Deer season is on with a vengeance
I went hunting alone yesterday. Today I hunted with Butch. Tonight I hunted alone again.
This is how it is.
Yesterday, I poked around in an area in spitting snow and rain, old snow falling off the trees, making every whomp and snap sound like something walking. But I got to see some new country. The wind was blowing every direction you could think of, and then some...I swear, at times it was blowing UP. Not up the hill, just UP. After four hours of snow and rain blowing sideways in my eyes, I called it good. No deer at all, but I saw a bunch of sign and sung many stupid songs in my head. That's something you must keep in mind when hunting. NEVER listen to ANY music when you go into the woods. You will ALWAYS be stuck with the worst chorus you heard on the way up. Absolutely. No question. It'll happen. So, listen to songs that will make you happy when you hear them...and be sure to know the WHOLE song! When you can only remember two lines...you are in for a world of hurt. John Denver songs relaxe animals I'm sure. Sing THAT to them.
But anywho.
I went out with Butch and "Captain" Ron today. We split up, Ron one way, Butch and I the other. It was gorgeous flat land owned by a Californian next to a mud hole / lake. But it was crawling with deer. Actually, when Butch and I pulled up to Ron's house we heard a .22 shot! We were watching the four does that jumped in front of the truck and expecting a "TINK" with the bullet hitting the truck. In talking to Ron, we found out that he was shooting at a nice 4 point out a flap of the tent covering his woodpile! We screwed it up, as soon as this big deer heard the diesel coming in, he was gone. Ron wisely took a chance at a shot at the place where the head meets the neck and missed. If you miss a shot like that, there is no real consequence, if you connect, you have a deer. In north Idaho, with five acres, this is common...shooting at deer in your yard. (I have found the "illegal" .22 the caliber is the choice in quiet shooting.)
But anywho.
We went up on some land. We saw a doe with her butt in the road and her head in the brush. Butch said, "See that deer!?" I scooted around, looking about a hundred yards away and said no a couple times. (I was looking about a hundred yards down the road.) Eventually I saw the deer butt sticking out of the brush at about 10 yards! Go figure. But it was really little and it spooked, ran away, then crossed in front of us. No chance, but it really didn't bother us. It was a yearling.
Later, we saw two does across the small mudhole / lake. I layed on the ground and had a good rest. I asked Butch, "should I take it?" He said, "It's up to you." I had a solid rest, I had the safety off, and I asked Butch, "What day is it?" He said, "WHAT!?" I said, "What day is it?" He didn't respond. By that time the deer were kinda skylined and I didn't take the shot. I've talked a lot about taking does. But I couldn't do it. It was about 200 yards, across water, (with a good backstop I must say)...but I figured there was a buck nearby. So I didn't shoot. We went over there looking for a buck and only found the two does. I felt kinda like a hypocrite...but I've got some time yet. So, no worries.
We came down with no one getting a shot, went to lunch at a nice little Mexican restaurant, then everyone split up and I went home. Only, I passed by my place. The whole time on my way home, I was thinking, "Well, it's two o'clock, maybe I'll look around the hills a bit more." So that's what I did. I got into snow on this road that was rubbing my sideboards and finally decided to turn around. Don't give me a hard time, I was in 4-low at this time and still jiggling all over the road. Chains are to get you OUT not get you IN. So, I turned around and went to where no one was. Every truck I passed was parked up in the snow where the folks could track deer..I headed back down to where I was on Friday. I hiked up the hill and down the other side...the exact place I didn't want to hunt in because it is thick and nasty, but I KNEW the deer were hiding there.
Turns out.
They were.
I spooked one little doe at about 20 yards (pretty good stalking if you consider I didn't know she was there.) The old snow was STILL dripping off the trees making it sound like things were moving all around me. One time I was convinced I heard something walking, so I hunkered down and got ready. Well, after about a half an hour, I thought it must be my mind playing tricks on me. When I got up, I saw a deer kinda bounce, ONCE, up the hill in a thicket.
ALWAYS trust your gut. Lesson learned.
So I countered by moving very slowly and silently to a position opposite a small ridge and slightly above this deer. (Not sure if it was a buck or doe.) I crouched there for an hour...hearing squirrels chattering "its" presence...and snapping of twigs. I KNOW the deer was right there. But the war of wills is given to the deer. I stayed there until dark. And I was still a half hour from the truck. So snuck up the hill to the ridge, then pushed my way down the other side. I'm still in the mindset that if you don't spook a deer (after spooking it one time) they might not be able to pattern you and you'll have a chance later.
So, that is the plan. I KNOW there is a buck (big or small) up there, and I shall be back.
All in all, it has been a really good weekend. I have another day tomorrow, but I think that shall be spent on resting and getting chores done. HOWEVER, the evening (if I get my chores done) will be spent in the hills...possibly...I was REALLY cold and REALLY wet the past two days...a day inside is sounding pretty nice. But when I left where I parked the truck it was snowing. So, tommorrow might find me up there, poking around...taking the bullets for a walk...in wet boots and sore legs.
So on another note (I HAVE to share this.)
Last night. I'm sleeping, dreaming, having a good old time with the wind blowing in the window. (It's cold but it makes for a cozier bed.) I had a dream, and at the end of it, there was this kid looking out the window of a house in the dark. Then I kinda woke up, and I heard, I SERIOUSLY HEARD, someone say, "turn the light on." Not in any nice voice, it was a raspy whisper. TURN...the light...ON! I refused in my head. The hairs on the back of my head went up and I layed there as still as I could for probably 20 minutes and decided it was all in my head. The door was deadlocked, the cat was sleeping peacefully (who ever heard of a cat not hearing the smallest sounds?) It took me awhile, but shit...SPOOOOOOKY. I finally came out of the fog of sleep and convinced myself of my precautions and was good to go. But still.
DO NOT EVER SURPRISE ME. "...there are only consequences...."
With that, have a good night.
This is how it is.
Yesterday, I poked around in an area in spitting snow and rain, old snow falling off the trees, making every whomp and snap sound like something walking. But I got to see some new country. The wind was blowing every direction you could think of, and then some...I swear, at times it was blowing UP. Not up the hill, just UP. After four hours of snow and rain blowing sideways in my eyes, I called it good. No deer at all, but I saw a bunch of sign and sung many stupid songs in my head. That's something you must keep in mind when hunting. NEVER listen to ANY music when you go into the woods. You will ALWAYS be stuck with the worst chorus you heard on the way up. Absolutely. No question. It'll happen. So, listen to songs that will make you happy when you hear them...and be sure to know the WHOLE song! When you can only remember two lines...you are in for a world of hurt. John Denver songs relaxe animals I'm sure. Sing THAT to them.
But anywho.
I went out with Butch and "Captain" Ron today. We split up, Ron one way, Butch and I the other. It was gorgeous flat land owned by a Californian next to a mud hole / lake. But it was crawling with deer. Actually, when Butch and I pulled up to Ron's house we heard a .22 shot! We were watching the four does that jumped in front of the truck and expecting a "TINK" with the bullet hitting the truck. In talking to Ron, we found out that he was shooting at a nice 4 point out a flap of the tent covering his woodpile! We screwed it up, as soon as this big deer heard the diesel coming in, he was gone. Ron wisely took a chance at a shot at the place where the head meets the neck and missed. If you miss a shot like that, there is no real consequence, if you connect, you have a deer. In north Idaho, with five acres, this is common...shooting at deer in your yard. (I have found the "illegal" .22 the caliber is the choice in quiet shooting.)
But anywho.
We went up on some land. We saw a doe with her butt in the road and her head in the brush. Butch said, "See that deer!?" I scooted around, looking about a hundred yards away and said no a couple times. (I was looking about a hundred yards down the road.) Eventually I saw the deer butt sticking out of the brush at about 10 yards! Go figure. But it was really little and it spooked, ran away, then crossed in front of us. No chance, but it really didn't bother us. It was a yearling.
Later, we saw two does across the small mudhole / lake. I layed on the ground and had a good rest. I asked Butch, "should I take it?" He said, "It's up to you." I had a solid rest, I had the safety off, and I asked Butch, "What day is it?" He said, "WHAT!?" I said, "What day is it?" He didn't respond. By that time the deer were kinda skylined and I didn't take the shot. I've talked a lot about taking does. But I couldn't do it. It was about 200 yards, across water, (with a good backstop I must say)...but I figured there was a buck nearby. So I didn't shoot. We went over there looking for a buck and only found the two does. I felt kinda like a hypocrite...but I've got some time yet. So, no worries.
We came down with no one getting a shot, went to lunch at a nice little Mexican restaurant, then everyone split up and I went home. Only, I passed by my place. The whole time on my way home, I was thinking, "Well, it's two o'clock, maybe I'll look around the hills a bit more." So that's what I did. I got into snow on this road that was rubbing my sideboards and finally decided to turn around. Don't give me a hard time, I was in 4-low at this time and still jiggling all over the road. Chains are to get you OUT not get you IN. So, I turned around and went to where no one was. Every truck I passed was parked up in the snow where the folks could track deer..I headed back down to where I was on Friday. I hiked up the hill and down the other side...the exact place I didn't want to hunt in because it is thick and nasty, but I KNEW the deer were hiding there.
Turns out.
They were.
I spooked one little doe at about 20 yards (pretty good stalking if you consider I didn't know she was there.) The old snow was STILL dripping off the trees making it sound like things were moving all around me. One time I was convinced I heard something walking, so I hunkered down and got ready. Well, after about a half an hour, I thought it must be my mind playing tricks on me. When I got up, I saw a deer kinda bounce, ONCE, up the hill in a thicket.
ALWAYS trust your gut. Lesson learned.
So I countered by moving very slowly and silently to a position opposite a small ridge and slightly above this deer. (Not sure if it was a buck or doe.) I crouched there for an hour...hearing squirrels chattering "its" presence...and snapping of twigs. I KNOW the deer was right there. But the war of wills is given to the deer. I stayed there until dark. And I was still a half hour from the truck. So snuck up the hill to the ridge, then pushed my way down the other side. I'm still in the mindset that if you don't spook a deer (after spooking it one time) they might not be able to pattern you and you'll have a chance later.
So, that is the plan. I KNOW there is a buck (big or small) up there, and I shall be back.
All in all, it has been a really good weekend. I have another day tomorrow, but I think that shall be spent on resting and getting chores done. HOWEVER, the evening (if I get my chores done) will be spent in the hills...possibly...I was REALLY cold and REALLY wet the past two days...a day inside is sounding pretty nice. But when I left where I parked the truck it was snowing. So, tommorrow might find me up there, poking around...taking the bullets for a walk...in wet boots and sore legs.
So on another note (I HAVE to share this.)
Last night. I'm sleeping, dreaming, having a good old time with the wind blowing in the window. (It's cold but it makes for a cozier bed.) I had a dream, and at the end of it, there was this kid looking out the window of a house in the dark. Then I kinda woke up, and I heard, I SERIOUSLY HEARD, someone say, "turn the light on." Not in any nice voice, it was a raspy whisper. TURN...the light...ON! I refused in my head. The hairs on the back of my head went up and I layed there as still as I could for probably 20 minutes and decided it was all in my head. The door was deadlocked, the cat was sleeping peacefully (who ever heard of a cat not hearing the smallest sounds?) It took me awhile, but shit...SPOOOOOOKY. I finally came out of the fog of sleep and convinced myself of my precautions and was good to go. But still.
DO NOT EVER SURPRISE ME. "...there are only consequences...."
With that, have a good night.
posted by geotracker12 at 8:08 PM
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