Well ...seems like I start a lot of stories this way! Well, I went out hunting again.....LOL! I did really I went out three Saturdays in a row. The first was another epic episode in my hunting career. I went to my friends farm (the one where I jumped the deer and came really close to getting a shot off), I decided to try the same route as when I spooked the deer only this time I parked on the other side of the house, so not to put headlights on the deer right away. I snuck around the house and into the pasture, I belly crawled across the top of the pasture so I would not be silhouetted (just like the magazines say) and I eased down along the fence line. Well there were not any deer bedded in the field this time! But to my right I heard something walking in the woods, it matched me step for step almost. Then I hit the barbed wire fence! I could see where the deer were crossing it, unfortunately me not being quite as limber I had to make a choice cross the pasture to get to the gate and come all the way back or try and get over the fence! Hmmm...I found a low spot and crossed the fence and only put one hole in my pants! I got low and listen for the sounds in the woods. Then made my way to a big oak tree with low hanging limbs. I was covered well so well in fact I could not see anything! I turned and moved but still couldn't see So I figured that I needed to move my feet so I could turn my body some. Ever so gently I slid my foot through the leaves just enough to turn my hips and get a better view. And what a view I got!!! Those WHITETAILS are so pretty when they bounce away from you and back into the woods!!! That was the only one I saw all day!
Fast forward to last Saturday. I went to another spot right near the very first spot I went to. Only this time I was determined to get deeper into the big tress and hopefully get some good shooting opportunities. It was great the weather and 4x4's had taken down all of the brush that was keeping me from getting to some other hunting areas. I trekked on. I followed a stream bed for awhile and saw an opening in the trees ahead. Ambush area I was thinking, as I looked up there was an automatic feeder in the clearing! Someone was hunting this area already! WooHoo for me this might be my lucky day! Except the clearing that I saw was actually the river and the feeder was on the other side! :-( Ok the magazines say the deer swim, maybe they swim across the river get a bite to eat then come back! So I set up at a spot that had several good shooting lanes and I waited...and waited...and waited...and got cold. So I thought perhaps its too cold for them to swim it was too cold for me to sit there any longer so I worked my way out to a sunny spot. And guess what a deer saw me first and again I got a great look at that pretty WHITETAIL bouncing up and down! Several hours later still no deer.
Here is the picture I promised you!
My good friend got this 8 pointer!
Speaking of my good friend we went out to my buddy's farm Saturday with RIFLES!!!It was a doe day and my friends all want me to get a deer so I borrowed his rifle and we went a huntin'!!! I had a great spot with good shooting lanes and great visibility. But there was so much shooting going on around us that I know if I was a deer I would be laying down in a briar patch and not moving at all. Apparently I think like a deer! Not a single glimmer of deer fur anywhere all morning! So I went home for lunch and came back a 4:00 pm hoping for some late afternoon action. And I got it!!! 3 fat raccoons wobbled across right where the deer should have been!
This has been while unproductive harvest wise the best of times hunting! The leaves are sooo pretty and watching the landscapes change while the sun rises and sets is awe inspiring. As a matter of fact there were several times that I may have missed a deer because I was sucked into watching the leaves!!!
I am going out Wednesday after work hopefully there will be a picture of me and my harvest soon!!
