Lesson learned this evening!

[skychief]

Went for a hunt behind the house this evening as the radar showed clearing skies after a day of rain.

The hike took about 15 or 20 minutes to a tree I ascended with my climber.   Settled in and relished the clear skies and 60 degree temperature.   The little wind died down to a slight breeze after sitting for an hour.   It felt like a great evening to catch a Whitetail feasting on the acorns scattered around my tree.

An hour before sundown my "smart phone" gave off an irregular vibration.   It read that a tornado warning had been issued for the area.  I snickered about the "technological glitch" that found its way to my cell phone and tucked it back into my pocket.   The skies were still bright and not a clap of distant thunder had been heard.

Two minutes later I heard the squall of tornado sirens in the small town a couple miles away.  I sat for a couple of minutes thinking "no way"!

Knowing it would take several minutes to descend the tree and ten more to run to the house if need be, I thought it best to pack it in just to be safe.

Five minutes after getting home, if that, the skies were black and green with hail falling.  A tornado had indeed been on the ground 10 miles North of me.  

I can't tell you how close I came to staying in my tree.  Glad my little bit of common sense kicked in when it did, as things got bad in a hurry.  Lost some limbs from the yard trees and so on.  The meteorologists mentioned that little or no lightening was associated with the system (no thunder).

Hope this might serve to help any other die hard (read:stubborn) bow hunters here!

Best regards, Skychief.

[nineworlds9]

Glad you're safe.  Can always go out for another hunt if you head home and play it safe, but can't hunt anymore if ripped from the tree by high winds and turned into hamburger..you made the right choice!! Live to hunt another day.  Whew!  Close call!!    

[Rob W.]

Every now and then those smart phones are pretty smart.

Glad you made it out safe.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I should get me one of those phones.

Its funny how often our instinct is outsmarted by our brain. Glad this wasn't the case this time.  

[Wannabe1]

Yep, growing up in the middle of tornado alley, those storms can come real quick and without warning! Glad you followed your instinct and headed to safety.  

[rraming]

Good thing you hunt where you can get a signal, a few of my spots you can not.