I have come to the conclusion that animals can hear humans thinking. I know if I’m laying in bed sound asleep, and I wake up, long before I even make a move or any noise, the dog will wake up in the living room, and come sit outside the door waiting for me to take him outside.

Similarly, if i sit in a treestand and read or think about anything, the deer never show up, only, apparently, when I’m in the zone just above awareness and just below reason. So I learned long ago to turn off the head as I hunt. I hobbled off to the treestand, climbed my butt up it and sat, saying my morning prayers.

I thought how nice it was, and how nice was the day. Then I went into the zone. I hadn’t quite finished my morning coffee, and it wasn’t hard to drift off. I wasn’t thinking about anything in particular, I wasn’t processing anything, I just sat in the stand stupid as a democrat. Less than a half hour in, just as the light grew strong, a decent buck wandered into the trees across from me. Eight points, hundred and a half on the hoof, maybe a bit more.

I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. I rested my elbow on the edge of the deerstand. I welded my cheek down to the stock, and parked the Bushnell just in front of my eye.

I pulled the hammer back. I had chambered a round just as I got in the stand so I was ready. Several large trees obscured my view.

The deer took a few steps forward. I felt the trigger take up the slack and stick just before the break.

My heart beat

I pulled the trigger.

The bullet went through and through. Later, I found the plug of hair it punched out the other side.

The deer ran twenty feet, and dropped

My heart beat again.

One shot pierced both lungs just above the heart, and he was gone in less than a minute. I was thankful it was quick.
I unloaded the rifle, lowered it back down to the ground, and climbed down from the stand.

After being skunked hard last year, I was grateful to have the opportunity. I cannot adequately express my gratitude to reader N5 for allowing me to hunt on his private land, and then helping me to dress the deer afterwards.

And I have two hunts left!

Good not to be skunked, this year. And for the first time I have a pair of antlers I can mount on a plaque and display- not nice enough for a mount but I’ll screw them on a board and hang it on the wall. 8 points, and not unattractive.