Mr. Briggs was contracted to paint the S.H Kress store on main st. in Houston--He did the work after hours-and me being the bottom senority asst. mgr, I was elected to stay in the evenings while the painting was being done.
Mr. Briggs was a great guy--a white haired gentleman in his 50's I guess.He told me he had a place smack dab in the middle of the National forest near Huntsville Texas--50 acres--with a house and a stocked pond and three deer blinds that he didn't even use.He asked if I hunted and I said yes and he said your welcome to come up to my place on opening day--he said --we got plenty of deer--cause when those fools start blasting in the forrest--they come through my place.
I was totally excited and went to Oshmans the next day and bought a 30/30 Marlin lever action,some camo clothing and mosquito repellent and some boots.
Mr. Briggs had written me a map--and also a layout for his property showing where the blinds were also a key for the padlocks to unlock the hatch going up into the tree stands which were little houses with fold out windows--the three stands were placed around the big half moon shaped field-spaced evenly so three people could hunt.
Opening day came and I got up really early cause I had to make the drive from Houston and find his farm and get to the blind before sunup.
I arrived at the gate to his place lit by a light on a telephone pole and shut off my camaro--I got my stuff together and decided to try to find the deer stand in the middle of the property--I walked about 300 feet and the light by the car wasn't much help anymore--it was pitch black---and I realized I had forgotten one really important thing----a flashlight--oh well- I could see about 6 feet in front of me--I figured I could find the stand--a walked a bit farther and I couldn't see my hand in front of my face--when all at once--a blood curdling scream nearly damaged my eardrum---a mountain lion or puma or whatever big cat it was must have been thinkin about having me for breakfast--ya know--when something happens like that --having a gun is like the last thing on your mind--whatever that animal was--he could see me--and I couldn't see him--and he sounded really close to me.I could see the light in the distance where my car was and I made a b-line to it as fast as my legs would go--it was uphill slightly but I know I ran faster than I have ever run before and felt so good to get to my car--then I felt like an idiot--for waiting till the sun started to come up before I went to the blind. I didn't get a deer that day nor any day I went there--oh I had chances but fate stepped in each time--one time a horse ran the buck out of the pasteur--another time I fired but the deer was 150 yards out of range-I tried to compensate but kicked up dirt at his feet.
I have never gotten a deer--and it was one of the things I set as a goal for my hunting and fishing--goals--I caught the sailfish--no buck yet. later the Codger