Chapman - A look at life from a deer stand: hunting for the meaning of life

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Except where otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations in this book are taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Verses marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version, Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers. Used by permission.

Illustrations Steve Chapman

Cover photo Charles J. Alsheimer

Cover design by Koechel Peterson & Associates, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota

A LOOK AT LIFE FROM A DEER STAND

Copyright 1998, 2012 by Steve Chapman

Published 2012 by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-4896-8 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-4898-2 (eBook)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Chapman, Steve.

A look at life from a deer stand / Steve Chapman.

p. cm.

Originally published: Madison, TN : S&A Family, Inc.; 1996.

ISBN 978-1-56507-864-2

1. White-tailed deer huntingAnecdotesTennessee. 2. Conduct of lifeAnecdotes.

3. Chapman, Steve. I. Title.

SK301.C514 1998

799.2'7652'092DC21

97-42832

CIP

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

My dedication and thanks for giving me a reason to write this book go to the following folks in my life:

To P.J. and Lillian Chapman, my parents, for trusting me in my younger years with an activity that has its dangers.

To Kenneth Bledsoe for taking me on my first hunt in 1964.

To Annie, my wife, for making me go to the woods from time to precious time.

And to my arrows, Nathan and Heidi, for keeping me straight.

I n many ways I knew Steve Chapman before I ever met him. In 1985 I became acquainted with his music. Ill never forget the first time I heard Steve and Annie sing their popular song Turn Your Heart Toward Home. Its message to the families of America is powerful, and to this day I find myself humming the song and thinking about its words. Ive since become a big fan of Steve and Annie Chapmans music.

Though our careers are much different, Steve and I have several common bonds that draw us together. Certainly our love for the family and the joy we share in knowing Jesus Christ as our Savior are paramount. However, the thing that caused us to finally meet and become friends was our mutual love and respect for the white-tailed deer. Not long ago we spent an afternoon kicking around our farm, looking at whitetails and talking about deer hunting. Steves made a name for himself with his music, but I dont know if Ive ever met a more avid whitetail hunter. The mere mention of whitetails puts a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

So when Steve asked me to write the foreword for this book, I was more than curious (and excited) about what the book would be like. His title intrigued me and, knowing his gift for writing, I was anxious to see the manuscript. Suffice it to say, I couldnt put it down. I was struck by Steves unique and wonderful way of communicating his deer-hunting experiences and his outlook on life. At times I found myself roaring with laughter. Other times I sat thinking about the serious side of his wordswords that vividly illustrate how I can become a better person, a better father, a better husband the things that matter most in life. He makes me think. The man is a breath of fresh air, a living and breathing gift from God. Blending down-home (or should I say backwoods?) humor and candor, Steve has masterfully written down many of the things we as hunters think about while sitting on a deer stand.

Youre in for a real treat. But be forewarned: This is not your typical deer-hunting book. No, it will not tell you how to kill the biggest buck in the woods. But it might change your life. It is a powerful work from one of the countrys top songwriters. When I finished the last page of the manuscript, I gazed out the window and pondered what I had just read. Over and over one thought kept coming back to me: A Look at Life from a Deer Stand should be mandatory reading for every deer hunter in America. Its that good!

Charles J. Alsheimer

Field Editor, Deer and Deer Hunting

T he dry, fallen leaves lightly crunched on the ground behind the tree I was perched in, and my heart started to race. I knew that sound. It was not a squirrel or a busy chipmunk stirring back there. The sound was unique. I had heard it before. I didnt move a muscle, even though everything within me wanted to shift my body to take a look. I fought my instincts and sat motionless, gripping my compound bow in my nervous hand and rehearsing the steps to pull to a full draw.

It seemed like an hour before I heard the next step, though I knew that less than a minute had passed. These situations always make life seem longer. I turned my eyes in their sockets as far right as I could and hoped for movement. Sure enough, I saw a form move and then stop. As slowly as a shadow on a sundial, I rotated my head and looked down. Eighteen feet below my treestand stood the creature I had been waiting for. It was an eight-point white-tailed buck deer. What a rush!

My wait to spot such a magnificent creature had not begun that morning 30 minutes before daylight. Instead, my vigil started the day hunting season had ended the year before. I was, to put it honestly, addicted to the rush of excitement I felt in that moment. Getting close enough to hear the cautious footsteps of one of the smartest animals on the earth is absolutely intoxicating. Add to that ingredient an attempt to inflict the animal with a fatal wound using a primitive weapon like a bow and arrow, and you have the makings of adrenaline pie. I was loving it!

That morning, the unsuspecting buck moved about five more yards ahead and was then beyond my tree. His body language told me that he was not unusually cautious. He was being his normal careful self. That signified to me that he didnt know I was there. He intermittently looked on down the ridge and then dropped his head to search the forest floor for acorns.

I had done some thorough preseason scouting and figured he would pass on my left where the trail was. I am a right-handed shooter, so I set up to accommodate my type of shot. However, years of experience had taught me one sure thing: Its impossible to consistently predict a deers movement, and you can never be totally certain about his habits. This buck was proving me right. Because of my position, I had to make some adjustments before I could shoot my bow. I had to stand and shift my entire body slightly to the right, which involved the risk of being detected. I knew that anything could happenfrom my treestand squeaking to my hat falling off. I had no choice, however. I had to stand up.

With every ounce of control I could summon, I tightened my already-tense leg muscles and slowly, yet quietly, began to stand up. I moved only when the deers head was behind a tree, concealing his eyes. My legs trembled some as I stood, but it didnt surprise me. I had dealt with this before. I knew the challenge of buck fever. This level of excitement has been known to cause heart attacks in some hunters. Why should a little trembling of the body not be expected? Finally, I was standing. So far, so good!