Any day hunting
is better than… well anything, up to and including being propositioned by lesbians.
Watched the sun come up in a big oak. To anyone who has never been in a tree stand (I should say, “modern” tree stand, thirty years ago, tree stands were like cabins in huge trees- some had woodstoves) anyway- modern tree stands are pretty much just steel ladders with platforms on top. When you strap the platform to the tree, you use web straps so as not to damage the bark, and you park your hiney on the platform.
Now, you see trees branches swaying, but maybe you don’t know that the tree moves as well. Not just small trees, though they’re more pronounced- no, even a 28″ diameter Oak will sway a couple inches at tree stand height.
So I’m twenty-odd feet up a tree. I’ve strapped myself off so i’m not likely to fall. And I’m dressed up tight, hood pulled around my face, velour gloves, sorels. And the wind making the tree sway. THe feel fo the wood grip of the bow filling my fist perfectly. And most importantly, I’m not at work.
Yes, I did fall asleep.
No, I did not fall out of the tree.
I left the stand at around nine. Had nothing to indicate anything else would be wandering by. I walked aroud the preserve for a couple hours, and actually had two deer walk up on ME. Which tells me a couple things.
1: I’m still capable of being quiet in the woods.
2: My scentblock etc. is working fine.
3: My hearing sucks.
Actually, I knew these things a while back, I had a squirrel run up on my knee several weeks ago, and when I moved my leg he burst off my lap onto the forest floor, chattering like crazy at me.
Saw an oldtimer with his two next generations hunting rabbit, but he had, as he said, “A dog who’s a little ticky” and who will go after a coon like a shot. He had a Browning A-5, and he carried it around the pistol grip, so the blue was worn off the back of the receiver until it looked like chrome. The rest of the gun was in incredible shape. His son had an A-5 as well, and you could see the beginnings of the same pattern. The grandson, maybe seventeen- had a new(looking) A-5. That, the smile on the old man’s face as he talked of his dogs and his son and grandson, the bayongh of the hounds after a rabbit… it made my heart swell. There’s no other way to describe it.
One of the deer who startled me, I got a shot off, but he was moving fast and i didn’t lead him enough. As it was, I missed him by a comfortable margin so he wasn’t wounded, wandering around in scrub. And I lost an arrow. better to lose an arrow than wound a deer.
I slept in the truck at lunchtime. Snoring and leaning against the door post. Eventually I got out, suited up, and lay down in pine needles a few dozen feet from the truck. Slept like the dead.
Around two I woke to the sound of moaning, and for a few moments had to concentrate to make sure it wasn’t me. Walked back to the truck, and as I got in I realized I’d surprised a couple of teenagers in their car going at it pretty hot and heavy. Kingsbury is a fairly remote preserve, so it’s got some pretty empty parking spots. Great for romantic interludes, apparently, because I often find coney island whitefish on the ground.
They looked at me in horror, and I smiled (they were pretty well clothed above the window line, so it wasn’t like I could see anything) I slipped on a rubber glove (always have a couple when hunting) and picked up the nearest used condom, pointed at it, took it to the garbage can, put it in. They nodded, and I drove off.
Kids. Sheesh.
Anyway I’m still deerless, but days like today make it worth just being afield.
12 comments Og | Uncategorized
Sounds like a damn good day.
“better to lose an arrow than wound a deer.”
No truer words have ever been spoken in the world of hunting.
heaven, Dick, is days like today, one after another.
I was hunting coyotes. Camo’d up, parked about a mile away, and perched on a slight ridge in a clump on tumbleweeds already there and ones I had uprooted to add to the effect. I was calling away, screeching wounded rabbit squeals when I heard what sounded like car doors shutting behind me.
I turned around – wondering if someone was breaking into my pickup. Nope, it was three mule deer – two does and a buck. I’d finally been able to hear the thumps as they hopped towards me, curious what the ruckus was. It wasn’t deer season, and I’ve never gotten a muley tag, so I just watched and marveled. With no hurry in their movements, they sproinged off and out of the little valley.
I didn’t even see a coyote that day. I didn’t care and it didn’t matter.
yep. There’s a bond between men who hunt because of these experiences.
Lovely description of your day. Gives me a new perspective on hunters. Thanks, Og.
Heck, if you really wanted to mess with them kid’s heads, you should pecked on that window and said. “My Turn!”
The reaction is worth all the money in the world. ;-P
At least they used protection….or someone else did. Points for that. But not for littering.
swmbo
Thi morning I was swaying in breeze and I crash, rustle, rustle Crash behind me. Being the curious sort I turn to see somewhere north of twelve point move into view. He looked my way and then looked up to check the stand. I must not have been what he expected as he started stamping and moving about. He looked back to the north, where the does where bedded and snorted three times and the bounded into the tree line about thirty yard out in 4 bounds. The trun and snort was less than 10 yards out and would have been an awkward shot, but doable. However where I was I can only shot does, so he left with his ego and lungs intact.
Ethics, what a bitch. But at least I have them :=)
Shame, Paul. Good on you.
Og, love your afield posts, nothing else compares to the out of doors. Even the rainy nasty days are better than the everyday fight for the all mighty dollar.
Og, It was one people look their whole lives for. I don’t know pope and young from squat but the rack had five major tines per side with the shortest being around six inches and the longest was about a foot. There had to be some shorter ones I missed but he was a monster.
I was set up in his bed room so I expect I’ll see some more of him. If I do, and have my wits about me I’ll get a picture on the camera phone,
Yes, I had it with me and no I didn’t remember the damn thing till he was 10 minutes gone.
I hope I see one as big when I’m in an area I can fill that tag.
Ahhh, a nice chance to leave the office for a little bit of time, even if only in my head. Really gets my spirit rolling and ready to be afield again.
And if I cannot be afield, it is always interesting to see the look on some high school kids face when you interrupt them. The last time I ruined a kids night in naughty town, myself and a couple of friends were out cruising the gravel roads when we go by the drive to one of our farms. The drive is actually about 3/16 of a mile long, but it is gated 75 feet from the road to prevent kids from going up there and drinking. Anyway, we are driving along and see a car backed up to the gate. I tell my buddy who is driving to turn around and go back, pulling in with the brights on right into the windows. We do, and after about 5 seconds, a head pops up as he is climbing out of the back seat. I walk up to the window and tap it with my ring. He rolls down the window, at which point I inform him that he needs move along (and I can see the other seat is propped forward and the girl is laying on the back seat).