby.