Drinking season… oops… I mean *hunting* season is almost upon us. Saturday 15 September is opening day, and this year I’ll be heading up to June Bug’s ranch again!

Last year was my first year at Jimmy’s, and I’m quite sorry that it took me so long to get my butt up there. All those years I lived in Chico and I was only 90 minutes away…

One year the guys invaded town and pretended to be smoke jumpers. Scott, I think, was the pilot of a Jet Bell Ranger. They staged a mock argument and had the bar enthralled. I wanna play, too!

Last year, my first year, I think I spent more time sleeping and taking pictures of all the cool stuff on Jimmy’s property than actual hunting. I have no regrets. It’s a beautiful area, and the history behind the land is cool as well.

The property was homesteaded by Jimmy’s family waaaaaaaaaay back in the mid 1800’s. And it’s been in his family ever since. The sign on the old house indicates that the structure is 100 years old.

I got a good feeling about this year, a damn good one. There’s gonna be game hanging in the cellar this year, boys! Jimmy has Google Earth’d some new roads for us to hunt in the National Forest land that juts up against his property.

I know it’s going to be hotter’n hades two weeks from now. The weather finally decided to start summer–we’ve got 100 degree days every day for the next week. I’ll no doubt be lying in my sleeping bag each night, with a slight buzz and sweating.

This year I think I’ll pitch my tent a little closer to the house. Last time I was setting my tent up a little after midnight and a little too far away from the rest of the guys. It was dark… scary dark. I could hear the pumas howling and screeching not too far away. I had dreams about the big cats dragging my bloody carcass into the creekbed while my drunk friends snored peacefully.

Ahhh… hunting season. I’ve waited all year for this. One weekend at Jimmy’s in September with the same guys.

Hopefully, every year for the rest of my life.