Jared would be proud of me ...

I ended work a bit early, changed, and went out. The timing was perfect – as I needed a bit more time – the recent rain adding about a mile to the walk. But the wind was wrong – taking my scent up the draw that I otherwise wanted untouched by human noise, and scent. Ughhhh. I decided to try. Getting ready to slip into position looking up to a spot where deer would likely come out – I realized I had lost my jacket – which I planned to lay on. I wanted to go back – but it would foul up timing. I got there exactly 30 min. from sundown proper (even though it was cloudy) … and the deer would start coming out between now and 10 minutes before. So I got into position, prone on wet ground, the grass somewhat insulating me from the cold, wet ground, in light rain.


I ranged the area where the deer normally come out – 150 yards – the exact range of zero on my rifle. Bipod legs fully extended and rear of the gun supported by my binoculars – all I had to do was take the gun off `safe’ and shoot. My chin was propped so I could lie comfortably without moving anything but my eyes.

I lay there, praising and signing to God without voice, yet loud in my heart.

I thought I could hear hoof sounds. Hmmmm. Dismissed it. Then again. I opened my eyes, and a doe `blew’ from just a few yards away. She had come in from my blind side on the right and alerted to my scent and perhaps tiny movement. She ran a few yards, stopped, turned around and looked, and then made her way to the side of the field, and disappeared. I probably could have swung the gun around for a shot – but preferred to watch – as perhaps more deer were around. The deer with her, a young buck, could see me but not smell me, and so wondered why all the fuss. (I certainly did not look human.) He wandered around in front of me – and I just watched. Perhaps his presence in the field would bring some comfort to any others in the area.

I probably could have shot him in the eye – 50 yards away with a perfect setup – but just watched.

The deer had come out 10 min. before sundown – spot on.

After a while he also caught my scent, and bounded off.
I waited to see if anything (else) would come out – though unlikely – as both deer retreated into the forest from which I hoped others would emerge. Had the area not been spooked I would have waited it out – clear to the end of shooting hours – a full 30 min. after sundown – but I wanted to find my jacket, and also get out before pitch black, and not get too cold. So I decided to do the walk out during shooting hours.

I found my jacket.


Ahead of me on way out was a doe, about 100 yards, walking ahead and away from me – she turned broadside - easy shot … if I wanted it. But, strangely, I didn’t. Maybe if it had antlers, maybe. I continued and eventually she, and her partner, saw me behind them and ran off.

Couple hundred yards to the east – two deer sky-lined. Both does.

I started the hunt totally intending to kill any decent size deer, doe or buck, but the bottom line, I guess, is that I just didn’t want to kill tonight – so I watched these two also, now also looking at me, and continued on out.

I texted Jared that he’d be proud of me – passing up a small buck, and multiple does. He would have done the same thing, holding out for `Mr. Big’. BUT, I didn’t shoot because I didn’t want to … maybe because I wanted to get back to civilization and not spend another hour dressing a deer (in the rain), or maybe because I wanted to get a decent night rest and not have to deal with cutting a deer up mid-week, when I have a guest speaker coming tomorrow, or because I wanted to spend some time with Nancy …

I’ll pull the trigger another day.

And that's the nice thing about hunting close to home .. I don't HAVE to get something when I go out.

Ruger M77 ... 260 Rem Caliber ... deer killing machine!
 
...