“Feel that crispness in the air this morning?” said Dud. “Just about time to go hunting, don’t you think?”

“I’m always ready,” said Steve, smiling. “I’ll go right after fall branding this year. But I’m going to be hunting differently this year.”

We all looked at Steve and waited.

“Well,” he said, “you know how different cultures and different countries have their own way of hunting, so I thought I might try one of those this year.”

“Whatcha have in mind, Steve?”

“The Swiss way,” he said. You know … crossbow? William Tell? The Swiss way.”

“I’ll be using a regular bow again this year,” said Herb. “I really enjoy the earlier season and more time to shoot. I shoot in the back yard every day.”

“Must be something in the coffee here this morning,” said Doc. “Everybody’s going for a new way … or old way … of hunting.”

“I’ll be going back in time myself this fall,” Phil said. “I’ve never used anything but a modern rifle, so this year I bought myself a muzzleloader. One shot. You just get one.”

“That’s a fact,” said Dud. “Now how about you, Doc? How will you be hunting this year?”

“Glad you asked, Dudley. Yes, I joined the trend myself this year and I’ll be hunting deer by the Amish method.”

We looked at Doc. “Amish method?”

“Sure,” he said, grinning. “You just go out and find a buck you really like and build a barn around it.”

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