Prepare to Defend Yourselves

I have heard hunters throughout our region saying the same thing as me lately - "where are the deer?" This year in the Eastern Virginia deer woods has been down right odd, to say the least. I didn't even see a deer while in the stand until the end of October, and my hunting buddy didn't see a deer at all during archery season, nothing in his first 20 hunts. We have both seen a few deer during the first half of November in conjunction with the rut, but overall, it's been enough to drive us nuts, frustrate us, make us mad, and even want to throw in the towel - quite the myriad of emotions.

During this same period of time, we have found several indications that a significant pack of coyotes has moved into the area. We have gotten trail camera pictures of them, seen their tracks and scat in dirt roads, and heard them yipping and howling at first and last light. The local hunt club even killed one on the first day of general firearms season this past Saturday. They are most definitely here in significant numbers, but what we have been trying to figure out is what impact, if any, have the coyotes had on the local deer population. Did the coyotes wreak havoc on whitetail fawns this past spring and summer, have the deer moved to other locations due to the presence of coyotes, or are the deer still around but just moving at odd times to avoid contact with coyote movements? It's likely some combination of these factors that has made things different and difficult to see and pattern deer this year. Coyotes are a relatively new phenomenon in Virginia, and hunters and biologists alike are still trying to determine what the interaction is between resident whitetail deer populations and non-native coyotes. It will be interesting to see what the resulting deer population looks like over the next few years. For those not familiar with the devastation that coyotes can dish out on a deer, check out what two coyotes can do to a mature whitetail buck.

Just as a whitetail deer must stay alert to the evolving danger of attacking coyotes, the Bible reminds Christians to "be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith..." (1 Peter 5:8-9, NASB). However, while the deer's primary instinct is to flee when it encounters danger, God encourages His children to resist the devil and stand firm in our faith. But to go to battle with the devil, we must ensure that we are prepared and fit for battle. Ephesians 6:10-18 (NASB) instructs us to "be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints." God reminds us that we do not have to and should not be constantly on the run from the evil one; rather, with the proper advance preparation, we can stand our ground and victoriously defeat the devil.

Men, I remind you that there are more and more predators moving into our 'habitat' as each day passes. I encourage you to be intentional about putting on the full armor of God each morning so that you don't risk becoming the devil's next meal. - GE