2012 Deer Hunt, Week 1
November 11th through 20th   
The first signs of ice-in were spotted.
It was cooler during the days leading to the opening of the 2012 deer season.  The lake temperature was falling rapidly under sunlight that seemed to be filtered of all warmth.
It was learned by bitter and thirsty experience that the comet master (bartender) must work fast when using fire and ice shot glasses (apogee style) lest the Bailey's Comet become the sticky and shameful Bailey's Nebula.
As an homage to the upcoming cold, Bailey's comets were served "apogee style" during the days leading up to opening day.
For what Friday night lacked in food, it made up for in smoke rings.
A growing sliver of moon rose in the sky during the after hunt soup, shepherd's pie and ribs that were had at the bar by any passing hunter on Saturday night.
Other deer we saw were doing a meaty impression of a suet feeder.
The short story is the weather got warmer and some deers got shot.  I especially liked the "the kick is up, it's good!" hanging pose of the deer outside the bar.
The last stint of warmer (50's℉) weather called for a bit of bottom time to be added to the task of pulling the last pier.  The water is colder than the air.  After about 5 minutes of not seeing any fish, a hasty retreat was called from the 47℉ lake.
The golf course, closed to un-members, is a bit flagless and tee markerless, but otherwise in very good shape for late November (slow greens, no snow).
After pier removal and shivering, some diving ducks were seen gathering on and diving the north end of Lucerne.
Just after the ducks, a small, aquatic mammal checked out our pier removal handywork.  Dive stuff and cameras were put away just in time to miss a B-52 flying low over the lake on its way to bomb Hiles as in days of yore.  It passed over at 1:13 PM, was low and loud.
Like a condemned person on death row, last meals were consumed (Soups, Shepherd's pie, Ribs) and all that is left is the wait.  It's very unlikely that Winter will be giving the lake a last minute pardon.  In fact, the coming ice will be hastened by the coming cold.  The bottom is to drop out of local thermometers and the sky (snow) on Friday.  After that, few are predicting highs over freezing until next March.

-Nemo, already sick of Winter.                           Previous   Next