I recently got out in the woods for the first time this year. I was in a ladder stand placed in a strip of hardwoods that adjoined a wheat field and had a wonderful view of the rolling timbered hills of Tennessee.
I saw the usual suspects, a doe here, a raccoon there, but right at dark things got interesting. I had been hearing squirrels all around that afternoon and was quite used to hearing them. Just around dark though I heard a different cadence crunching through the leaves.
"That's a deer!" my brain shouted. I eased around to look over my right shoulder and I had a big bodied deer inbound with it's nose to the ground. He was going to pass within 40 yards of me.
Without a moments thought I quietly got my rifle to hand, and moved it to my shoulder. I was still looking over the scope though trying to see where he was. There was some brush and thin veils of vines and other woody shrubs in the area. As he was walking behind some of that stuff I could see he had a fair amount of white antler on top but couldn't get a good look.
He stopped in a place just 40 yards away where I couldn't see him. As I waited, the already dim light began to fade. Ultimately darkness fell and he remained hidden. I didn't want to get out of my position, spook the deer, and educate him on my presence, so I texted my brother in law to have him bring the truck to the field. That would give the deer a reason to leave without associating it with the stand I was in.
I sat there in the woods with the temperature dropping and details of the world around me fading into the night. Some might have described it as a cold and dreary place, perhaps others would view it as scary. To me it was a delightful place to be. I could hear the buck feeding just a few yards away. I could hear him moving leaves to get to the acorns, then hear him chewing those acorns as he fed his way toward the field. Even in the cold night, the woods are alive and full of opportunity. I sat there in the dark with that deer, planning my next trip. To be sure, I'll have the handgun with me next time!
I saw the usual suspects, a doe here, a raccoon there, but right at dark things got interesting. I had been hearing squirrels all around that afternoon and was quite used to hearing them. Just around dark though I heard a different cadence crunching through the leaves.
"That's a deer!" my brain shouted. I eased around to look over my right shoulder and I had a big bodied deer inbound with it's nose to the ground. He was going to pass within 40 yards of me.
Without a moments thought I quietly got my rifle to hand, and moved it to my shoulder. I was still looking over the scope though trying to see where he was. There was some brush and thin veils of vines and other woody shrubs in the area. As he was walking behind some of that stuff I could see he had a fair amount of white antler on top but couldn't get a good look.
He stopped in a place just 40 yards away where I couldn't see him. As I waited, the already dim light began to fade. Ultimately darkness fell and he remained hidden. I didn't want to get out of my position, spook the deer, and educate him on my presence, so I texted my brother in law to have him bring the truck to the field. That would give the deer a reason to leave without associating it with the stand I was in.
I sat there in the woods with the temperature dropping and details of the world around me fading into the night. Some might have described it as a cold and dreary place, perhaps others would view it as scary. To me it was a delightful place to be. I could hear the buck feeding just a few yards away. I could hear him moving leaves to get to the acorns, then hear him chewing those acorns as he fed his way toward the field. Even in the cold night, the woods are alive and full of opportunity. I sat there in the dark with that deer, planning my next trip. To be sure, I'll have the handgun with me next time!
