11/7/74 The only day so far that neither of us saw a deer - of any kind. Saw a piliated woodpecker - also an Arctic 3 toed. Interesting. Cliff caught a mink.
11/8/74 Cliff full of theories of why we see does and fawns but no bucks. I sum it up as follows: “One of those things.” For sure we haven’t collected enough data to come to a scientific conclusion.
11/9/74 Cliff and I back to Black Bay Points at daylight. We made 4 drives but no deer. We met Myrl Brooks and crew cutting ski trail. He assured Cliff that he would have about 3 more years of hunting at Black Bay. Good news. When we returned to shack a fawn ran across meadow. I ran down to get a better look in case more came. A doe showed up. In my trigger happy state I shot at her head. A lucky miss!
11/10/74 Layna, Harry and I to Bears Pass to visit Fred & Lil Williams. They have built a new home and are well settled. Good. At 3:00, Fred called Ed Osberg on his ham radio set and we had a good visit. A very interesting trip all around.
11/11/74 We invited Moes out to watch Viking - St. Louis game at 8:00 p.m. At 1 minute to the time I said to Layna, “Here was the conversation at Moes’ house today. Lou - ‘The Johnsons asked us to watch game on their color TV.’ Cliff - ‘Well, it is coming in pretty fair on ours.’” I was wrong. They pulled into driveway just as I finished.
11/12/74 Cliff and I to Sha-Sha, went to cabin for a few things, then pulled out boat. Rather final.
11/13/74 This is two years in a row I have been skunked, which tells me something that I hate to believe. Thus endeth the poorest hunting season since 1918 when I shot my first deer. 2 partridge, a dozen ducks, no deer. I am discouraged but not disconsolate.
11/14/74 In a blue mood most of day, the first in a very, very long time. Stumbled from one thing to another. Up and down basement stairs. Read a little. Started another picture frame, took a nap, read papers - restless. Layna very calm thru it all, and I felt like a heel in subjecting her to such behavior. I apologized and we went out in snow storm for a walk to Birch Point. I came home feeling better - but still unsettled. In trying to analyze my so called woes objectively, I think that my poor deer hunting may have got me down. Maybe - not sure.
11/15/74 A little more snow during night bringing total up to about 2 inches. Temperature 20 degrees - moderate west wind - a perfect deer day. I couldn’t stand it. At 10:30 I was in boat off for Deer Island, alone. A fawn came running out of a bottom and stopped about 35 feet from me. I plunked it. A buck took off about 75 yards away, I saw the horns, and it stopped in a balsam thicket. I combed the area thru the scope and finally made out a shadowy outline of a deer. I let go and down he went. I broke his back. An inch higher and it would have been a miss. I cleaned out both critters, hauled the small one to the boat, took it to Norway Island where I hung it up. Took block and tackle back and hung buck high up in balsam. When I met Layna at dock, I said “I have had good reason to believe that the law of averages was repealed. Now I know that it is still in effect.”
11/16/74 Buck and I pulled out Starcraft (Union Oil’s) then after my deer. No one had touched it. The “No hunting, cutting or trapping” signs on Deer Island keep everyone off but the Johnsons. When we got to landing, we pulled out our Cadillac. A bit sad but not near as bad as if I hadn’t got a deer. Brought buck home, registered it, and Layna helped me hang it. It is legal!
11/17/74 Read paper until noon. Inflation, recession, depression, world food situation, Jews vs. Arabs, coal strike, Nixon and Watergate, politicians to raise own salaries while doing less and less, farmers killing calves, etc., etc.
11/18/74 Made a half-hearted attempt to review one of my Spanish books. I am not “with it”. My memory plays tricks on me. At this rate, I’ll be like Oberholtzer in another 10 years - if I live that long. The Amidons and Daveys out for a duck feed. I told them to eat hearty as I got 6 ducks with my $36 license.
11/19/74 Took Lisa and Jill to see Life and Times of Grizzly Adams at theater. The place was jam packed. Why can’t Hollywood get the message that the American people want more of that kind of clean entertainment? Our movies have become so rotten that I would not have been surprised if they had shown Mr. Adams in bed with a she bear. We all enjoyed show immensely. Home in a wet snow storm.
11/21/74 Wrote to George Williams. We are definitely committed to go to Mexico. Even at this date, I have mixed emotions. I think we have both adopted the philosophy that we might as well go now when our money is worth a little bit. At the rate of inflation, we will not be able to afford it shortly - very shortly.
11/22/74 To see Judys in p.m. Wayne dug out old scrap book which was started in the 30’s. A great summary of his life to date. He is proud of his achievements, as well he might be. He seems a bit frustrated in that he didn’t do more - not much more, however. As I said, he is quite pleased with himself. At times like these I look at myself and fully realize I haven’t produced to my full potential. So what? Who has, and what has it brought them? No regrets, Johnson, “it is too late to be sorry.”
11/25/74 I have had a rather dull pain in the region of my tail bone for about a week. It is hard to locate it, and even define it. We have become so cancer conscious that it is easy to become concerned - even alarmed - at the slightest change from normality. At any rate, we both will go in for a checkup tomorrow.
11/26/74 Both Layna and I to see Dr. Walter for checkups. I told him I was concerned about dull pain in my lower units and in checking me I thought he looked concerned, too. He sent me back for more X-rays. The final wood, “Come back in a week and we will have the results of all tests made. We will proceed from there.” He prescribed some pills “for my flatulence” and sent me home to worry. Layna to go back in a week also. She seems to anticipate no trouble.
11/27/74 Layna full of preparations for Thanksgiving. I am of little help. Icy roads south of here and we were a bit worried about our kids. Much relieved when Karen and Robin called from Gene’s to say they were safe. Soon after, Brad called from Duluth to say that he and Ah-li had rolled over in her VW near Cloquet. No one hurt!
11/28/74 Ah-li and Brad came at noon. They seemed none the worse for their experience of yesterday. Brad had lost a lens out of his glasses and did not see very well. Big dinner at 4:00. Karen, Robin, Ah-li, Brad, Gene and Ted Hall. Ted Hall a fascinating guest. He sat on floor looking at our old pictures, chatty merrily all the time. We are able to furnish him with much material for his Chronicle.
11/29/74 Robin, Brad and I to Gold Shores where we parked car and walked completely around point. My old hunting grounds and I must have bored the boys with my tales of deer shot along the way. It was a great experience for me. Buck, Jayme and Timmy here for a good visit in p.m. The old men held their own against the kids in ping pong.
11/30/74 Karen and Robin to Ranier where they printed their Xmas cards from a linoleum plate made by Robin. Truly a masterpiece. “The Monahans - awaiting our own miracle. Happy Holidays ‘74” Layna made supper for our clan in neighborhood. All of Buck’s family, Bernice, K & R, Brad.
12/1/74 Before Brad left, we (Karen, Robin, Layna and I) sat and talked to him. He expressed himself well and we were all able to discern that he was not happy with his lot. Karen came through with the sage observation that he wasn’t alone among young people in his discontent. Small comfort , perhaps. Karen and Robin left soon after. It made me happy to be able to give them what was left of my fawn.
