I missed a great deer Saturday

[Smiles Jr.]

I usually keep a close eye on our woods all year 'round for wildlife. While I do consider myself a good conservationist, I still hunt and eat our wildlife around the farm. I have a very old wooden treestand on the edge of the old-growth woods and when time permits I go up there to read scripture if the weather is agreeable. It's kind of like my little sanctuary.

I watch momma deer rear their young in the spring, the young bucks fussing over dominance through the summer months, and in the late summer and early fall I watch carefully the travel patterns of the big guys.

Saturday morning was Indiana's opening day of gun season. I use a bow anyway as it's my tool of choice. It was down right COLD and I snuggled into an old wool blanket in my treestand before dawn. Yup, an hour and a half later I woke up wondering what day it was, where I was, and maybe who I was. As I slowly collected my senses I scanned the area with my eyes (no head movement) and was shocked to see a giant right in front of me. I had never seen this big boy before and my pulse went out of control. I panicked slightly because my hands AND my bow were under the blanket and any movement would spook the buck. I very slowly pulled one hand out and moved a corner of the blanket to expose my other hand and the bow.

I was trying to be as quiet as possible but my bow scraped the side of the treestand as I was trying to get into position. The buck snorted once and all I saw was a big white tail bounding away from me into the thick woods.

Man oh man! He was maybe the biggest buck I have ever seen at my farm. And I thought the drought had really stunted the growth of our deer around here.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Last weekend was the first weekend for modern gun here in Arkansas. It was really windy so you know what that did for deer hunting. My wife is one up on you though. Her's was a doe, not a buck. I just wish she had used a gun instead of the car.

I've done that fall asleep thing too. I've seen some nice bucks run away when you get awake enough to see them.

 

[Jared77]

Those big bucks don't get big by being stupid thats for sure. There are a couple of BIG monsters running around the woods I hunt. SIL's husband has a trail cam up and showed me some pics. We have a pair of 12 pointers running around and one thats even bigger but we've never been able to get a great shot to confirm how many points he has, but his rack easily outdoes the 12s. We've dubbed him the 30 pointer. Reminds me of a Red Stag his spread is so impressive.

He was bedding down not 20ft from the road in some thick tangle of brush not 15 yards from the mailbox when my MIL kicked him up. I've seen him a couple of times always after the 1st of the year when I'm out chasing rabbits and I've bumped him. I doubt Ill ever get a shot at him and honestly I'm ok with that.

My wife shot an 11pt out of the same woods I hunt so there's hope yet.

 

[Jared77]

Id keep that bow over the blanket, a whisker biscuit and keep an arrow knocked at all times. I'm thinking I'm going to change over to a whisker here after Christmas for the 2013 archery season. Then Id get a mitten you can still hold the bow with comfortably and shoot with it on. Slide one of those instant hand warmer packs in the mitten with your hand and keep you one hand on the bow so it doesn't get too cold. Keep a couple of those heat packs with you in your coat pocket. Good for sliding into your boots as well.

Still chasing my first deer of the season your not alone out there. Different BIL has 3 does down so at least someone's keeping all us fed.

 

[digitS']

There was a TV show on the Discovery channel last night. DW was watching something and this came on later - after she was gone. I didn't pay too much attention but there were 2 guys in Alaska who travel 160 miles by boat to deer hunt. These are "homesteaders" who get on a boat for a 160 mile trip . . . over water! Maybe it was during the long day time period. Anyway, they seemed to be having rotten luck!

The day before this show, I was traveling thru the little community of Medical Lake. There is a place there that we used to call a "sanatorium" and I don't know if that is still thought of as a polite term, or not. The residents require life-long care as I understand it. It's on the edge of the little town in a peaceful setting - farm fields, forested hills, and the little lakes near the bigger lakes .

I checked the regulations for the "unit" (but not for the sanatorium lawn). It was just out of curiosity since I won't be hunting there. The season closed in October. Anyway, there were 5 deer on the front lawn including one that was lying down, half asleep. Another was staring off to the west. Sure enough, there were 2 more deer over in that direction, just showing up.

It is raining like crazy here and there are supposed to be gusts above 50mph this afternoon. Those 7 deer may be trying to check in today but probably won't get past the lobby.

Steve

 

[so lucky]

Steve, why is Medical Lake named that? Does it have mineral springs feeding it? As I'm sure you know, back in "the olden days" putting up a sanitorium near mineral springs was pretty common. Just north of here is a place called "Lithium" There used to be a sanitorium and of course a lithium spring there. Now it is just a run-down little community where people don't ask too many questions. Guess the lithium finally got to them. (It is a medicine/mineral used for bi-polar disorder)

Edited to add: Sorry for wandering off subject.

 

[digitS']

Yes, the lake water was said to be medicinal when the white American settlers first arrived here.

Just a sukoshi back on subject:

I've seen mule deer within the city limits. From my limited knowledge -- it seems to be right on the boundary between the white tail and mule deer herds.

Steve

 

[Smart Red]

I saw a big buck opening day as well. I'll bet the hunter shooting at it was cussing me out for the rest of the day. He could have gotten a big buck and a big idiot in one shot.

The grandchildren and I went for a walk around our property. Never gave hunting season a thought - just wanted a bit of exercise. We were well over half way around when we heard some shots behind us. That reminded me what time of year it was.

I think the first shots scared the deer past us along the other side of the tree line. It was just a short time later when I heard more shots - and much closer. Then I saw the blaze orange hat in the next field over, and the huge buck running directly for us. Fortunately, the hunter saw us and held his fire. Once we moved, the deer veered off to the rear of the property, but was too far for the hunter to get another shot.

My hunting story and I'm sticking to it. No more walks until hunting season is over and my chocolate lab is wearing her blaze orange dress.

Love, Smart Red (see, I've said the smart part isn't always applicable and nothing's red)