My first chance at deer hunting this year came yesterday. Late season doe hunt. Work usually gets in the way. I also usually avoid the regular gun season. It is usually pretty crowded with cousins and friends with lots of high tech gear, tree stands, automatic feeders, trail cameras and the like. They are way too serious for me and they get offended if you invade their space. I like to still hunt and cover some ground so I prefer the less crowded seasons. I'm not as successful as these guys and don't claim to be any great hunter. I don't care much about horns (except to make knife handles out of), but love venison. I made it out to the family farm and realized it had been way too long since I had been afield. This is what is left of what we believe was an original Rev. War land grant. My paternal grandmother was born here in a cabin that dates to 18__? My first cousin owns it now.
Great day. Moccasin clad feet crunched in the early morning frost and really enjoyed all the sights smells and sounds. I scared up a couple of deer without getting a shot. Lunched on some venison jerky, a crust of bread and an apple. Had a little nap in the warm afternoon sunshine, and travelled on.
Late afternoon I found myself entertained by a troupe of grey squirrels when a deer appeared feeding up the creek bed. She presented a good broadside shot at about 80 yards. A very large and healthy (and heavy) doe. She had to be very strong to run half a mile with a .62 hole through both lights. After the long drag out of the "long" hollow to the edge of the first field I asked her why she couldn't have appeared nearer the car. I walked down to get the Explorer and within 75 yards of where it was parked another big doe trotted out in the field right in front of me at about 60 yards and stood taunting me. Just for fun I went ahead and went through the motions of priming the pan (without really putting any powder in) and sighting the rifle at her. There was enough light on the silver blade to draw a good bead on her and I could of easily made the shot!
I realized almost everything I had with me in the woods today was homemade from the rifle, pouch, horn, knife and all my clothes to the elk hide moccasins.
Well it may be a lean winter, but at least there is some venison to put in the freezer.
