Day two of hunting season...not a transcript

Well, I really wanted to leave early this morning. I didn't have the energy to go poking around the woods blindly anymore. I knew I had to go out and get more water, so made the decision to do a morning hunt, then pack up and leave. I mean really, it's ridiculous to try to ambush elk that aren't on a pattern...and a pattern I don't know is even worse. I thought of a great analogy. Try hunting grouse. Now let's say you need to see them before they see you. What do you do? Set up near likely feeding areas? Try to just sneak around the woods and see them before they see and smell you? Ya, ridiculous. If I wanted to do this, I'd wait for rifle season and then start THAT whole game again. I did hear a bugle this morning, but for some reason, thought it sounded too melodic to be an elk....plus too far away. [Turns out I found the guy's truck later.]

So I poked around the ridge and made some setups with no avail. By then I was pretty much done, so headed back to camp and busied myself with taking care of everything and packing. Now comes the strange part. All of a sudden (still in full camo) this spike mule deer comes walking into camp! He must have heard the commotion and was curious...he couldn't have been more than two years old judging by his size. But he was right there about 20 yards away staring at me! I had half a thought of shooting him, but actually didn't want to "waste" (I know, terrible choice of words) shooting a very young, stupid, mule deer just because I could. So I let him watch me pack. And he stayed! I tried to scare him off by flapping my arms and yelling at him, and he'd run away, then come back. How could you shoot something like that? I mean really? So curious and naive. Okay, so then I heard some snapping branches and the like away from camp, grabbed the bow, and headed out to meet my elk. Turns out it was a really active squirrel who had no regard for peace and quiet. Funny, I found out when I got home that my house is QUIETER than the woods. Really peculiar to realize that.

Anyways, I took my first pack to the truck...on the way I ran into the spike and two of his young buck friends. One fork horn mule deer wanted to see what I was really bad and he moved to within 20 yards. Easy shots, perfect opportunities. Of course, I was to within 5 yards of the trail and needed him to cross it before it became legal. Again, this ethics/morals thing I keep talking about got in the way. Not to mention I didn't really want to shoot a small mule deer. Mule deer are heavy by nature, and to shoot one that would weigh as much as a whitetail...what's the point? I would like to kill a mule deer with a large body and even small antlers...just for that much more meat per animal. So these three had an interesting time of checking me out. The one curious fork-horn actually got comfortable to shake his whole body and head multiple times (at 20 yards) to remove flies or whatever. They moved to about 40 yards and I decided I was done being on show, and walked to the trail and toward the truck. They never moved. Almost strange. I had been praying for a shot, something to make this whole effort (this weekend) worthwhile, then was given multiple opportunities with these small deer. Hmmm.

So that was the hunt. I shall wait until they really start bugling fierce, then try again. I noticed the amazing LACK of hunters abroad this weekend. With all the gear on sale and the radio ads aimed at bowhunters, I figured there was a virtual silent, invisible army that roamed the woods. Not so. I'm glad I found this side of hunting. It felt a lot like rifle hunting on the weekdays. I found myself thinking, "Is this actually a workday?" It wasn't...it was the second day after the opening of bow season. Fantastic!

I guess now I know that when presented extra time to fulfill my quest, I will pursue what I have in my mind as a trophy. Funny that time will do that. I went for the bigger bulls and will wait for a good opportunity. I had a chance at many buck deer, but will wait for a better opportunity. When I went out I had said, "I'm going to kill the first thing that is within range." Did I just grow up a little? Perhaps the closeness just made me a little more tender. Who knows, who cares. All I know is that I have close to three and a half months of hunting to do, and am looking forward to every bit of it!