Buck Fever: Part 1
By Barry Jenkins
Collins English Dictionary: Complete and Unabridged, describes “Buck Fever” this way. buck fever Noun 1. Nervous excitement of an inexperienced hunter. Fever – intense nervous anticipation; “in a fever of resentment.”
Paul McFedries – The Word Lover’s Guide to New Words as (BuK fee.vur) n. A phenomenon that causes heart attacks in out-of-shape hunters who get overly excited from sighting or shooting deer, or overexert themselves dragging a killed deer out of the woods.
If we are honest with ourselves, most men experienced this phenomenon when we reached legal age for our first hunting trip with dad. So with the whole world watching, I will share with you all, how I caught the dreaded “Buck Fever” that really affected my life in several ways. My hunting experience really started for me in the fall of 1973. My Dad, who was an avid bow and gun hunter, and an awesome marksman, decided to move his family to Dillon, Montana. The reason for the move was to be closer to my aunt and uncle, and to be in God’s country where wild game was abundant.
The night before the hunting trip that would change my young life forever, really was a very exciting time. After dinner and the table was cleared, my dad and Uncle Steve, who worked for the State BLM office in Dillon, rolled out several topographical maps for surrounding state hunting areas. Together they planned out the next day’s big hunt. As my brothers and I watched and listened, our testosterone levels began to rise with nervous anticipation. As you could guess, I tossed and turned in my bed, unable to go to sleep until somewhere around midnight. My father up since 3AM, organized our guns and ammo, and went through each fanny pack carefully to see if they contained a rope, knife, matches, scent eliminator and lastly, most important TP. At 4AM he stepped quietly up the stairs to where me and my brothers were sleeping, trying not to wake my little sisters. He enters my room first, turns the lamp on by my bed and gently shakes my shoulder while whis- pering, “Son it’s time to get up.” I jump up out of bed, ready to go because I slept all night in my hunting clothes. Any pre- pared young hunter would have worn his boots to bed to save time, but they were muddy and mom made me take them off by the back door. Dad chuckles, shakes his head then says to me, “ah, son.” Then “please be quiet and try not to wake up your sis- ters.” Half way down the stairs, I smell bacon, eggs and homemade sourdough pancakes cooking. There’s Mom in her favorite old bathrobe and slippers preparing breakfast. My two brothers arrive and Mom says, “Sit down boys and start eating. You are going to have a successful hunt today.” Yep, it’s Mom with her unconditional love and gentle touch that helped me to feel like the “stud” that I believed I was. After breakfast Dad says, “OK boys take your plates to the sink for your Mother, and gather up your guns, fanny packs, lunches and load them into the truck.”
This is it! It’s really going to happen today. Like me, you may have visualized the Boon & Crockett 12 point Trophy Buck, that you shot at 500 yards, while running. Or possibly you could visualize the abundant praise flowing from your dad, for such an awesome shot. Not me, I thought about the jealousy oozing out of my two older brothers. Then my thoughts of grandeur turned to anxiety with anticipation of what was ahead. My stomach started to roll and churn. It was beginning to happen, “buck fever.” My Dad looks at me and asks, “Son, are you feeling okay?” I quickly respond with, “I think it was the coffee.” He smiles at me all the while remembering his first hunting trip with his father. After chasing our black Lab back into the house two more times, we were finally on our way, traveling to my uncle’s favorite Elk and Mule deer hunting spot.
To be continued...
The Blog titled, “Buck Fever or Buck Fever” is about my first real experience with the dreaded “Buck Fever.” And how it continued to manifest itself throughout my youth, and even into the stage of life that I called, “Studhood”. Better known as, “I know everything there is to know in the entire world, and my Father absolutely knows nothing about anything stage.” Web address: www.sportsmanbow-store.com www.sportsmanbowstoreforum.blogspot.com
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Blog Title: “Buck Fever or Buck Fever” Part I (11-23-10)
