November 23, 2013    Today's Photograph . . . . A Secret Master Of The Ceremonies Has Been At Work  (MQ) Bible Study Verse Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (ESV)   Thoughts It was a cold, brisk mid-November afternoon and the hunt was producing very little. Fortunately, we were driving deer through small woodlots rather than still-hunting in the frigid tree stand.    I was walking the edge of the tree line on our last push, when a small buck stepped out of the trees at the end of this small five acre woodlot. I quickly pressed after him, running with my partner right behind me. We approached the open field in hope of getting off a shot, while he was still in the wide open, but the deer was nowhere to be found. We slowly stalked through the field knowing that he had to have been hiding in a depression that we just couldn't see. As we walked further into the open space the small buck shot up from a shallow irrigation ditch; running broadside to us at about one hundred yards out. The air exploded with booming thunder as each hunter alternated shots. The splattering of snow and dirt revealed the near misses.    I was down to my final shot when I dropped to one knee and readjusted my sights. Fortunately the deer turned at this point and ran directly away from me as I squeezed the trigger. A roar erupted from the barrel of the shotgun as the impact of the shotgun slug knocked the six-pointer to the ground and it never moved.  (Mike T)  Action Point Some say it was a lucky shot. I prefer to say that it was a skilled shot. The kind of shot that is only taken by trained snipers. But for some reason, my friends laugh at that comment and I grin along with them. Lucky or not it was still a memorable hunt.    This quote best sums up the action point for this story: 1 "For the Christian, there are, strictly speaking, no chances. A secret Master of the Ceremonies has been at work."  C.S. Lewis Sportsmen's Tip of the Day When pushing deer during firearms season with a group of hunters make sure you wear plenty of orange from top to bottom. It is amazing how one tree can block out the view of your hunting partners. Be safe, walk together in a line and spread out enough distance to cover the woods, but always be in range of sight with the hunter on your left or right. If you spread out too far not only is it unsafe, but deer can sneak through your push line if you leave too big of a gap.   1  C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves.   Sportsmen's Devotional Web Site  Sign Up